B4U Purchase a yorkie

You should always be able to visit the actual home of a breeder who is selling you a puppy. You want to see the environment that the pups or the stud came from. I know of a very "reputable" show breeder, but if you ever saw the inside of her house, you would want to turn around and run out screaming. Feces and urine all over the place, the overpowering stench of this waste, dogs and pups running loose everywhere, show bitches "accidentally" getting pregnant at every heat (she laughs it off, and claims it is an accident, and it very well could be, but a good breeder will separate the bitch in heat from her stud if she is smart). How do people live like this?? But they do. I have seen this place with my own eyes!

She NEVER allows potential buyers to see her home, but rather she prefers to bring the pups to their home, or some other place, just any place other that where she and the dogs live...tricky...but not the true picture of how the pups and parents are brought up. She does have rather nice show dogs, and she does very well with them, but her home is a sty!

Buyers need to be a little more aware. You really want to see the home. Some people are actually small time puppy millers, with the dogs stacked in crates in back bedrooms and basements. You sure would want to avoid buying a pup from them.

Don't buy the first puppy you see. Try to visit many breeders and see their puppies. Ask lots of questions. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions. An ethical breeder may want personal and vet references, and may want to visit your home to be sure the pup will have a “forever” home. Make an informed decision. Most people are in a big hurry once they make up their minds to get a dog, SLOW DOWN…this is a major life altering decision. Too many people make this snap decision without thinking it through, then the dog and the owner are not a “good fit” and it is often a dog that lands in a shelter or rescue situation. Don’t be surprised if your breeder leads you to a certain dog in her litter, she is trying to make a nice “forever” fit.

A yorkie should be at least 12 weeks old before going to a new home. Some would say they can go younger, and some breeds probably can; but for yorkies,12 weeks puts you past the fragile period, past the fear/imprint period, and seems to be about as young as they should go. Be wary of anyone who will sell you a yorkie puppy under 12 weeks of age. They are just looking to make some quick cash, and do not want to deal with the messy and bothersome puppy at this age. Many pups turn into fear biters and have other anti-social behaviors because it was taken from its mama and other siblings before the proper socialization took place. Many breeders hang on to their pups up to 6 months or more because they are looking for a new dog to show, taking good time to choose the right pup that might become the next champion! Only then will they release the rest to pet homes.

When you decide on a new puppy, plan to pick the puppy up on a day when you can take it right to your vet for a health exam before taking it home. Make the vets appointment before you bring the puppy home. Proper advance planning will make the pups adjustment to the new family a smooth transition, and smooth for you too! That way, if something is wrong you can return the puppy right away before you get attached. An ethical breeder provides for this type of problem in his/her contract. Make arrangements with your vet to have your pet spayed or neutered as soon as possible. I recommend before the 8^th month. By spaying or neutering you are increasing the length of your pet's life by eliminating the risk of cancer. It is just an old wives tale that a female should have one heat or even one litter of pups before being spayed. Today, most vets agree that this is unnecessary. The younger a male dog is neutered the more likely that he will not lift his leg and mark his territory. Housebreaking accidents can be very messy, but can also be prevented by neutering at a young age. Be sure that the vet you choose will use only isoflourine as an anesthetic agent. Any other type of anesthetic may cause death in toy dogs. I feel so strongly about this, it is in my contract!

Be sure that you purchase your puppy from the actual breeder - not someone selling puppies for someone else. This is called a broker, and many times puppies from a broker come from puppy mills. Pet stores that sell dogs or cats fall under the category of brokers. Pet stores are one of the main reasons puppy mills are able to remain in business. By purchasing anything at a pet store that sells dogs or cats, even if you just buy a toy, you are helping prolong the time that puppy mills will remain in business. Please do not shop at a pet store that sells dogs or cats.

An ethical breeder will be willing to stand behind their dogs 100%. They will guarantee their health and be willing to replace the puppy if something goes wrong. I prefer to just pay any incurred vet expenses to fix the problem, if it is hereditary. That way the pet & family get to stay together. I leave the choice up to the buyer though. I have this in my contracts. See my sample contract on this web site for a good example. An ethical breeder does want to be called when there are problems, will be there for you, and will give advice when necessary and guide you in the right direction. An ethical breeder puts the life of the dog he/she has created above any monetary gains. Ethical breeders are very concerned about the long term happiness of the pets they sell. They will tell you that if your lifestyle changes, you have to move . . . or for ANY reason you are no longer able to care for the dog, the dog must be returned to the breeder. If you find a breeder like this, you have most likely found a good one that truly cares about the dogs they are breeding.