I 100% agree. I have to be so very careful with this little girl...and she was not inexpensive to begin with, so I was not taking a shortcut there....Had I known better, it would have been so much easier to go to a reputable breeder and start out on a positive note rather than to start out by paying thousands of dollars just to get her back home and somewhat healthy. She still has problems eating and is still a tiny little thing. This does not change the fact that she is the most precious thing in the world to us and we would not give her up for anything (and we didn't!) - even after just having her for two days, we were attached! She is just so fragile and it caused so much heartache and stress in the beginning. I know that there are no guarantees that things will be 100% perfect, but you can certainly improve your chances by going with a reputable breeder with proven dogs.

Has she had a bile acids test?

I did reverse # and this is the localtion (281) 489-3663
Type: Land Line
Manvel, TX
Now if someone has google earth can they pinpoint the place and is it a puppy mill, if I remember at home I will try this is see for myself.

No, we are going to do that when she is a little bigger. The vet says, and I have watched carefully for, she has no obvious symptoms or signs of a Liver Shunt. She is just fragile and tiny. She is very picky but does keep everything down and she is gaining weight. Her initial ammonia level tests were within normal ranges.

This is not a puppy mill. They are brokers.

As soon as she is five months old, she is old enough for a BAT. Since Yorkies are 36 times more likey to have a shunt than all other breeds combined, Dr. Center recommends that all Yorkie puppies have a bile acids test. Since she is tiny, a picky eater and poorly bred, she definitely should have a BAT. It's such an easy and inexpensive test (usually around $50-75). No fasting is required anymore, either.

They have had such a hard time getting blood from her in the past, we decided to wait until she got a little bigger (3 lbs). Whatever tests thay have run so far and the tests they did while she was in the hospital for three nights, initially gave my vet the impression that she did not have a shunt. We are keeping our fingers crossed that she does not! We will have the test run in the next couple of months....she seems to be hovering around 3 lbs - her little bones are like a bird and after being in the hospital in the beginning, I just hated to have her undergo anymore testing until we had to.

Yep, that is something that is not even in question at this point. No need for satellite images.

I can tell you that Jon and Jimmie Rascoe are 100%, brokers. They ARE NOT a puppy mill. They DO do some breeding of their own, occasionally, but for the most part they buy litters of puppies from other so called "breeders" and sell them themselves. And, just to let you know - alot of their litters come from Oklahoma - and as we all know, Oklahoma is known for being one of the biggest puppy mill states in the U.S.

They will most likely even tell you (maybe) that they "sell for top kennels around the United States". They are nice people and their home is very clean - but they ARE brokers.

I got my baby boy form them yesterday at 1pm.
& he is precious!*! I named him Toby. Beofr I took him to his new home we went straight to the vet. He has Coccida. But his doctor assured me that this common with puppys. They we very nice indeed.

Toby is very playful, he makes a toy out of everything including teddy bear..LOL. I trying to potty train him & get him to learn his name.

I wish I could say congratulations, but I am completely baffled.

Why would you ask for advice and then completely ignore it? :confused:

The bottom line here is that these people are brokers who patronize puppy mills. While they may not be the ones inflicting enormous pain and suffering they are aiding its proliferation by purchasing their dogs from puppy mills.

If you are unfamiliar with the horrible conditions at mills check out this video from a recent puppy mill raid...I had tears in my eyes.

YouTube - North Carolina Puppy Mill Raid 09

In my mind brokers are just as guilty as are the people who run the mills.

If you are really serious about not only finding the perfect puppy but also doing it the responsible way please PM me and I will do everything in my power to make sure you find the puppy of your dreams.

For the person who had the bad experience with the YTCA breeders I am very sorry that happened to you. It is very concerning when I hear stories like that because these are the people who are supposed to be protecting our breed, providing education where needed.

It appears my post crossed hers but I completley agree with you.

I didn't completely ignore any advice that anyone gave me. I sopke with (via internet) 4 other people who got their babies from fancy pups & are completely happy, & their puppys have had No Serious problems, or anything wrong with gentically. I have asked questions about Several other "breeders" & when I found out they were all bad people I did not think again about them.

