Good Chicago breeders?

[Archie's Mom]

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!

[Archie's Mom]

Anybody out there in Chicagoland?

[Patti]

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

[spruitt7]

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.

[Erin]

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.

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.

[Gayle Orlando]

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

[yougetthesmiles]

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

[BarbaraM]

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?

[Erin]

Originally Posted by BarbaraM

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?

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.

[Yorkieville200]

Originally Posted by Erin

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

[BarbaraM]

Originally Posted by Yorkieville200

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.

[Patti]

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.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Yorkieville200

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

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.

[Erin]

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.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Patti

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.

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.