VanGogh Yorkshires

Over the past years when prospected parents are asking about pups I get the same questions asked. So I thought it might be a great idea to answer these repeated questions here and to also get the inoformation straight for propspect parents looking for a yorkie.

What size will your puppies get to? I only want one between 3.5 to 4 pounds when grown! First of all, it is totally impossible to guarantee a pup's weight when grown. Reputable breeders cannot guarantee size, especially one within this tight a range. I get this question/statement for small pups a lot lately. It could be due to the celebrities now buying tiny yorkies or toy breeds, so there are many buyers that want small sized yorkies too - since they seem to be popular. When I ask why that size (less than 4 pounds)? Most often answer I get is - so I can carry her/him around in my arms. First of all, yorkies are not jewerly, but living creatures. When the fad wears off - will you still be interested. And what if this puppy grows bigger than you want? Do not believe what some breeders say - Oh, I can predict what adult size my pups will get to. This is wrong, since we cannot guarantee what size. Can one guarantee what size your human baby will grow up to be? No! So one can only quess the size of weight a yorkie puppy will get. The rule of thumb is to double the weight at 12 weeks, but this not a guarantee. If you have a breeder that says I have been breeding a long time and can guarantee - run! Reputable, honest breeders will tell you they can make a guess, but we cannot guarantee it. I have seen where someone will gurantee size and then the owner gets upset several months down the road when their small baby that was guaranteed to them, turns out to be growing and growing. I hear of this a lot. Then the problem is - is that you are already attached to this dog. So who got who - the breeder that made a promise knowing you would get attacted and they have made the sale and moved on. Some lines grow fast at first and then slow down after 6 months. And some lines of yorkies will start out small and then grow faster from 8-9 months on till about 1 1/2 years

of age, especially females, if breed, will usually grow an extra

half to one pound after whelping their first litter. My yorkies range from

3 pounds to 6 pounds, and most of their lines/ancestors are this range of

size. So I could say my pups will range from 3-6 pounds give or take a

pound. Again this is no guarantee, since yorkies came from other breeds

and werebreed down to their smaller size. I have had them as small as

2 1/4 pounds.I have heard of some people's yorkies growing as large as

15 - 18 pounds or more. That is way over standard. And again it goes back

to quality. Most of the larger yorkies I have seen have come from just

your pet breeders, since they do not know the history of their dog's ancestors.

With small ones (noticed I did not say "teacup") you have to ask yourself why you want a small one of less than 4 pounds? I have had several over my 30 years of breeding and you have to be so careful of them. You cannot let them jump from furniture, they are very quick, and you must make sure they are eating all during the day. And be sure they are tested to make sure it is not a health issue as to why they are small. Yes, it can be genetics - they are just small, but it can also be a hidden health issue. You can have your smallestpup in the litter grow to be the largest and your largest pup stop growing and be the smallest when they are all grown. We can look at the frame of the puppy and say, well I think it will be smaller, but still a guess. So trying to guarantee weight is next to impossible and only a guess. Actually 5 pounds is a great size - not too small and not too big. With size it is also not just the parents that determine size, but also the grantparents and aunts and uncles. The standard states that the Yorkshire Terrier should not exceed 7 pounds. If you buy from a reputable breeder that breeder for quality, you have a better chance of having a yorkie within the weight standard.

How much is your pup? Prices are not cheap. The reason for the higher price than what you might pay from a pet person or mill is that it cost us money to have the needed tests performed before you buy - to prove they are healthy. You have blood tests (to check protein levels ) per pup and that test in not cheap (almost 100.00 per pup for blood test alone), the last vet visit for thorough vet check, plus you also have the the other office visits as they were growing, and the multiple boosters, worming, etc... Then before the shots, you have tail docking and dewclaws removed. That adds up quickly for just the basics. Now add in $800.00 - 2,000. 00 or more if you have a c-section depending if during rountine office hours or after hours, follow up appointments fees, food cost, pee pads (many of these), no sleep the first week or two, blankets, beds, play pens, time from work the first week, gas and travel time to and back from the vets office, to name a few of the items per litter. Getting good care as the pup grows - doing it right - is not cheap!

Now add in the cost of the breeder buying her dogs, not cheap since you want the best quality if you are going to breed (this is very expensive and usually involves a pup back). The breeder pays a lot more for their dog than for what she sells her pet puppies for. Now also add in show expense (to prove breed worthy) at a cost of at least $2,500 per dog to hopefully finish a dog. Let's not forget stud fee if they went outside for stud service, which runs $600. and up to a $1,000 or more.

