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Originally Posted by trishaandtim  ........snip........I would never hurt anything. I wouldn't just try something for fun. I get attached to my dogs. If something happened because of me I would hate myself. ......snip........... |
You also state,
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Originally Posted by trishaandtim .....snip....I know my daughter wants one for her birthday for now. I do have two sisters, two nieces, and three daughters. All love yorkies. |
I used to breed for show with another breed until a car accident intervened but here's my advice for what it's worth.
I don't believe you want to hurt anyone or anything but sadly good intentions simply aren't enough. Breeding isn't something that should be done casually to provide puppies for friends in this day and age of recessive genetic issues.
To breed responsibly you must know every dog in your dog's pedigree and know about all the progeny they have thrown. You need to understand what each line carries good and bad. That's the point of pedigrees so you can track what the genetics behind dogs are and hopefully can cross for improvement and strengthening.
Unfortunately you are describing a fairly insular situation where you provide dogs to family. So what happens when those dogs then interbreed and voila you have a close line breeding. Those are exactly the circumstances that create and strengthen these undesirable recessive traits that are tragedies just waiting to happen.
So the first step to becoming a responsible breeder who breeds for standard improvement is to apprentice with a show breeder and spend years at their side while they let you help groom and carry and go to shows and they educate about all the inside intricacies of the genetic lines.
Otherwise it's just another backyard/hobby breeder situation where you begin with good intentions and tragedy can ensue. Sadly tragedy can ensue with even the very best of intentions which I believe you have.
That's why people here may seem judgmental, when you see horror and tragedy over and over and the stories all seem to begin the same, or quite similarly, it's hard not to try and warn someone of what lies ahead especially when you've seen those little suffering brown eyes.......
If breeding interests you make connections with the responsible AKC breeders, go to shows, listen and you will learn. The dog show world is very friendly and will usually share above and beyond, they love the dogs beyond reason and love sharing their passion to the truly interested.
hth,
Jo