 Long winded!
Tashasmom- No, actually you didn't sound like an idiot at all. And no need to tell me your qualifications or be on the defense. It's OBVIOUS you are well off on the learning tip and do indeed know quite a bit and know that you still have more to learn! We all do and those that can admit that they don't know everything are the ones that are first to help one another! You sound wonderful and like I said remember that my threads weren't directed directly at you, you just happened to be an example in a bigger lesson.
I'd love to hear more about your fur babies! If you do decide to breed, again please let us know how it goes! I wish you the best.
Elgntorchid- please DO NOT confuse a "show yorkie" as a conformation yorkie! There are MANY other AKC/UKC/CKC (pick any number of kennel clubs!) show events that Yorkshire Terriers compete in! When I stated before that you should put your Yorkie in the ring (any ring) under multiple judges to help you deligate whether or not you have a good eye to promote the breed by what you present and that you would most likely (as far as match making and genetics go it's best to find a mentor for that-the judge is just your start.) be producing good quality Yorkies and not just good quality dogs. Many people produce good quality dogs! I dare say that you could go to any number of puppy mills and find a Yorkie puppy that passes (even into maturity) a number of health inspections (good on x-rays, good eyes, nice bite...). I guarantee it! I've had many clients of mine come through who had felt that they needed to "rescue" a yorkie (or any breed) from " " puppy mill and only one out of those many turned up w/ health problems. They got lucky. But good dogs were produced from a puppy mill of all things! I DON'T PROMOTE PUPPY MILLS! (fyi)
So, to promote this breed and continue w/ these dogs that we love so very much, I do think it's important to be "inspected" by a few organizational judges. Me personally? I choose AKC Obedience. Look up my latest Yorkie: Little Nemo the Black Gigas, you can find his obedience scores and such. He's got his CD and CDX (he actually belongs to my parents back in Illinois, I just "stole" him for a week here and a week there until I decided to title him-now I'm getting my own little girl from Hungary in four weeks! *yay*) and that's enough for me. I know he doesn't have the best coat (out of standard) but he has EVERYTHING else going for him! He's proven he can work, he's of sound structure and temperment and not only do I know it, but the spectators (perspective puppy buyers-if we decided to breed him) the judges look forward to seeing more of him and that word spreads, more fond happy memories to cherish outside of the home-it's just really nice to see that such a little dog can work. That it's not just a dog in the Toy group!
Even though we probably won't breed hip, he's been x-rayed (hips/knees/elbows) his eyes have been checked, his hearing has been checked, and his heart. We've put him on the DNA books...that's a bit extreme, but I still think that breeding is extreme and you should have a proven dog to go through w/ it.
-Breeding better dogs vs. breeding better Yorkies- |