Are Morkies Really Better?

[luvlee]

I just looked at the puppy's on Pauls Pups website. IMHO, the yorkshire terriers there are not good looking dogs. They may be cute puppies - but you don't know what they'll grow into. Also, unless they're tested (show breeders test their pups in many ways), you have no idea whether there will be major major health problems in the future. With some bad luck, you'll find some serious genetic disorder after the warranty expires.

It's a sad but true story that's discussed here all the time!!!

I have a friend who has a yorkie adult that looks like a cross between a Chihahuawa & Dachsund -- really!! She was so disturbed by how he looked that she had him DNA tested.

According to the testing (which I have no idea whether it was accurate), the dog is "pure" Yorkshire Terrier.

As a puppy, he was adorable. My friend loves her dog but he didn't turn out as she anticipated when she bought him.

Save up and find a good breeder - even if it costs a little more. You really don't have to pay through the nose for a well bred, healthy dog. Prices are competitive and a good breeder will explain the pup rearing costs to you.

You'll be grateful when you're playing in the park with your healthy baby instead of being worried to death as you sit and wait at the vet's office.

Good luck.
Tracey

[luvlee]

Originally Posted by TresCutePiggies

Great post and much more succinct than I was!

One of my dogs is a puppy mill rescue (and it's not even one of the worst I've seen), but here is an album of where she lived before the mill was busted and the dogs taken to surrounding rescues: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0575982&type=3

Thanks for your kind words. Your post also put the point right out in front.

Also, those facebook pictures of the mill are enough to make anyone reconsider a "pet-store" or "web-store" purchase. I have a lump in my throat. EVERYONE should look at them (even and especially the BF!)

Lane looks beautiful now however. She is truly a lucky luckly and loved girl! Bless you!

Take care. Tracey

[Anny Mendoza]

I also grew up thinking that mixed breeds were healthier that pure ones.

Both Nena and Rufus are from a BYB.
That I found out being here on YT.
Before joining this group I had no idea of what BYB, I knew some stuff about puppymills but never thought we had that here. Also I didn't know about genetic testing in order to produce healthy puppies.

Nena is a morkie. She is almost 5 years old.
Rufus is a yorkie (way off standard) and is 1 year old.

Even though both come from a BYB and don't have any health guaranty,
Rufus is more healthier than Nena.

Nena has had problem with her eating and that created problems with her tummy.
Her teeth are horrible, they require a lot of care and vet visits which cost money.
Rufus eats like he's never eaten before. His teeth are as white a as they can be.

Other than those two problems. Both Nena and Rufus are two healthy lovable and happy dogs. I love them both so much. But I wish I knew YT before and I wish I knew all the research you have to do before buying a pup.

You are doing a great thing! Doing research before buying the pup.
Men can be stubborn sometimes (just like us ).
Just tell him that the money you wont spend when buying the pup, you will spend in vet care. And that amount will be way higher that the cost of a pup from a reputable breeder.
A breeder that knows what he/she is doing. That breeds the best to create the best.
A breeder that does all the research and test before breeding.

Good luck and I hope your fiance opens his eyes and see what it's best.

[chachi]

Ultimately what it comes down to is you have to choose the type of breeder. Do you want a breeder thats whole focus is to create cute mixed breed pups. They arent breeding to better the breed they arent health testing they are just creating designer dogs to supply to the market place that demands them. If thats what you want pick morkie. Or you could go with a yorkie and find a reputable breeder who breeds to better the breed, health tests, has a good guarantee on the puppy and will give you an impecable pedigree. The decision is all up to you

[Teresiana]

Funny...my husband said the exact same thing about Morkies. Men. They read something online & they think that one website is "the word". I have 2 Yorkies & a Morkie. In a perfect world, the temperament of a Yorkie & a Maltese would be, well...perfect. Of course, you'd have to breed the perfect Yorkie with the perfect Morkie & make sure the puppy is raised by the perfect breeder. Unfortunately, the chances of me willing the lottery are better. You've already gotten some great advice. I just had to put my two-cents in because I have both. I'm sure there's a great Morkie breeder out there somewhere who has the pup's best interest at heart, instead of her pocketbook. But he/she might be really difficult to find.

