lol :D my first yorkie ben was a VERY large yorkie about the same size as a westie and we also had a gsd at the time who came in season and cos she got fed up with him trying to mate her leg and walking around with him attatched to her leg :D she worked out if he got on the sofa and she rested her bum on it in front of him he could get to her :D lol lucky we saw them and kept them apart lol gsd cross yorkie now that would be a sight lol:D

I did not want mine to breed and they are the same size(he 5lbs ,she 10 lbs). but...they did. and they had no help. standing on nothing. boosted by nothing. and they had 4 little somethings which are a year old now! they have all been spayed and neutered.

You don't have to breed big yorkies to get big yorkies. Look at how many small studs and dams are used and still have puppies that grow up to be big yorkies. There are plenty of them out there, if someone wants a bigger yorkie it usually isn't hard to find.
How many yorkies end up in shelter because they are too big? Alot.

As for the health issues, I have seen some sickly big yorkies. Just because they are bigger doesen't mean they are healthier. I've seen small yorkies that were alot healthier than the bigger ones. So it can go either way, not just that bigger yorkies are healthier.

Just a thought.... if we were to give into breeding bigger yorkies what is next, breeding yorkies with floppy ears, breeding yorkies with a cotton coat, etc. Plus you are breeding bigger yorkies, you have a very high chance of getting even bigger puppies. If this cycle continued yorkies would keep getting bigger.

I honestly have seen very few bigger yorkies that come close to the standard, most of the ones I have seen not only don't meet the standard in size but doesn't meet the standard with other things as well. I don't see very many bigger yorkies that meet the standard in all other ways.

I love all yorkies, big and small. But there is a standard, I don't agree with the standard of "must not exceed 7 pounds", that is a dangerous standard, I believe in the 4-7 pounds standard. This way you don't have tiny yorkies nor big yorkies, it is a perfect size in my opinion.

Alot of people get yorkies because it suits their life style, not everyone gets them for a fashion accessory. Take those who travel, it is very hard next to impossible to have a bigger dog and be able to travel. And their care is easier because of their size which some people want. There are sooo many reasons as to why people want a smaller dog. I must make it clear though, that I do not support those who breed tiny ones or want them at a pound or less.

Silkies are in the 10 pound range and are very similar to a yorkie, even have the silky coat and perky ears. If you breed bigger yorkies you are getting further from a yorkie and closer to a silky. If you want one that is 10 pounds, get a silky, they are very much alike, being the size is the biggest difference between the two breeds. Not too long ago someone posted pictures of yorkies and silkies and asked people to say which is which. Very few people were able to guess which one was a yorkie and which one was a silky.

This is just my opinion and I know not everyone will agree with it, but I also know that there are those who will agree with it.:aimeeyork

This is my issue with purposefully breeding larger yorkies. Sashajade, you say things are different in the UK, so maybe you don't understand how things are over HERE. The shelters are FULL of absolutely adorable larger-sized yorkies that exceeded what the owner was wanting when they purchased a puppy. Mostly BECAUSE of people breeding non-standard dogs.

(Would you or I or any of the dog-lovers here "get rid" of our dog just because it turned out "too big"? Obviously not, and that's horrific. But it happens.)

In all due respect, I really don't understand the one-woman crusade you seem to be trying to conduct to change the breed standard. I agree with this:

I don't understand why people get so huffy when you suggest this. Silkies are WONDERFUL little dogs, and share that fabulous "terrier" personality with yorkies.

I also agree that if I was going to change the yorkie standard, it would be to specify the healthy 4-7 lb range.

That said, I own a very tiny yorkie myself. Believe me, I did NOT set out to acquire a "tiny", and I positively do NOT defend the breeders who are deliberately trying to achieve the micro-sizes. However, Mazie has had absolutely NO health problems, and despite living in previously unideal conditions, she has NEVER had a seizure or any sort of blood-sugar issues. She weighs less than three lbs. I do wish she'd gain at least a lb, but the vet has repeatedly assured that she is completely healthy as-is, and healthier than the dogs he sees that are OVER-weight.

Small doesn't always equal unhealthy, and large doesn't always equal healthy. It has a lot more to do with the way they were bred, and the lines they come from. Kiki's breeder consistently produces dogs in the 4-7 lb range (she is very anti-tiny), and she has never had any sort of congenital health problems in her dogs. And here in the US, we do find that the breeders who care enough to put the health of the dogs first (over money) ARE the ones who are attempting to breed to the standard.

The standard doesn't produce unhealthy dogs. Unscrupulous breeders produce unhealthy dogs.

Excellent post. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

:thumbup: :thumbup:

I too live in England and I think what people look for in a Yorkie differ over here.Most Yorkies you see over here are on the larger side,well they are around where I live.I had 2 Yokies years ago and they both weighed over 10 pounds.My last yorkie,Trixie was small boned and weighed 7 pounds.People used to think that she was small.I now have Ellie who is 5 months old and weighs 3 1/2 pounds, people ask me if she is a miniture or a tea cup:confused: I tell them no shes just a Yorkie.People here are just not used to seeing tiny dogs.Big babies or little babies,all mine were and are loved for what they brought into my life.Fun,personality and unconditional love.
Be they large or small,Ilove them all

:bravo: Both of my boys are right at 4 pounds and they have never had any seizures, low blood sugar issues or any other health problems to date. I agree...small does not = unhealthy. I also agree that the shelters are plenty full of larger Yorkies who were tossed aside because of their size. But, the truth is...you could tattoo the standard on the forehead of every person who has a Yorkie and there would still be those who ignore it and do what they want to do.

My girl Tia is 3 lbs and HEALTHY as a horse. She has had NO health problems at all.

Sometimes I feel chastised for wanting my small Yorkie
 

I agree except for the fact that I believe my 3# Yorkie is just as healthy as a bigger one. She was, however, just a small puppy out of a standard size litter and I would never breed her..

I don't agree with breeding the tiny females at the risk of their health. I think if just those in the 4-7 # range were bred, you would get plenty of the larger puppies to satisfy those who want a larger Yorkie for years to come.

I am also one of those who paid more to get a smaller Yorkie. We are getting older and a small dog just fits our lifestyle better. We travel quite a bit, rving & other, and our 3# is just easier to take along. I have boarded her but really would prefer to take her with us as much as possible.

For an old lady, there is a difference in carrying a 3# in her tiny carrier than a 12# in a carrier. It is much easier (if not more sanitary) to pick her up & bathe her in the sink than having to bend over a tub.

She's just perfect for us :thumbup: and I sometimes get a little touchy about the posts implying that the tinies are somehow wrong. As I said, I wouldn't breed especially for the tinies but I also wouldn't breed above the standard either.:)