Do breeders breed standard size yorkies anymore?

[Britster]

Originally Posted by PennysMum

I agree that there should be a bottom weight. I work in an animal hospital, and we just see way too many issues in the super-tiny dogs. For the AKC to validate that by putting no lower limit on weight is really irresponsible.

In my opinion, whenever somebody breeds a dog to a standard that does not allow them to live healthy lives in a way that dogs are designed to live, there is something ethically wrong with what they are doing. They are animals, not toys, and we shouldn't feel like we can warp them in whatever way we feel like when what we are doing does not allow them the vitality that they need to live the life of a dog. Breeding dogs too tiny is just one example. Humans have bred English Bulldogs such that they can't even deliver a litter of pups without a c-section. Humans bred for a sloping back in German Shepherds because we thought that it looked nice, and produced generations of dogs with serious hip and spinal issues. Humans thought pugs looked cute with deeply wrinkled, squished-up faces, and wound up with some little dogs who can barely breathe, and will sometimes die because of it when placed in "extreme" conditions that more hardy dogs can handle without blinking, and that develop painful skin infections in the folds in their face.

Just because the breed standard says something doesn't mean that it is OK.

Good post!

[Britster]

Originally Posted by yorkie mad

My furbaby is 5lb 5oz and that seems tiny, I want her to grow bigger as she seems delicate.Shes almost 11 months old and the vet seems to think that shes done growing. How can they tell! Hopefully she will put on another 1lb or 2 and then I wont keep treading on her.

Jackson was about 4 1/2 pounds when I brought him home at 9 weeks and I remember thinking he was SO tiny! I had to watch him so closely. I could easily just pick him up with one hand and carry him around. I couldn't imagine having to do that for the rest of his life with constant worrying about him, if he was going to get hurt, etc. I still have those worries like I would even if I had a 40 pound dog lol but it's different. At his 12 week appt, he was 6 pounds and was SO small to me so I really can't imagine having one much smaller for it's whole life. Jackson is a very study little guy, he can jump up and down my bed, the couches, etc and he's absolutely fine. He can easily play with the neighbors Bulldog, the Golden Retriever next door, etc. I don't know, it's just hard for me to imagine caring for a 2 or 3 pound dog for the rest of it's life.

[MeAndMyOlivia]

[QUOTE=yorkiepuppie;2621243]now i am so confused! i kept thinking that 4-7 was the standard because that's what i read in many posts. so i've been telling people that milu is not a teacup (because we all know there is no such thing, but the general public is very CERTAIN that there is a 'TEACUP' category.)

so milu is also a STANDARD yorkie? (she is 3 lbs.) sigh~ so she could be a show dog if i wanted to show her? just curious, because i had thought that milu fail the "standard yorkie' test since she is only 3 lbs.

but i do agree that it's kind of stupid to have "not to exceed 7 lbs." as a description. doesn't make much sense to not have a limit on both ends.

but i don't think 3 lb. is too small. i agree that they are fragile when they are small and i understand that people have to be over protective when they are that small. but is 1 more lb. really going to make that big of a difference? i don't know, maybe it does? maybe that 1 more lb. makes a big difference?[/QUOTE

It's amazing what a difference a pound makes at this size! My Olivia was 5# when I got her in October, and in the last month or two kept telling her she was getting chunky - and sure enough, when I took her to the vet last week she had gained 1/2 lb. I could definitely tell she had put on weight. But not gotten any taller, since she was 8 yrs old.

[Precious Bella]

We brought Luca home on Dec 30th. at 3 mos. He was from a litter of 4, 3 boys, 1 girl. He was the last to be adopted. I spoke with the breeder, now a friend, last mo. and told her Luca is now 7 lbs. The boy she gave to her son is 5 lbs and boy she gave to her brother is 3 lbs. (doesn't know of girl she sold). They are all from SAME litter with the same parents 4 - 5 lb. We love Luca at 7 lbs, as is his "sister", Annabella. Light enough to carry, big enough not to step on or fall over. (We DID FALL OVER IN LOVE WITH BOTH OF THEM)

[yorkie mad]

Originally Posted by Britster

Jackson was about 4 1/2 pounds when I brought him home at 9 weeks and I remember thinking he was SO tiny! I had to watch him so closely. I could easily just pick him up with one hand and carry him around. I couldn't imagine having to do that for the rest of his life with constant worrying about him, if he was going to get hurt, etc. I still have those worries like I would even if I had a 40 pound dog lol but it's different. At his 12 week appt, he was 6 pounds and was SO small to me so I really can't imagine having one much smaller for it's whole life. Jackson is a very study little guy, he can jump up and down my bed, the couches, etc and he's absolutely fine. He can easily play with the neighbors Bulldog, the Golden Retriever next door, etc. I don't know, it's just hard for me to imagine caring for a 2 or 3 pound dog for the rest of it's life.

When I was looking for a yorkie pup I had no idea they came in a variety of sizes , a bit like shoes lol, so when I found the advertisment it said £450.oo but on arrival and after cuddling the pup she added an extra £100.00 on top because she was tiny! My first thought was shouldnt the smallest, ie: the runt of the litter be cheaper not dearer .Well Id fell in love with her by then so I had to pay it. I didn't care if she was bigger , it was the personality of the breed I was after not the size.

[QuickSilver]

Originally Posted by westieboy

I've been looking for a yorkie, a standard 6-7 lb one. It seems that most breeders I've seen produce ones that are less than 5 lbs. I thought the AKC standard was right at 7 lbs or less but with most show dogs right at the weight limit. Is the standard changing or people here just prefer them a lot smaller?