I've been an active participant on this forum for a little over a year now. The most important thing I've learned during this time is to look for a breeder - not a puppy. I know that sounds cliche. But it is soooo true. There is a HUGE difference between my Yorkie & Morkie rescues, and my Yorkie from a wonderful breeder. I can even begin to explain how easy it is to take care of a well bred puppy. From potty training...to eating...to being confined in a crate...it's a world of difference. That's not even taking into consideration vet bills & all of the money I'm not going to have to spend to make sure she's healthy. Plus, I have a great relationship with my breeder & I know I can always contact her if I have any questions about anything - and I have.

I love my little Morkie to death. She's the sweetest little pup ever. But I've had to be patient with her & adjust to the way she is. The thing with a mixed breed is, you never really know what you're going to get. Even puppies from the same litter are so different. If you want a healthy puppy with a great temperament, I say go with a great breeder. A breeder will match you with a pup that fits your lifestyle.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck!!

[SarahK]

Originally Posted by Teegy

Can I ask if she's a reputable breeder why she would be selling or breeding morkies, serious question?

I didn't ask her, so I don't have an answer for you. (And my Toby was sold to be a pet and not to be bred.) She, herself, does not own any Morkies.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by cindersellie

I was having a moment and looked for the link to a thread in your post, but you were referring to the thread we're posting on!!! Lordy, I can be so special sometimes!

If you want a yorkie, keep showing him this site. The breeder section would be a good place to go- see if there's any pups available. The picture section is also good to show him. The pups in that section are soo stinking cute! He couldn't possibly resist all that cuteness going on there!

But just a note that all breeders on here are not reputable so you still have to research any breeder to make sure there reputable.

[DBlain]

most would say you better your chances if you go with a breeder that breeds for show, and I tend to agree but there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. Also there are not thousands of show breeders out there to choose from so buying can sometimes be difficult because they don't always have a lot of puppies available to purchase. I went the show breeder route 3 times and twice I wound up buying the opposite sex of what I wanted because I did not choose to wait and wait. Since I will only buy a puppy after seeing it in person I was limited as well, I live in Metro Detroit (not a small town) and even willing to drive about 5 hours each way I found only about 10-12 show breeders to choose from, not all had puppies or knew when they would have a female puppy to sell, and then of course I was reluctant to spend around $2,000.00 on a dog as well. It's not like I don't have the money, I could spend it if I wanted but after having several dogs from show breeders that had both health and personality issues I really did not (to me) find it was worth it. Some might not agree with me, but after checking with shelters and rescue groups and finding nothing that suited me, I spent the same amount of money I would have from a rescue and bought a yorkie mix from what I thought was a decent BYB and have been very very happy. I am smart enough to know I got lucky, but at the same time I did a few things right, the puppy was 4 months old when I made the decision to purchase her and before my check was dry I had blood work and an ex ray done. So far knock on wood at 2.5 years she is healthy, no digestive problems, no weird behavior issues and so forth. However I would never ever claim to say mixes are better than purebreds, even though from my personal experience I would have to say mine is. I know many others that have had the same experience as me by either getting pound puppy or buying a mix, but I also know some that have not been as lucky. A neighbor bought a morkie and it had liver shunt.

YT people say not to buy from breeder that breeds for money, while that might sound great, there are just not that many of them around and most are very expensive.

Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

[Teresiana]

