Here's Junior

[BonBon]

Junior is really a good looking boy! I wish you and him the best in the ring.

Bonny

[roseslevi]

He looks like a winner to me! He is beautiful and I love his name Junior.

[joann1166]

He is adorable and I hope he fulfills your dreams of him being in the ring! We definitely need you to keep us updated on how he is doing.

[Woogie Man]

Thanks, all. I was gonna hold up on posting pics of him for a little longer (don't want to jinx him), but these were so cute. The last few days he's been quite the little man.....he comes running when I go in the room and is trying to crawl up my pants leg. He's starting to dart about in little bursts of energy before plopping down for a quick rest. Darla has started to play with him and still spends most of the time with him. I call her my little 'Monkey' and was wondering how she would do as a Mom but she has been just wonderful and seems so proud of him.

Will post updated pics as Junior grows.

[smepperson]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

Thanks, all. I was gonna hold up on posting pics of him for a little longer (don't want to jinx him), but these were so cute. The last few days he's been quite the little man.....he comes running when I go in the room and is trying to crawl up my pants leg. He's starting to dart about in little bursts of energy before plopping down for a quick rest. Darla has started to play with him and still spends most of the time with him. I call her my little 'Monkey' and was wondering how she would do as a Mom but she has been just wonderful and seems so proud of him.

Will post updated pics as Junior grows.

Hi ~ I read this thread all the way through...heartwarming! You are such a proud parent We are looking forward to seeing your little one grow into the amaxzing young man we know he will be! Best of luck to you, Darla and Junior

[jencar98]

Oh my...Jim....he is a head turner already! I'll be excited to hear updates on this little guy....so precious

[lisaly]

He's a beautiful little boy, and I wish you the very best with him. You are always here to lend a hand to others, and you offer so much to this community. You deserve only the best, and I hope your dreams come true with this very special pup.

[gemy]

Jim he looks adorable. I'm sure LiL Junior will soak up all the love you can give him, and will come back asking for just a bit more.

Will you have your friend the pro handler go over him at eight weeks old?

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by gemy

Jim he looks adorable. I'm sure LiL Junior will soak up all the love you can give him, and will come back asking for just a bit more.

Will you have your friend the pro handler go over him at eight weeks old?

Gail at 8 weeks of age, one will only be evaluating temperament/personality....then go back at 12 weeks of age and begin the evaluation in earnest....and as a breeder that evaluation goes up and down for months.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by Mardelin

Gail at 8 weeks of age, one will only be evaluating temperament/personality....then go back at 12 weeks of age and begin the evaluation in earnest....and as a breeder that evaluation goes up and down for months.

Yes it was what I thought for Yorkies, but I've been reading Tricks of the Trade, by Pat Hastings Revised edition. She has a preamble to the first statement on evaluating puppies; which covers the research process they went through, to glean the best practices that she elaborates on in her book vs a vs evaluating puppies. Here is Step 1 quoted exactly from her book: 1. For structure evaluate puppies only at eight weeks, give or take three days either way. This is crucial. Before eight weeks, soft tissue is not sufficiently developed to hold the bone structure in place, which means you are able to "mold" a puppy into the picture you want to see.

As all bones grow at different rates, it is important to realize that the proportion of bone growth is as similar to the adult structure at eight weeks as it is ever going to be during the growth of the puppy. Therefore, what you see and, more importantly, what you feel at eight weeks is what the puppy will grow into as an adult dog.

This applies to all breeds across the board. The only exceptions we have found are premature puppies and puppies that have not had a good start. We've never had consistent results evaluating these two exceptions.

End quote.

I've had quite a lively discussion with my friends on this subject. We are going to try out the eight wk timeframe on Yorkies, and repeat at twelve weeks. Of course as you say the evaluation goes on as time goes by for the Yorkies. With our Blackies, they go through some ugly stages, somewhere around 7-9 mths many look like they are up on stilts. Head growth is very variable, you can have a pup at around the 7 - 9 mth looking like either all head or no head. Oh and musculature is a real crap shoot as a pup, we have chest first developers, or rear end developers. Furnishings can be frustratingly slow to grow (and this is a major fault if they don't grow), many lines don't fulfill their furnishing potential until 3yrs old. Musculature, develops slowly as well, somewhere from 20 to 24 mths old, all of a sudden with no change in exercise, those boys pack on the muscles.

