Originally Posted by matilda99 (Post 1873458)

Since this is the Breeder's Forum, I thought it would be safe to use technical terms like "breeding stock" without controversy. I apologize to anyone I've offended. My only intention was to convey that I've been selecting and purchasing Yorkshire Terriers for the particular characteristics that make them likely to be good for breeding and producing offspring that will be sound in temperament and health, as well as have correct conformation. I thought "nice breeding stock" just kind of put all that in a nutshell for you. I didn't mean to give anyone the impression that my dogs and their puppies would be like stock stored on a shelf or anything like that...Thank you very much to those whose replies were intended to be helpful. Some were from the hearts of genuine breeders. Best, Mattie

Originally Posted by matilda99 (Post 1873898)

As I said in my OP, I'm not rich, but also not poor. I know you get what you pay for and I've paid plenty for my dogs;there should be some show worthy progeny, but most will end up as pets. Those of you who have experience and connections really should be nicer to beginners, even those who HAVE to make money for their trouble. How about the small home based breeders pulling together and helping each other put puppy mills out of business. Can't do it with these petty corrections and put-downs. Best, Mattie

Originally Posted by SET Yorkies (Post 1873837)

at the moment..... we're having Gumbo tonight..... or Mc Donalds if the roux burns... Thanks for all of the posts about the story..... It was an experience I hold very close to my heart.... Anyway.... We all get too caught up in words..... I grew up in this business and I can say the old timers called every thing stock and the term bitch was held in high regard..... I come from that old bird huntin' stock myself.... Us kids were certainly second to the prize bitches in my grandfather's kennel... I think that is why having a mentor is soooo important and that would me my advise to the original poster.... If it is someone in your area or even someone on this board willing to answer your questions without judgement.... Maybe someone who you could email directly..... Breeding is a hard thankless business.... I don't get a lot of thank yous for making Christmas perfect for a kid (although I have always wanted to be a fly on the wall), or replacing a beloved pet.... I mean I do occasionally get thank you's... but they are few and far between.... However, you can bet when something goes wrong, I am their first call no matter where I am or what time it is..... To do business with animals regardless of the type, you have to really feel a certain level of responsibility and that is what differentiates good breeders from bad ones... take those 2 am "is my puppy sleeping too much" calls, miss your kid's birthday parties, meet the vet on Christmas morning while your husband watches the kids unwrap Santa .... My clients know they can count on me from day one to year 13..... I truly believe that is the way to set yourself apart and be a good breeder. There is nothing dirty about making a living with what you love..... You just have to be careful how you do it so that it doesn't......

Originally Posted by SET Yorkies (Post 1873134)

I've posted this before, but I would like for you to read it as well. These are my thoughts on breeding... Breeding and working with dogs has been a blessing for me and my family. Sometimes I do well and make a profit sometimes I don't. We do a good deal of training and boarding Yorkies, so I am able to off set loss that way.. In the long run, I can say if I accounted for my time, not just expenses, I'm sure I am beyond the negative in profit.... That said, here's something to think about.....

Every breeder on this board started somewhere…. Let me tell you the story of our humble beginning as something to consider. I had an excellent mentor….. She was passing the torch of 25 years of knowledge and experience to me (how lucky was I?)…. My second litter was due being whelped by my most beautiful dog (not to mention that I was also attached to her as much as I was my children)…. Talk about a textbook pregnancy…. 42nd day ultrasound showed 6 very well proportioned, small puppies…. Delivery started…..no distress….easy labor on the first puppy… then nothing….and nothing… I was prepared…. I had read all of the books…. Not to fear, middle of the day, no emergency call…. We headed to the vet just to be sure (12 miles)….she died in my hands as I walked through the office door…. I called my mentor in horror and unbelievable grief….she said, “you’ll know in a few weeks if this is for you.” …. She said that because I had 6 very tiny puppies (5 saved through c/s) that needed to be nursed every two hours for weeks….I buried my Gizmo where our new kennel stands today and got started with her babies…..I would hardly close my eyes b/f it was time to feed again….two weeks into it, one just didn’t thrive….now I was at wit’s end….three days later one aspirated on the feeding tube….I was done, called my mentor and told her to come get them all… she said, “no, this was your choice”…. 20 or so weeks later of round the clock care, One by one, these tiny replicas of their mom, of whom I had become a surrogate mother, were picked up by new owners, placed under various Christmas trees….and absolutely delighted special families….One to 4 kids, one to a wife of 35 years, one to an only child, and one to new bride. To this day, I still grieve for my Gizmo, to this day I still check up on every puppy I sell… I’ve shoveled truck loads of poop, dried gallons of pee, built kennels, torn down kennels, delivered puppies at 2:00 am on every holiday celebrated by man (even my kids birthday parties which I had to miss)….Breeding is a complete sacrifice of everything else when the moment counts b/c your female is counting on you for everything….If you bring puppies into this world they are your responsibility and yours alone. My mentor made that quite clear to me. If you do not have the ability to deal with the difficulties with the same passion as you delight in the rewards, keep you little girls as a pets….. If you do have the ability, this could be the blooming of a wonderful new career…one that I love more with every pooper scooper full….

