Good Chicago breeders?
 

I'm thinking about getting Archie a little sister to play with and to turn my life upside down :) . I live in the city of Chicago and am trying to find a good breeder of healthy smaller sized (3-5 pounds), baby-doll-faced pups who does not charge and arm and a leg for them (I know girls are more expensive). Archie's breeder has moved several hours away, or else I'd be going back to her. I'd like to get a pup from a line that looks similar to Archie (see little devil below).

I'm willing to drive an hour or maybe two but not to make a long trip to pick up my little girl. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Anybody out there in Chicagoland? :confused:

You can try Susan of Stardust Yorkies. That's where I got Pixie and she is the best. She has been breeding for over 30 years and breeds for the baby doll face. She lives in Clarendon Hills, Il . I have been tremendously happy with Pixie. She is the one inb my Avatar without the bow. SHe doesn't do email so you have to call her ,but she is very friendly.Keep me posted

Im also looking for a little girl in the Chicago area. I'm also going to try to contact that breeder. Thanks for the info.

Loki is from Susan. Just FYI she doesn't have parents on the premises. They are bred in Iowa and brought to her. I'm just saying. I love Loki, but if I'd seen his parents I might have known he'd be 12 pounds (but maybe not, he is a mutant I'm sure). More importantly, he has a difficult temperament (although he is brilliant) and he is very reactive to other dogs and the trainer says it is probably because he was taken from Mom and littermates too soon. Just ask lots of questions, OK. I love my monster, but I just always wonder about that.

You could try Indiana - I always see Yorkies posted for IN but rarely any for IL. We think Sammy came from a breeder in Winnebago, IL (we got her from another family, did not buy her from the breeder but I have her AKC papers). She has a wonderful temperament and BEATIFUL coloring, but grade 3 almost 4 luxating patellas in her knees. You can't win. :mad:

If you go to Susan, please let me know. I'd like to send her our blog address so that she can check up on Loki if she'd like to.

If anyone in the Chicago or Indiana area is willing to consider a rescue--please look up Indiana Petite Paws Rescue--they specialize in Yorkie and toy dog rescue. They very seldom have puppies, but they have many adult dogs of all ages. Their website is www.petitepaws.org. I got my Izzy from them last year, and was so impressed with them I joined.


Gayle

My Baby Bear is expecting her 1 litter in about a week now. She is 5lbs and Rocky is 4lbs. I'm in Indiana

I have mutant TOO.
 

Hello Erin:

"I love Loki, but if I'd seen his parents I might have known he'd be 12 pounds (but maybe not, he is a mutant I'm sure)."

Seems I have a mutant from Susan myself. I was looking thru forums and such for my Teddy (stardust yorkie, b. 01/04) since he is 12 pounds and his tummy looks quite large. His ears flop - no perk there - he is a bit pigeon toed, longer tail bob and just a funny look on his face! I recently had him to the vet -- just to make sure there was nothing going on and the vet confirmed that Teddy weighs 12 pounds because he is overweight. My bischon who eats the same as Teddy is fine. I feed teddy organic castor and pollux. I have had him down to 1/4 c of dry twice a day and he cries at night for I believe he is hungry. What to do? I am searching for food and dont know where to begin. He was at 10 pounds a year ago at the vet. Are they just pudgey or what?
:animal36

Loki gets 1/2 cup a day of Orijen right now. He's maybe 1/2 pound overweight, but he definitely SHOULD weigh 11-12 pounds. He's not fat. He's twice as tall as Sammy and 14" long. But it's true I have to carefully watch his food intake or he gains weight fast, unlike Sammy who stays super skinny.

I don't mind Loki's size, but he has other issues. Among them is diabetes insipidus which is a disease there is no cure for and the medicine is quite expensive ($100+/month). He gets meds twice daily. This is very rare and he has had it his whole life. I would never have given him back, so I wouldn't have called in my "guarantee" but it still frustrates me to no end. This will affect him for the rest of his life. :(

Hi, Erin.

We haven't chatted in awhile, but you may remember my Kia is from Susan.
I had no idea that Loki has diabetes insipidus. Have you told Susan? I feel so bad for Loki.

