My story
 

Most of the regulars here know my story, it's come out in bits and pieces over my time here.

My breeder is also my trainer of my BRT;s, and I trained with her Yorkies and "my" breed for almost three years.

Over those years I got to see her Yorkie's personalities, and their abilities. I became fascinated, and always wanted an agility dog. As well my sister was asking for a small dog to love and to walk. I think the watershed moment for me, was one day at a show, we were sitting after our BBQ dinner, chatting and laughing, and one of her girls, just leapt up in my lap, for a snuggle.
Such a fearless brave wee thing. My heart was now officially stolen.
When you train with someone, once or twice a week, go to shows with them, you get to actually "see" their ethics and their commitment to their breed.

I knew Razz's mom, had seen her work. I did not look around for other breeders for my Yorkie. But I did come, with a list of questions, health concerns, and spoke now with my trainer who would shortly become my breeder of Razz.

And she was prepared, all health concerns addressed, all info on health problems within her lines. The temperament test results. Her health guarantee for me to review. The hardest part for me was after the discussion, she let me meet her pups. OH my God I had a choice between two!.

The decision was agonizing. We watched them play. She stacked them. She reviewed their test results. She put one by one in my own arms to examine. I put each pup down again. Watched some more play.

Went down on the floor, to watch some more. Then Razz man came up to me. Freely on his own, curled up in my lap, with his wee head on my lap.
I picked him up and cuddled him to my chest. There was an immediate heart response.

I waited some more. Watched the other pup, who did finally come to me. Sat on me, let me pet him. I cuddled him to me, and while of course every pup is cute, there was not the immediate heart response.

So now we had some tea, and a great Russian Cake. The pups were at our feet and playing around. And she said have you made up your mind?

We went over the temperament again. I sat on the floor for the last time. Examined each one, one more time. Used a toy with each. But the decision had been made in my heart. Razz was mine!

I love the fact that my breeder is also my trainer. She is my mentor. She is my friend.

I did not ask for references from her vet, or from other breeders. But my situation was pretty unique.

Totally agree! I had several conversations with my breeder, requested contact info for past sold puppies, ask that she provide my email address and/or phone #, as I wanted to talk with previous owners. This occurred after several talks with breeder, I'm sure after I was thought to be a good forever home. She was as thorough questioning me, as I was with her. I spoke with 3 other buyers, saw photos, talked pet history, and some additional ones by email. I spoke with her vet, and she has already contacted mine. Zhoie has been back twice in her 1.5 to visit which is 4 hrs away. We are encouraged and welcomed at any time. We stay in touch via email and she wants updates on Zhoie along with photos going on her maturing stages. I do believe I could call day or night and she would be there for me.
As I'm typing this, she may be a hobby breeder.....all in all, a darn good one.
Thanks for making me realize it.

This, to me, is one of the main problems in dogs being dumped. I love the line I often get from people: It is easier to get a dog from a breeder. Yes, sadly it often is. It should not be that way.

It's actually hard to get a pup from me and I'm gonna make it even harder...of course that is when I start back to breeding.

I don't know about this---
 

For the most part people coming here for puppies are highly educated professionals with a long history as pet owners. They often talk very lovingly about a dog they just lost to old age. We establish common ground for a conversation and decide about a puppy based on a feeling of mutual trust. If I felt the need to phone someone's vet I would not even consider letting them have my puppy. I always do ask them to tell me about their past experience with pets, and you'd be surprised how often people will tell about how bad they felt last year when they had to give their Cocker Spaniel to rescue because it was untrainable. No, they don't get my puppy after that.

I must say this does not surprise me. I see many yorkies in rescue that should never have been sold in the first place to the individuals who purchased them.

I can tell you that I have met the nicest people and had conversations with them about the wonderful care they give their pups....only to find out when I do the vet check that they don't even vet their dogs at all. This has happened MANY times and is why I ALWAYS call the vet first. I am thinking you have no idea how many yorkies are ending up in shelters and/or rescues. There is an epidemic right now.

Gotta dispel the myth here...
 

I'm a highly educated professional - I can tell you that not all people in that category measure up to be the pet owner you think they are on the face. Our degrees do not include a designation in Good Dog Ownership - that is something you feel inside about your pet and the way you act on the outside in its best interest. There is no degree that gives you that, I'm sorry. Calling the vet or tasks such as these give objective information about the potential buyer that a set of characteristics one may erroneously interpret while hoping for a sale may not. It just gives you a little extra assurance that your gut was right on. Then you'd know for sure if they are who they say they are and if they do what they say they do.

:thumbup: I don't have a college degree and I'm just a receptionst at a school but my love for animals is in my soul not in a degree or my level of professionalism....

As a breeder, calling a vet does give you insight as to what type of pet owners potential clients are. It reveals to you whether their dogs receive the right medical, routine care.

I agree with Donna...education and money does NOT tell you how a person will care for their pups.
I have been shocked at the things I have seen people do to their pets. And often it is the people with the wherewithall who could do better who do the meanest things. Others with less would pitch a tent and live in the woods if they had to in order to provide the best for their beloved pups.

my dogs come before me or my husband and my husband KNOWS not to ask me to give this up, he knows he'd be gone before they would!

hahah I hear that...my ex told me one day that I replaced him with yorkies...
yep no doubt :)
Nothing like that unconditional love.

mine would be an ex if ever he gave me a choice LOL...you are absolutely correct nothing better than unconditional love they give!! Is why I love them more than most humans!

Hahaha my hubby complains to my puppy parents and potential puppy parents, saying how they eat before him and I cook for them before I do for him. He also says how I have more pictures of them on my phone and pc's than I do of my own skinkids and family. We are looking to upgrade to a King size bed just so I can fit everyone comfortably in bed! Lol

In years past I would probably not have had what you consider a good vet reference unless you spoke to my cousin who was our vet but moved to another part of the country. We always had large breed dogs and I gave the immunizations myself after being shown. I don't use regular heart worm meds either due to what he taught me to use. When you have horses and dogs you quickly figure out that it is much more cost effective and quite easy to do most things yourself with training. They only went to the vet for a check up or if something was wrong or needed like spay & neuter. I will admit though I am not as bold with these lil guys when it comes to their shots, I don't do them myself but I still pre-treat with Benadryl before we head to the doc's and will stay on a 3 year protocol.

How would you judge someone interested in your dogs with that background? I just hate paying someone to do something I can do myself lol. I still change my own oil too :)