Jimmie & Jon may not be breeders, but they have taken these puppys in their home & taken VERY good care of them all in my opinion. Even IF they got them from a puppy millthe other 3 ladies that got their pups there yesterday as well (including my mother) had no things wrong with their pups either.

Puppy mills are bad indeed the disgust me. But they are out there. I think its a catch 22. If you don't buy from the puppy mills,

THEN YOU DON'T SUPPORT THEM & THAT IS GREAT.
But you also leave precious babies their to be subjected to WHO KNOWS WHAT.

If you buy from the puppy mills then YOU SUPPORT THEM & THAT IS HORRIBLE.
But you also get to give a DESRVING puppy A CHANCE. Should the puppy at puppy mils bu shunned and left there to be treated like crap & unhealthy because of who their owners are? I don't think that is fair either.

& like someone else said, How do we know that these YTCA breeders did not just put on appearances so that they could get the YTCA stamp of approval??Then once they leave do whatever they want because they know that since they are listed on that site that people are going to come to them & their questions will be limited.

No offense but what you just said was that you support puppy mills and seem to be proud of it.

Truly heartbreaking...

When you put money in the pockets of puppymills and brokers you are perpetuating the suffering of the other dogs left at the mills. You are guaranteeing that the suffering will continue. :(

no offense taken. & I don't support mills
I said it's a catch 22.
I don't know if my little guy cam from a mill, & i never will.

But the same goes if I went with a ytca person, I still could never know.

People can be mean, Ruthless, & very coniving when it comes to money.
I spoke with others who have had their puppys for years & got them from jon & jimmie have had no problems with their babies..

That is why i chose to go with them.

i am sorry, but i disagree. i understand where youa re coming from. but if i thought that i would not have got my little guy from there, nor would i have told my mother about them.

I chose them become others have had good things to say about them. i think they saved the puppys by giving them good homes (jimmie & jon)
maybe i am being naive, i am only 20, but it's what i think. sorry if you don't like it. but I did listen to what everyone had to say.

I dont get why i have to defend myself in my choice.

Of course you will know. Look at the breeder's name on his papers. I'm sure you will find it on the USDA puppymill list.

If you buy a puppy from a breeder recommended by the YTCA, you will see her name on the papers.

I have met a few of these TX YTCA breeders, and I have friends with dogs from a few of them. I know one or two in the Houston are that I have heard WONDERFUL things about from a good friend of mine, and I would definitely consider buying from them. You are correct that they don't have puppies available often. I don't want to mention any names on a public forum either, but if you PM me I'll be glad to share the names of the breeders I've heard great things about.

I just found this comment interesting...if they were truly wanting to save puppies, why not rescue puppies put to sleep by shelters every week? I'm sorry but they are not saving puppies...they wouldn't be brokering if they weren't making money. People broker for $$$, not because they care about the puppies or are "saving" them.

I hope your puppy turns out to be healthy. I was 19 when Lacy was given to me as a gift (she's 4 1/2 now). She's always been perfectly healthy until these past few months, and now it looks like she has a liver issue..will be having a liver biopsy in a week and a half. She came from a backyard breeder... I love her to death and wouldn't trade for anything..she is my baby, but I have learned so much since I got her and will be extremely picky about the breeder that my next yorkie comes from.

It looks like the Rascoes are getting puppies from unlicensed, illegal puppymills. :(

ID: 810
Date Submitted: 8/16/2006
Breed: Yorkshire Terrier
Date Purchased: 5/12/2006
Breeder: Hawkins, Sue
Petshop: Jon & Jimmie Rascoe
Details: Puppy is healthy, but owner is concerned because she was deceived at the time of purchase and didn't know the puppy was coming from a different person than she bought it from.

The people that sold the puppy are acting as a pet store (which is loosely defined as buying puppies at wholesale and selling at retail). Since USDA does not license pet stores, they are not regulated. The breeder, however, is selling puppies wholesale and is required to have a USDA license if she has more than 3 female dogs.

