for those of you who posted pictures of your tinies...

[Amber_lv]

Originally Posted by chachi

Well $5000 is too high but the reason some breeders price tinies higher is because they want them to go to a home where their new owners have the money to take care of them

I am just starting to relieze that the higher price for the smaller dog may not always be for money reasons. i was reading this thread and started thinking if i had a litter of puppies and they were tiny i would charge more simply to weed out the people who would want to buy a dog to breed for cheap honestly there are a lot of people that can come up with $1200-$1500 to buy a dog and a lot think oh i'll make my money back by breeding it well if the price is just out of that range it would go to someone who has the money to take care of it and also wouldn't want to run the risk of it dying because they paid so much for it. I am not supporting more money for the tinies but i can see a side of it

[candybaby]

Here we go again with tinies being SOOOOOOOOOOO sick all the time, I have seen more 5-7 pound yorkies on this site SICK more then I have seen 2-4 pounders sick. I feel if a yorkie is going to be sick they are going to be sick, NO MATTER what size they are...

[mh357]

It seems like what a lot of people are saying are that tinies are sickly and not worth it. Would you define a 4 lb dog as a tiny? I'm not looking to buy into a "teacup" fad with a 2 lber! And I'm definitely not looking to breed for money because I'm not cold-hearted like that. I wouldn't buy a dog from someone if I knew it was sick or there was a chance that it wouldn't make it...personally I just couldn't get so attached and then have my heart broken. I never thought that this was such an issue of them not being worth it...there's a long thread about everyone's tiny babies, and everyone seems to love them. I personally think all dogs can have problems, genetic and unforeseen...The breed I'm getting soon I know to have problems, but I'm buying from a world-known breeder, and I know her lines and the frequency or infrequency of problems. I also know a woman who just spent $10,000 on her golden retriever because it ate some rat poisoning from the neighbor's yard. Some things you can be prepared for and go into knowing the dangers but it's worth it to have the dog you want...and some things you may not be able to prevent or predict will happen. They can happen to any dog, regardless of breed, age, size, etc. What about Chihuahuas that are the tiniest dogs whose standard isn't supposed to go over 6 lbs? Obviously there are tinier chihuahuas, whether people are breeding them for size or not...is a healthy well-bred chihuahua that happens to be under 6 lbs a health hazard also? My point is that there's way too many factors to just condemn a smaller than average size dog to a lifetime of problems and monetary investments. A poorly bred dog, bred from puppy mill dogs will obviously be more likely to have problems than one that is well bred. But I don't think it's fair to tinies to say that they ALL have problems and that they're not worth it.

[drawlins27]

Originally Posted by candybaby

Here we go again with tinies being SOOOOOOOOOOO sick all the time, I have seen more 5-7 pound yorkies on this site SICK more then I have seen 2-4 pounders sick. I feel if a yorkie is going to be sick they are going to be sick, NO MATTER what size they are...

Everyone is free to have their own opinion which I respect. My opinion is based on my own experiences of having dealt with many of these tiny Yorkies. Unfortuately the statistics show that a Yorkie under 3 lbs is prone to hereditary problems and birth defects.

I don't think that anyone is saying that a Yorkie will be sick simply due to its size, the problem is often that the reason a Yorkie is so tiny is because of these hereditary problems or birth defects.

Some general information can be found here
http://www.ytca.org/faq.html

Again, this is just IMHO.

[drawlins27]

Originally Posted by mh357

It seems like what a lot of people are saying are that tinies are sickly and not worth it. Would you define a 4 lb dog as a tiny? I'm not looking to buy into a "teacup" fad with a 2 lber! And I'm definitely not looking to breed for money because I'm not cold-hearted like that. I wouldn't buy a dog from someone if I knew it was sick or there was a chance that it wouldn't make it...personally I just couldn't get so attached and then have my heart broken. I never thought that this was such an issue of them not being worth it...there's a long thread about everyone's tiny babies, and everyone seems to love them. I personally think all dogs can have problems, genetic and unforeseen...The breed I'm getting soon I know to have problems, but I'm buying from a world-known breeder, and I know her lines and the frequency or infrequency of problems. I also know a woman who just spent $10,000 on her golden retriever because it ate some rat poisoning from the neighbor's yard. Some things you can be prepared for and go into knowing the dangers but it's worth it to have the dog you want...and some things you may not be able to prevent or predict will happen. They can happen to any dog, regardless of breed, age, size, etc. What about Chihuahuas that are the tiniest dogs whose standard isn't supposed to go over 6 lbs? Obviously there are tinier chihuahuas, whether people are breeding them for size or not...is a healthy well-bred chihuahua that happens to be under 6 lbs a health hazard also? My point is that there's way too many factors to just condemn a smaller than average size dog to a lifetime of problems and monetary investments. A poorly bred dog, bred from puppy mill dogs will obviously be more likely to have problems than one that is well bred. But I don't think it's fair to tinies to say that they ALL have problems and that they're not worth it.

