This is a subject that comes up often because there seems to be such a wide range in sizes of these dogs. The breed standard states that the weight is not to exceed 7 lbs. That seems reasonable to me for a toy breed dog but some people seem to be obsessed with the idea of a 1 or 2 pound dog. Since 7 lbs is the top size of a Yorkie obviously smaller sizes are acceptable. It would be nice if the YTCA would set a minimum weight. The Yorkie is in the Toy group and so it is supposed to be small. I don't understand why people want to make it smaller. a reputable breeder does not continue to breed dogs that consistently produce tiny offspring. They are not useful for breeding or showing and they have distinct disadvantages in life.
A breeder that is breeding for size only is endangering the health and well being of the offspring. There are many aspects of genetics that have to be taken into consideration when breeding purebred animals. When a breeder is not very knowledgable of the genetic background of the dogs they are breeding they are going to produce offspring that are deficient and often defective. That is why so many puppy mill and backyard breeder dogs are riddled with genetic defects. It's very sad. It can happen to anyone but it is way more common is puppy mills and BYBs because they totally disregard sound breeding practices.
Some families do need a dog that is a bit bigger. There are other very cute terriers that are more suited to family life. They are not as well known as the Yorkie yet but hopefully people will start to discover the many other types of terriers. The Yorkie does have a great personality and the larger ones certainly can make great family dogs. |