My First Thread and First Question.
 

Hi everyone after reading a lot of threads here on YT I decided that it was about time for me to join in order to ask a few questions. I have made sure to post in the correct section and hope to get a lot of feedback from all of you. I will post my questions in different treads so none of my questions are over looked. I have been wondering how can someone that has never had a Yorkshire Terrier before can tell when they are buying or those who already have a puppy that their puppy is show material? Thanks in advance for all of your replies.

Welcome to YT! I'm not a breeder or show my baby.. but the best way to find out is to take your baby to a show near you and ask the judges..

Can't wait to see pics!

Thank you for your suggestion. I still don't own a Yorkshire Terrier.=( Your baby is beautiful though I bet she would do great in the show world.

Are you looking to get a yorkie that you can show?
I've received the suggestion here that you should attend some of the shows, meet some breeders, get to know them and see if they can mentor you.

To be honest I'm not sure yet. I think I might want to in a few years.

It take about 5 months, maybe six to really tell if it's show material, to be certain. I would be sure to buy from an exhibitor, someone experience in showing. Their dogs are already meeting the criteria.

Seems like you have time to form some good relationships at shows and find a mentor. This IMO would be the best route.

Welcome to YT!! Wish I could give you some good answers, but bumping this up hoping others can help you.

First you need to buy from a reputable breeder. If you want a show quality dog you should find some show breeders in you area and go look at their dogs, ask questions. There is a difference between show potential and show quality. A show breeder may sell a puppy at 12 weeks that might have show potential but you don't know until they get older. They may sell it say for $1500 but no guarantee that it will or can become a champion. A show quality dog is one that is usually over 6 month old and the breeder knows that particular dog is show quality because they know the parents bloodline and understand correct conformation. Most reputable breeders sell their show quality puppies $2500 up and require a strict contract stating that the dog will be shown. The breeder usually stays on the dogs papers as a co-owner.

Most people that are not familiar with Yorkies and the Yorkshire Terrier standard would have a hard time knowing if the puppy is show quality. There is a lot of inconsistencies in the Yorkshire Terrier breed and even many show breeders can't agree on what a show quality dog should look like. I would say that the majority of the Yorkies being produced today are strictly pet quality and it would be very rare to find a show quality puppy from a individual that is not a show breeder. If you are serious about getting a Yorkie then take your time and study the breed and don't be afraid to ask questions. I hope I haven't rambled too much.

All great Information! Thanks

:thumbup: :thumbup: :goodpost:

And welcome to YT!

I have someone who I might be interested on buying a puppy from their sire is a champion dam has a champion bloodline. However they wont hold this puppy for 5 or 6 months. Do you think that their off springs could be show material? Do you think I can find a mentor wont they consider me as competition? I don't know what IMO stands for.=/

IMO means in my opinion.

Sadly there is not one reputable breeder around my area. The closest to one would be one or two days away. Getting a six month old puppy is something that bothers me a little. Since I will feel like I missed out on seeing him or her grow. Why would it require a strict contract stating that I will show the dog if I later change my mind and end up not showing him or her? What if you buy a puppy who's father is a champion and the mom has a champion bloodline would you think their off springs have a chance to be show quality? I really want to Yorkie however I wont buy one until I have learned what I believe I need to know first. I have already done a lot or research on the breed to the point that my friends now think I only read anything that has to do with Yorkshire Terriers and keep joking that I know more than any of them about Yorkshire Terriers without ever even owning one. I know that even though I have been reading a lot it can never give me any insight that only breeders and exhibitors would know. Which is why I joined YT in hope that I will gain more knowledge on Yorkshire Terriers. Thanks for every single word you said I don't think you rambled at all. I'm a pro when it comes to rambling on and on.

Thanks you! But now I feel silly for not figuring it out sooner.

Yes, with a champion sire and champion bloodline dam you would have a chance of getting a show puppy. How old is the puppy now? What kind of health guarantee are they giving? Are they selling with full registration? I know many breeders breed champion to champion and come up with the majority being sold as pet quality because of one thing or the other. And then there are those litters where all the pups might be show quality. In dog breeding you never know especially if you are out crossing (breeding to totally unrelated dogs). Line breeding you usually get a good idea what the pups will look like. Ask the breeder what the weaknesses of the sire and dam are. Does the dam have a silky coat? Ask the breeder if she is consistently producing silky coats or are cottony coats showing up also. The dark steel blue coat is very important and not alway that easy to get. Many show prospects go down the tube because they are too light, too dark, bad bite, bad topline, out at the shoulders, cow hocks, straight stifles, poor ear set, ears too big, poor ear carriage, too long in body, the list goes on. It is hard to get everything in one package. There is no perfect Yorkie but for show they should not have more than one or two faults. A mentor should not consider you competition if they are sincere about bettering the breed. Show breeders should work together for the betterment of the breed. I wish there were more people interested in showing here in the Houston, Texas area. I have met some wonderful people at dog shows and several of them have been very helpful in answering all my questions and giving me tips on grooming. We are all in it together.

