Sunday, December 31, 2006

How do you feel about "DESIGNER" DOGS

I have been giving this subject allot of thought. How do you feel about designer dogs? Please write me your comments. (coming soon.........my opinion..........)

Saturday, December 30, 2006

New Pictures-Available pups


Are they adorable or what!!!?? Both girls have such wonderful personalities. They both are typical yorkies...fiesty, full of energy and loving attention. Tia is on the left and Rosie is on the right. Rosie is truly show potential. I wish I could keep them all. Call for more info or email me. thanks so much.

Thursday, December 28, 2006

JAZZY STAR UPDATE


Well I just could not stand it. My little tiny Jazzy presented with such a "HUGE" belly with what seemed to pop out overnight......I thought something just had to be wrong. She has 20 more days to go and she looks like she will just bust. I assessed everything myself first.......I checked her temperature.......normal. I looked for purulent discharge......none.....I kept feeling to see if I could feel the puppies move or kick......nothing or maybe???, is she eating ok.........yes, is she pooping and peeing ok...........yep, is she showing any signs of pain........nope. Hmmmmmmm. My little pregnant baby has the belly the size of a mellon. She wants to lay on your lap on her back having you rub that HUGE booda over and over. She makes squeeking sounds with pleasure....."oh that feels sooooo good." I still am worried.........I called my doctor. Doc she looks fine but she is sooooo HUGE!!! I want her checked...........so off to the Vet's we went.

Jazzy loves to ride so going to see the doctor was a big treat for her. Only 10 minutes away from where I live, we arrived. She looked at me to say.......we are here already!!! Not fair!!!

We went in and Doc checked her all over from top to bottom. "Yep......she is pregnant alright!" "Well ya!........I already knew that! Tell me more........is she ok. Look at that Booda!!" He asked me if I was sure about the breeding date. I told him yes, November 14th. There was only one tie. Doc says, "well lets fire up the xray and see what we can see........no sense doing an ultrasound, we will only hear heartbeats with that."

A few minutes later he came in and hung the photo. I really couldn't see much, not like the other xrays I have had done after the 53 day mark.

He said, "Well I really thought you were going to be wrong on the date of breeding. She looks almost like she could deliver, but where she still has 20 days to go, you can see the bone structures are there but not calcified or we could see them by now. See right here, and here, and here....I think these are puppies........and we can't see what might be on the other side or in back of these. It looks like at least 3 to me.........but we will be able to tell more once the bone matures. You would be surprised how just in 20 more days how the bone will thicken and we will then be able to see what is going on. I was hoping we would see more...but we can't. I want you to bring her back on the friday before she is due so we can see what we are going to be up against for the weekend.........just in case!" "Holly she is fine...but we might be looking at a large litter for this little girl!"
Darn...nothing confirmed...for sure! But it looks like she will have at least 3 pups....my poor little Jazzy....leave it to her to have a huge litter for her first. Am I still worried???.......yes a little, but I feel better just knowing that her HUGE BOODA is babies and not an unsuspected infection or something. I just pray all her tiny babies are healthy and she has a smooth delivery.

Knowing a little or too much is sometimes dangerous. Being a registered nurse I think of all the things that might go wrong. On top of that, I heard of a little dog that was bred. The owner wanted to "save money" and did not come in after the 53 day mark to have an x-ray as the doctor recommended. The dog came due for delivery......no delivery...Several days after the suspected due date, the little dog became sick and then the owner decided to take her little dog to the vets. They did an xray. What it showed was one live puppy...overgrown to the point that the dog could never have it naturally and one mummified pup rotting in the little dogs womb. They had to perform an emergency C-section, however, the little mom dog died after a few hours post surgery. Her little body had been poisoned from the rotting fetus. A day or so later the one live pup also died. Now this owner lost both her little female dog and her new puppy. Was it worth saving those few dollars? Is $55.00 well spent for an x-ray to KNOW what you and your little female is up against???? Darn right it is...............I will never deny my puppies big or small vet care. I don't care what it costs. It is my responsibility to make sure they are safe and they have what they need. I have said before and will say it again........I breed Yorkies and it's not about the money. It's the love for the breed, and the love for all of my Yorkie family that keeps me going. These dogs are my babies, my family and a huge part of my life. There are many breeders out there that cannot "honestly" make that statement. Damn you puppy mills! and shame on you.......backyard wanna make a dollar breeders.

