So....You Want to Breed Your Yorkie?

"Gee...your yorkie is so cute, I want one."
You hear this time after time, you start to think...well if I just have one litter I can keep one of the babies so mine can have a friend, I can sell the rest and make money.

So you want to breed.

Consider this...
They didn't earn the reputation of "The Heart break Breed" easily.

Expect this:

1) You must make sure your bitch is healthy.
Teeth and gums are clean, ears are clear, eyes are clear, she's current with her vaccinations, she's worm free, stout enough to hold the puppies, strong enough to carry the puppies, large enough to deliver the puppies, hair is cut very short for the safety of the puppies and a licensed vet say all is a go.

2)Now find a stud.
Is he healthy? Does he carry defective genes? Has he been checked for sexually transmitted disease? Are his lines too large to breed with your loving baby?

3)Stud Fees.
You pay the $300-$1,500 stud fee up front figuring you will make that and more back when the pups sell. The breeder guarantees the stud service to work or you can come back again. After 63 days you discover it didn't work and now must wait another 4 months to try again.

4)She's in Heat.
You get her bred again, bring her home waiting anxiously for the delivery day, she needs to make business so you let her out in the back yard, it's fenced so your ok. She is still in heat and still receptive to males. You hear a commotion outside and there is your girl tied up with the neighborhood mutt. Now you will need to do a DNA test on all the pups.

5)Genetic Testing
Knowing she tied with the neighborhood mutt you decide to terminate the pregnancy and try again next time, being more careful. But a few weeks later your female is very sick ... now she has Pyometria and needs a complete emergency hysterectomy. All plans of getting a litter are gone, your out your stud fee and your female's life is now in danger.

6) OK, so lets say number 4 and 5 don't happen...on with the birth.

Your waiting patiently but she never goes into labor, its been too long, the puppies died inside and she becomes toxic by the decaying bodies.

or

The first puppy is large and breach. When it starts coming, your female starts screaming, and before you can stop her she reaches around, grabs the puppy in her teeth and yanks it out killing it instantly.

or

Puppies are coming breach and they drown in their own sacks before they can be born.

or

The puppies are too large for the females hips, a puppy gets stuck. Neither your female nor you can get it out and of course it is 3:00 am. Now you have to race her to the vet. Gee...the vet! Is he open where do I take her? Who do I call? Quick get the phonebook, make some calls (remember the puppy is stuck and she is screaming). You found an emergency vet! You grab her and start to drive, hoping and praying she will stay alive until you get there. The vet can't get it out either. She has to have an emergency caesarian section. Well, best case scenario, we saved mom but the puppies are dead. "She will need follow up care and your bill tonight is $1000 plus".

or

A dead puppy gets stuck in the birth canal, but your female is well into hard labor. She contracts so hard trying to give birth that her uterus ruptures and she bleeds to death on the way to the vet.

OK, so lets say she gives birth with your help...

1) The mother has no idea what to do with a puppy and she drops them out and walks away, leaving them in the sack to drown. Now it's your turn...pull the sack from the face, don't let it gasp any fluid into its lungs. Now finish clearing the sac, clip the umbilical cord...not too long-not too short, don't let it tear but do it quick because the baby isn't breathing yet. Ok now lets get the baby to breath, wrap it in a cloth holding it firm and swoop it between your legs to clear the fluid. Still not breathing you say...well if your going to save its life, its time for rescue breathing. Still covered in birthing fluid and blood you need to clear its mouth and nose...give a very small breath of air (too much and you'll burst its lungs). Start praying because it's hard to jump start these little ones. Well, maybe you can save the next one.

2)Some new mothers takes one look at the puppies, decides they are disgusting invading creatures and smothers them in anything she can find to bury them in.

3) The mother gets too enthusiastic in her removal of the placenta and umbilical cord, and rips the cord out leaving a gushing hole pulsing blood all over you as you try in vain to stop the bleeding.

OK, so now you have puppies...and you think your in the clear...you start counting your money.

Consider this...

One or more of the surviving puppies inhaled fluid during birth, pneumonia develops and death occurs within 36 hours.

Your female develops a uterine infection from a retained placenta (oh, did I forget to mention the placenta during delivery?). Her temperature soars to 105. Here you go to the vet again, he determines she must be spayed. He does the spay in an attempt to save her life. However. the infection has gone into her blood stream. The infected milk starts to kill the puppies and the bitch succumbs a day later. Now you lose three of your four puppies before you discover what is wrong. You end up bottle-feeding the remaining pup every two hours, day and night. After three days the puppy fades from infection and dies. Maybe the puppy develops "fading puppy syndrome" you start tube feeding the last remaining baby. It begins to choke and despite your efforts to clear the airway, the pup stiffens and dies in your hands.

Now understand, I spared your feelings and weak stomachs, I didn't even get graphic. I only covered a fraction of what it's like.

You know what to expect if everything would go right,
But have you given consideration as to what will go wrong?

SO YOU WANT TO RAISE A LITTER OF PUPS...Was it worth it?

Recognized AKC standard Yorkshire Terriers.

One of our Gold on Gold Male Yorkshire Terriers

Holly, a female Baby Doll Face Yorkshire Terrier

Gigi with her offspring
after a rough day of fun and games.

Baby Doll Face Yorkie mom and pup.

Rylin, a female Yorkie in the Stack Pose.

Some of our puppies, Baby Doll Face Yorkshire Terriers.