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Originally Posted by GuinnessStout  OK so I had to be nosey and look at the website since I see the breeder in question is now in FL and completely off subject but is it just me or do the puppies available right now just look... well... their eyes... just look so empty, sad, soulless??  Yorkshire Terrier Puppies Available |
LOL... that first shot ( of the little girl described as " The devil" of the bunch- does look a little sad. But I can't imagine I'd be very happy if someone taped my ears, in fact I would definitely be downright ornery! LOL...But the rest of the puppies look adorable ( to me)
THat said..YT is a font of info about a lot of things. When it comes to breeders and buying a dog..you have to be careful- no matter WHERE you choose to get your fur baby from.
If your breeder isn't in the nearby vicinity ( say more than a hour's drive) Here are some things you can to make sure everything proceeds smoothly with no surprises.
Ask when the pictures shown were posted and how old the pups are in the shots. If you need to,ask for current pictures (if you doubt they actually are sending you new shots- ask for a shot with your name on a piece of paper to be included in the shot) You should also do this if you are considering having a dog shipped to you.
Ask for a vet reference from the breeder and CALL THEM..ask how the vet thinks they treat their dogs. You can also ask if the vet knows about their breeding program ( kennel or home, problems with other animals that are from the same lines) If the breeder is not using optimal practices the vet will usually be the one to know. ( all the breeders I considered were willing to give me their vets contact info)
Ask for previous clients...contact them if you can. ( all of the breeders I considered were also able to provide this...or had them plainly listed on their website)
NEVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BUY THROUGH A PUPPY BROKER...this includes sites online that have dozens if not hundreds of puppies available from all parts of the country and pet stores. These help support puppy mills and you have no guarantee to get the pup of your dreams. My neighbor got a "Morkie" who was supposed to be 4 lbs fully grown who is knocking on 10 pounds now. ( the dog was 12 weeks old when she purchased her) But she only paid 300 INCLUDING ShIPPING! which is usually 300 by itself. So beware...you get what you pay for. *MOST" yorkies that I have seen from reputable breeders with good lines START at 900 and go up. If someone is selling a "teacup" pureblood yorkie for 500- personally I would run! If it seems to good to be true IT IS! By the way if you type in "Yorkie Puppy for sale" and ANY state there is a site that will say the state's name "CaliforniaYorkieBreeders" "TexasYorkiebreeders" whatever...they will tell you they are "vetted small backyard breeders who only have 1 or 2 litters per year" This is a lie. They are HUGE kennels and puppymills.
TALK TO THE BREEDER...I have never met a yorkie breeder who didn't love to talk "Yorkies"..if you can't get a person on the phone, or they only want to communicate via email..RUN!
If buying a puppy from a breeder who claims they have an AKC registered parent ( or just buying from a breeder who claims ANY "registered" club affiliation)...ask for a copy of the pedigree and
LOOK AT IT. Is there in-breeding? Have your pups lines been DNA and genetically tested free from the common problems associated with yorkies?
What kind of a "WRITTEN" health guarantee does the breeder offer and what is covered? In this case- unless the original posts author can prove the pup was malnourished and in bad shape and that "that" neglect directly caused the broken leg, the responsibility of the surgery would fall on the purchaser. The dogs leg was broken after the breeder surrendered the dog. SO even if there WAS a standard "Health" guarantee- most of these only cover "GENETIC" problems- not those arising from accidents or mistreatment of the dogs. ALso..take into consideration not all but **Most** genetic problems wont present until the dogs is an adult- so a 90 day health guarantee is pretty much useless. And to be honest-- you know after a few weeks you will love the puppy and won't want to return it even if there IS a genetic problem covered by a warranty. Best do your homework in advance to avoid heartbreak.
Ask how many dogs the breeder has and where they keep them. I talked to one lady( through the site I mentioned earlier) and she said she "Raised them in her house underfoot and they were well socialized with her kids and other animals" She also described herself as a "Backyard hobby breeder who only had a few puppies a year" When I called the vet she supplied as a reference- he was trying to be helpful to her and told me she had "spent a lot of money on a new kennel to house her 50 dogs" (No one can raise 50 dogs in their house and give each one the time and attention they deserve- much less puppies on top of those dogs) . .umm "Puppy mill" on TOP of a blatant lie about how many puppies she has each year... End of conversation! Use some common sense. WHen you see discrepancies between what you hear from the breeder ( from one conversation to the next--or between what they have posted on their website and what they say to you) and/or what others have to say...RUN!
But the bottom line is.. don't get attached to a dog until you have full faith in the breeder, especially if you have only seen one or 2 pictures. And don't drive several hours unless you have DONE YOUR HOMEWORK as listed above and are 100% comfortable that things are as described. I sure wouldn't drive 6 hours "for a look"
And just to make thing clear...I am not siding with either party here. I read the entire thread and think that both sides have merit. All I am trying to do is to throw in some ideas about how people purchasing dogs in the future can avoid the situation that has evolved in this case. I think the pup in question here is an a loving home exactly where he needs to be and is getting all the love and care a furbaby could possibly want. Yorkies are expensive dogs to have. THey are expensive to buy- and the vet bills can seriously get out of hand fast. This is NOT a breed for someone who wants a "feed'em and leave'em", low maintenance pet. Yorkies need constant and consistent training and enforcement. Get ready for it if you want a hope in hell of potty training yours. And be prepared for the vet bills. We spent over 5 thousand dollars in medical bills on my last little girl during her lifetime( Fixing, teeth cleaning and removal, a biopsy of a suspicious growth, 5 years of fighting kidney disease and all the problems from that, as well as constant bloodwork to determine what she needed at each stage of the disease including a transfusion when the low protein diet required for kidneys caused her to become anemic - and that was not counting the 1500 we paid for her as a pup . It's hard to take care of a yorkie on a budget. SO it is definitely something to consider when deciding to get one of these gorgeous little babies. They "Aint" Cheap!