I will keep you updated on Jazzy's progress. She is due Jan. 16th and we expect a big litter of tinies. Holly

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

BROKEN HEARTS-YORKIES LOST

I have been asked to write to make people aware of the potential dangers out there for you and your little dog. It doesn't have to be a yorkie. It could be a poodle, a pug or any other small dog. For years we have heard about the black market for little dogs but who would have thought that it is right in our backyards. Many a dog owner has had their heart broken as their little one has been taken right out of their yard, out of their car and even right out of their own home.

All of the crime and horror going on today has pushed us into being a non-trusting individuals. We lock our houses, we install security systems, we lock our cars, we buy guard dogs. Does any of this help???
We have heard about people leaving their people baby or small child in the car, and the car being stolen with the child inside. More recently we heard about a newborn being taken from a new mom's home. The mom was slashed and left for dead in her own house. What is happening in our world that our safe haven, (our home) is no longer safe? The hazards out there are eminent. Think about the following and consider it all. It could happen to you!!

1. Believe me when I tell you that there is a black market. Little dogs are being stolen every day and sold for drug money or any money that they can get. I have heard of little dogs being stolen out of cars too. Lock your car doors if you have to leave your dog in it. NEVER put your dog outside without supervision, on or off the leash. It only takes a second. Lock your door at your home. My dear friend and web editor lost her yorkie right out of her yard. It only took a second to disappear and the future only brings wondering what ever happened, if he is ok or worse yet, dead.
2. Wild animals attack small dogs for food. Fox, coyote's, coy dogs, fisher cats, bobcats, mountain lions to name a few. Large hawks and eagles are preditors of your little puppies or small dogs. Again, NEVER put your dog outside alone on or off a leash. Even if you have a fenced in yard...these animals can dig their way in and be waiting and hiding for quick lunch. I have heard stories about people hiking out to the eagles next near the old FayScot machine tool place. What they found was a barage of little collars and leashes at the base of the pole.
A woman in Biddeford lost her small dog right off her front porch. She had him leashed out and the dog disappeared. They followed the trail and found the poor dog dead. A fisher cat had hauled him off and buried him just a few hundred yards away from her house. He was coming back to have lunch later.
3. Internet sales or scams. Be sure to check references if you are buying a puppy from another state or off the internet. There are tons of scammers out there. (article posted on my website) You can end up sending your hard earned money to someone who will never send you your pup. Beware!!! The other thing is to really check and I mean really check on what you are buying. Ask for new pictures. Ask to speak to their veterinarian. Ask for references of people who purchased their dog from another State. People tell you things that are not true. Yes I bought some of my dogs on the internet. I can tell you honestly, that 2 out of 4 gave us false information either regarding confirmation or size. Oh don't get me wrong....I would not give my babies up for anything now, but it is disheartening.
4. Falls. Little dogs will fall or jump from high places. We had a family that bought one of our past babies who lost a yorkie when it fell off a bench and hit it's head. Never leave your baby unattended on the couch or anywhere that is higher than they are. This same family lost another one when it ran into the road and was hit. Always put a leash on your pup when taking it outside. Especially when they are just learning commands. They can get distracted easily and bolt for the street. My mom and dad just told me that on the Corinna road a little yorkie ran from a driveway and was in the road, confused and scared. Thank God the man in front of them leaped from his car and grabbed the little guy before he was hit. The car's behind my parents didn't even wait, they just tried to pass both cars and did not even know what was going on.
5. Unknown....puppies chew. They can get sick for reasons we don't know. They can die from respiratory failure due to aspirating vomit, they can just get sick for no reason. Be aware of their behavior...keep a thermometer on hand. A regular rectal one works well. Normal temp is between 100 -103. If above that...call your vet. Diarrhea lasting more than a day. Call your vet. Not eating....call your vet. These little guys are so vulnerable and are at your mercy.
Knowing is half the battle. HOlly

