Am I Crazy to pay up?
 

BE HONEST!!! I found a breeder that breeds show dogs and has loads of super tinies. They are all 6 months and older and ALL weigh 1 pound 14 ounces to 3 pounds. (the ones she sells) Obviously they are too small to be bred or shown. Would I be crazy to pay$5000 for a tiny fragile companion? I want ONE tiny but am I crazy to pay this? Should I hold out and wait and try to find someone else. She is a member of the YTCA and gives loads of stuff with the puppy which comes fully vetted and she gives a 7 year guarantee against all genetical defects. Her program is awesome but price is just steep as hail. Tell me what you think..... I can take criticism so let me have it!

It depends on how much you're willing to pay! Me, I'm a college student so hell.. I think of $5,000 as either a decent used-car or a 2-3 month supply of eating out! :rolleyes:
Honestly, if I had the money to shell out I would. She seems like a great breeder and that health guarantee is awesome! Seven years is probably appoximately half their life span. Being already 6 months old and that small, she can pretty much guarantee they'll stay small versus those being sold at 12 weeks. Those are uncertain because they could have a crazy growth spurt and may not be the smaller Yorkie you're looking for.
But yeah, quite frankly, if I had the money I would go for it. Except, I might wait around a little to see if anything better comes along! :p

See she is keeping them to be shown so they are show quality except the size issue. She sent me a long e-mail and called and we talked for 2 hours yesterday. She welcomed me to her home, where they are kept, even just to visit. She is about 2 hours away so if I decide to go with her she will se plenty of me. ALSO, she has a good reputation amoung other show breeders that I correspond with. Giving it to her I feel will be well spent but hubby says I am crazy to put that on a dog BUT he wants a tiny too. (hehehe) I will never spend it again and just want a tiny. A little baby pocket pet. LOL. Thanks for not making me feel like a loony lady.! =)

Sure you're crazy, you love Yorkies! I don't believe this is the lady I'm thinking of. The lady I'm thinking of sounds like breeding dogs this small is her favorite pastime. And she gets the prices she asks for. I have read nothing in any of her ads that would make me think she's breeding show dogs, as far as I can tell none of her babies have ch bloodlines or ch sired. I'd love to have one of her babies but I'm not going to shell out that much money for one when I just might luck into one thru my own babies or one of my breeders.

That is steep for a pet quality. I have no idea what the going rate for pet quality in your area is. But if you have checked the breeder out and know she is reputable and feel comfortable about paying that amount, go for it. Just make sure she is reputable. To be honest I wouldn't pay that much because there are YTCA members /show breeders in my area that sell them for around $1000. Good luck, I wish you the best! Please keep us posted.

I will never pay $5,000.oo for a tiny Yorkie .

pups
 

3 pounds is not that fragile to me...I get that size quite often and $5000 is a bit much, 2 pounds is fragile, I like the 7 yr guarantee idea.
I would look for a small 3 pounder and pay no more then $2000..they are still quite small, but sturdier...good luck

I really think it is alot of money but if you can afford to do so and you are confident that the breeder is an honest one and you are getting a healthy baby than I would say go for it. I paid $3,000 for mine and she is 5 pounds at 18 months so I guess that is the size she will remain. I love her to pieces and she is worth every $. Of course, if I could have spent less I would have but around here the prices of everything are very expensive and I am assuming where you live also. Chloe is the best purchase of my life!!! Enjoy!

Anytime you spend money on something that makes you happy and gives you pleasure, it's money well spent. After all, isn't that why we all work? So that we will have the money to spend on 'luxuries'. My mom always told me, "work hard in school, get a good education so you can get a good paying job and be able to afford all the things you want". Whatever you decide, good luck to you.

Wow...I agree that I think 5k is very steep, but at the end of the day, you have to feel good about your breeder and your purchase... As I have read many times before... you are paying for the breeder's knowledge and experience. That is awesome that you found someone in this area.. I am in Asheville and I had the hardest time finding a YTCA breeder that had puppies when I was looking! I bought my little girl from a show breeder also....she just happend to have this little one, she doesnt have a bunch of puppies in general and even less that would be considered tiny since she is breeding for the standard. I didnt pay anywhere near 5k and she has a 2 year health guarantee. Bunny was 1.5 at 12 weeks and is now 4months and is at 2lbs and I know this may sound horrible to some people, but I have honestly been wishing that she would just GROW already bc it is so hard having such a small dog in the house... I don't even have kids, but I just worry with her being soooo small! I don't know how big she will end up, but I am hoping for somewhere around 3-4lbs.

p.s where is Graniteville? Is that close to Asheville?