Originally Posted by DBlain

most would say you better your chances if you go with a breeder that breeds for show, and I tend to agree but there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. Also there are not thousands of show breeders out there to choose from so buying can sometimes be difficult because they don't always have a lot of puppies available to purchase. I went the show breeder route 3 times and twice I wound up buying the opposite sex of what I wanted because I did not choose to wait and wait. Since I will only buy a puppy after seeing it in person I was limited as well, I live in Metro Detroit (not a small town) and even willing to drive about 5 hours each way I found only about 10-12 show breeders to choose from, not all had puppies or knew when they would have a female puppy to sell, and then of course I was reluctant to spend around $2,000.00 on a dog as well. It's not like I don't have the money, I could spend it if I wanted but after having several dogs from show breeders that had both health and personality issues I really did not (to me) find it was worth it. Some might not agree with me, but after checking with shelters and rescue groups and finding nothing that suited me, I spent the same amount of money I would have from a rescue and bought a yorkie mix from what I thought was a decent BYB and have been very very happy. I am smart enough to know I got lucky, but at the same time I did a few things right, the puppy was 4 months old when I made the decision to purchase her and before my check was dry I had blood work and an ex ray done. So far knock on wood at 2.5 years she is healthy, no digestive problems, no weird behavior issues and so forth. However I would never ever claim to say mixes are better than purebreds, even though from my personal experience I would have to say mine is. I know many others that have had the same experience as me by either getting pound puppy or buying a mix, but I also know some that have not been as lucky. A neighbor bought a morkie and it had liver shunt.

YT people say not to buy from breeder that breeds for money, while that might sound great, there are just not that many of them around and most are very expensive.

Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

That's so sweet! I like your story I guess you were lucky, but you were also smart.

[DBlain]

In thinking about this more, since I had made my mind up that I was not going to go the show breeder route when I got Lola I knew I had to get a mix. The reason is I know the standards and love the look, color and size of a standard yorkie. However IMHO the breed is going downhill and unless you buy from a show breeder you often wind up with a weird looking yorkie. All you have to do is read this forum and almost daily someone is posting a picture of a puppy asking if it is a full yorkie. I would hate going places and being asked over and over what type of dog I have and then getting told it's not a yorkie. With a mix there is no standard, I wanted a cute healthy dog and that's what I wound up with. I know some will say that mixes are ruining the breed, but that is only if dishonest breeders are involved, I bought from someone that did not try to pass my future pet off as a purebred. So I guess you could say that for me I preferred a mix over an off standard odd looking yorkie.

I often wonder where you all think someone should go that wants a yorkie type puppy but in the price range of around $500.00

[yorkietalkjilly]

Oh, not to me. I don't care for a mix - just love the little Yorkshire Terrier in all his full-blown glory of blue and tan attitude, intelligence, cuddliness, indefatigable nature and never-say-die spirit - not to mention his total terrierness. And all of that in a dog so tiny you can stick it under your arm and go. You just can't beat the Yorkshire Terrier breed with me. They are small, compact, non-shedding, hypoallergenic and the little prick ears, eyes full of fire, and devilment, cute little face, short little body and sassy ways are impossible to replicate. Give me a Yorkie every time! I love the little tyrants.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by DBlain

most would say you better your chances if you go with a breeder that breeds for show, and I tend to agree but there are plenty of exceptions to that rule. Also there are not thousands of show breeders out there to choose from so buying can sometimes be difficult because they don't always have a lot of puppies available to purchase. I went the show breeder route 3 times and twice I wound up buying the opposite sex of what I wanted because I did not choose to wait and wait. Since I will only buy a puppy after seeing it in person I was limited as well, I live in Metro Detroit (not a small town) and even willing to drive about 5 hours each way I found only about 10-12 show breeders to choose from, not all had puppies or knew when they would have a female puppy to sell, and then of course I was reluctant to spend around $2,000.00 on a dog as well. It's not like I don't have the money, I could spend it if I wanted but after having several dogs from show breeders that had both health and personality issues I really did not (to me) find it was worth it. Some might not agree with me, but after checking with shelters and rescue groups and finding nothing that suited me, I spent the same amount of money I would have from a rescue and bought a yorkie mix from what I thought was a decent BYB and have been very very happy. I am smart enough to know I got lucky, but at the same time I did a few things right, the puppy was 4 months old when I made the decision to purchase her and before my check was dry I had blood work and an ex ray done. So far knock on wood at 2.5 years she is healthy, no digestive problems, no weird behavior issues and so forth. However I would never ever claim to say mixes are better than purebreds, even though from my personal experience I would have to say mine is. I know many others that have had the same experience as me by either getting pound puppy or buying a mix, but I also know some that have not been as lucky. A neighbor bought a morkie and it had liver shunt.

