SCAMS by puppymills, byb, puppy brokers etc
 

Just thought there are a lot of us out there who were uneducated before buying our yorkie. Maybe we can get the scams out there and educate as many potential buyers before someone else falls for the scam that got you........

The scam that got me was...There were many puppies supposedly 2 sets of parents were at the groomers. My Bella Mia was supposedly a registered "teacup" yorkie and the scam was they were selling 8 week old puppies saying they were 12 weeks so the puppies would be SMALL. They mailed the ACA papers 1 month after I bought the puppy. She was NOT 12 weeks old, nor was she AKC, nor was she born in CA. She was born in the midwest and she was shipped here. The puppies with her were not her litter mates but puppies from other puppy mills. I fell in love with her and obviously didnt want to send her back. Not only did I buy a pup that was too young but she had and still has an intense fear of being caged for any period of time. She is aggressive at times with other animals, She was over vaccinated for a puppy her age, She is now 9 pounds hardly the teacup more the teapot! I am VERY luck in that she has not had many outrageous health issues. I would not buy again from someone like that ever again.

Mine isnt a scam story but a bad breeder story. I bought mine from a breeder that had cages inside her house and she had multiple breeds. She let them go home very young also. She told me Chachi was 8 weeks but when I went back and checked he was only 6 1/2 weeks. She told me Jewels was going to be a teacup and to her credit Jewels was very small when I got her only 12 oz at 8 weeks. She is 6 lbs today. I paid $300 more for her because she was supposed to be smaller. She did get to know us but didnt really interview us. I would buy from a very different kind of breeder now that I know so much more

It's almost sad that we need a thread like this to warn potential yorkie owners of what not to look for in a breeder. There are some people who will just turn a blind eye when there is something that they want at the price they want.

Some scams are so obvious, but still we need to try to educate people.
Don't...
buy from a breeder who uses "teacup" "teddy bear" "doll face" terms.
buy from a breeder who will guarantee adult size.
buy a pup from the internet.
buy from a breeder who will ship.
buy from a breeder where you haven't seen the parents.
buy from someone where you haven't visited their home.
assume you will get a free pup just by paying the shipping costs.
think someone's sob story of why they need to get rid of their pup asap is true.
buy a pup just b/c it is cheap.
buy a pup from the pet shop.
buy a pup just b/c you feel sorry for it and want to rescue it.

Anyone else think of more, just add it on!

Good post!:thumbup:

Excellent information. Had I known then all I know now. :( Although I can't say I have any regrets because even though we recieved a very very sick puppy (internet sale) I can't imagine our life without him.

Oh yes of course, and bless his heart. At least he is one of a few who ended up in a loving home.

The thing that bothers a lot of us is that someone who knows what they are doing, but just denying there is anything wrong.

Oh one more...

Don't buy from a breeder who breeds multiple breeds, mixed breeds, or "designer dogs".

Some will not agree with me, but a designer dog is nothing but a mutt/mixed breed. (Mutt, I know is a mixed dog of unknown origin, but a mixed breed sold as a designer dog, is just one in the same, a mutt.) Not saying that mutts don't make great dogs, they do... just don't pay a "designer price" for it. They can easily be adopted at your local animal shelter, where there are plenty, trust me.

Fantastic post
 

Don't...
buy from a breeder who won't give a health guarantee.
buy from someone that's selling for someone (usu a broker).

We couldn't agree MORE. People wonder why we don't guarantee adult size or ship our puppies. Well as we all know, there are no guarantees regarding size. Also we personally do not believe in shipping as out puppies are an extension of our family and we don't feel comfortable with shipping a puppy.

Totally agree with you. Remember if just ONE persons listens, we can smile for the day! :D

Most people are aware of what a puppy mill is, but backyard breeders seem to be able to fly under the radar. And it's the BYB's who produce the majority of purebred puppies, not the puppy mills. The BYB's are also responsible for all the genetic health issues in Yorkie's today.

BYB's can be "wolves in sheep's clothing". Some of them are really nice, raise their puppies in their home, sometimes even in little nurseries. The problem is that they breed pet quality dogs who are far from the Yorkie standard, know nothing about genetics, and don't do health testing like screening for liver shunts, luxating patellas, etc.

This is a great comparison between backyard breeders and reputable breeders:

http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Fair/1901/chart.html

Backyard Breeder vs. Reputable Breeder

All of this is always a concern to me since I have NO IDEA where Pixel came from!! I got him as a "rehome" when he was only 5 months old and since the lady I got him from advertised him as a "chorkie," I'm afraid he may have been from a "designer dog" puppy mill. I was so worried about him having health issues, but I had all the blood tests done before his neuter, and all the results were good. He will be 1 on 8/25 and is doing great so far (knock on wood). I hate the thought that he may have come from a bad place though :(

My Lady is also a rescue with an unknown background. She was perfectly healthy until she was four, then her genetic time bombs started going off. All her bloodwork was always perfect. The problem is that most genetic diseases don't have "markers" so there is no test for them.

My best advice is to set up a savings account now and add to it every month. If your guy stays healthy, it will be a great reserve as even the healthiest dogs get expensive as they age with annual bloodwork and dentals. If he does develop health issues, you will be able care for him.

Aw, I'm sorry your baby has had problems ladymom! :( I was feeling better with the blood tests coming out fine. I didn't realize they don't show everything. Scary!! Thanks for the tip. I already have a fund going for him because I know my last girl lived to be 16 and had quite a few issues that were expensive and at that time, I just had to rack up the credit card! She was a pound puppy.

BYB - Buyer's Dilemma
 

Thanks for this post. I was wondering what the difference is between a "reputable breeder" and a "backyard breeder." Sounds like the difference is not so much the physical operation or quantity; but, the health of the puppies they produce.

The problem for those of us researching where to buy a healthy puppy is that it appears there are very few "reputable breeders" close enough to visit in person. In Oklahoma, the Yorkie breeders directory (linked to the AKC website) lists only 2 for the entire state. My vet gave me the names of 3 breeders in Oklahoma whose puppies he had seen and whose owners were happy, and they are 100 to 200 miles away. Then the "reputable breeders" don't seem to produce many "show quality" puppies with full registration so that more healthy, "show quality" puppies can be bred. There really does seem to be a shortage of "show quality" full registration puppies available--or even "pet quality" limited registration puppies from "reputable breeders." It really is a dilemma--I could go to a pet store or call a number in the newspaper today for a BYB and buy one, but I want a healthy puppy.