[yorkiemom1970]

Originally Posted by whispersmom2

The very first statement that I make to someone who asks me what can they do to start breeding (or similar questions) is "DO NOT BREED THE FAMILY PET!" Obviously, if you buy a puppy because you want a pet, it is not being sold as breed quality. PLUS, just do a search and you will find the sad and sometimes fatal outcomes of putting 2 dogs together to make babies because 1. I want my kids to see the birth; 2. my family loves my dog and they want one; 3. my dog is so sweet and I want another like it;4. they are just sooooo sweet that I want another one.
Pat and I can tell you from experience that not one of these reasons hold water. There have been many sweet PETS who died during pregnancy or nursing puppies. As sweet and cute as any Yorkie is-you probably are not gonna get another one just like it-even if you use the same parents. Not knowing which lines throw which genetic problems can cause more heartbreak than you can imagine.
So far, in the past year, I am over $10,000.00 in the RED because I have decided to re-direct my breeding program. Even just one litter can cause more heartbreak than you can imagine. Read the posts of both experienced and inexperienced breeders who have lost beloved moms secondary to problems with nursing(eclampsia); she was too small to carry the litter and her organs shut down; or the inexperienced person who had not counted on an emergency c-section, didn't recognize the problems that said one was needed, and had not saved the thousand dollars( or more) for the surgery AND then, still lost the puppies.
Do I sound like I am discouraging the kind of breeding that this post deals with? Well, I am. If you are serious about starting a breeding program, approach it the right way. Research the lines; learn the genetics; get a mentor. Then, after say 3 years, you might be ready to breed as opposed to just making puppies.
Please do not take this as coming from someone who is trying to eliminate competition....responsible breeders can never produce the number of puppies that the buyers are demanding so that is the least of our worries. We have seen the heartbreak that unlearned breeding has caused and we would not wish that on anyone..