YT people say not to buy from breeder that breeds for money, while that might sound great, there are just not that many of them around and most are very expensive.

Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

To the op most of the time this does not work this way and even if blood work and xrays look good as a pup there are many genetic illnesses that don't pop up until a year old or more so I absolutely do not suggest. The only way to get rid of bybs who are doing a disservice to any breed is to not buy from them and give them money.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by DBlain

In thinking about this more, since I had made my mind up that I was not going to go the show breeder route when I got Lola I knew I had to get a mix. The reason is I know the standards and love the look, color and size of a standard yorkie. However IMHO the breed is going downhill and unless you buy from a show breeder you often wind up with a weird looking yorkie. All you have to do is read this forum and almost daily someone is posting a picture of a puppy asking if it is a full yorkie. I would hate going places and being asked over and over what type of dog I have and then getting told it's not a yorkie. With a mix there is no standard, I wanted a cute healthy dog and that's what I wound up with. I know some will say that mixes are ruining the breed, but that is only if dishonest breeders are involved, I bought from someone that did not try to pass my future pet off as a purebred. So I guess you could say that for me I preferred a mix over an off standard odd looking yorkie.

I often wonder where you all think someone should go that wants a yorkie type puppy but in the price range of around $500.00

I have always been told a good breeders reason to breed is to better the breed and sense mixes are not a breed breeding them is not dong that so a good breeder would never breed mixes but a bad breeder will breed pures as well as mixes and the non yorkie looking yorkies are coming from the bad breeders so if we support them by buying there mixes there still gonna stay in business selling there non breed standard dogs. Hope that was understandable its been a very long day.

[DBlain]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

To the op most of the time this does not work this way and even if blood work and xrays look good as a pup there are many genetic illnesses that don't pop up until a year old or more so I absolutely do not suggest. The only way to get rid of bybs who are doing a disservice to any breed is to not buy from them and give them money.

but I am not talking about a pure bred breed, how would you being doing a disservice to the breed if you are not selling or breeding a purebred. So should the only people that be allowed to breed be show breeders?? I know in a perfect world that's what you would like, but is that realistic, plus how many people could afford to breed and loose money, probably only those that are extremely into showing as an expensive hobby and have money to loose.

oh and those genetic issues that pop up after a year or so, I am well aware of them since one of my show breeder dogs developed Lymphtansisa at about age three and died early at 8 years of age because of it. The OP should be made aware that even show breeders have pups with health issues, oh and bad teeth, inspite of yearly dentals and brushings most of my show breed offspring lost at least 9 teeth by the age of about 5. Buying from a show breeder helps your chances but by no means guarantees them.

[lynzy420]

Originally Posted by DBlain

In thinking about this more, since I had made my mind up that I was not going to go the show breeder route when I got Lola I knew I had to get a mix. The reason is I know the standards and love the look, color and size of a standard yorkie. However IMHO the breed is going downhill and unless you buy from a show breeder you often wind up with a weird looking yorkie. All you have to do is read this forum and almost daily someone is posting a picture of a puppy asking if it is a full yorkie. I would hate going places and being asked over and over what type of dog I have and then getting told it's not a yorkie. With a mix there is no standard, I wanted a cute healthy dog and that's what I wound up with. I know some will say that mixes are ruining the breed, but that is only if dishonest breeders are involved, I bought from someone that did not try to pass my future pet off as a purebred. So I guess you could say that for me I preferred a mix over an off standard odd looking yorkie.

I often wonder where you all think someone should go that wants a yorkie type puppy but in the price range of around $500.00

There are most definitely reputable breeders all over the country who breed good looking and healthy Yorkies that aren't show breeders. There are also many members here with beautiful standard Yorkies, and not so standard i.e. weight, height, etc. but hell even my Miss Mini in all her pitiful genes is a beautiful Yorkie and visually is spot on with what a standard should look like. I've seen many, many, many Yorkies on YT and only a very small handful of them look "odd"....and their owners found us because of it. I disagree 100% with your school of thought on this topic and further want to reiterate loudly...IT IS NEVER, EVER OK TO BUY ANY PUP FROM A BYB....and there sure as heck is not a halfway decent byb anywhere.