Wow thats high!!! You are getting a good guarantee though. I paid 1200 for a tiny with no guarantees. I think your gonna have to use your best judgement

Good luck with your decision. The good thing about paying a lot for a pup is that it makes you think carefully before putting the little things in any type of danger. I don't think my husband every shut a door before we had the babies. Now he goes nuts if he doesn't know where they both are all the time. He yells at me if I leave a gate unlocked. The funniest thing is before this he didn't like dogs, he hated little dogs. He bought them for me for my birthday last year, and he dotes over them. His family things he has gone crazy.

I agree that it is steep but this lady has REALLY checked out. And NO ONE can beat her gaurantee.

Lv-Graniteville is about 2 hours from Ashville. We passed through there today. =) This lady is about 2 hours the opposite way. =)

$5000 in my opinion is very steep but if you can afford it then get the pup. If you did your research and the lady is a reputable breeder and feel comfortable then do it. A 7 yr guarantee is very good. Good luck in your desicion.

It is a lot of money, but honestly you will be paying more than that with a tiny for vet care and emergency vets. I have spent a fortune on minor things than a normal-sized yorkie could handle but a tiny can't. Like once I was sitting on the floor and Mia was on my lap, about 3 inches from the ground. She fell just that tiny bit and hurt her leg, she wouldn't put any weight on it so I took her to the ER vet, they did x-rays and thank god it was only a sprain. But just that visit cost me over $500, and I have had to go several times since. With tinies you cant wait to see if they will get better if they show any symptoms of being ill, they have to have medical attention immediately or they could die. The smallest things can kill a tiny and it is a 24/7 job keeping them safe! Also the risk of hypoglycemia will probably last its entire life and not just end at puppyhood, so thats something else that can be deadly. If you know all that and think you've found a good breeder then go for it, although I have to question any breeder's motives when they are charging that much for a tiny, sounds like they are giving in to the "teacup" mentality and just using them to get more money. Good luck!

Laura!! Isn't it the truth?? My husband is the same way!! I love it!! :p :p

This is my philosophy exactly!! I say, go for it! I paid a lot for mine and I am so glad I did! They are priceless to me. I think there is something to be said for the addage, "you get what you pay for" even with yorkies. :thumbup:

I agree with that also! You make money to spend money. My thought is, buy whatever you want now..spend however much you want now because you worked hard for it!

I agree! it's a bit high, but you know what?! whatever makes you happy. my parents, friends, family, bf think i was nuts for getting a third dog. but it made me happy and made my stress go away!

although i like the bigger yorkies, a smaller - runt of the litter type of baby sounds like fun, and a lot of work! if you have the money, go for it. but like Brittie123 said, you won't be only paying 5k. she's a tiny, so vet bills will be high.

but whichever you decide i'm sure you'll what makes you happy! and when you get your new tiny baby i want to see pictures! :eek: :p

Whisper,
I am on the SC GA line and she is about 1 hour away. The going rate for a PET is $800-$1000. Show is $2500-$3500. BUT all the ones she sells she keeps that long becasue she knows they won't grow to the desired size AND placement befroe that age is a huge risk. They are still tiny at 6 months so I can definatley understand her concern. She follows YTCA rules and regulations. I know it's pretty steep and the vet bills wil follow if the tiniest thing happens. I do have kids 1 and 3 years old. They are greata nd careful with my 4 pounders and were great with them at 2 pounds. I don't know I want one that will BE 2 pounds. Do you think I am going against my better judgement here? OR listening to my wants instead of reality? Not all of hers are $5000 some are $2500 only the super tinies are the crazy prices. I don't know??!!??

With small children, I would NOT get a tiny... just me though. That is not saying anything about your 1 & 3 year old, but accidents do happen. When we brought Bunny home and she was 1lb 5oz all I could think was "Grow! Grow!" bc I am so used to have Tino at 4lbs and the worry with such a teeny little thing was HUGE, even in my house and its just two adults to worry about being careful. It just sounds like it would be sooo stressful to have to worry all of the time! I am not trying to be judgemental and tell you what to do, I hope you don't take it that way, I would just wait until your two legged babies are bigger before you get a tiny 4 legged baby! :p Does your breeder know that your children are so young?

