I really would wait and try and find one you can get after your trip and from a breeder you can visit. I got Cali at 9 weeks from a breeder I found in the want ads and she was very nice and the house was clean and the puppies were all inside but they were in the process of building a kennel out back.Also I paid 1500.00 so price isn't a gurantee of health, finding a great breeder is. I wish I had known about YT then and all the info I have gained from here. Within the first 6 months of having Cali I had over 7,000.00 in vet bills. She has a liver shunt(minor) had several hypoglycemic episodes that resulted in very expensive er trips. She continues to have continuous stomach issues and is on medicine for life that runs 60.00 a month for her allergies. I love her dearly but she has been very costly and I hat seeing her sick so often. I strongly urge you to wait for the right one to come along and she will. There are so many on here that come up and are more in your price range. One trip to the vet especially with a 6 week old, can result in 200 plus in vet bills that you could have used on a breeder who stand by their puppies more. After Cali I spent 6 months looking for Pixie and she was exactly what I wanted and from a great breeder that was referred to me from someone on here. Sorry this is so long, but speaking from experience you could be in for a lot of heartbreak and expense and I would hate to see that happen to you.

Final Decision Update
 

Here is the choice i have made. I am very satisfied with my choice and believe you all will understand and respect my decision.

I have talked to the V.A. at the vet i'm going to take my pup to, she said it's very common for a pup to come home at 6-8 weeks though some other opinions say 8-10 weeks.

I called the breeder. They are an elderly couple, they are more than willing to answer any and all questions. They totally understood my concerns and tried to help me understand them. I will be meeting the main breeder who is a retired older man who does this just for fun and he is driving over 4 hours to bring a pup to someone else and i will be meeting him and the pup and his daughter and the neighbor who bought a different pup and got her at 6 weeks.

They wean at 5.5 weeks by starting to take the mom away for 1/2 a day and feeding the pups crushed puppy food Diamond brand. If the pup takes to it, they will take the mom away at 6 weeks. They have kennels for the moms and when they are about 3 weeks away from having pups they move them to a birthing center set up in the garage and keep them nearby to birth babies, the pups grow some and are eventually moved as a family to an ex pen with rugs and beds and toys and potty pads and food until they begin to wean them. Mom goes back out to the kennels and the pups stay inside until they can be brought to their new owners.

They've done this for a long time, no complaints no problems, the parents are both healthy and great. Pups are guaranteed with no physical deformities for a year.

Have first round of shots already when i get her, i'll take her to the vet the day i get her and check her out.

I believe they are kind hearted people who only want to raise puppies for the fun and wonderful parts of it and are doing a good job of answering questions and making me feel comfortable.

Having the lady tell me that she would understand if i was too worried and backed out was nice to hear. They aren't pressuring me at all, they just are doing what they do all the time and if i choose a pup they'll drive 4 hours to bring her to me.

I'm getting my puppy in two weeks and i'll be completely happy about it


Thanks for all the help and I'm sorry that i'm not following most of your advice, but i feel this is the best decision for us at this time.

I'll send pictures and let you know how Sadie grows up.

Thanks,
Rachel

Congratulations on your decision!! You're going to provide a wonderful home for Sadie! Yay!!!! :)

By the way - welcome to YT - Yorkies rule!!!!!

Thanks auntie dearest!! I'm very excited and Sadie and Bailey will be great friends hopefully and Bailey can help teach Sadie her manners and social skills ;)

Good luck to you and Sadie. I hope you have many happy years.

My dog came from breeders like that and she was full of health problems for her two years of life. Are you ready for possible heartache. What will you do if you have to spend hundreds on vet costs? Sometimes things don't show up right away. I think people are trying to help you, I mean this sounds like the lowest quality of breeders I've ever heard of. If they were experienced they would be doing a better job. WHy would you want to risk a yorkies life and take them home at 6 weeks. It sounds kind of selfish :( I wanted to go the cheap way and I got what I paid for, in the end I could of bought a puppy in the beginning for 1500 and wouldn't of had to spend any extra money. Just because they tell you they have had no problems doesn't mean anything, I was lied too so bad I didn't know what hit me, thats why they are nice, and thats why they tell you what you WANT TO HEAR. So they can make a sale, thats there way of pressuring you. Don't let them fool you. No byb is going to tell you about any problems they may of had, they wn't sell puppies telling people that!

oops, I hadn't finished, sorry for double post
 

Good luck to you and Sadie. I hope you have many happy years. I respect your decision and will never judge anyone based on the decision they make to bring a puppy home. I am going to tell you what I've learned through personal experience, not to talk you out of it, but to give some food for thought and to prepare you just a bit.

