I was talking to a local breeder (sorry, I'm in Wisconsin) for several months before the breeder had a litter with pups available. Yorkies are often in small litters of 3, perhaps 4, so I understood that it might be a bit of a wait. We discussed her philosophy of breeding, she made sure I'd done my research and understood what I was going to do for and with my puppy. She breeds for the love of it, as well as for a supplemental income. She's been breeding dogs for years and has repeat customers. She retires her dogs from breeding well before they are too old, but she keeps them as house pets for their entire lives.
That being said, I was able to meet both the sire and bitch, got pictures of her being pregnant, pictures of the one day old pups, and was able to visit three different times to play with the litter and select my puppy before he was old enough to take home. I was able to see where he was living (in the living room) and see what his mom was getting fed. The breeder and I remain in touch. I make sure she gets pictures and updates on how he is doing. We actually use the same vet.
I wanted a dog to keep me company as my husband travels for work. Right now, Bon Bon is sleeping on my lap as I type. That counts as company, right? |