AKC is not a place to find a reputable breeder. From the web, this is all the AKC does:
Is AKC registered important?
The benefits of owning a dog registered by The Kennel Club are: Your dog will display the characteristics of the breed, in both looks and temperament; you will be able to breed from your dog and register the puppies with The Kennel Club; your paw-some pet will be able to take part in shows and activities licensed by ...
This is not to say AKC is not good, it is. Most reputable breeders do register their dogs with AKC. Just keep in mind it is not a measure of what kind of breeder you are dealing with.
If you want a reputable breeder, a good place to start looking is the breed club:
The Yorkshire Terrier Club of America There is not a lot on there, but they do have some local clubs you could contact for info on breeders.
It is confusing for people looking, but if you want a reputable breeder, you need to be careful.
One of the most important things is if they test their breeding dogs for the genetic conditions that have markers ...
www.ofa.org
I personally would not purchase a puppy from a breeder who did not test with OFA.
There are other things to consider. I will see if I can find a good thread here on YT for screening breeders.