Ginger came home with me at 8 weeks. She was taken from mom at 7 weeks. At the time, I didn't know any better. For the most part, she is a sweet, wonderful, happy dog who has been basically healthy. (She does suffer from severe allergies, but I don't consider that a major illness). She is my shadow and my baby girl. I do NOT regret getting her. I will never support one of these establishments again, however. What I see in Ginger is a difficulty trusting and feeling safe. When she was 8 months old I took her to a behaviorist, who basically explained to me that she has ocd and safety issues. When I tell you she was never anything but safe in my home, always rewarded positively and given tons of love, but out of the clear blue would sit cowering in a corner in fear...you can imagine how this threw us. We've worked hard with her and she doesn't cower anymore, but she still obsesses over certain things. We've had to rid our home of certain types of dog toy, buy all metal lidded trashcans, and crate her when we aren't home just to keep her safe from herself. It is my belief that her sense of security was robbed at an early age and that all we can do is manage this, we can never actually cure it.

Bernie is my boy. We rescued him at 1 year old. He'd had a rough time of it, believe me. He is a wonderful, sweet boy who loves toys, beds and his people. One look at him (he's so far out of standard its silly) one can not help but suspect he did not come from a reputable breeder (I have no idea for sure where he came from, but we live near the puppy mill capital of the eastern US). A common practice with mills is to remove the pups from the mom at an early age. Bernie breaks my heart every night when he goes to sleep. As loved as he is, he grabs a dog bed, blanket, pillow or whatever, balls it up, sticks one end in his mouth and sucks until he falls asleep. It does not look peaceful. My vet suspects that he was taken from mom too young and he's trying to regain the comfort he missed. Who knows.

Just know that, yes, many, many pups as young as 6 weeks go home and lead normal, healthy lives. But I do believe something is lacking or missing that you will never be able to replace.

So, if you bring your girl home, love her with all your heart.

Understand your decision "no ",respect your decision "yes".
As a breeder and Yorkie owner let me address a few of your statments.

"have talked to the V.A. at the vet i'm going to take my pup to, she said it's very common for a pup to come home at 6-8 weeks though some other opinions say 8-10 weeks."
Common yes safe or a good idea for a toy breed absolutely not.
"They wean at 5.5 weeks by starting to take the mom away for 1/2 a day and feeding the pups crushed puppy food Diamond brand"

I start mine out on puppy food at 4 weeks and weened at 7

"he is driving over 4 hours to bring a pup to someone else and i will be meeting him and the pup and his daughter and the neighbor who bought a different pup and got her at 6 weeks.

of course he can spend the 60 bucks for gas afterall they have spent little to nothing on this pups care already.

"Mom goes back out to the kennels and the pups stay inside until they can be brought to their new owners"

This one makes me very sad ,people have got to consider not just the pups health and living conditions but also the parents.

"done this for a long time, no complaints no problems, the parents are both healthy and great"
why just because they say so?What proof did they show you?


"no physical deformities for a year"

This a a strange guarantee after all wouldnt it be evident from birth of any physical deformities?

"They aren't pressuring me at all"

They dont need to everyone who doesnt know any better is looking for a

deal.


However I do wish you and Sadie the best,I just woudlnt have felt right if I didnt speak up.

I completely agree with this post. Another statement that bothered me is that they are doing this for FUN. Come on now, it's not fun raising a litter and taking care of them, but I guess it can be fun making money off of something that they haven't really done much with.

The entire thing makes me sick. I know how hard I work on raising a litter, and believe me, it's a lot of work. It's people like this breeder that makes it difficult for the rest of us.