OUR PHILOSOPHY-PRICING PUPS


Hi everyone. Here are a couple of pics taken Christmas day of our last 2 available pups. The one I call Tia has her ears up and she is a little spitfire. Delia's babes ears are almost up at this point. They are both adorable.
A few comments have come our way recently like, "Boy, they charge allot for their yorkies... I'm not going to spend that much... I guess I will stick to a poodle instead....etc etc."
First I want to say that you pay for what you get. Yes, there are some breeders who sell their pups for less...and advertise their dogs for $650 for males and $850 for females in Maine, but their pups usually are raised in a cage with tons of other dogs being bred repeatedly to make a buck. We are not a puppy mill. We hand raise our babies in our home. ANYONE who thinks they can make money at this does NOT have a clue. If you knew what we have invested I know your mouth would drop open...........We guarantee our pups for a year against congenital or hereditary defects. My pups are veterinarian checked and one of my greatest references is my vet. He has sent many referrals to me just by chance. Our adults are also seen repeatedly and often for checks during their pregnancies and after.
The other thing I want to mention is that we are here for you for questions, help, assistance, training...or what ever your needs are regarding your yorkie. Do you think these puppy mill breeders or pet stores will help you......yea they will, they will help you right out the door and rape your pocket book on the way out. I have heard hundreds of horror stories about how sick these little dogs are when they reach the pet stores or come from the puppy mills.
Our mission is to raise yorkies within the standard. This is another area that concerns me. Yorkies are to weigh 3-7 pounds. There are breeders in Maine producing 8-12 pounders......huh...why is that? Because the confirmation of their yorkies are NOT within the standard. Yep, they are selling their dogs for $800-1300. I have seen them advertised many times. Uncle Henrys is a great resource to keep me in the know. I have even had people that own these 12 lb dogs call me and ask me to sell them a female. NO way. My little girls weigh between 3.5 and 6.5 lbs. This would be a C section waiting to happen as well as again, breeding outside the standard. Any one owning an AKC registered dog can read about the standard on their website. They also comment that a responsible breeder will breed within the standard and to better the breed.
Designer dogs.........the craze. I will write more about this but for today, all I can say is that anyone defacing the breeds such as they are, creating these "designer dogs" has little or NO respect for the breed. These dogs are "mutts" and anyone buying these dogs are absolutely crazy! Designer dogs are being sold locally for $400-1000 or more!!!!. AKC does NOT promote cross breeding, nor do they support these actions. I have seen false advertising saying that AKC recommends certain crosses. ALL LIES!!! These breeders truly are in breeding to make a buck. It makes me sick...........
Now that I have all of that off my chest........lets talk about how we price.
My philosophy: "You can never go up once you have told someone a price...........but you can always go down for the right person..............."
Personally I don't like to price my pups before they are born. However, since we have referrals and folks who want a pup...I price this way. $1100.00 for males and $1300.00 for females. You do not get pick of the litter in this synario. Then, we rebate back $100.00 for males and $200 for females at the time when they are spayed or neutered. This helps with the costs associated and it helps prevent my pups from being used as breeders when I have sold them as pets. They are sold with restricted registrations only.
Do the math...my pups cost $1000 for males and $1100 for females. Not much more that the designers out there or any other breeder who cares about there babies. Yes some breeds like poodles are much less expensive....why...because they are readily available at a dime a dozen, just like labs and some other breeds.
I will sell my pups with open registration for certain buyers. However, open registration costs more.... usually $1500 and up. Out of the State may not cost more.
Lets talk about tinys. Tinys cost more money. I can tell you from experience it is "craze" in yorkies. Everyone wants a tiny one!!! If you think about it....6 lbs is pretty small but 2.5-4lbs is really small. Meet my Jazzy..........EVERYONE who meets Jaz wants to take her home!!!!! She weighs about 4lbs, she is petite, cute, is a cuddler and has personality plus. She also has a long beautiful coat. But tinys can come with some additional issues, such as being really prone to hypoglycemia. (see my site for more info). Tinys are heart stealers......just ask me about tiny Tia, one of the pups I have for sale. Tinys start at $1500. and are sold with restrictions for their protection. You think that is allot...go on the web....I see them from $1500 up to and about $5000.00.
Show quality. Some pups are sold as show potential. These pups have to be sold with open registration. As a breeder, we look for certain things in a yorkie that may make it show quality. However, it is really hard to tell sometimes until the dog is at least 4-6 months old. These dogs start at $1500 and up.
Whew........it's not easy being a breeder of Yorkies but to be honest I love it! Think about all that I have said...........CALL and talk with me. If you are the right family for one of my pups...maybe we can consider that ....and the price will go down. I have done that for people I KNOW will take the best care of my babies and give them a life long home. Don't be afraid to ask!!! Come by and visit me...........and the dogs. Show me you are dedicated. I will help you have one. Just talk to me.............. thanks for putting up with me on this subject. Holly

Sunday, December 24, 2006

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!


