Should I Breed Yorkshire Terriers? - By a Yorkie Breeder
You will hear many differing opinions about breeding Yorkshire Terriers and how it should be done. The following will be an honest review about what is involved when breeding Yorkies by a professional breeder.
1 - Is dog breeding a good business venture?
2 - Is it easy to breed Yorkies?
3 - Can anyone do it?
4 - What is the best way to start breeding Yorkshire Terriers?
1 - Is dog breeding a good business venture?
Yes, it can be, but as with any business venture you need to do good research first and carefully count the costs. The advantage when breeding Yorkies is that they are super cute, and cute sells. The disadvantage for many is that they don't realize how much time it actually involves. It is a fulltime job and it can be very difficult to manage it on your own, so you will need to consider how many dogs you can look after.
Remember too to think of it as a farmer would, what do I mean by that? A farmer is less sentimental and cares more about the needs of the animal, this is necessary if you are going to make wise decisions for your dogs' happiness and for your business venture to be successful. Many Yorkie lovers seem to think it is inhumane to breed Yorkies unless it is done in your own house, the fact is however that breeding Yorkshire Terriers in the home can be more hazardous for them than in an environment designed for their needs. This does not alter the amount of human contact required for the dogs quality of life, and this is part of a good breeder's considerations for his animals.
2 - Is it easy to breed Yorkies?
No! It is not easy to breed Yorkies. There is a lot to learn, and there is no exact science since dogs are individuals and often require individualized care. There are general rules with regard to breeding and it will help to understand the biology of dogs and their cycles etc., but there will always be surprises along the way and you will have to monitor each dog closely.
You can make it easier for yourself and for them by not being too sentimental by wanting to humanize your Yorkies, rather focus on their health first before aesthetics.
A dog really doesn't mind too much about the way things look, rather smells are more important to him. He doesn't care for name brands, but good nutrition and comfort is what counts. Your Yorkie doesn't care whether he is left in your home, but human attention is what he wants. Yorkshire Terriers do not need a manicured lawn to play on, but they do need to exercise and to investigate various surroundings for their happiness.
3 - Can anyone do it?
Small Yorkie Giving Birth
No! Do not think you are suited to breeding Yorkies just because you love the breed. When breeding you need to be prepared for failure, this can be heartbreaking and costly. You need to be prepared to do what is necessary if there is a bad deformity in a puppy that will hinder the quality of his life. Be prepared for stillborn puppies. Be ready to have to help with the birth and staying awake all night. Be prepared for illness. Be ready for vet bills.
The best you can do is to educate yourself as much as possible. Ask a breeder if you can help out. Buy a detailed book about breeding Yorkshire Terriers.
If you are willing to work hard, to be totally involved, to handle possible tragedy, to be patient and start on a small scale, to meticulously record all events and details about every dog and to forget about taking a holiday until you have people helping you that you can really trust, then you have a good chance of success.
Have a look at this video of a Yorkie giving birth to help prepare you for what you will have to do... Dolly having a breech birth..
4 - What is the best way to start breeding Yorkshire Terriers?
There are various ways to start. My suggestion would be to start with two or three fully grown, large standard females (~3kg) and a small standard male (~2kg).
Learn how to:
Groom them well, clipping nails, trimming hair and brushing
How to feed them well and affordably
To give them enough attention
Then to breed a few successful litters
When doing this exercise over a period of a year, document everything! Record every cost, including the time you spend. Next you will need to work out how you could save time and costs if you had more dogs. It is important that you learn to do every part of the job to a reasonable degree, forget about dog parlours and groomers and as far as possible about vets, the point of the exercise is to understand everything involved and to later be able to judge these services for yourself since you cannot just trust anyone to do an acceptable job on your dogs.
Conclusion:
I love breeding dogs, but it is never easy, but it is always rewarding when done well... You need to decide for yourself, no one else can tell you whether you should or not.
