Buying a Pet?

Question

Where can I go to buy a dog? Has anyone tried over the internet? I want a Yorkie, I've seen some of the prices and they are expensive. I'll read the classified section of the newspaper, and people advertise their dogs for sale. Anyone ever bought an animal like that. I live in the Dallas area.

Answer 1

Only backyard breeders & puppymills will sell a dog over the internet or advertise in the newspaper. I bought my very first dog through a newspaper ad. He suffered every day of his life from both physical and mental health issues and died at a very young age from kidney failure. Backyard breeders and puppymills breed for profit and do no health clearances or genetic testing on dogs. They are just out for a buck. Please remember that AKC registration is NOT A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY.
The best place to find a responsible breeder is through the Breed's Parent Club. They will give you a referral.
Yorkshire Terrier: www.ytca.org

Here are some suggested questions one can use to determine if a breeder is truly responsible:

1. Is she an AKC registered breeder of good standing and an active member of her breed Parent Club?

2. Are there AKC Champions listed on the pedigree, showing that the breeder spends her time & money to prove the quality of her breeding stock through competition?

3. Are all the animals kept in clean, comfortable, healthy, loving circumstances?

4. Did the breeder conduct extensive interviews with you and every member of your family?

5. Have the sire & dam received all available health clearances, (eg. OFA Hip & Eye, Thyroid testing, THESE VARY FOR EACH BREED)

6. Is she willing to honestly discuss any possible genetic defects that may exist in her line?

7. Does she have a Sales Contract?

8. Does the contract contain a clause stipulating that you spay or neuter the puppy before it reaches a certain
age?

9. Does the contract contain a clause stating that if at any time in the puppy's life, you can no longer care for it, it must be returned to the breeder? (This ensures that no animal bred by this breeder will ever end up in a shelter).

10. Will the breeder maintain contact with you for the life of the puppy to answer questions and help in general?

Answer 2

Yorkies are one of the most expensive dogs to buy right now. Even if you get a poorly bred one, you'll still find yourself out 1000 dollars or so. This is in part because they are very popular right now. I work in a pet store, and all our Yorkies are 900 dollars and up, and they are puppy mill dogs - not even great health, temperament, or anything. Some of them don't even look very much like Yorkies, but they still sell for 900, 1000, 1300 dollars. And trust me, they sell. If we get Yorkie puppies in on a Friday, they're all gone by Sunday night, no matter how much they cost. If you have your heart set on a Yorkie but don't want to pay that cost, consider looking into Yorkie Rescues. These are older dogs that people bought and then decided they just didn't want anymore. They are purebred (although many of them don't have or won't let you have their papers to avoid breeding them and contributing to the pet overpopulation problem), and usually not much is wrong with them besides the fact that someone bought them on a whim and didn't want them anymore when they were no longer cute puppies. (Ever hear the saying, "Everyone wants a puppy, nobody wants a dog?" yeah. :( ) Usually these dogs can be adopted for a minimal adoption fee that includes shots, wormings, licensing, spaying/nuetering.. and you'd be helping to save the life of a Yorkie in need! In Texas, you can call:
Bluebonnet Yorkshire Terrier Club
Suzanne McFadden

8350 CR 272
Terrell, TX 75160
[phone] or [phone]

To find out about rescues.

Answer 3

I have heard of some really good stories and some horror stories about buying from individual breeders. I can tell you that I do not know many people that are happy with their purchases from a pet store either. I would highly recommend visiting your local shelter for a pet. You can go in every day if you want to look for a certain breed, or you may just find that one of the dogs at the shelter picks you when you go and visit. These dogs need good homes and are incredibly cheap. Every dog I have owned (4 now) have come from a shelter and I could swear to you that they know what their fate would have been had I not brought them home. They seem to be more intelligent, loving, and better companions, than pure bred dogs as well. Good luck and I hope you find a new best friend!

Answer 4

I bought my yorkie pup from a breeder. I would not reccomend buying a dog off of the internet unless you can actually go and look at it, I got scammed like that. I found my puppy in the paper and only paid 500 for him, which is cheap for a yorkie, and theres nothing wron with him. I reccomend petfinder.com, I also know that there are a few yorkie rescue shelters in Texas, they are really a joy to have, they have such great personalities!

Answer 5

My suggestion is call a couple vets. They always know who the breeders are, because good breeders track the pregnancies of the mother. I have both large and small (shepard/Boston) and we paid well for them. When you go to check out the litter, make sure they are not "snappy", not afraid of hands and if it's possible, I took an oversized treat with me and asked if I could give it to the dog and in a few seconds take it away, just to see if they were agressive. You're probably going to pay upwards of $500. for a Yorkie, but in the big scheme of things, that's a mere price for a dog that has a usual life span of about 15 years, and that's 15 years of constant unconditional love. Good luck.
P.S. the internet, if it's close enough for you to check it out, yes, if not, I'd personally never get one that was sight unseen, it makes no sense to me because you'd want to see if the "click" is there.

Answer 6

I would not & never buy a dog over the internet from just anyone, for one thing Yorkies are soooo overbred, they have many medical problems & they do require alot of care, almost daily brushing & combing, they are not cheap & if they are cheap - something might be VERY wrong. You could & alot cheaper, look for Yorkie Rescue Centers & adopt one that way possibly..check in your phone book or do a search for Yorkie Rescue Centers in your area, these people are usually very nice & knowledgable, just remember tho Yorkies need constant grooming by you & a professional groomer now & again ...Take Care :)

Answer 7

1. Over the internet is a bad idea. Lots of scammers out there. Lots of poor-quality, sickly puppies being sold.

2. Dogs ARE expensive, especially small, cute, popular breeds. They're even more expensive to maintain than they are to buy. Cutting corners in the price of the dog makes it more likely that you will have hefty vet bills.

3. Classifieds are not generally the best place to look either, lots of puppymills and BYBs use them.

4. Your best bet is to check with your local kennel club to see if there is a member that breeds yorkies, or contact the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America to see if there is a member near you. It may be more expensive (or maybe not, I've known crappy pet-store puppies to sell for as much as or more than well-bred pups from champion parents), and you may have to wait a bit, but you are more likely to get a quality, healthy, good-tempered animal that way.

Answer 8

Try adopting a Yorkie instead. There are a lot of dogs out there in animal shelters that need homes! I'm sure there's even a Yorkie rescue in your area if you're set on that breed.

Answer 9

I bought my dog, a Yorkie, from a breeder...not from a store. I guess it all depends on you. Maybe you should read the classifieds and meet up with the owner to see the puppy up close...and/or you can go to the store..or even adopt a pet because there are many out there that need a safe home. Good luck...

Answer 10

I have never bought an animal over the internet but I don't see why its a bad idea. Try www.petfinder.com

It would be great if you could adopt a dog from a shelter. Save a life.