Met the breeder today
 

I met our breeder today, he had two pups with him. They are adorable and totally healthy. He was a very nice retired southern man and he seemed to love those puppies and just played and played with them. I talked to his daughters neighbor who got a maltese from him at 6 weeks and she said she had a better time with "Lola" than her pup she got at 12 weeks because Lola didn't miss her mommy, the owner BECAME mommy, the 12 week old puppy had the anxiety and whined and whined cause he missed mommy cause he was with her TOO LONG.

Anyways, I am 100% sure this is the perfect breeder and choice for us, thanks for all the comments and advice, but we are certain our pup will be happy and healthy and do just fine with us.

Thanks again

Please make sure you have a tube of Nutrical and the number to the emergency vet handy at all times.

I got my Yorkie at 7 weeks of age and it wasn't easy. If I would have known then what I do now, I would have waited to bring her home.

Good Luck.

This statement alone tells me this is a Puppy Mill. When Lolas pups left, Lola was running all over the house looking for them. She was so depressed for weeks. How can they take her puppies away at 6 weeks and stick her in a Kennel outside. This just makes me sick. I hope everything goes well for you and Sadie.

I just don't understand why someone asks for advice then goes against what every single person who took the time to post advised you to do ,for the best interest of you and the pup ,seems like you had made up your mind before posting.
Puppies only benefit from more time with their mom and littermates no matter what the "neighbor says".

Perhaps Cesar can convince you. Following is from his site.

Week 8 is where you can expect to come into your new puppy's life if you have chosen to adopt through a reputable breeder. Make sure that you coordinate with the breeder and your veterinarian to determine that the puppy has been wormed prior to the adoption and to find out what shots, if any, the puppy may still need.
Because the puppy has spent his early weeks developing in the company of his mother and his brothers and sisters, his mental processes should be mature enough to handle the move from the breeder to your home, and he should be receptive to training. Still, just because your puppy has been socialized doesn't mean he doesn't still need your guidance from day one! Don't forget to get right to work setting your new pack's rules, boundaries, and limitations and consistently enforcing them. Your new puppy is easily influenced by your pack leadership, so keep it balanced and consistent! Housetraining and introduction to the sights and sounds of your puppy's new home should begin right away. Positive experiences associated with the various new elements of your puppy's life will help ensure a smooth transition. And don't forget that your puppy is still a social animal! If you have no other dogs or pets, try to find calm, vaccinated dog pals for him to interact with. This could prevent issues that may arise later on from lack of socialization.


It sounds like your pup is losing her mom/littermates way too early. Yes, she may be healthy, but I just think you'll be getting a pup who likely to not well adjusted emotionally. At this point, it wouldn't matter if the breeder kept her longer, because the most damage is done by removing mom at such an early age.


You sound young, and we've all made mistakes by getting that pup from the wrong place. (I posted my experience early in this thread.) I truly hope we don't scare you off, and I'm saddened that you can't learn from our experiences. I just wish breeders like this were put out of business.

I'll have my baby playing with my auntie's yorkie Bailey when i've had her for a few weeks, so i'm sure she'll be well socialized, and honestly from seeing the way the breeder interacts with the pups that he had with him, i don't think our girl will have any trouble in the transition at all. Once again, thanks for the comments, i'll let you know how it all goes, and first and foremost please be happy for me that i'm going to experience the joy and wonders of raising a yorkie puppy and she'll bring us happiness and love...that's the most important part anyways right???

Well you've made up your mind. I understand that you probably won't read the following, but if one person reads it and decides not to buy from a breeder who would remove the pup so young, then it's worth posting it. In many states its not even LEGAL to do what your breeder is doing. But I'm sure he knows best. After all he's kind.

What age can a puppy leave mom and littermates?


