We always recommend that people patron responsible Yorkshire Terrier breeders, but unless you already know what to look for, you may inadvertently patron an irresponsible breeder instead. This article will point out the differences between reputable and disreputable breeders in hopes that you seek out the ones that really care about the animals they sell. This will in turn, make you a responsible dog owner and demonstrate that you really care for the pets you own.

Diligent Record Keeping

One thing that reputable Yorkshire Terrier breeders do is keep records -- not only on the puppies that they sell, but also on the dam and sire that made them. These records are important when you want to verify that the puppy you're interested in came from a line of Yorkshire Terriers (not some other combination thereof). To prevent mishaps, reputable breeders are therefore careful to breed 100% healthy Yorkies from 100% healthy Yorkies. And they're careful to breed puppies from well behaved parents. Since part of breeding includes character improvement, a Torkshire terrier breeder is careful to avoid breeding nervous, shy, or aggressive parents.

Responsible Breeding

In addition to the above, reputable breeders also avoid breeding inbreds. Inbreds tend to exhibit gross deformities, illnesses, and bizarre behaviors. Avoiding low quality Yorkeis is the reason why responsible breeders will wait until a dam is two years old before breeding her, and why they won't breed her more than once a year.

Waiting Lists

Besides the above, you'll notice that the better breeders have waiting lists. A long wait ensures that the dam produces healthy babies and that the puppies go to good homes. If you find that the wait is unbearable, ask for references. Reputable breeders will refer you to another who may have an available litter, however you might still endure a short waiting period. This is again, to ensure that the puppies will be well treated. Breeders use this time to take you through an explicit screening process -- one that tests the patience needed to care for and train a Yorkie!

Breeding Homes Serve As Breeding Environments

As you'll soon learn, reputable breeders care an awful lot about the puppies they raise. That's why you'll find most of them sold straight out of breeders' homes. Inside the breeder's home, puppies quickly acclimate to the human touch, they learn proper social skills, and they properly react to common household sounds. Depending on how long a puppy has stayed with its breeder, you may find one that has already been trained (or at least house broken).

Protection of Yorkie Health

Even better, you can additionally expect the puppies of reputable breeders to already have their shots. This part of puppy care could even include testing for Yorkie-specific illnesses. Note however, that even if the puppies get a clean bill of health, reputable breeders won't let them go unless they're at least 12 weeks old (about 3 months of age). It's illegal to sell puppies half that age in some states anyway, so just bid your time and be patient. Puppies need these 12 weeks to properly develop -- and these are weeks that must be spent with mommy.

Buyer Scrutiny

Another thing that you can expect from a reputable Yorkshire terrier breeder is outright scrutiny. Like we said, reputable breeders care an awful lot about their litters, and they just don't sell their puppies to anyone. This means that you'll have to prove your 'worthiness.' That's not such a comfortable feeling, but once you understand how delicate Yorkies can be, you can begin to appreciate the concern. Yorkies won't survive in any environment. If you can demonstrate that your environment is a safe one, and you can demonstrate that you'll do everything necessary to keep your Yorkie healthy and happy, you'll increase your chances of getting one -- even from the most judicious breeder.