Confused!?!?
 

As I sit here and write this I'm in tears; torn between two very hard decisions. Last Friday, my fiancee purchased me my dream dog, a tiny 1.6lb Yorkie. It was love at first sight. I named her Gracie. Now after multiple vet visits, cultures taken, blood work done, we still have no answers. Sadly, this past Friday we called the breeder and she agreed to take Gracie back and pay for her vet(also her best friend) to take her in and take care of her and run more test. So, after reading all the negative comments about fancypups.com (where we purchased her from) I'm so confused on rather to give up on ever getting Gracie back or to keep going through this hard ache and maybe find another puppy.:( I love Gracie already, I was up all nights with her and mornings force feeding her. I grew so attached. Any advice will be welcomed. Jimmie Rascoe (the broker) has been helpful and seems to care but she still hasn't given me any positive thing to look forward to.

oh i am so sorry....i can only imagine the heartbreak of that decision...i have no advice to offer but i will keep you both in my prayers and i hope gracie is diagnosed and can live a long happy life.

This is the type of situation that every pet owner wants to avoid. What a heartbreak. I'm sure others will have ideas about what you should do. I don't know enough to say. Obviously she came from a puppy mill and they are infamous for selling genetically defective pups that also have other problems. Have they checked out the puppy for liver shunt? Maybe you should take her to an independent vet and get some real answers. I suspect they will not want you to do that though. It sounds like the vet is in business with this greeder. People like this often work with less than reputable vets in order to get the health certificates they need to sell the pups. It's so sad.

What are the tests revealing? I am so sorry for such a difficult decision!

If shes from a broker I would get another puppy. Also you dont know how serious health issues she could have

I am so very sorry. It doesn't take long for us to become attached to these little guys. I was in love with Zachary before we got him home from the breeder.

What does the vet think is wrong? I know the real tiny dogs can have LOTS of health problems. Personally, I would NOT trust the vet of the breeder. Do you still have the puppy? I would take her in to a vet that I could trust before giving her up. I HOPE this is not a puppy mill dog but it may be from what I have read. I made sure I got Zachary from a private breeder but that is hard to do sometimes when you finally find the "perfect" pup. If the breeder is honest and sincere, she should let you get a second opinion on the puppy's health. I doubt if she would pay for it though.

I can't make your decision for you but I pray you will be able to think this all through and make the right decision. I just keep thinking though that you need to consult another vet.

Prayers,
Louise in Houston:animal-pa:animal-pa

You are NOT going to like what I suggest you do. First of all, and most importantly, let me tell you my heart breaks for you and for that precious little baby. Neither one of you ever asked to be put in the position you are in at this moment. This poor little soul is not healthy....she is tooooo tiny. It takes someone with YEARS of experience to deal with the issues this tiny baby is facing, both immediately, and I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, IN THE FUTURE. This is NOT something you are going to want, nor can probably afford-emotionally as well as financially- to be saddled with. You need to explain to the breeder you are fearful you are not equipped to care for this tiny baby and you would want your money back. DO NOT GET SUCKED INTO THE HYPE OF TEACUP YORKIES!!! These tiny little souls are VERY fragile and require an enormous amount of attention, care, and caution...they can not EVER BE TREATED LIKE A "REGULAR" YORKIE because of their tiny size...they cant play, they cant run with other pets, they cant be around kids, they cant even go out on a windy day, because they will get blown around in the yard....they usually have other issues....why in the world would you want to even go there??? Find a reputable breeder FIRST. If you have to get on a waiting list before you can get a puppy, do it. TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE PATIENT. In the meantime, read everything you can get your hands on, about Yorkies...."Yorkies for Dummies" is an EXCELLENT book.....you MUST establish a relationship with a breeder that is reputable,and she will have your dog for you....it will be a healthy dog, one you can enjoy for many years.

i know this is heartbreaking for you I'm not experience with the tiny ones...I know from reading on here that they are alot of work, and very expensive to look after. I can't tell you what to do I can only tell you what I would do...I would take her back to the breeder and ask for my money back. I would then take my time and find a reputable breeder that does all of the genetic testing and stands behind her pups should anything go wrong. It sounds like she is in bed with the vet, figurativly speaking of course. I am really sorry you and the little one are going through this...I dont envy your decision...please keep us posted.

