[Erin]

I just want to jump in here and say a few things: First, if you do want a tiny one don't pay extra for a <cringe> "teacup". Yorkies should be 4-7 pounds. Ask for one that will be at least 4 pounds. You are concerned about price to begin with, so be warned that vet costs are high for any sized Yorkie. Baby teeth need to be pulled ($100), Neuter/Spay ($200), Shots, etc. ($100) and we've been at the vet probably 6 times in addition to that for UTIs, diarrhea, Giardia, LP, and more. (6 x $100). (Loki's 1yr old.) It's true that when they get sick you can't wait to find out if it passes. Too much cheese can result in a vet visit for dehydration due to diarrhea.

Second, please consider up to maybe 6-7 pounds. Loki is NINE pounds and he still fits in my carrier, has a carseat, goes EVERYWHERE with us. He gets heavy after a while, but he's still a tiny dog, IMO. Spend some time with some different sized Yorkies and see for sure. An extra tiny one can end up costing a lot more both in the beginning and throughout it's life. A "regular" sized one will cost less up front AND is more likely to not have things like hypoglycemia, etc. Also, don't necessarily choose based on price. A good breeder has to charge more because there are so many vet costs, etc. involved. In THAT case it's worth the extra money.

I held a 4 pound girl yesterday (she was at Daycare with Loki) While Loki played with all the BIG dogs (doberman, boxer, lab) this little girl was not so sure about them. She was ADORABLE, but when I picked her up there was nothing to her. She felt extremely fragile. Again she was the cutest thing ever, but another 1-2 pounds would really make her a lot more solid. Loki takes 4 stairs at a time on the way down, and this girl probably isn't able to go up and down at all, and I'd be afraid of her falling. So cute, but soooo tiny. My friend has one that is 22 oz. They are hoping she will hit 2 pounds. She can't do stairs. She lives in a playpen because if she is on the floor she will either get lost or stepped on. She doesn't get to act like a normal dog.

If you still want a tiny and are willing to provide the best care for one, then go for it, but find the right breeder.

You may or may not know this, but tinies can come from a "regular" sized litter. Please don't go to a breeder that breeds all tinies or advertises tinies/teacups. I think there are a few people on here that have been breeding tinies for YEARS and know what they are doing, but there are only a FEW. There are THOUSANDS of breeders breeding tinies for the wrong reasons ($$). A LOT come from puppy mills because they fetch top dollar. Be extremely careful. If you walk into the wrong breeder's house and utter the word teacup they will see dollar signs!

Do your research before you buy a pup, and if you think you've done enough - DO MORE. (We did a TON of research before getting Loki, and we got him from a SHOW breeder and he was just diagnosed with Luxating Patella. If you don't know what LP is, or Liver Shunt or Hypoglycemia, you also want to read up on common yorkie genetic problems and how to avoid them before you buy.) You need to know what questions to ask the breeder, and people on here can help you with that. I promise, the research you do now will save you a TON of $$!!! Good luck. This is a fantastic place to ask questions, so don't be afraid to ask.

P.S. Loki was $800. He was 3.5lbs at 13 weeks and the breeder said he'd hit 7 - which was a realistic estimate. He sprouted these long legs no one could have predicted and he's settled in at about 9lbs. Males cost less than females, and smaller yorkies tend to cost more regardless of sex. And again, we just found out he has LP, which is genetic. He would have cost significantly more if his parents had genetic tests (xrays or OFA). If I knew what OFA was before I bought him, I would have paid more for an OFA'd pup.