I typically think of a tiny as being under 3 lbs. Just my subjective opinion.

I recommend that you research the subject, listen to what others have dealt with (positive and negative experiences) and then make your own decision. You will find that there are some things you can look out for. For example, learn what a large open fontanel feels like. A permanently open fontanel can cause hydrocephalus which can stunt a dog's growth and cause it to be very small. Learn what a domed head shape looks like which indicates hydrocephalus.

However, I think that you will find that if a reputable breeder does have a tiny, they will only let it go to an owner who has previous experience dealing with them and understand what they are getting into. Not just health issues but proneness to injury and just the concessions that have to be made to daily life in general.

Good luck with whatever your decision.

[PuppyLovinNurse]

Chloe was the runt of the litter and is weighing in at just over 2lbs; she is 5 1/2 months old.

She is perfectly healthy according to the vet.

Here are some pictures of her

[candybaby]

Originally Posted by mh357

It seems like what a lot of people are saying are that tinies are sickly and not worth it. Would you define a 4 lb dog as a tiny? I'm not looking to buy into a "teacup" fad with a 2 lber! And I'm definitely not looking to breed for money because I'm not cold-hearted like that. I wouldn't buy a dog from someone if I knew it was sick or there was a chance that it wouldn't make it...personally I just couldn't get so attached and then have my heart broken. I never thought that this was such an issue of them not being worth it...there's a long thread about everyone's tiny babies, and everyone seems to love them. I personally think all dogs can have problems, genetic and unforeseen...The breed I'm getting soon I know to have problems, but I'm buying from a world-known breeder, and I know her lines and the frequency or infrequency of problems. I also know a woman who just spent $10,000 on her golden retriever because it ate some rat poisoning from the neighbor's yard. Some things you can be prepared for and go into knowing the dangers but it's worth it to have the dog you want...and some things you may not be able to prevent or predict will happen. They can happen to any dog, regardless of breed, age, size, etc. What about Chihuahuas that are the tiniest dogs whose standard isn't supposed to go over 6 lbs? Obviously there are tinier chihuahuas, whether people are breeding them for size or not...is a healthy well-bred chihuahua that happens to be under 6 lbs a health hazard also? My point is that there's way too many factors to just condemn a smaller than average size dog to a lifetime of problems and monetary investments. A poorly bred dog, bred from puppy mill dogs will obviously be more likely to have problems than one that is well bred. But I don't think it's fair to tinies to say that they ALL have problems and that they're not worth it.

I couldn't of said it BETTER, I agree 100%%%%% with this

[candybaby]

Originally Posted by drawlins27

I typically think of a tiny as being under 3 lbs. Just my subjective opinion.

I recommend that you research the subject, listen to what others have dealt with (positive and negative experiences) and then make your own decision. You will find that there are some things you can look out for. For example, learn what a large open fontanel feels like. A permanently open fontanel can cause hydrocephalus which can stunt a dog's growth and cause it to be very small. Learn what a domed head shape looks like which indicates hydrocephalus.

However, I think that you will find that if a reputable breeder does have a tiny, they will only let it go to an owner who has previous experience dealing with them and understand what they are getting into. Not just health issues but proneness to injury and just the concessions that have to be made to daily life in general.

Good luck with whatever your decision.

A 5-7 pounder can be born with or have just as many problems as a tiny can..

[ChubbyTn]

my chubby is a healthy 3.8 lb at 13 months i actually got a good deal on him from a good breeder.

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by mh357

I do have the money for a tiny (I'm paying $1,800 for my new puppy in May) so money isn't too much of a question...I just don't want to pay $5,000 like some sites have tinier dogs for. I think that's a little ridiculous for a dog, IMO.