I'm not sure I have not personally talked to the person yet a friend mentioned it to me. I think they are 8 weeks old or so though. I know about the health guarantee thought its a replacement puppy from 1 year after purchase date. With limited registration but will sell with full registration to approved home. So line breeding is better than cross breeding? My friend showed me a few pictures the dam has nice coat the sire has an amazing coat though. Silky is the one needed for show right? The sire is the right color thought. I'm curious about ear size mainly because is what I find the hardest to tell if its right or not. I wish there were show breeders in my area but I feel they wont want to give me tip or any type of advice because they wont want any competition.

What is a cow hock?? I have not heard of that.

Cow-Hocked: Hocks turning in, accompanied by toeing out of rear feet.

Most of your top show lines are line bred. If you have something lacking in your show line then you out cross to try to improve what ever needs improvement and hope it works. Many times in out crossing you can add problems to your line. The Yorkie should have a silky coat for the show ring although some become champions with a cottony or modified silk coat......dark steel blue silk is what you want. Ear size varies, I see some champions with larger ears and some with smaller ears, ear set and ear carriage are very important.

Show breeder sells with a written show contract because they have worked years developing their show line and they want their best dogs in the show ring and not in someone's backyard just being used for breeding. Creating a top winning show dog is like creating a work of art. The creator is proud of their work and they want the world to see it.

I didn't know that most top show lines were line bred. I understand they are proud and want the world to see it but what if the dog does not have the personality for show? It might be more stressful for some dogs than others. What type of personality is best for show?

If a dog does not have the right personality for show then you have a nice pet. Yorkies that are shy or out of control do not make good show dogs. Yorkies are terriers and should have that terrier attitude. When evaluating puppies you want to see them in their natural environment. The puppy should be confident and trotting around with his tail up. Just about all Yorkie pups get scared at first when they are taken to a strange environment. It is important to socialize a puppy and get it used to traveling, being petted by strangers and walking in noisy places. It takes a lot of time and commitment to train a dog for show, not to mention all the time spent caring for the coat. Unfortunately, you cannot tell personality until they get a bit older.

At what age do you think its best to start conformation classes? Are there any other classes that should be taken? I really truly appreciate all of your feedback. I'm glad that you came across my thread. Unlike someone that came just came across my other thread. I think I might get suspended for replying to this person but I'm the type of person that can keep quiet when someone implying something about me. I hope I don't get in any kind of trouble so I can keep talking to you. You are truly nice and very knowledgeable.

I too would be very interested in this answer. I am interested in getting into showing and would like to know when puppy begins classes.

Haha seems like my thread is being very helpful to you as well then.:p

:D That's the great thing about yt, one person asks the questions, many people learn:p

I am glad I am able to help. I have only been showing Yorkies for less than two years but in my younger days I was involved in showing and we had one St. Bernard that we finished.
First you want to make sure your puppy has had all of it's puppy shots. Some kennel clubs offer 'fun match' for puppies 3 to 6 months. Much of the work in the beginning can be done at home. The puppy needs to get used to being 'stacked' and walking on a lead. I would get the puppy lead trained first and then see if you can find some puppy training classes. For showing conformation your puppy just need to learn how to move on a lead with head up, stand for examination, and stand still in a stacked position. Obedience training is a whole other story. It is hard to find anyone that offer conformation classes unless you are near a big city. Sometimes someone that does obedience training will let you come to the classes just for the socialization. Of course it is great if you dog and be trained for both but I have never got into obedience training....that takes more time and lots of commitment. I would wait until the puppy is at least 4 months old before I would start taking it to any classes. If there are no classes offered in your area then maybe you could find some other Yorkie or small breed dog owners that would be interested in getting together somewhere. Maybe a park where there is a pavilion. There are all kinds of great videos available on Yorkies that can teach you everything you need to know. I have a dear friend that I go to shows with and she has ordered every kind of video imaginable on Yorkies and showing. I think she gets them from www.sweetyblue.com/. Your best experience will be from just going to several dog shows, observing, and talking to show breeders.

Welcome! where are you located? I'm sure that there are some wonderful breeders in your area!

Welcome to YT. I have no clue how to tell, but I'm sure the breeders will be able to help you.

welcome to YT.:wavey: