Hi yes I am also very careful where my pet puppies go. Anything that I do not feel is show quality which I mean is not the best representation of the Yorkshire Terrier, is sold for pet under spay/neuter contracts. There is no health problems etc it is just not something I want in my breeding program or anyone else's. If I deem this pup not to be my best, it isn't right to be passing on its genes to future generations for me or anyone else.
So, at what age do I make my final descions on whether or not a pup looks like show quality? Usually about 9 or 10 months unless I see something later that I decide not to keep it in a breeding program.
This might be something like colour going too light especially in a male or maybe getting bigger than I thought it would.
So if you are going to buy a show dog with the purpose of showing, breeding no breeder can know at 12 weeks or certainly under six months usually whether this is a pet quality or not.
So with all this consideration, I usually don't sell my pups which will be for pet only at this stage, until 4 -5 months of age when I make my first decision whether or not this will have potential of a show dog or 'running it on'. When I sell for pet, I screen possible buyers very carefully, have very tight contracts and sell ONLY locally so I know can meet, interview and check out references. Any pup over 6 months is spayed/neutered by my Vet before going to that new home.
I do all this to protect my lines so my pups do not end up producing crossbreeds or end up producing puppies that will be sold to puppymills or bad breeders.
As a Yorkie fancier with the passion for the purebred Yorkie, the stamp I want to leave the Yorkie world, is a very nice representative of the breed whether kept for show or sold for pet that will be spayed/neutered. |