[DaisyMaesMom]

Originally Posted by ButterflyYorkie

ALL BREEDERS are going to be legislated out of business if we don't get off each others' backs and stop bad mouthing each other. I'm sure there are breeders who think so and so's dogs are crap and so and so shouldn't be breeding. It's the ugly part of the biz.

The part about being responsible is the part where you take life-long responsibility for the puppies you produce and their progeny, and the part where you produce the healthiest puppies you possibly can. The beauty pageant part is sport, and breeders who breed for show are trying to keep Yorkies looking like a breed distinguishable from all others. When they share their lines, it is an issue of trust that the people they're sharing their lines with will also strive to breed to the standard.

Should pet breeders be held to the same standard as show breeders? I think at a minimum, a novice breeder should have his/her breeding prospect evaluated by someone knowledgeable in the breed. The faults should be discussed and advice given about potential suitable mates. Ideally, you would seek more than one opinion.

Alright, I'm getting off the subject here. The bottom line is, if you want to educate people, you need to speak to them kindly. If you rake them over the coals for using terminology that's politically incorrect, you alienate them and you do nothing to help the Yorkie breed. We all need to work together to keep Yorkies healthy and out of the shelters. Avoiding the term "teacup" doesn't make one a good breeder. As a matter of fact, you can put a page on your website in bright red that condemns the word and then cleverly sell tinies in your posts.

If I can help someone, then thats great. I surely don't believe anyone would seek my help again if I were nasty to them because I could not convert them to my way of thinking. I don't expect everyone to agree with me.

VERY well said....