Hobbs Shire Yorkies

Karen H.

Breeder of Yorkshire Terriers

  • Alburnett, IA

Meet the breeder

I'm Karen H., the breeder behind Hobbs Shire Yorkies located in Alburnett, IA. I strive to produce quality-bred family puppies that are structurally sound, healthy, intuitive, and have wonderful temperaments. My commitment is to provide you with a professional and friendly puppy-buying experience; and that includes always having responsible practices when it comes to breeding, training, and rehoming my puppies.

Q. & A. with Karen

  • Why did you start breeding?

    I wanted to do my part to better the breed. My breeding program strives to maintain the unique characteristics of the Yorkie while placing an emphasis on producing puppies of superior health, standard, and beauty.

  • What makes your program special?

    It is important to me that I utilize health testing and the breed standard in my program to ensure that I am producing quality puppies. I am very conscious about who I rehome my puppies to and always ensure that each one goes to the best home possible complementary to its personality and ability. I love what I do and truly want the very best for my puppies and their forever families.

  • Where do your breeding dogs live?

    They live in my home and a kennel on my property.

Matched dogs

These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.

Getting a puppy from Karen

Karen has been certified by Good Dog’s screening team for responsible and trusted breeding practices. When you’re ready to reach out, feel free to ask any questions about the breed, their program, or specific puppies.

Together, you’ll choose the puppy that’s right for you, stay in touch with regular updates, and plan how to bring your new puppy home.

Price

Puppy prices include a $500 non-refundable deposit and between $2,500 - $3,000 final payment, before taxes & fees.
Pay over time with Klarna.

“$500.00 reserve deposit.”

Contract & health guarantee

Karen may provide a written contract or health guarantee when you purchase a puppy. This helps protect both you and your breeder, ensuring that you both have a clear understanding of the terms of your puppy purchase. If Karen offers a contract or guarantee, the details will be personalized by them. If you have any questions or want to know more, don’t hesitate to reach out to Karen directly.

Always communicate and pay on Good Dog.Learn more

What’s included

    • From Good Dog
      • Lifetime support from Good Dog’s Care Team
      • 10% lifetime discount on Figo pet insurance
      • Puppy Training Program & private community
    • Enrichment & socialization
      • Various sounds
      • Car rides
      • Surface & tactile stimulation
      • Socialized in new places
      • Scent introduction
      • Daily handling
      • Socialized with other dogs
      • Introduced to people of different ages and appearances
    • Puppy health practices
      • Vet check
      • First round of shots and deworming
      • Vet records
      • Microchip
    • Extras
      • Toys
      • Blanket with mom & littermates’ scent
      • Initial potty training
      • Food & treats

Location & pick-up

You can drive or fly to pick up your puppy from Karen.

Breeder’s location

Meet in Alburnett, IA

Other pick-up locations

Meet at Eastern Iowa Airport

Meet in Minneapolis, MN

More about Karen

  • Club memberships

    Karen is a member of Waterloo kennel club .

  • Certifications & recognitions

    Royal Canin Crown Breeder.

  • Karen has been a member of Good Dog for almost 5 years

    Karen was screened for responsible practices and has been a member since 2021.

  • Karen’s links

Karen is a trusted Good Dog breeder

Hobbs Shire Yorkies meets or exceeds our community standards in these areas:

  • Responsible breeding practices
  • Health of breeding dogs and puppies
  • Puppy environment and enrichment
  • Buyer education and policies

Litter and program updates

Parent dogs

Parent health testing

Breeder-Reported Testing

Good level

Hobbs Shire Yorkies reports to performing the health tests below on their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder about the tests performed on the parents of your litter. Learn more about health testing for Yorkshire Terriers.

  • PRA, Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRA-prcd), Primary Lens Luxation (PLL), Degenerative Myelopathy (DM; SOD1A)

    Genetic testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide variety of hereditary diseases of differing prevalence and severity such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye disease) and Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disease).