I'm sorry but there is no guarantee that your puppy will be a tiny, it is impossible for any breeder to know how large a puppy will become and if they tell you that then I'd question their honesty and ethics. I have seen many like yourself that spend the big bucks (and $1,800 is a lot) and then be disappointed their "teacup" puppy grew to be a whopping 5-10 pounds (still a very small dog). "No" breeder can guarantee the size of their puppies even world-known ones, even Jeff Dane is world know, it does not make him a good breeder.

No one and I mean no one would purposely buy a sick dog but it happens, people have faith and trust that their breeder would not breed for or sell such puppies and it happens all the time. It may even happen to you, I hope not but striving for a tiny your odds go up. When it comes to money, many will sell sick puppies. I'm not saying your breeder is or would but have seen it many times.

As for your argument that any dog can be sick big or small, spend some more time here and you will see what really happens. The smaller yorkies many times do have more problems. Not only because they are tinier but because their breeders who breed for the tinies sometimes do not screen for better homes, may let their puppies go home too early, they are also more likely not to test for hereditary problems or may be willing to just put any two small dogs together ....

I have been a member here for over two years and have two tinies at home from regular sized parents from breeders who strived for standard and paid a normal price. I'm not just putting down tinies but have learned and seen a lot in the last few years.

[JESSY_RN2B]

Originally Posted by drawlins27

Everyone is free to have their own opinion which I respect. My opinion is based on my own experiences of having dealt with many of these tiny Yorkies. Unfortuately the statistics show that a Yorkie under 3 lbs is prone to hereditary problems and birth defects.

I don't think that anyone is saying that a Yorkie will be sick simply due to its size, the problem is often that the reason a Yorkie is so tiny is because of these hereditary problems or birth defects.

Some general information can be found here
http://www.ytca.org/faq.html

Again, this is just IMHO.

While I don't agree that all tinies are sickly or unworthy........one can put 2 and 2 together and realize that yes, they are more fragile, are prone to accidents, etc.

Personally, I don't agree that they should be more money. They should be held back and spayed or neutered to enusre they are not bred. They should go only to pre-approved homes, and lastly if the breeder is complaining about the $$$ it takes to raise the pup or spent.........they shouldn't be breeding in the first place. Reputable breeders don't look to get rich doing this and futhermore when they decided to become breeder's they should also have assumed that not everything will always be peaches and cream.

One should have that in the back of their minds..........if you are responsible for the pup being brought to this world, it should be your repsonsibility to ensure it is placed where it needs to and that doesn't mean selling for a ridiculous amount of $$ either.

Reputable breeders know and accept loses IMHO.

[Mardelin]

Some good advice has been given about tinies.

Health issues can be found in small and standard size yorkies. They key as stated, is knowing your breeder and familiarizing yourself with their lines and breeding practices.

Tinies do not always have health issues, but statistics show on the average most do. They do require more care in how they are raised, after all they are small and prone to injury because of the small stature.

Reputable breeders do not breed for tinies, but on occassion do produce them, but they are not sold, they are placed in preapproved homes that are familiar with the care and raising of a wee one. The breeder as well as the prospective new families are well aware of the possible medical issues and the cost of vet care that maybe incurred. A reputable breeder does not want to sell heartache.

[makemepretty]

The lady I got mine from has had only one litter so far. This breeder though:
http://brooksqualitypuppies.com/index.html


seems to end up with a lot of 3 pounders and she's a very very reputable breeder(many have dogs on here that came from her). A 3 pounder is a wonderful size. Very tiny but sturdy enough to jump and fly off a couch.

[drawlins27]

Please understand that no one on here is saying that ALL tinies are sickly and not worth it. We are only saying that it is a big risk that you would be taking. Why take this risk when a five pound Yorkie is still very small, adorable and can be taken anywhere?

I admit that I am pretty sensitive regarding this issue but it is only because I have seen some horrible outcomes where people were insistent on having a "tiny".

I encourage everyone to form your own opinion and please take a look at the research and statistics.

(Stepping off soapbox now )

[BamaFan121s]

Yes, tinies can be completely healthy..more so that the larger ones in many cases. Just because a dog is very small does not mean it is more likely to be sick. It DOES however mean it is more prone to injury and more fragile due to it's size--no way around that.