Kia has a terrible over-bite, lost quite a few teeth this past summer to the tune of $800.00.

How did you find out that Susan is not breeding in her home anymore and bringing the puppies up from Iowa?

I had called her almost 2 years ago, and her puppy prices had gone up to "starting at" $2,500. Decided I didn't want to risk getting another pup with an over-bite for that price.

I told Susan about Kia's over-bite and her response was if I had bought her for breeding/showing, she would have replaced her. Gosh, I didn't want her replaced. She's irreplaceable in my heart. I guess I just thought it was something she'd be interested in knowing.

Hi, Barbara,

My Kia is tiny, 4#s. But my Sydney is a stocky Yorkie who gains easily. Her grand-dam was out of Susans lines and she, also was an easy gainer.This summer, I discovered by accident how to keep her weight down. All she eats now is Evangers canned food. She eats 3 tablespoons, twice a day, and is down to her normal 6.5#s. The minute I give her any brand of kibble, she bloats up. She used to act like she was starving all the time, until I switched her to the Evangers canned. Maybe it would work for Teddy.

Sheila

Never gave it a consideration it could be kibble. As soon as they are done with the present brand, I'll try them with the Evangers. Thanks.
By the way, Ted was cheap $800. But she KNEW there was no way to show him or breed him. I pretty much just wanted a companion pet and that is exactly what I have. But he's wonderful. :aimeeyork

Pixie is overweight too. But she is eating too much, my fault. That is intersting about the kibble. I am going to stop leaving it out. They do get California Natural wet twice a day. I am so sorry to hear your baby has diabetes. Pixie was 13 months when I got her so I knew exactly what I was getting. Dixie is tiny now but she looks like she may be on the taller side which is fine. She is only 6 months so she has some opportunity to grow.

Sheila,
I give mine canned as a special treat a few times a week, but maybe I will switch for every meal and that will help. He does gain easily. They eat Merrick canned.

I didn't tell Susan about the DI because when I called her a few days after I got Loki to tell her about the diarrhea she had the same "oh well" attitude, as she also did when I told her about his LP's. His are mild, but I work with a trainer who has her labs OFA'ed and would not breed if they threw pups with these traits. On her advice, since she said she would want to know as a breeder, I called Susan just in case she wanted to check the parents. Same "oh well" attitude.

When we got Loki I asked to see his parents for coloring. (Loki was very dark but he is now silver/blonde at 3 yrs, I wanted a dark one like Sammy is) She assured me he would be very dark (how can anyone say that for sure?) and told me that she did not have the parents at her house. She explained that an older couple in Iowa bred her puppies for her and when they were (I think) 8 weeks old, they bring them to her in IL for her to sell. They are not allowed to place the puppies in homes, only she is. This is what she tells me. If I knew what I know now I would have walked straight out of there, but I didn't and I wanted a puppy and all I knew was to go to a breeder and not a pet store. He was clean and had just had a bath, and other than that things seemed OK. But now I know puppies should stay with mom until they are 12 weeks old. Loki was 13 weeks when we got him, but he was the last one left we think. She keeps them down in her basement. I asked to see the kennels and she said no. He was 4 lbs when we got him, so again his size doesn't bug me so much, but the other stuff does...

It's not just one breeder though. Sammy is AKC and will probably need LP surgery. She came to us needing a new home so I never met her breeder, but I wish I could ask about the LP. So many just consider it to be "acceptable" and that's not fair.

Also I looked up this partner in Iowa and they are on the USDA list, which doesn't mean puppy mill but it does mean they are raised in a separate facility/building, not the home, and that they have over whatever that certain number of dogs is. This is not a hobby breeder, but that's what I feel she is making herself out to be and she is not. I guess I feel a little "taken" that's all, but it's my own fault for not doing my homework.

