How to Buy a Yorkshire Terrier

The Yorkshire Terrier, or "Yorkie," is one of the most popular breeds of dog, prized for its small size, cute look and playful demeanor. Before you buy one though, be prepared to shell out some dough, learn all you can about the breed and know what to look for when you begin your search.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Money
• Research skills
• A love of dogs

1. Decide how much you're willing to spend. A quality Yorkie will cost at least $1,000, and many go for over $2,000.

2. Visit the American Kennel Club (AKC) website to find a reputable breeder.

3. Contact the breeder to find out if there have been any litters delivered recently or if any are expected soon.

4. Find out what size the female breeding dog "pulls," or gives birth to.

5. Decide what look you want in a Yorkie. Do you want a "docked" (clipped) tail or not? Do you want ears that stand up or not? These qualities are considered desirable, so most reputable breeders' dogs will have these features.

6. Look at the breeder's website to view pictures of the dogs and see if one suits your wants.

7. Visit the breeder to examine the environment in which the dogs have been raised. If the surroundings are dirty, cramped, disorganized or undisciplined, be wary. If a dog is used to urinating inside where it sleeps, for instance, you may have a harder time housebreaking it.

8. Examine the dog's demeanor to make sure it isn't too aggressive or too docile, depending on what sort of personality you want.

9. Examine the dog for any obvious physical defects or injuries.

Tips & Warnings

• Buying a Yorkie from a pet store or pound is not recommended, as they do not generally take as much care to breed the dogs for health issues and temperament, and the conditions in which they live may teach the dogs bad habits. However, some rescue groups specialize in purebred Yorkies. Visit the AKC website to find out more about these groups.
• Be wary of any Yorkie costing less than $1,000. Saving money increases your chances of getting ill-mannered, ill-bred, sickly dogs.

Resources

• American Kennel Club

[lanee]

on 12/9/2008 Talk to Debbie at www.KiddYorkies.com. Guaranteed, you will come out with a quality puppy or show dog.