Yes. She knows EVERYTHING about me. She asked how they were with the puppies and she wants me to bring the kids along when we look at them puppies. I got my female at 8 weeks and 1 pound 2 ounces. I got my male at 11 weeks and 1 pound 13 ounces. So we have had some tiny expeiriences BUT they all got a little bigger. I think kids that are already around small dogs mostly know how to act around and with them, they know by now what is a "no no" and what I permit. One more that is 2 pounds less than my biggest will not make a difference with them. I definatley understand the concern and would agree completely had they not already been exposed to the small side of the breed. I DO NOT think tinies should be placed with inexpeirienced homes or homes in which the caretakers can't have watch at all times to ensure the rules are followed. The breeder want to verify my words and the only way is to watch them interact. (the kids and dogs) I ALSO want to make sure if we do decide to purchase one, that my other dogs will get along with him/her. I don't want them fighting and increasing chances of injury. I am pretty much a veteren of the buying aspect now and know what to expect from a reputable and trustworthy breeder and if I smell fire --I RUN! Thanks for all the input. I don't take offense to comments. I came here asking FOR your opinions. I appreciate them. =)

HOWEVER, when people get mad about the teacup term being used and the higher price being a scheme. I do not agree. It works with Lexus, it works with Tom Cruise, It works with Orange County property, what makes it NOT ok with dogs? If I produce a smaller york in the lines I begin to breed, you better bet your buttons I will make at least $3000 from it. If not keep it and relish the fact that I produced it. When these tinies are bred if infuriates me, when a rondom is thrown from a stardard pair, market and sell. It was just luck of the process as are the larger ones.

I think, and this is just my thought... but I think the reason that people have such a problem with the term teacup is that, like you said it should be a standard pair throwing a "random" pup. The problem is that in the past it was random and that is why these babies were priced much higher... they were rare and anything rare is going to be more valuable. Now though EVERYONE sees them and thinks they are so cute without knowing jack about what it takes to actually have a tiny and wants one. Now you have a high demand and no market... so of course there are always unscrupulous people out there looking to make a buck and these are the people that are breeding tiny females! I don't see any other way that a breeder could ALWAYS have tinies! There is just no way possible that a standard pair is always going to produce litters if tinies every single time! :confused:
I don't have a problem with someone having or wanting a small yorkie IF they know what goes into it and has experience and is willing to make that commitment. I do have a problem with the "term" teacup simply bc its become a common description of something that is becoming common that should be rare and the only reason it isnt rare is because there are people out there that are horrible enough to risk the life of the female every time they breed. Whew! Sorry for the soapbox, But I am like you... I think these people are horrible too! I am glad you have found a breeder you can trust and that you have taken the time to educate your children on how to take care of their pets. Please keep us posted on how it goe when you go to look at them! When is your appt?

I know that you have taught your children how to behave with your yorkies but things happen. Trust me I said the same thing and we have a tiny. I have a 4 yr old daughter. She shut the door on my Jewels neck. She didn't see her. My husband caught it and stopped the door with his hand. My daughter is quiet natured but we still had this incident. I really think they are best suited to homes without children.

The breeder and her health guarentee sound great! If I had 5,000 to spend and I felt really good about the breeder I would do it ;)

I would worry about the size of the yorkie though. If you are set on getting a smaller yorkie perhaps you should consider the 3lb?

When I brought Missy and Max home they were both 2lbs each, my kids were very carefull with them but accidents do happen, Missy got hurt twice in her 1st month of being with us, she was so small and so fragile, I turned into the yorkie police and that was no fun for the kids either. Now Missy is 5lbs and Max is 4lbs and I am so glad they are at a size they are not as fragile. I used to think a tiney yorkie would be just fine in my home with my kids age 11 and 8 but after going through a few months with 2 lbs yorkies its sooo nice to have them a litter larger. I think 4lbs and up would be perfect size for a home with kids, thats just my personal preference. 4-7lbs is still pretty small :thumbup:

If some of my friends knew how I much I paid my Yorkies , they'll probably have a cardiac arrest .

No Kidding! I am right there with you! I would never tell them or my family!

JMHO, but no, I would not add a tiny fragile Yorkie to a household with 2 other Yorkies and children 1 and 3 years old. There is just way too much going on. A heartbreaking accident can happen in the blink of an eye.
Good luck though, whatever you decide. You've posted here for opinions and that tells me you are not taking your decision lightly.