| Nancy1999 | 11-25-2008 05:08 PM |
Be really careful of buying a dog from a website, now that many consumers know that Pet stores are not the place to buy a puppy, USDA breeders and puppy mills have gone straight to the web to sell their dogs. They always have "tons" of referrals, and unfortunately some of their referrals aren't legitimate. Also when considering a referral, don't just go by what the dog looks like, but the age of the dog. Genetic illnesses don't always show up until after the first year, by then you're thoroughly in love with the dog, and surgeries to repair the damage are extremely expensive. Nearly everyone is pleased with the puppy they received, but look for people who have had the dog several years, to make sure it indeed is a healthy dog. I agree with Yorkist, the best place to find a legitimate breeder is through the YTCA website. Many show breeders are less expensive than byb, because they main desire is finding a good home for their offspring, they are not making a living off the breed, but are truly interested in improving the breed. The website linked has a couple of red flags, one it is a commercial kennel, which usually means puppy mill. Two the breeder breeds more than one breed of dog, usually an indication that it's a money-making operation and not because of the expertise with the breed. There are no pictures of the breeding stock. You should always see the breeding stock, most puppies are cute, if you want a dog that looks like a Yorkie, it's a good idea to see the parents. It also doesn't look like these dogs are registered, which means they may not even be purebreds. People, who try to save money buying a less expensive dog, usually have the most problems paying for all the medical attention that it is often needed. This thread has some useful information on selecting a breeder: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...e-breeder.html | 