[Rescuemomma]

All great suggestions - Let me share my experience with Italian Greyhounds, I purchased my first good show dog from what I believed to be a reputable breeder, she sounded good on the phone, her dogs had good show records, she really knew the TALK about genetic testing and all that crap, so I purchased a beautiful male puppy from her. 3 years of showing, 2 champion titles later, I bred him to a bitch I'd purchased from another breeder - First litter was without a problem, then the 2nd litter, my dear Aiyana was born - She's deaf, she has epilepsy, she has addisions disease, she has horrific allergies, and has been a real challenge medically in many ways. By then I'd purchased a second puppy, a little girl, from that breeder. That puppy was diagnosed with Legg Perthes, has brittle bones, and at only 18 months, I've spent almost $10,000 in vet bills on her, and she only matured to be a tiny 6 lb, 13" girl, far from the "special quality" puppy the breeder had told me to expect from Sara. Even if she was a little bigger, she's far from Specials quality. Then I dug deeper and found this breeder talked a good talk, but wasn't as good as she made herself seem, and others had reported issues to the IGCA about her. And I will never breed Italians again now, I love my Aiyana and my Sara, but the heartache of the health problems I've had to go through with them when I thought I was doing it all right breaks my heart, especially Aiyana since it's my breeding that brought her into this world - I'm just thankful that the other 8 dogs out of those parents never had any problems, although one of Aiyana's nephews has patella issues, her older brother from my first litter had been bred once before she was born.

Point to my story - Don't take the breeder's word for it. Call their vet. Call references. Contact the Yorkie club and really dig in. Ask to see PROOF of genetic testing. REALLY do your research, it'll pay off in the end.