Patti,
It's diabetes insipidus. It means he can't concentrate his urine. From the very beginning he had an uncontrollable thirst and would make himself sick drinking water. We could never leave water out like you do for most dogs who come back and take 3 licks - he would drink the entire bowl every time we filled it. He lacks the enzyme needed to concentrate his urine so he was peeing clear water. We had to deal with incontinence too because his bladder was so full he couldn't hold it. He also can't be away from water for long so he can never be left alone all day - it's very dangerous. The medicines help him actually pee yellow (the vet and I did a happy dance that day!) and this is very very rare so there's no way anyone could predict this sort of thing, but I still feel that anyone who was paying attention to him would have noticed his "drinking problem" as we fondly refer to it, since he did this from the very first day we got him. I was warned neither of this, nor the diarrhea (which was occurring before got him but she didn't know from "which dog" after I asked about it)

I don't want to pick on her because I know there are terrible breeders out there who are awful people and that's not who I think she is. I'm just frustrated. I have thought for a long time that maybe she has multiple lines she may treat differently - her "teacup" lines, her show lines (if she still shows) and her pet lines. That's OK. But the good breeders on here follow up. They make sure your puppy is doing OK. They want to see pictures. They care when you call then with a question. I have never gotten that impression from her at all. Maybe it's just me. I try not to worry about it, but you all keep bringing it up :) At least my YT people care. :D

Loki was $800 too. That must be her big Yorkie pet price. :rolleyes: Loki's parents were Kort and I think Molly or something. It's on his paperwork downstairs. I wonder if they came from the same line.

Let me know if the Evangers works for Teddy. Also, go to the Evangers web-site and ask them for samples. They will send you 12 cans of food.

Kia was $1,500. She turned 9 on 12/27. She was too tiny to breed/show.
I wanted a tiny girl. And she is the sweetest little girl on the face of the earth. :)

Hi, Erin.

Somehow I missed your post. Sorry.:( Sydney is far more satisfied since I put her on Evangers canned.

I am stunned at Susans indifferent attitude...or maybe not, since she wasn't too concerned when I told her that Kia has a terrible overbite. (I mean, it' so bad, that when I lay her on her back, I can see the roof of her mouth, with her mouth closed.)

I am surprised that she told you that she doesn't breed her dogs. I wouldn't think she'd want people to know that bit of info.

Aha! They live in the basement! I finally realized that when I called her two years ago...she was talking about how she has to go up and down the basement stairs to change the puppies papers.

I agree, so many breeders think LP is acceptable and it shouldn't be.

If I ever get another Yorkie, I am not going to be so because someone has 55 champions under their kennel name.

Kia was 12 weeks when we got her almost 9 years ago.

I hope Sammy won't need the LP surgery, but if she does...my vet does excellent surgery. Sydney twisted her knee, tore the ligament, etc. and he did such a good job, even he can't tell which knee he fixed.

She used to show dogs, and and then, she stopped showing them herself and hired a handler. That was why I bought a puppy from her. I had seen Kias sire in the ring and liked what I saw. When I got Kia almost 9 years ago, she said she was just on the breeding end of things cause that's what she was good at.

She has 55 champions to her kennel name now...so, it makes me wonder if she has two separate types of breeding she is doing...some good lines that produce champions, and then some others......to make money.

I'm very disappointed to learn thats the way she's doing things now.

Well just looking at Loki's pedigree there are no champions until at least his great grandparents and back, and then they aren't Stardust but others. I'm trying to remember but I haven't looked at it in years. But it's like she studded a female to a male champion like 3 or 4 generations back. Neither parents nor grandparents were titled - that much I remember. At the time, I had no idea what that all meant.

Honestly I think she only told me because I asked if she was a broker or how did she otherwise have puppies and no parents. She was nice and I had no reason not to believe her. Again, I'd never done this before. Someone just told me it was better to go to a breeder than a pet store. I've learned quite a bit since then. The breeder I'd gone to the week before had puppies peeing all over her living room and when you picked them up they shook. I wan turned off because mom was solid gold and dad was grey. The puppies were cute, but compared to that Susan's "experience" seemed an improvement. Quality Yorkies are hard to find around here and I was desperate for one. I was patient the second time and Sammy just kind of fell into our laps! Loki is still my baby though, even with all of his issues. Medical problems aside, his lack of socialization remains a challenge to this day. I can't imagine if someone got him who wasn't willing to do the amount of training that I have done with him...