I saw somewhere else that your westie is 11 pounds? I would recommend getting a larger yorkie so they can play together with any worries on your part. A 6 pound yorkie would be half the size of your westie. Look for a teapot.

[westieboy]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

I saw somewhere else that your westie is 11 pounds? I would recommend getting a larger yorkie so they can play together with any worries on your part. A 6 pound yorkie would be half the size of your westie. Look for a teapot.

I think 7 lbs would be fine. My has played with some smaller dogs and she's pretty gentle. But even 7 lbs seems to be hard to find.

[QuickSilver]

Well, I don't know much about your area. I imagine that a 7+ lb yorkie will be cheaper since most people want the small ones nowadays. Have you contacted breeders in your area? I would imagine that they'll be happy to give you one that seems to be oversized. Maybe some of the people who have teapots can help with input on how they got their larger dogs. It seems like it's usually an accident, but if some people looked specifically for a sturdier one, maybe they can help.

[spina]

OK... I don't understand. I read all of the posts (or at least tried to). I don't understand the difference between a teacup and a teapot? We got our Mia when she was 8 weeks old. I took her to the vet the next day for a check up. She weighed 2#15oz. When she was 16 weeks she weighed 7#4oz. the vet says she will probably get to be 10#. She is still a purebred right? I am new at all of this. I never wanted a itty bitty pocket puppy. Just a small little cuddlebug (under 60 pounds preferably). WE wouldn't trade her for the world. But what dos it mean when you have a 7-10# yorkie? Their just not showable? Breedable? Not purebred? Whats the difference?

[mscat]

Originally Posted by QuickSilver

Well, I don't know much about your area. I imagine that a 7+ lb yorkie will be cheaper since most people want the small ones nowadays. Have you contacted breeders in your area? I would imagine that they'll be happy to give you one that seems to be oversized. Maybe some of the people who have teapots can help with input on how they got their larger dogs. It seems like it's usually an accident, but if some people looked specifically for a sturdier one, maybe they can help.

Very good suggestion! However, when Yorkie's are puppies, it is extremely difficult to predict the adult size of a yorkie . It is a guessing game. Sometimes, it is accurate, other times, not. Even the weight charts are not the best indicaters. Keep this in mind . 7lbs adult size is stil a little dog. IMO anything over 10 LBS would be considered a teapot. I still believe there are no garuntees on sizes. It may be easier to look into rescue groups. You would know how big your Yorkie is then .

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by spina

OK... I don't understand. I read all of the posts (or at least tried to). I don't understand the difference between a teacup and a teapot? We got our Mia when she was 8 weeks old. I took her to the vet the next day for a check up. She weighed 2#15oz. When she was 16 weeks she weighed 7#4oz. the vet says she will probably get to be 10#. She is still a purebred right? I am new at all of this. I never wanted a itty bitty pocket puppy. Just a small little cuddlebug (under 60 pounds preferably). WE wouldn't trade her for the world. But what dos it mean when you have a 7-10# yorkie? Their just not showable? Breedable? Not purebred? Whats the difference?

The term "teapot" is just an affectionate, joking term YT members with larger Yorkies use. In reality, there is no such thing as a "teacup" or a "teapot" Yorkie. All Yorkies should fall into the Yorkie standard which calls for them to be under seven pounds.

To answer your question, a Yorkie who weighs over seven pounds does not conform to the standard so they aren't "showable" and shouldn't be bred. A Yorkie can still be a purebred even if he is larger than the standard calls for. Most of the Yorkies you see today are bred by backyard breeders and puppymills who don't pay any attention to the standard so they look pretty different from what Yorkies are supposed to.

The Yorkie standard is like the recipe breeders should follow when producing puppies. If you didn't follow the recipe when you made a cake, it wouldn't turn out the way it was supposed to, right?

[sillyjacki]

Originally Posted by PennysMum

I agree that there should be a bottom weight. I work in an animal hospital, and we just see way too many issues in the super-tiny dogs. For the AKC to validate that by putting no lower limit on weight is really irresponsible.

Amen!

[spina]

oh Ok I think I understand. My little Mia came form Oklahoma. I haven't any information on her parents. She is registered with American Pets Registry. I understand that this institution isn't tha same as AKC. She is going to be a little bit larger girl. But thats ok. She plays just fine with her 60 furbrother. I like the term "teapot", Thanks I have never heard of that before....

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by spina

oh Ok I think I understand. My little Mia came form Oklahoma. I haven't any information on her parents. She is registered with American Pets Registry. I understand that this institution isn't tha same as AKC. She is going to be a little bit larger girl. But thats ok. She plays just fine with her 60 furbrother. I like the term "teapot", Thanks I have never heard of that before....

If Mia came from Oklahoma, she very likely came from one of the many puppy mills in that state.

Have you checked the USDA "puppymill" list for her breeder's name?

http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/webs...ists/lista.pdf

[QuickSilver]

Originally Posted by Ladymom

I agree with having a bottom weight. The Maltese standard is also under seven pounds, but it states that 4-6 is preferred. I wish the YTCA would follow their lead.

There is too much emphasis on breeding the super tiny ones. They are at such a high risk of injury when they are that small. My vet told me one of her super tiny Yorkie patients was killed when he was accidentally slammed in the door. She said they see too many tragic accidents with the tiny ones.

Now I'm confused too. I thought the YTCA DID state that 4-7 pounds is preferred, though the standard is 7 lbs and under.