Happy Holidays everyone. Our holiday is truly blessed. We have such wonderful friends and family, dogs and puppies and wonderful people coming into our lives to be new mom's and dad's in the near future. There is nothing like a Yorkie. They are the most loving dogs. Most of the time mine are "attached to my hip". They go where I go, they pile on top of me when I am watching TV and believe me, I need to buy a larger bed! My apologies that we did not have pups in time for x-mas, however that is something you really can't plan on. The 3 families that have committed to one of our babes are ok with it, and actually said it was perfect as the holiday season can be soooooooo busy and not lots of time for a little one. The pups will be ready around the 10th of January. I will miss them....but all are going to wonderful homes. We still have 2 babes left. Of course I am in no hurry as Tiny Tia has stolen my heart...but I can't keep them all.......smile.

She is a cracker jack! Her ears are up and she has personality plus. She truly has the yorkie attitude and just loves attention. She prances around like the queen bee already. Tia is for sale at $1500.00. She is going to stay small. 5 week weight is 1 pound 3 oz. If interested, give me a call. I want her to have a very special home.

I hope Santa is kind to all of you and that you have many wonderful blessings during this holiday season. Holly

Thursday, December 21, 2006

We are EXPECTING again.



Whenever one of your Yorkies comes into heat, the delema begins...to breed or not to breed. Once you decide, then you wonder if you will have a successful breeding.

Jazzy had her 3rd heat in November and we decided to try to breed her. Being what I call a tiny, (4 lbs) she is a bit smaller than my male (4.5 lbs) and the difficulty began. Truly she was a frustrated woman but we finally had one successful tie on Nov 14th. Now the waiting game.......

It is difficult to know if you have had a successful breeding unless you have an ultrasound. They are expensive and really all you can find out is that there are heartbeats. It does not tell you how many puppies in most cases. Because of this, we wait until 53 days have passed and then do an x-ray. The x-ray will give you an indication of size but most of all tells you how many pups you have.

Counting the days of gestation, which is around 63 days, Jazzy is 37 days into her term. Last weekend we noticed her belly was a bit rounder than usual. She is showing other signs of pregnancy for example, her little tits are pink and when you rub her belly she squeeks, and she has a ravanous appetite. It also seems like when a yorkie is expecting their belly emits lots of heat. At least this is what we have found.

Yesterday I noticed her belly feels and looks like it has doubled in size. I noticed she even had a little trouble manipulating the steps outside. My little Jaz is absolutely expecting! I will keep a close eye on her. One always worrys about miscarriage, fever etc. and I have already scheduled her appointment. I did feel a pups roll last evening too. No little kicks yet but definintely something moving.

Looks like we will have a litter of tinys very soon.......now I go back to being the worrysome mom-owner. These dogs are my babies and I will be very cautious. Being a nurse I know all the things that can go wrong.....sometimes that is worse!! Thank goodness for Dr Doug and his expertise.......wiill keep you posted.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Surrogate mom

OK...I did it. Tia now has a new mom and Delia's baby has a foster sister. Tia is the tiny that was born in Libbys litter on Nov. 16th. She is such a tiny little one...about half the size of her brother and other sisters. When I started them on mush last week, she was eating it like she was starving. Lib only jumps in and out, starting the weaning already.
Delia's baby has been really whiney and crying allot because mom is not spending every waking moment in the whelping box anymore, so..hmmmm, I thought Tia would stimulate Delia's baby to play more, (she was sleeping all the time when she wasn't crying), it would give her company so she would not be as lonely, and Tia would get more to eat. So in she went. It was the cutest thing...Tia immediately started playing with her new foster sister and Delia, being so loving immediately cleaned her up and let her nurse. The rest is history. I have to smile when I look at them. A little while ago, Delia was laying in the box and there on either side of her head curled up was the two babies. Of course my camera was not available. It never is when you need it!! It is just amazing to me that Delia was this receptive. She is such a loving mom!!
Lib on the other hand really could care less. She still has the other 3 that attack her when she gets in the box...lol.
Now at least I know that Delia could make a really good foster mom if we should ever need it. Not all dogs are receptive to this. The life and times of Yorkshire Terriers.......I love it!

