thanks, i am going to call the spca tomorrow morning and see what age they will do yorkies. i go to the kempsville vet and bostic vet (reproductive spec.) and neither of them will do it prior to 6 months.

I do know some breeders that spay/neuter before 6 months, so I asked my vet. He said he would not do it before 5 months due to their bones still developing. Having them spayed or neutered before this time he says interfers with their bones growing properly.

In the past I hold papers until I get verification that they have been spayed/neutered and I call the vet to confirm and ask questions to make sure it is the same pup, have spay neutered contracts, and papers are Limited registrations. But it still worries me. Luckily I do not breed often and only to get a show baby. This new litter and probably others will be spayed/neutered before leaving me - this way I will not wonder in the back of my mind. It is also, I think, better for the new owners since it is all done and they do not have to worry about when the dog goes under for the surgery. I also do the full blood panel work at this time too and have available for the owners.

I did hear that you cannot get a Limited registrations done now through AKC online - to put pup in new owners name. You must send papers in. :-)
T.

Okay, So we've pretty much decided it has to be a labor of love because unless you're able to do this on a very large scale and keep your costs incredibly low (no showing, no tests, etc.) you really can't make a living at it. Say you have a litter of two, poor mom had to have a c-section, we had xrays, 2 sets of shots and we don't even count the expense of the food. Both pups are sold for $1000. each and you've made a whole $1200. When you think about it that's not much for 3 months worth of work, not to mention the time that you put in taking care of a pregnant mom. If you had to pay a $500. stud fee, you're down to $700. I bet you can make more than that working at McDonald's part time for 3 months. Yep, it's got to be for the love!! Speaking of love I have 7 angels to bath now. Carly is first because she decided to get in touch with her inner Terrier and did a bit of digging. My muddy mess is calling me.

Most good vets, won't spay or neuter until they're between 5-6 mos. The animal shelters do have them spayed/neutered as 6-8 weeks, but, that's the way they have to do it..

omG -- I'm choking.:eek:

Oh -- oh, wait.. I'm ok.

I'm sure some people on here wish I choked to death :p

Ha, no you're just opinionated, and some people can't appreciate that...:rolleyes: At least you keep a good conversation going...;)

I think this is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard, or close to it. If you have 2 or 3 children you shouldnt have a puppy? This makes no sense at all. I know people that have no kids that take horrible care of their animals, yet I shouldnt have a puppy because I have a lot of children that are young? Thats just ignorant. I am a stay at home mom, I am a youth group leader at my church, I teach a young womens class at church, my kids are in 4-h and I send them to a wonderful school that I drive them to everyday because they dont have bussing there, on top of the many many other things I do, and yet I still manage to provide great care for my 5 dogs that are our family members.
Theres your worms.

My day usually starts at 5. I have day care also so dog buisness needs to be tended to before they come at 6:30 (well as much as possible).
I have kids to get on the bus by 7:30 so that is breakfast etc.... My hubby and I run our youth wrestling program and are gone 2 nights out of the week and gone most sat and sundays and sometimes friday nights wrestling.Thank goodness for my mom and older boys they are a big help during this time.
Mine do not know what weekends are either thank goodness hubby got up with them this weekend though so I could sleep in till almost 7 as I have caught that coughing bug:( .But all he did was let them out and feed them I still had pup pen to clean out and the daily chores... And of course I do most of the bathing on the weekends. Needless to say I am only doing half of my 7 dogs this weekend and hopefully the rest during nap time this week.
When my girls are due I do not leave them at all maybe a run uptown for something (we live a mile from town) and that would be it.He does all the coaching and running on weeknights and weekends by himself.
I wouldnt trade my busy hectic schedule to anyone in the world though:D
To say anyone makes money not on your life,shots dentals food supplies,vet costs.

Amen! :D

When I read Brooklynn's post what I took from it was not that children shouldn't have a puppy but that it should be the right breed of puppy for the age of the child (children).

In general I do believe that young children and yorkies are not a good mix. I do realize there are exceptions to every rule though. However a breeder is not going to know just how well anyone's young children are going to be around a yorkie and prefer to not sell to them. I understand that and agree with them.

There are a lot of young adults I have seen that buy a yorkie, they end up having a kid, and then the dog is out the door, sometimes the dog and the new baby just don't mix..have seen it happen numerous times, so, you never know...A lot of breeders won't sell to people with kids, and the thing is, people know this, and they'll lie and say they don't have them or aren't having them, and then they do..or with older couples and no young kids, a lot of them have small g-kids..I really think on selling yorkies to people with kids, it should depend on how the kids are with them..look and see how many yorkies have died from falling out of adults arms, etc. compared to a young child...I think you would find, most of the time, it's death from the responsible adult, not a child.

I will have to disagree on the child thing also .Mine are 19,18,16,9.
My day care kids are 18 months,2, 4,4 and then when school gets out early or on no school days I have my own kids and another 7 yr old.
My pups are in the kitchen at 5 weeks (otherwise they are in our bedroom) In a x-pen and a gate across the kitchen (meeting the d rrom and kitchen).
My kitchen is quiet big with linoleum.My pups get to run the kitchen once in the am and at nap time and after teh kids go home at 3:30 for the rest of the afternoon evening till bed time.
I do not have a problem taking care of my kids and dogs -puppies at the same time. Every one is kept up on grooming etc..
I have been told many many times I have sold them the best well mannerd pup they have ever gotten.Most of my pups are well on their way potty training (outdoors) and have been taught a few tricks or obediance rules.I have a wonderful lady close who teaches and trains obediance and guide dogs for the elderly and handicapped and has taught me many things.
So I do have time for my dogs, kids our personnal schedule ,our sports schedule and my day care.I Just have a FULL schedule daily.
I do have to say kids under the age of 3 if you have a few is difficult to manange with alot of dogs or pups unless you have the means of seperation for them.

Oh no! Do you know my mother? Short lady, very sweet and though I hate to admit it, very wise.

I hear this statement from her in regards to trying to show all the time. I can definitely see value to it especially with showing.

I don't understand why more breeders don't have the puppies spayed/neutered before sending them to their new homes. More and more vets spay and neuter starting even as young as 6-8 weeks of age. Of course, that is mostly shelter animals at that age. But most of the vets I know of spay/neuter starting at 10, 12, or 16 weeks (differs from vet to vet) as long as the puppy/kitten is at least 2lbs.

There are no adverse effects to spaying and neutering this early...all studies have proven that it is safe and there are no long-term disadvantages. It would give the breeder piece-of-mind that the puppy has been altered before going to its new home.

My youngest Persian cat was spayed before I was able to bring her home from the breeder. I thought it was great...the spay was included in her purchase price and I didn't have to worry about having it done after bringing her home.

I have to disagree with you. Most good vets are spaying/neutering earlier than 6 months of age. College Station is loaded with veterinarians, as well as having the #3 vet school in the country. Most of the vets here will spay/neuter starting at 12-16 weeks of age