I can find no license on this breeder, though there are several "Hawkins" licensed in OK, and even one in Durant (different address). I have also researched one puppy coming from a Hawkins in Tulsa OK that was unlicensed. I suggest filing a complaint with USDA and allowing them to sort this out. Oklahoma has no state licensing of breeders, so if this breeder is bypassing the USDA, she is unregulated by anyone. I suspect that this breeder does have more than 3 females because a DNA # was provided on the sire. Since AKC only requires DNA on "frequently used sires," it is likely that the breeder has more than a few dogs.

http://www.petshoppuppies.com/report.asp?ID=unkunl

I also wanted to comment that while I always recommend the YTCA breeder list to someone just starting their puppy search, you can not assume that all YTCA breeders are good. There is no perfect breeder! I've heard of good and bad experiences with YTCA breeders...some personal. I do think the YTCA list is a good place to start, but you have got to be sure to continue doing your research and ask questions. There are some YTCA breeders I would buy from and some I would not. I think it's a MUCH better place to start out a puppy search then searching classifieds or internet searching. YTCA breeders *should* be following the YTCA code of ethics. I also know there are wonderful show breeders out there that are not YTCA members..but they still follow these code of ethics.

For me, it's really important to buy from a good breeder because I care about the dogs. It's not just about the puppy I'm bringing home. I want to know that the breeder truly cares about the breed and the dogs in their care, that they are breeding with a purpose - to produce the healthiest dogs they can, to produce dogs that meet the standard, to produce dogs that have wonderful temperments. I want a breeder that loves their show/breeding dogs and treats them well. When you buy from a backyard breeder/broker/puppymill/petstore - you may luck out and get a healthy, great puppy, but what about that puppy's parents?? Are they stuck in a kennel or cage somewhere being neglected or mistreated?? I just think it's so important to support only good breeders because if you don't, you're contributing to the suffering of dogs. Everyone makes mistakes...but you have to learn and do better in the future.

Yes, it is a horrible practice to support...and that is exactly what you have done. :( Yes, one puppy gets a chance, and then the millers have reason to continue on with their business and replace it with another ill bred, poorly cared for litter. There is no way to justify supporting that kind of business.

These types of scenarios are very sad...for one because it supports puppy millers, and secondly because people knowingly do it and don't even care.

I wonder how many people on YT have purchased from a broker or pet store before knowing about puppy mills. I know I did..... obviously purchasing from the Rascoes was a risk (but one I took before coming to YT and learning more). Luckily it was a risk worth taking since Tatum is now 5 years old and in perfect health. I will say again that I know I got lucky with her and would not and have never on here recommended the Rascoes - even when people come on desperate for any recommendations. I just don't feel comfortable with their practices but first hand, have no horrible things to say about them.

I do hope that the OP's new puppy thrives and lives a long and healthy life.

oh, I think many people do..and even more purchase from backyard breeders. So many people just don't know. I wish more people would do their research before buying a puppy, but most people just don't..they decide they want one and find one as soon as possible. But I think once people are educated about puppymills, backyard breeders, and brokers..it's then that they can educate others and do better next time. It's the people that do know better and do it anyway that make me so angry because they are knowingly supporting these bad breeders and contributing to the suffering of dogs.

You shouldn't feel bad. You didn't know back then, just like I really didn't know when Lacy was given to me 4 1/2 years ago. We all live and learn. Would I buy from a breeder like Lacy came from in the future? No...but do I ever regret having her? No way. She's perfect to me no matter where she came from. Our babies are lucky to have us, and we are lucky to have them. I think you made it pretty clear that you didn't think you'd recommend them and were just sharing that you were lucky in your experience. Hopefully the OP gets lucky as well.

I'm glad you thought so. I just had a hard time saying too much negative since that's not how my experience was with them but I do know now that I wouldn't recommend them.

looking at these puppies to purchase
 

From all the remarks, Fancy Pups does not sound like the best move. Does anyone have any good choices in Houston?

go to the YTCA.org website and look for Texas breeders. That is a great start.

Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers