YORKSHIRE TERRIER BREEDER INTERVIEW
How many years in Yorkies? Showing? Breeding? I have been in Yorkies for 30+ years. But it doesn’t seem that long! And I started showing several years af- ter I got my first Yorkie, a little bitch names Heidi. Sugarfoots High Ex- pectations. She was not great quality but I did a line breeding with her and she produced our very first champion from our very first litter, Tori, Sug- arfoots Miranda Warning. Tori went on to become Sugarfoots first Cham- pion. So I’ve been showing, breeding and loving this great little breed for 30+ years! What in your opinion is the secret to a successful breeding program? Never become kennel blind. Line breeding has been successful for me. I like the prospective sire and dam to have similar qualities and what one is lacking the other needs to be strong in. When you have a litter on the ground in a perfect world, the puppies should be equal to or better than the parents. I will take the best of the best in this
litter and show, finish and breed it to the best I have or can find to breed to outside of my house. I must be very critical of the quality of the puppies. Since there are no perfect dogs, if there is a particular bitch that I really like, but am not going to try to finish her, I will keep her to possibly breed in the future. But I want the male I choose to be very strong in the quali- ties that shemight lack. So to sumit all up, don’t get too comfortable because Mother Nature tends to remind is just who is really in charge. Evaluate your puppies, and get a trusted knowledge- able friend to evaluate them as well. Don’t let the cute, adorable factor sway your decision. Stick with your guns and pick the best of the best. In the future you won’t regret it. Being #9 out of 192 AKC breeds is a pretty large accomplishment for a Toy dog. To what do you attribute this popularity? Being a Yorkie breeder and livingwith these little guys I can see many rea- sons! Yorkies are small and portable! They are loving little companions. They love to please their person. They want to be where you are. They fit in well in apartments homes as well as large dwellings. Exercise is easy. The Yorkie’s coat is silk (or should be!) and very much like our own hair. Yorkies can be owned almost always with those people that have allergies. Yorkies can be trimmed into adorable haircuts as well. It’s hard to only have one! >
VICKI EDWARDS Where do you live and how far do you travel to shows? What do you do out- side of dogs? I live near Atlanta, Georgia. Primar- ily I show in the southeast but often travel to shows as far as New York, Texas, Missouri, Kansas etc. Outside of dogs I enjoy reading, craft projects, and growing orchids.
“I WILL TAKE THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THIS LITTER AND SHOW, FINISH AND BREED IT TO THE BEST I HAVE OR CAN FIND TO BREED TO OUT- SIDE OF MY HOUSE.” 56 • T op N otch T oys , J anuary 2020
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