I looked at Kia's pedigree. Her Sire is CH Mischief Maker, and he has 40 Champions in a 3 generation pedigree. There is a lot of Clarkwyn in his background. Kia's Dam is Stardust Smooth as Silk, and she has 28 champions in a 3 generation pedigree. A lot of Popan's in her line. In the Dams pedigree, the champions are predominantly in the 3rd generation out.

In all honesty, Erin, you cannot blame yourself for not doing your homework, because if you had talked to any show breeders that knew Susan, they would have given her a thumbs up.

My Sydney came from a lady here in Indiana who had used a show breeders stud. Sydneys Grand-Dam is CH Stardust Treasured Gem II. I met the owner of Sydneys Sire when Sydney was 6 months old. She said Susan was a very well respected breeder in the show world. (She had tried to buy Sydney from the owner of the Dam, and the lady refused. Then, she begged me to show Sydney. I declined, saying Sydneys job is life was 'to love and be loved'. Then, she tried to convince me to breed her. She wanted a puppy out of her so bad, she said she'd pay me whatever I wanted for a puppy. At first, I agreed, but then I saw the living conditions of her dogs, and I knew I never wanted one of Sydneys puppies to live that way. They lived in cages, in a separate building from her house. She let them in on a rotating basis, but still, it bothered me.)

I think it's very important that any time someone asks for a reputable breeder in our area, you tell them Loki's story.

Loki is very lucky to have you, because many other people would have dumped him at a shelter.

I have 2 females and a male of sale (not ready yet) pm me and I can send you pics. I live in Indiana, about 2 1/2 hrs away from you.

I can't wait to start them all on something more nutritional. I have read about an Artemis brand that sounds fairly good as well. But it is by order only - not sold anywhere. Darwins, Blue and Candiae all sound hopeful. The food I am presently giving them I get wet, well I read in a dog food rate site not to it may cause bloat. Great. Then, there is something in the food that I feed the poodle mix that the company C&P does not divulge whether their mix has this carcinogenic item or not. Then there is the high protein I must be careful of. How do you decide?

Son of a champion
 

TeddE is the offspring of Ch Stardust Firecracker (finished 10-30-04) and Stardust Classic Kellie. I cannot figure out the certificate or the other sheet she gave me. Doesn't matter now, I spose. I purchased solely on emotion. I had just lost my older yorkie and saw this guy's little face backed up into his little carrier in her kitchen and gave her the money.

My first yorkie
 

I found thru a neighbor who had purchased one for her mom. I went to the seller's house and found three little yorkies yapping and running all over. Mom in one crate, dad in another and another female. They were clean, looked well nourished and one of their kids were brushing one of the older yorkies. They were born in August and put up for sale around Thanksgiving.
No papers. No akc. We chose one of the "boys" for around $300. The owner needed to "clean" the house - the wife had left him and her yorkie business. We got to see the condition and temperament of the parents of the puppies. What a joy. I had no idea what I was doing. Now that I have this TeddE, I would suggest that you see the parents. I could have gone anywhere and plunked down $800 for a puppy. They sell them for that price at a lawn and garden store in Indiana ! My first Yorkie had no "papers" but what a beautiful yorkie. This one- with papers- is just a dog and he doesn't look yorkie. So decide first what you want and perhaps keep emotions in the car. Every puppy is adorable when they are 10 weeks old. I hate to say this for I do love him - he's a bit of a dud. Doesn't play. Doesn't really do anything. But eat. I'll try him on a new food but I swear he is depressed. Or at least he acts like it.

Pixie's dad isf Stardust's firecracker and Dixie's Mom is Stard
ust's Classis Kellie. So they are closely related. Pixie's Grandfather is Mischief maker.

TeddE and SammE came by your site and sent a hi. Ted is thrilled he has a "sibling" out there!! His b-day is 01-31-04 soon to be 4!! Your Pixie is adorable and looks like a yorkie. Mine looks a little 'different'. But he's a sweetie.

I have used the Artemis Small Breed and my girls did well on that, too, but Sydney seems to gain on kibble, as opposed to canned. I chose Evangers when all the foods were having recalls. Evangers is manufactured in Wheeling, IL, and they get absolutley nothing from Menu foods.

So, Pixie and Kia are closely related, since Mischief Maker is Kias Sire.

I PMed you