[Lorraine]

Originally Posted by gemy

If you are serious in entering into the show world of purebred dogs. If you are serious about breeding to improve the breed - or at the minimum to perserve the best qualities of the YT; then quite simply you will need to earn that right. Or to say it another way pay your dues first.

Look to join the National Club here in Canada as a regular member first; as you won't know any breeder members to at this point in time qualify as a breeder member.

Look to the same for the USA National Club.

Join an active Toy Dog Club in your area, if none is available an active All Breed Club.
Study, Study, Study. Look at on line seminars. For structure and a good idea on how to train your eye to review a dog's structure; I highly recommend an Eye for a Dog.

Go and see all National Specialities for Yorkies. ONe is coming up in Reading PA. November here in Canada is ours. Plan on attending.

You need to build relationships, and show your commitment to the breed and your ethics, dedication to breed healthy and good representatives of the breed.

My journey I will share with you is based primarily on the breed I do breed; which is BRT;s. How-ever I do co-own and love and train a Yorkshire Terrier - who has 2Ch's behind him and one Grand Champion; and is probably the first YT to dock dive! And he has been health tested and registered on the various health websites.

I with my breed haunted the breed rings. Talked to many breeders. Became somewhat a "fixture" at any show I could get to. I eventually was asked to help out in small ways. Hold a dog ringside. Get water. Hold a dog's head for grooming. And then I decided to purchase a puppy. At that point in time I was more interested in a working/obedience dog; I didn't really care about showing the boy. As you may find as I did, the good and best of working dogs, also have great conformation and the breeder wants them in the conformation ring as well as the obedience/performance ring. These breeders are the best in my opinion. So I was sold my boys on co-ownership, with strict guidelines on to working titles and a commitment to show the boys in the ring.

I did what I was asked to do and way way more. I've championed and Grand championed three dogs in my ownership. Along the way I have become a breed expert on movement; and chair the Education committee for my breed. This means I train the judges what to look for and how to interpret the standard for my breed of BRT's. I am also an evaluator for puppies. This is about 10 yrs later.

I am an active member of both National clubs in the States and Canada. I get involved in rescue.

There is no Short Cut to becoming a reputable breeder. There is only time, and impassioned work.

So you may ask, how did I get to own a male YT. Quite simply my breeder of Razzle, was also my trainer for BRT;s. We had an ongoing 4 or so year relationship. I fell in love with the Yorkies, as twice weekly we would train with them. And I wanted an agility dog. So I asked Ilona; I would like an agility dog, I would like a Yorkie. She said well Gail, I have a potentially good agility dog, but.... I want him shown as he is a very good conformation boy as well. If I let him go to you, will you agree to show him too?

So to me the key is solid relationships. Ilona and I still have, and probably will always have a very close relationship. She is my mentor in many ways, including BRT obedience and structure ways. We train together, go to courses together etal.