That question often comes up when someone is either looking to purchase a puppy or when someone who knows very little about dog breeding breeds their female dog. The American Kennel Club recommends that puppies stay with their moms and litter mates until they are 12 weeks old. This is to insure that the puppies learn how to act like a dog and can react to other dogs in a social manner when they are older. Puppies that are separated younger than that often have behavioral problems around other dogs.
All too often the future puppy owner is thinking not when the puppy is mentally able but more along the lines of if the puppy is weaned and on solid food. The backyard breeder is thinking more along the lines of how soon can I get rid of the pups and get some money for them.
Thankfully many states and even localities have enacted laws to prevent puppies and kittens from being given away or sold before a certain age. Often those laws prevent people from even advertising puppies for sale unless they state the date when the puppies will be available to leave their mother. Most laws state 8 or 10 weeks as the minimum age for a puppy to leave their mother but before you, as a breeder or buyer either place or buy a puppy check with your local laws and think first of the puppy’s mental health.


Above is copied from this site

Very Good Post. :thumbup: I hope others will listen. I cant understand how people ask for opinions and just toss them out the window. Why even ask if you already have your mind made up.

You are too naive. My so called "breeder" who wasn't even a breeder just a LIAR! Was SO nice and great when I was around you wouldn't even believe the act she put on! But when my dog was having seizures on our floor and I was crying hystrically calling her and emailing her, who do you think was there to CARE so much about that dog? NOT HER SHE TOLD ME TO F*** OFF! Just because he "seems" so nice you don't really know, if he will let his pups go so early he is only in it for the money not caring about the pups. We would love to be happy for you but why do you ask for opinions and help and then blow it all off, don't bother asking if you were going to take a pup way too early and act the way you are.

Ouch People
 

Well, when I came to yorkie talk, i thought i'd find a bunch of very nice yorkie owners who could offer advice and opinions but at least respect my personal choices and my personal convictions. I thought i'd find a lot of nice, kind, and considerate people who could help me learn and grow in my ownership of this puppy. all i have found here are several very opinionated people who through their strong opinions have attacked me in every way over my own choice, i am hurt, upset, and feeling rejected by this forum for the rude and hateful comments i have recieved here. i know that you were all just trying to help and give advice from experience, but obviously you have had negative experiences and can't seem to recall that people sometimes have great experiences i mean i'd rather rescue this little baby now and take care of her on my own, than to leave her at his home where she'll be in a kennel all alone without any siblings (who are sold already) and without mom who was taken away at 6 weeks anyways...so why not take her, i feel like i can take better care of her anyways....and as for the comments that Marvin doesn't care about his dogs, he is in contact with almost everyone he's ever sold a pup to, obviously he's got great relationships with previous owners that adore him and he's constantly checking up on the puppies he's sold all over Missouri, visiting them on his trips to see his daughter....

so in my own opinion here, yes i'd rather wait until she's 10 weeks old, but he's going to sell her to someone else at 6 weeks if it's not me, so i'd rather it be me so that i know she's taken care of and doing well.

i'm going to go with my own gut, the advice from the VET, and the advice from a lot of other people who agree with me, though most of you on here don't.

Yes i am upset at most of these comments and I feel very hurt from the rude and hateful way you have approached me!!

I hope that you all enjoy your dogs, i'll enjoy mine, and we'll all go on happy as ever with our own lives.

You asked for our opinions, not our approval. I hope it all works out for you, as I've said multiple times.

i know that, and i appreciate your advice very much, and i'm glad that you have wished us well, but others go into attack mode too fast about how sick this makes them and how disgusted they are, which is fine, that's their opinion, but i was hoping for a little more encouragement and prayer rather than how disgusted they are that i choose to follow my gut and not their bad experience

You asked for opinions and you got them.Noone attacked you in this thread.Not agreeing with someone does not constitute an attack.
We all wanted you to have the best possible chance at getting a happy ,healthy well adjusted yorkie and advised you from all of our experiences as well as what the experts reccomend.
I have had great experiences with the breeders I got my dogs from but its because they did it the right way as I am trying to do with my Yorkies ,you will not find a kennel here just a home filled with my furry family members.:p

