I agree with Yorkiedork. If you cannot afford to buy a quality bred dog, then look for an older one or a rescue. I bought a less expensive Yorkie. She wound up out of standard on at least 4 counts and had significant health problems which at least contributed to her early death. That was traumatic for our whole family. I made sure to do much more research before buying my last two. I paid $1200 and $1500 for them and they are probably worth more. In fact both breeders have now raised their prices to $1800 and up.
It takes a lot of time and $$$ for these breeders to ensure healthy puppies within standard. It takes a lot of money for owners to maintain these dogs period. A responsible dog owner has the means to take care of not only their purchase fee, but also vet visits (routine and prepared for emergencies), their heartworm, flea and tick medications, premium foods, cages, carriers, beds, harness, leash, bowls, pee pads, toys, chews, brush/comb, special shampoos/conditioners, trips to the groomer, ......and then we start spoiling them and it never ends...... Yorkies are expensive.
If you do find puppies for $400-600, ask the breeder some questions...what genetic and infectious disease testing was done on the mother and father? Are both parents within standard? Are there any genetic problems to be aware of in their pedigree. Can you see at least a 5 generation pedigree? These are not just things to know for show dogs -- they are important to know for the person who will give their heart to the puppy and want it to be as healthy as possible. Another good resource are local vets -- I asked my vet and he had heard of both breeders I used and said he had only seen healthy puppies from them -- no problems at all. That meant a lot to me.
Save up, be prepared, do some research and find a good, healthy puppy you will love for a very long time! Good luck! |