Also don't forget about time interviewing people as prospected parents, checking refereneces, or spending time with them on the phone and to the house. Buying the puppies' beds, toys, and food to take to the new home. Breeding correctly, one does not make a profit. I have always been in the red, but I do this due to my passion and hopes for a show prospect. With a reputable breeder you will be able to contact them for the life of your pet to ask questions you may have in the future. Usually breeders that breed pets or unethical breeders are usually gone on to other things after 5 years or less and they are not available any longer to answer any questions you may have now. They also do not do the needed health tests. Anyone selling cheap, I would be scared and worried thinking what short cuts have they made. As some have said, either pay now for a healthy pup or buy cheap and pay later at the vets.

At what age should the pup be when you bring it home? No one should bring a Yorkie pup home younger than 12 weeks of age. Why? Yorkies can easily get hypoglycemia - low blood sugar, brought on by stress. This stress can be as simple as moving to their new home if younger than 12 weeks of age. Think about when you have made a move in your life. Yes, it is very stressful. Research has proven that a move is the second highest stress in ones life other than a death in the family. Any breeder that tells you that their vet said it was okay for them to leave to their new home younger than 12 weeks, either does not know yorkies well or they do not care and want to not have to clean up potty from a puppy. Puppies make a bigger mess when they are from 8 weeks and up. When you have a litter - that can be a big mess and a lot of work. This is the main reason unreputable breeders want their pups to leave early. So do not be fooled.

What color will my yorkie be when they grow up? Or buyer is wanting a specific color of yorkie. First off, no reputable breeder will guarantee the adult color of the pup when it is grown. Yokies go through so many changes before it becomes an adult. This is one reason they are so hard to predict for show. You cannot always go by the color of the parents. It is like the same situation weight was. What if a buyer wants a black not blue colored yorkie? Even though one or both parents are black, it does not guarantee the puppies will be black when grown. Besides - black is not the correct color you want. Standard states a dark steel blue. Many people have decribed this and it does leave one to interpetation. I would say it is like the inside color of a gun barrel. This description was given to me years ago, by a well known reputable breeder of yorkies with many champions. Also you want the coat to be silky. Here is another area the breeder cannot guarantee. You hope for silk and a breeder should be breeding two silky coated dogs together. I would never breed to a red leg, or to a nonstandard color yorkie. If you are striving for the correct color - the breeding should be only breeding dogs with the correct color. One might be able to tell if a yorkie is breaking too early and usually as an adult their body coat will be a silver, or very light. The best age for a yorkie to break (blue) color is around 1-2 years of age. Females will tend to continue to go lighter with age and with each litter they have, due to hormones.

Breaking color on the head begins to break when they are about 8 weeks old to a silver (with most yorkies) and then should hopefully break to a gold later. By about 2 years old they should be completly gold on the head. Some yorkies will retain a bit of their black as a thumbprint, a streak above the nose or one on each side of their ears. It really depends on their genetics and each one is so different. Reason why yorkies are so hard to predict. If you are buying a pet - does it really matter what color it is? The reason a breeder may be selling the pup is that she has an idea it will not be of correct color or texture and why she is petting the pup out. A show breeder will always hold on to their best pups for show. At least you have a better chance of a better quality puppy through a reputable show breeder than a backyard breeder, since the stock used for breeding is better from a show breeder (in most all casses) and you know that they usually health test and have their dogs evaluated.

*All reputable breeders should go over the pup/s with you and inform you of what they know about the pup/s you are loking at. Some of it may be a guess as to coat texture, etc... But they should inform you of bites at the time of sale, structure as they see now, ears, clearing colors - what they see as of the day, and any health issues, such as hernias, etc...

* I hope this has answered some questions you may have. It is not easy to get that perfect puppy. Infact there is no perfect pup. Each yorkie pup will have something not to standard with it, even the show dogs. You have to decide what you can live with and remember, some of the faults may not show or be evident at the time of sale. This is why show exhibitors always buy their dogs for themself when a dog is older, so they know more how the dog will be. This is usually around the age of a year - two years of age. Some of us exhibitors will buy a min. age yorkie at 6 months of age with conditions for us that if the pup does not pan out for show, it can be returned or replaced. But remember - because of getting an older yorkie we also have to pay a lot more for the dog. The older the puppy, the more expensive it will be. Wether you are looking for a show baby or a wonderful pet, be informed and well educated when searching for that new pup. Researching can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Wishing you all the best of luck in your search for that new family member.