Hello and welcome to my website. My name is Barbara Richardson and I have been raising yorkies since 1998 and breeding dogs since the early 1980’s. My oldest daughter was going off to college and my youngest was in high school when she convinced me to get a yorkie. That was all it took. My daughter was off with social activities and I was home alone with this bundle of joy. It was the first time I had a dog that actually relied on me for everything. When I breed German Shepherds they survived with a bowl of water and dog food. Shepherds breed on their own and whelped on their own. The only time I had to intervene in almost 20 years was when they had more puppies than they did nipples.
The Yorkie bounced into my life and my life has never been the same. If you were to come and visit you would think I had toddlers. I have toys all over my family room, dog beds everywhere in all shapes and sizes. Not all yorkies like the same things so you have to have a variety. LOL
My dogs have free run of the house and backyard. I take them with me whenever possible. I am lucky enough to work from home so my dogs hear noises and meet people all day every day and have no fear of anyone. My biggest problem is apologizing for my yorkies wanting my guest to pet them
I raise my puppies the same way. After the first couple of days the mom and babies are brought down to the family room so they can be around a variety of noises and sounds. I introduce them to potty training from 5 weeks on. I start with the pee pad and move to the doggy door. By the time my puppies are placed in their new home they have a great start to being house trained. I always found that to be the biggest problem with yorkies as pets because they usually find a place in their new home to use the bathroom. Unless you actually see them sneaking off they usually get away with it for a while. You then have a habit you now have to break.
My puppies and dogs are all loved and played with all day. Whether we are playing ball, tug a war or one of them is perched on my shoulder they are all being loved. I work very hard making my puppies feel like part of a family and not just by themselves or with the other dogs. I want them to want to be held and played with and not just a puppy that wants to lie in a dog bed and not cuddle. I want them to be the best they can be when they go to their new homes. All my dogs and then when the puppies are old enough all sit on the couch at night and watch TV or sleep by me. I never need a throw I always have a yorkie blanket to keep me warm. Everyone that comes in my house touches and plays with my yorkies. They don’t shake, or urinate when approached and have no fear of loud noises. I can actually vacuum right up to the bed they are lying in without them moving
All my puppies are sold with a spay or neuter contract unless they are going to be shown. Breeding yorkies is not for the backyard breeder. There are so many problems and situations that most people couldn’t even imagine with breeding these little guys. After all these years I still come across things I have never seen before. My dogs are all AKC registered. I conform to all AKC’s breeding requirements. Be aware AKC has strict rules and regulations and a lot of breeders choose not to conform to these rules and choose to get registered with other registrations that have no requirements. The other registries actually got started by requiring dog owners to send in pictures of your dog and telling them you had a full blooded dog and they took your word for it and they were then registered. Registrations like APR, CKC and all the other new registrations that keep popping up are not recognized by the American Kennel Club and cannot participate in dog shows.
My breeding practices are extremely strict. I will only breed a yorkie that has no congenital faults at all. I have to know not only what the male’s health history is but what is in the many generations back. I am very protective of my line.
Yorkies are made up of many different breeds and until the 1930’s they weighed up to 30 lbs. There are breeds that had wire coats, dropping ears, long ears, long noses, and many other traits that we don’t see in the modern yorkie. I actually have seen some of these traits in some back yard or puppy mill yorkies. Finding a good breeder is very hard for people that don’t know yorkies. Every yorkie puppy is adorable. But what you should try and do is get a yorkie that is closest to the standard.
Never buy a yorkie from a pet store; they all come from puppy mills. Other things to know to be weary of breeders that say they will meet you so you don’t have to drive so far or you may get lost. That is usually a good sign they don’t want you to see their place. Ask a lot of questions about how they raise their dogs. Are they kenneled, do they sleep in doors? Ask the question that will give your insight into the way your new family member has been raised from birth. We know how we want infants treated well we want puppies held and loved also.
Yorkshire Terriers are very nice, fastidious little dogs. Generally, they are independent yet very affectionate and loyal to those that love and care for them. The Yorkshire Terrier doesn’t require a lot of special exercise but they do like to play and go for walks. The breed does require special grooming if you want to have a well-manicured dog. Most people cut their yorkie in a puppy cut. It is a lot easier to manage.
Yorkshire terriers make wonderful companion pets, especially if you want a lap dog. While they are okay with kids they can be quite sedentary and may not be interested in extended play times.
My doors are always open for inspection. I will always take back any yorkie if you find you can no longer keep them. I will board any yorkies that I sell if you ever need it at a very competitive fee. I will answer any questions you have about taking care of your yorkie. I love the breed and will help you in any way to better our little bundles of joy.
