It is a big decision to make, getting a new companion for your family. You probably have already discussed this idea with your family members. Everyone will play a big role in taking care of your Yorkie. He/she will need a lot of love and care. Yorkies are small dogs, which usually require more extensive care than normal. If you’re committed you will grow to love him/her as part of your family. They will be very loyal to you. Where can you go to pick out the best Yorkie, to know it is healthy and happy. Here are some basic steps to remember as you go through this process.
The easiest thing to do would be to go to your local pet store. Bad idea, most pet stores receive their puppies from breeders that tend to have a large amount of dogs and puppies. Health is usually not a top priority. They may also get their puppies from inexperienced dog breeders that are in it mostly to make money. they may not show much compassion or caring for the puppies, It is sad, but if you go to a pet store you may not get a puppy that is best suitable for your family
So how can you find these responsible breeders? A good source is the Internet. If you go on line and type in (www.akc.org) they will have a list of breeders that deal with The American Kennel Club. Also do not let them tell you that they have teacup Yorkies, there are no such thing as teacups. They may range in different sizes, but the average Yorkie weighs between four to seven pounds. The smaller a Yorkie the more adorable they are, but also a lot more health issues come along with that. It isn’t a good idea to have a tiny Yorkie around small children ( please keep that in mind). If you are dealing with a reputable breeder they will help you pick out the perfect Yorkie for your family. Trust their opinion, they have raised the puppies from when they were born.
It is important to ask questions to find out all you can about the breeder. Find out why they haven chosen to breed Yorkies. The best answer for this would be the love of the breed. Ask how long they have been breeding. The more experience and knowledgeable they are about breeding Yorkies the better the outcome of good, healthy puppies there will be.
When you go to meet the breeder make sure you ask to see the parents of the puppy you are considering to purchase. That will give you some idea how they will look and how big they may get.Some breeders may not own the male, but they should have photos available to show you. They should also be able to show picture of offspring’s from the same parents.
If the sire and dam are akc certified then you will know definitely that the puppies are purebred Yorkies. This is important to know for some people. That means that both the female and male parents are full Yorkies.
Lastly, it is important to know that if this is a reputable breeder they will want to get some information from you . These puppies mean the world to them and they want to know that they will be taken very good care of. If you have small children they may recommend a specific puppy for you. Keep in mind, Yorkies are a very small breed and need a lot of gentle care. The smaller, the more fragile they are. Be honest and respectful to the breeder. after all, they are trying to help you find the perfect Yorkie for you and your family.
For more information about Yorkies I purchased a very informative magazine called ” Yorkshire Terrier Puppies” from the popular puppies series volume 1. It has a lot of information in the magazine specifically about this dog breed. It is a great book if you are raising or thinking about purchasing your own sweet Yorkshire Terrier.
By Donna Karnes