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

YORKIE PUPPIES


This is the fun time with our puppies. They are changing every day and are so darn cute. The pups have started peeking out of the whelping box and love to have people pick them up. They are making little barking sounds as if to say, pick me, pick me! All the other dogs love them too. Occasionally we have put them on the floor to explore. They go like mad to see what they can see........its a challenge having 12 dogs in our house. All of our pups are hand raised...NO KENNELS. We try to breed within the standard. All of our dogs weigh under 7 pounds and we have the potential to produce some tinys. Jazzy has been bred and would be due around Jan. 16th. She barely weighs 4 lbs and should have tiny puppies. We will keep you posted but all the signs are there that she is bred. Her puppies will start at $1500. She has the best coat, easy to groom and straight as an arrow. She also has the snup nose face and small ears. Grady and she should produce some beautiful babies. Call for more info....we can do payment plans. The other thing that I would like to mention is that when our pups leave, they never really leave. We are always here for YOU should you have questions or concerns. I have helped with grooming tips, nail care and even injuries. As a responsible breeder, I will always be a resource for you. Have a wonderful holiday season. Holly

Monday, December 18, 2006

TaylorMadeYorkies.com Blog


TaylorMadeYorkies.com Blog
I have to apologize for not doing anything on here. But those of who know, work, home and dogs seem to take up all the time and there is never enough hours in the day. But here I am, ready to update you. The puppies are growing sooooooooo fast. We still have Tiny Tia available...although I want to wait a bit longer to see how she grows. She is a fiesty little one...a pound and 2 oz right now. She is eating mush and playing hard and loves attention. She has the sweetest face. When we get ready, she will be $1500.00
We also have Delia's baby girl available. She looks just like a teddy bear with the short nose and the tiny ears. I have a feeling she is going to be a real looker and won't be surprised if she is show quality. I again want to wait a few more weeks to see her progression. It's still hard to tell at this point. I am thinking $1300 right now. Don't hesitate to call and talk if you have questions. We have lots invested in our dogs and all are special. I know you won't be disappointed either.
The three other puppies are sold. Toby, the little boy is going to a couple in Portland Maine. They have come to visit and they just love him. Maddie, the biggest pup and first born is going to a family in Central Maine. She will have a 9 year boy to love and play with her.
Last but not least is Emma. She is going to live with Judy, my dear friend and website manager in Dexter, Maine. Emma is a doll and of course I will get to see her occasionally. We are all excited about our potential new homes and moms and dads.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Testimonial Letter

June 15, 2006
Hi there! We just wanted to send you a short note to let you know we are just thrilled with our little Yorkie, Moxie! We are so thankful for the wonderful job you did with him. He is such a happy & loving puppy and he's giving us such joy! It was a pleasure dealing with you. How nice it was to be able to visit while waiting for him to be old enough to bring home with us. You made everything very easy and your take home doggy pack was so helpful. Thanks again for our new baby. Sincerely, Roger and Elaine-Sanford Maine.

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Do you LOVE to talk yorkies?

Yorkie lovers just love to talk about their yorkies. I would love to talk with you, chat through this site or send emails anytime. I also would appreciate your thoughts or comments regarding my web site and would love to share any helpful information you would like as well. Feel free to write me!!

NuVet Vitamins

We give all of our yorkies NuVet PlusVitamins. There are so many benefits such as significantly reducing risks or eliminating many problems such as, scratching, itching, hot spots, allergies, arthritis, premature aging, low energy levels, cataracts, digestive problems, heart disease and tumors. To order or obtain more information call 1-800-474-7044, www.nuvet.com. Please use order number 30388. Thank you.

New Puppy Updates

With each litter of pups, I will try update weekly, if not sooner.
You can go to http://www.TaylorMadeYorkies.com for lots of pictures.