Originally Posted by SET Yorkies (Post 1873134)

I've posted this before, but I would like for you to read it as well. These are my thoughts on breeding... Breeding and working with dogs has been a blessing for me and my family. Sometimes I do well and make a profit sometimes I don't. We do a good deal of training and boarding Yorkies, so I am able to off set loss that way.. In the long run, I can say if I accounted for my time, not just expenses, I'm sure I am beyond the negative in profit.... That said, here's something to think about.....

Every breeder on this board started somewhere…. Let me tell you the story of our humble beginning as something to consider. I had an excellent mentor….. She was passing the torch of 25 years of knowledge and experience to me (how lucky was I?)…. My second litter was due being whelped by my most beautiful dog (not to mention that I was also attached to her as much as I was my children)…. Talk about a textbook pregnancy…. 42nd day ultrasound showed 6 very well proportioned, small puppies…. Delivery started…..no distress….easy labor on the first puppy… then nothing….and nothing… I was prepared…. I had read all of the books…. Not to fear, middle of the day, no emergency call…. We headed to the vet just to be sure (12 miles)….she died in my hands as I walked through the office door…. I called my mentor in horror and unbelievable grief….she said, “you’ll know in a few weeks if this is for you.” …. She said that because I had 6 very tiny puppies (5 saved through c/s) that needed to be nursed every two hours for weeks….I buried my Gizmo where our new kennel stands today and got started with her babies…..I would hardly close my eyes b/f it was time to feed again….two weeks into it, one just didn’t thrive….now I was at wit’s end….three days later one aspirated on the feeding tube….I was done, called my mentor and told her to come get them all… she said, “no, this was your choice”…. 20 or so weeks later of round the clock care, One by one, these tiny replicas of their mom, of whom I had become a surrogate mother, were picked up by new owners, placed under various Christmas trees….and absolutely delighted special families….One to 4 kids, one to a wife of 35 years, one to an only child, and one to new bride. To this day, I still grieve for my Gizmo, to this day I still check up on every puppy I sell… I’ve shoveled truck loads of poop, dried gallons of pee, built kennels, torn down kennels, delivered puppies at 2:00 am on every holiday celebrated by man (even my kids birthday parties which I had to miss)….Breeding is a complete sacrifice of everything else when the moment counts b/c your female is counting on you for everything….If you bring puppies into this world they are your responsibility and yours alone. My mentor made that quite clear to me. If you do not have the ability to deal with the difficulties with the same passion as you delight in the rewards, keep you little girls as a pets….. If you do have the ability, this could be the blooming of a wonderful new career…one that I love more with every pooper scooper full….

Originally Posted by Ladyhawk (Post 1874684)

With the glut of yorkie puppies on the market and the weakening economy I can definitely see a drop in the future prices of puppies. Of course vet expenses as well as other expenses will continue to rise so in the future you will be less likely to make money breeding. Not trying to be depressing but realistic. .

Originally Posted by SET Yorkies (Post 1873134)

I've posted this before, but I would like for you to read it as well. These are my thoughts on breeding... Breeding and working with dogs has been a blessing for me and my family. Sometimes I do well and make a profit sometimes I don't. We do a good deal of training and boarding Yorkies, so I am able to off set loss that way.. In the long run, I can say if I accounted for my time, not just expenses, I'm sure I am beyond the negative in profit.... That said, here's something to think about.....

