[sganow]

Our first yorkie, Ginger, came from a small independent pet store. Did she come from a puppy mill? I don't know. We didn't know about puppy mills back then (over 9 1/2 yrs ago). She has been perfectly healthy all her life and is still very healthy. Actually, she may be the healthiest of all my dogs. I think we were very lucky with her!

Would I hate you for buying that puppy? No. Would I pay $2k for the puppy? NO! Heck, I wouldn't pay half that. That puppy is WAY overpriced! Petland is just plain crazy if you ask me.

You may have to look out of state to find the perfect puppy (if there is such a thing as a perfect puppy). They will all be prone to some health issues and will all be a significant amount of work. They require commitment.

I have personally not had much luck with rescues in the past. And the whole thing about submitting an application, having them do the whole background check, home "study", and subject you to all sorts of stuff prior to even considering you as fit to adopt a dog, and then only to find out they adopted the dog to someone else anyway. That's the reason I won't consider adoption any more. I have not had good experiences with adoption. I will still say that adoption is a wonderful thing though. Those dogs deserve good homes! My problem is that I have no patience and need instant gratification.

I hope you find the right puppy for you and your family. Please keep us posted on your search. Yorkies are wonderful dogs and companions. Good luck!