I'm so sorry you're going through this. We got our Tatum from the Rascoes 8 years ago (don't think they were using the fancypups name at the time but I'm not sure) and Jimmie was very nice and helpful. I was impressed by their clean setup but have to admit I was naive at that time about puppymills and brokers. Once I found out they were brokers I didn't recommend them to others. Tatum has not had a single health issue and is a very nice "specimen" of what a Yorkie should look and act like but most of all we love her to pieces. I just don't think that a broker, not raising the parents themselves, can promise what the pups will be like. I got lucky. It seems you did not. I hate to say it but I think you should move on unless you're prepared to deal with the vet expenses and potential heartache (even more than you're feeling now). I know, easier said than done. I'll have to go back and find your other posts about Gracie as I don't know what's happened with her so far. Tatum was about 10 weeks old and barely a pound in weight when we got her and we didn't have any issues with that. Knowing what I know now I know that we were very lucky in all aspects with her. Good luck in your decision.

Okay, I need to amend my opinion just a little bit after reading your other posts. Sounds to me like it's pretty basic hypoglycemic issues - just from your descriptions. If other tests don't show anything more serious and you can get her eating well and her blood sugar to stay up then I would try keeping her if you're already as attached as you sound. Again, depends a lot on what other tests will end up showing. Best of luck!

I am cutting tot he chase, IMHO, if the tests show more than hypogylcemia I would take her back, one week is nothing compared to years of vet bills, heart wrenching decisions, problems, and possibly a shortened life span. Cut you looses and consider your self lucky. There are lots of people on here from Texas I am sure some could help you find a reputable breeder

Our little Kyra was 1.4 at 3 months and still at 7 months is only 2.4 and she plays and runs just like our Laddy does. The only thing she isn't allowed to do and thankfully doesn't even try to do is jump. Our grandkids play with her but all know to be really gentle with her. She is a very healthy little thing so far. Praying all will work out for you I know this must be heart wrenching for you.

I looked a little at your previous posts. This little tyke was taken from it's mom too soon. There is usually some sort of contravercy on here about how early a puppy should leave it's mom. A little one like yours sure should have stayed with the mom at least another month. This is one of the reasons why a small puppy needs the extra time with mom and a full time caretaker. You have got to get her to another vet to get a valid diagnosis. How are you supposed to make a decision when you do not know what you are dealing with?

Are you prepared to live with a tiny dog? Will she be safe? My Gracie turned out to be much smaller than I ever expected and she nearly terrified me everyday by doing, or at least attempting to do, things that were too dangerous for a puppy her size...... and I have no young children. She is two years old now and I still have my home "puppy" proofed in order to protect her from herself.

My advice as the owner of two tinies(one was my first when I didn't know any better & the second was a runt of a litter when I did know better but my heart overruled my head) in the past who had long years of health problems & led very difficult lives at times, is to run from the pain to come and try to find a healthy puppy from a reputable breeder or rescue. These little tinies are so easily injured & subject to various problems you cannot even think of right now. They are super fragile.

I won't plague you with any of the sad stories here but suffice it to say, it is a hard life being a loving caregiver to a very tiny dog, watching it go through so much, tearing your heart out as you see it through the tough times. That being said, if you have bonded with & love this dog, and go into a life with her with your "eyes open", knowing she can never really have a normal dog's life due to her size & you are prepared to pay for the many vet visits, then keep, care for & love her - for only the most patient & loving & dedicated & committed of people should have a tiny, tiny Yorkie. If you are one of those & adore the dog, though it will likely be a hard life for both of you at times, there is something so endearing & loving about those very tiny babies.

For you & others who may read this thread in the future, another thought is that to keep the dog & pay for it does in fact underwrite this type of unscrupulous breeder & perpetuate the problem; and though they will continue no matter what you do about your dog, if your fiance could get the money back and you two walk away from their operation, at least your money won't be funding their next irresponsible breeding of similar poor sick little dogs.

LadyGrace,

What an absolutely heartbreaking situation for you, ALL of us feel your pain and exasperation. WE KNOW what you're going through.

I'm sorry but, I must say that, you really need to give little Gracy up. What pain you're feeling now, would only be a start of what cold be years of sorrowful experiences and all could be for nothing should it not be able to live.

The pain of giving it up now, will be much more tolerable than later.

I don't think we can assume that her Gracie is going to be a "tiny" just yet. Tatum was barely a pound when I got her at 9-10 weeks and she's a good sturdy 6 lbs now. I do think one as small as she is right now is very prone to hypoglycemic issues so hopefully that's all this is and once she's stronger she will continue to grow and be healthy. I just think a more definitive answer is needed regarding any other issues with the puppy before the OP makes a final decision.

n
 

She sounds like shes going to Be super tiny ad she appears to have the typical issues alot of tinies face

I think suggestions....let me rephrase that...MY suggestions to the OP were made with the past history of sick dogs that have apparently been purchased from this particular broker, (multiple past threads about this broker) foremost in my mind. Even if the broker honors the contract and works with the OP to hopefully get a baby with issues of hypoglycemia on the right track, I feel the OP has only a week or so emotional investment in this baby, and already quite a bit of $$$$ invested....I think there are healthy puppies to be had that would not cause the emotional and financial drain this sick baby may be going to cause her. After 35+ years in this business, I do NOT advocate selling tiny babies with hypoglycemia to novice owners. If this "tiny" puppy is going to grow out of this, they usually have done so by the time they are 4 months old and weigh 3 - 3.5 lbs....a breeder that has ANY working knowledge of her babies, knows full well if a baby has an issue with hypoglycemia...that is not something that just magically pops up as soon as the baby goes to a new owner....to sell a baby knowing it has issues with hypoglycemia, (without educating the new owner on feeding methods, etc) to a novice, is unnecessary and unethical at best.