Every breeder on this board started somewhere…. Let me tell you the story of our humble beginning as something to consider. I had an excellent mentor….. She was passing the torch of 25 years of knowledge and experience to me (how lucky was I?)…. My second litter was due being whelped by my most beautiful dog (not to mention that I was also attached to her as much as I was my children)…. Talk about a textbook pregnancy…. 42nd day ultrasound showed 6 very well proportioned, small puppies…. Delivery started…..no distress….easy labor on the first puppy… then nothing….and nothing… I was prepared…. I had read all of the books…. Not to fear, middle of the day, no emergency call…. We headed to the vet just to be sure (12 miles)….she died in my hands as I walked through the office door…. I called my mentor in horror and unbelievable grief….she said, “you’ll know in a few weeks if this is for you.” …. She said that because I had 6 very tiny puppies (5 saved through c/s) that needed to be nursed every two hours for weeks….I buried my Gizmo where our new kennel stands today and got started with her babies…..I would hardly close my eyes b/f it was time to feed again….two weeks into it, one just didn’t thrive….now I was at wit’s end….three days later one aspirated on the feeding tube….I was done, called my mentor and told her to come get them all… she said, “no, this was your choice”…. 20 or so weeks later of round the clock care, One by one, these tiny replicas of their mom, of whom I had become a surrogate mother, were picked up by new owners, placed under various Christmas trees….and absolutely delighted special families….One to 4 kids, one to a wife of 35 years, one to an only child, and one to new bride. To this day, I still grieve for my Gizmo, to this day I still check up on every puppy I sell… I’ve shoveled truck loads of poop, dried gallons of pee, built kennels, torn down kennels, delivered puppies at 2:00 am on every holiday celebrated by man (even my kids birthday parties which I had to miss)….Breeding is a complete sacrifice of everything else when the moment counts b/c your female is counting on you for everything….If you bring puppies into this world they are your responsibility and yours alone. My mentor made that quite clear to me. If you do not have the ability to deal with the difficulties with the same passion as you delight in the rewards, keep you little girls as a pets….. If you do have the ability, this could be the blooming of a wonderful new career…one that I love more with every pooper scooper full….

Originally Posted by SET Yorkies (Post 1873134)

Every breeder on this board started somewhere…. Let me tell you the story of our humble beginning as something to consider. I had an excellent mentor….. She was passing the torch of 25 years of knowledge and experience to me (how lucky was I?)…. My second litter was due being whelped by my most beautiful dog (not to mention that I was also attached to her as much as I was my children)…. Talk about a textbook pregnancy…. 42nd day ultrasound showed 6 very well proportioned, small puppies…. Delivery started…..no distress….easy labor on the first puppy… then nothing….and nothing… I was prepared…. I had read all of the books…. Not to fear, middle of the day, no emergency call…. We headed to the vet just to be sure (12 miles)….she died in my hands as I walked through the office door…. I called my mentor in horror and unbelievable grief….she said, “you’ll know in a few weeks if this is for you.” …. She said that because I had 6 very tiny puppies (5 saved through c/s) that needed to be nursed every two hours for weeks….I buried my Gizmo where our new kennel stands today and got started with her babies…..I would hardly close my eyes b/f it was time to feed again….two weeks into it, one just didn’t thrive….now I was at wit’s end….three days later one aspirated on the feeding tube….I was done, called my mentor and told her to come get them all… she said, “no, this was your choice”…. 20 or so weeks later of round the clock care, One by one, these tiny replicas of their mom, of whom I had become a surrogate mother, were picked up by new owners, placed under various Christmas trees….and absolutely delighted special families….One to 4 kids, one to a wife of 35 years, one to an only child, and one to new bride. To this day, I still grieve for my Gizmo, to this day I still check up on every puppy I sell… I’ve shoveled truck loads of poop, dried gallons of pee, built kennels, torn down kennels, delivered puppies at 2:00 am on every holiday celebrated by man (even my kids birthday parties which I had to miss)….Breeding is a complete sacrifice of everything else when the moment counts b/c your female is counting on you for everything….If you bring puppies into this world they are your responsibility and yours alone. My mentor made that quite clear to me. If you do not have the ability to deal with the difficulties with the same passion as you delight in the rewards, keep you little girls as a pets….. If you do have the ability, this could be the blooming of a wonderful new career…one that I love more with every pooper scooper full….

Originally Posted by lisatodd (Post 1875594)

with the industry being flooded with yorkies, many breeders are having a more difficult time placing their puppies. it is a very competitive industry with mostly poor bred yorkies. many people are having to drop their adoption fees and keep the puppies longer. you need to make sure you are doing this for the right reason....

What do you think would be a "right reason?" I breed because I love being around my Yorkies and I'm good at it. Why would it be wrong for me to make a few dollars for all the trouble and risk?