I also have the video Dog Steps an excellent one on presentation of different structural problems in dogs. I'm having a senior moment here, and the author's name escapes me, but one of her statements has stuck with me to this day; what you see as a puppy, baring accident,illness, or injury is what you will see as an adult. I believe one example in her video, was an afghan pup, you saw the pup at 8wks, at 4months, and as an adult, and oh boy, the problems evident at 8 wks were more so at 4months, and as an adult quite severe.

There is so much to know. So much to learn, and learning is always going on.

[Mardelin]

Yorkies are a breed unto themselves......I've monitored pups and watched them....ones that look great at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks and fall apart at 6 months...come back and fall apart......

I begin evaluating for personality and temperament at 8 weeks, don't go back until 12 weeks.

[gemy]

Mary in a perfect Yorkie world, would structure, coat, temperament be "fixed" by one year old? What are your thoughts on this?

I'm truly trying to understand, how a tiny 7lb dog, can be so variable? Is it growth plates? Is there any research out there on this?

In my head I get "color" and coat texture, as being a long term ie 2-3 year process to fulfill their potential, but structure?

[Woogie Man]

It's very encouraging to see all the nice comments about Junior. Thank you all.

This will be an adventure for both me and Junior as I have no experience in showing. I am a complete novice but I hope that the time is right. With a local resource now available to me that has both handling and grooming experience, that's one big thing that should now be made easier for me. And there's so much experience here at YT to draw on....plus I'm so encouraged by the success of the new exhibitors here. It makes things seem less daunting. I do plan on taking Junior as far as I can, if not for the ribbons, at least for the experience.

The info you posted is interesting, Gail. I likely won't take Junior out to be evaluated at 8 weeks. He'll not be vaccinated at that time and to have him evaluated I would need to take him to the groomer's shop. I will pay special attention to his proportions and angulation at that time and compare it later to see if it corresponds to his adult build.

I am wondering just how his being a singleton will affect his personality, though. I don't see it as hindrance so far. He seems very confident and is king of his little universe at this time. There's no bully littermate to dampen his confidence and he's free to blossom at his own pace. At some point he'll have to become socialized with other dogs, but for now his being the only pup seems to be a positive.

Here's a couple of pics of him playing with Darla today and one of him climbing up on me.

[Mardelin]

Originally Posted by Woogie Man

It's very encouraging to see all the nice comments about Junior. Thank you all.

This will be an adventure for both me and Junior as I have no experience in showing. I am a complete novice but I hope that the time is right. With a local resource now available to me that has both handling and grooming experience, that's one big thing that should now be made easier for me. And there's so much experience here at YT to draw on....plus I'm so encouraged by the success of the new exhibitors here. It makes things seem less daunting. I do plan on taking Junior as far as I can, if not for the ribbons, at least for the experience.

The info you posted is interesting, Gail. I likely won't take Junior out to be evaluated at 8 weeks. He'll not be vaccinated at that time and to have him evaluated I would need to take him to the groomer's shop. I will pay special attention to his proportions and angulation at that time and compare it later to see if it corresponds to his adult build.

I am wondering just how his being a singleton will affect his personality, though. I don't see it as hindrance so far. He seems very confident and is king of his little universe at this time. There's no bully littermate to dampen his confidence and he's free to blossom at his own pace. At some point he'll have to become socialized with other dogs, but for now his being the only pup seems to be a positive.

Here's a couple of pics of him playing with Darla today and one of him climbing up on me.

Jim,
Junior is lovely. His momma appears to have been born to be a momma.

I know you'll do well with this boy. You have more knowledge than most beginners and even more than some experienced exhibitors. You've put your heart and soul into this breed. I know you'll do everything in your power to do it the right way.

[Woogie Man]

Darla is such a playful little thing. She'll be 3 next month but still has a lot of puppy in her. She's very content to spend most of her time with Junior and has only recently begun to spend any amount of time away from him.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mary. I'm one of those types that, no matter how much I 'know', I'm always apprehensive until I've actually done it. I do feel much better prepared than in the past so it's time to jump in (plus I'm running out of excuses LOL).