:thumbup::thumbup:

Yeah I agree but would be concerned what would happen to Gracie once returned. I think getting a second vet opinion sounds like a good option then at least if you do hand her back, you wont keep asking yourself what if in the future, you will have done so with the knowledge to make that informed choice. Goood luck to you my thoughts are with you what ever you decide is right for you all .:love-hug3

Buster and Maggie both came from Fancy Pups. When I got them I had no idea that the Rascoe's were brokers, I didn't learn about brokers until I came to YT. One of my fears about giving Buster back to the Rascoe's was that they would sell him to someone who would not be able to afford his medical expenses. He was very tiny when I got him and only eight weeks old, same thing for Maggie. I was hoping that by now the Rascoe's would have made enough money and they would retire from the business. They call themselves Christians but they know where the puppies come from and they know that their website is misleading. I have had a lot of medical issues with Buster. However, there is a Yorkie in my neighborhood that came from Fancy Pups and he has no medical issues. He too was sold very young and very small. I know this is a hard decision to make, if you do decide to let them keep Grace, I would get a refund and not purchase another puppie from them. With that being said, I love Buster and Maggie more than anything in this world. I am glad that I have had the last four years with them and I hope I have a lot more years with them. They are my life. Another thing, if you decide to keep Grace, please keep on top of any medical issues she might have in the future.

you must listen to Yorkiemom here

I can agree with you on that. Gracie was very small as a puppy. She did not eat very well for her first few months. She was very picky. She did make it to 4lbs around her first birthday and added almost another pound over the next several months. I really think this puppy is on the small side and was not near ready to be taken from it's mother. While it is very possible that there could be other issues the only way to discover that is to take the puppy to a reputable vet in order to get an offical diagnosis. Is this hypoglycemia alone or are ther other factors contributing to the problem? I certainly would not waste anymore money with the vet that is working for the place the puppy came from. A good vet should have had the approprate tests done by now.

Today 03:31 PM - permalink
ABBY16026

I wish I had known about The Yorkie Forum last year!
My husband and I lost our previous Yorkie, Daisy, after 13 amazing and wonderful years. It wasn't long before we began to notice how empty our house was and how lonely we were. So, we started our search for a new baby. After what we thought was a good search, reviewing websites talking to breeders, and looking at all the satisfied Yorkie parents on Facebook accounts, we decided on FancyPups. We purchased a Yorkie from FancyPups in November of 2013. Our dear little girl, Abby is almost 7 months old. The first six months of Abby’s life have been rough, to say the least. She had extreme aggression issues, tummy problems, and displayed a high level of anxiety. We had to take her to a dog behavioral specialist due to her aggression, anxiety, and inability to connect with us. Abby did not answer to her name until she was 5 months old. Her Veterinarian bills for her tummy have been astronomical and behavioral training sessions have been numerous. As she has grown, her bite and her mouth are so far off (once her permanent teeth started coming in) that she has eating issues. So, I decided to do some further research on FancyPups. What I discovered was disgusting! I started with the signature on Abby’s registration papers, because it was not the owners of FancyPups. The person’s name on the registration revealed she was the owner of a puppy mill in Oklahoma. The reports showed deplorable conditions for 79 females, 54 males, and many, many puppies. Several complaints have been filed over the years against the puppy mill Abby came from. Our Vet said this accounts for a lot of her issues; poor digestion, poor socialization skills, and genetic deficiencies. We have owned 3 Yorkies in our lifetime and have never, ever had issues with our puppies like this. It has been a long road and very expensive to turn our baby around. We have spent upwards of $3000.00 on vet bills, dog behavior specialists, and training classes in six months. Abby is finally beginning to show some loving qualities and with continued therapy is starting to relax and calm down. We have a long way to go, but we now see a light at the end of the tunnel. FancyPups OUTRIGHT LIED to US, even when I point blank asked if Abby came from a puppy mill. FancyPups ARE BROKERS, NOT BREEDERS!!!! If this post can help educate even one person about people out there like FancyPups, we feel the time spent to write this letter was worth it!!