Rachael, I don't believe YT'ers are disgusted with you but with the
breeder. You have come here for opinions, right? Well that's what your
getting. People love this breed so much that's why they get upset when
a breeder breeds for $ and not for health. Listen to what is told to you.
People are knowledgeable here, most have gone through some rough times
with their own pup and are just trying to keep you from having your
heart broke if your pup get's sick. Anyone who breeds for fun is not a
true serious breeder. It's true. Too many things can go wrong with the
female during breeing. There's nothing fun about it.
Even if your pup is healthy, I hope he is, he may end up with some
serious personality issues. I know where I'm coming from on this one.
Buddy was taken about 7weeks old from his mother and sent to a pet
store across the ocean. I bought him. he's beautiful and healthy but
I have had some serious behavior problems with him and all because
he was taken too soon from his mother. You came here unsure if it
were right or wrong and you were given an honest answer. It's wrong.
If the mother died that's another story, you do what you can to keep
the pup alive but to deliberately seperate mother and pup at 6wks
is very wrong and cruel.
Good luck because your going to need it.

do you honestly think ur pup had problems from leaving his mom, or could it be that the problems stem from the pet store thing? i'm not trying to challenge your knowledge here, but i'd think that the pet store living would be much more traumatizing than being given to a loving owner after the pup is weaned and ready

Read up on the subject. I honestly didn't know a thing about it until
I found YT about 1yr after. No one loves their dog more than I love
Buddy. I got him at 14wks. He was in the store for only about 4wks.
Nothing in the first year could have made him get aggressive living
with me. All
he ever got was hugs and kisses. He changed over night. Believe me
he did. From what I read it all stems back to being seperated from
his mother before she could teach him manners. Sounds crazy huh but
these thing's are true. They are so true. With lot's of training and
patience we got threw it. What I went through with him I would never
have thought possible. I had two rescues in the past and never experiened
anthing like this. Believe it, because it can happen. I didn't say it will
but it can. To me, just because this pup is one you can afford is no
reason to purchase it. Save alittle longer and get one that's better
bred.
Only trying to save you heartache.

Carol, you have a way of putting things that makes sense and seems caring.

I have to say, after reading/research and my own experience, I agree that not having that extra time with mom and littermates is essential. There is research to back this up, not just "belief". As I said before, I would never give up my girl, but I will never again put $$ in the pockets of those who would do this kind of thing, especially someone who would remove the mom/littermates at such a young age. There is a reason that is illegal in many states. I know I keep repeating myself, but this is something I feel very passionate about. I don't think negatively of you, many of us have brought dogs home from the wrong kind of place. But you have an opportunity I didn't have. You have caring (yes, caring) people on YT who are honestly trying to explain why you don't want to contribute to this. I wish someone had done that for me back then. We're all just trying to save you some heartache. Again, the only one I have a real issue is is the breeder.

thanks again!! the more i think about the whole thing, the more i just want to save my baby and bring her home anyways, i mean if the guy is going to take the mom away from her no matter if i get her or not, i'd rather get her and at least know she's loved and taken care of, sounds crazy, but i just can't help it, i want to rescue her, and in the process of that, i've since met the guy and he doesn't seem so bad, i don't agree with him taking her mommy away that early anymore than you all do, but i can't bear to let him put Sadie out in a kennel, he's had her in the house and plays with her in the yard right now, and someone else may come along and buy her and not love her like we will, so i'm going to get my baby girl, pray for the best, and hope she does just fine...

any advice since i am getting her so young to help me make it through, besides Nutrical, i'll be getting plenty of that stuff.

Also, how do you switch a puppy from their puppy food that the breeder sends with you, to your own food? This one's not as easy as the *mix it in slowly* because i'm going to feed homemade food with minerals and nutrients in it, works great for my aunt Karrie and Bailey. but i'm wondering how to change it up from Diamond puppy food, which will be hard kibble, to soft and squishy

just a thought, do you think my aunt's yorkie 2 months old could help socialize my baby a little bit, i mean i know that mommy is best, but i can't really force the breeder to keep her with mommy, so if i bring her over to auntie's house to play with Bailey, do you think that might help some??

Yes letting your baby play with your aunties will help socialize her. as with the food you will need to change it gradually , just add a little to the other, these furbabys have very sensitive tummys.
I've read this thread through and I can see where you are coming from wanting to save this baby, think I would be the same lol
People on here do have excellent advice though so be sure to bear that in mind for the future.:)
Good luck with her oh and what are you going to name her?

I emailed the breeders posing as a seller and they offered me a five week old female also have a second litter of 3 girls that are 3 weeks old hmmmm.