Verified owner stories

Hear what other owners say about working with Karen to bring home their puppies.

  • DEEANN L.

    Verified owner · May 2025

    OMG! It’s going great. We’re bonding really well. He’s a well behaved, fun loving puppy. We tried outside potty training but that didn’t work. I switched to pee pads and he picked it up quickly. Of course we have some mistakes but that’s to be expected. We have our nightly potty schedule. He wakes me up and I let him out of his pen to potty then we go back to bed. That happens a few times a night. I’m so happy with him and he’s happy with me. He’s very affectionate.

    Emily M.

    Verified owner · Jan. 2025

    Karen was so knowledgeable about the breed. You could tell right away she truly cares deeply for her dogs and the breed itself. Good Dog made the process so easy from the connection with Karen to arranging pick up and paying securely. I’m so happy I found Karen. We would have never meet the love 💗 of our life Miss Lucy Lou. She is the BEST dog we could have asked for. Lucy is a healthy, intelligent and smart dog. Karen also took time to go over everything we needed to know about taking care of here from food to grooming. We are truly blessed to have found Karen a wonderful person and an even better dog breeder. I would definitely recommend her to anyone. We love ❤️ Miss Lucy Lou

    Wade T.

    Verified owner · Oct. 2024

    Meeting Karen was such a pleasure! She was very caring and thorough on all the information I needed, I’m happy to have met her!!

  • Pamela C.

    Verified owner · Feb. 2025

    Karen was awesome. Suki was born 11/22/24. She was totally pee pad trained when I picked her up Valentines Day. She has adjusted well to our 12 year old male yorkie and he's being like a big brother. Her disposit I can tell Suki's been socialized and she has the sweetest disposition. Karen sent us home with food, a new dog bed, and documentation regarding her health and her microchip into. I would recommend Karen and Good Dog to anyone!

    Gabriela C.

    Verified owner · Dec. 2024

    Karen is an amazing breeder. Our puppy is our obsession and Karen made bringing him from Iowa to NYC a breeze. Karen was prompt with answering all our questions and when we brought him home we were wonderfully surprised at home well trained he was for only being 3 months. I could not recommend working with Karen more!

    EA

    Etta A.

    Verified owner · July 2024

    Karen Hobbs is the best breeder I have ever had the pleasure of working with in this business. I had difficulty finding an available Yorkshire Terrier puppy where I live in Hawai’i due to unavailable litters and waiting lists, etc. Thus, I looked on Gooddog.com, to find one on the U.S. mainland. It was here that I encountered Karen Hobbs. I am extremely grateful to Good Dog for connecting breeders and owners around the world. But there was an arduous process with regard to importing a pup into Hawai’i since it is a “Rabies Free Zone.” Karen was the only one who agreed to work with me and do so with patience, grace, and generosity. She spent long hours ensuring my yorkie met all the qualifications for entry. This entailed two rabies vaccinations (30 days apart), paperwork, vet visits, the official rabies FAVN antibody test (23 days post 2 rabies vaccinations which yielded a passing result), a final health check, and a flea and tick treatment. While I kept up on the requirements for entry, Karen ensured my pup was receiving all of the necessary shots and tests. She worked closely with Anamosa Veterinary Clinic, a wonderful establishment that ensured the costs of this preparation were quite generous. Karen set the stage for true teamwork to occur between myself, her, and Anamosa Veterinary Clinic! Meanwhile, when my yorkie and I finally arrived in Hawai’i, the folks at Animal Inspection were impressed by Karen’s beautifully organized folder with all of my yorkie’s records (i.e. vaccinations, FAVN results, etc.), all essential for entry into Hawai’i. Since my yorkie could not enter until all Hawai’i requirements were satisfied, I had to wait to meet my yorkie pup until 5.5 months. Karen graciously boarded her, updated me with facetime and pictures, and loved my beautiful yorkie until I could retrieve her in Iowa. Her puppies are the real deal, PUREBRED, healthy and beautiful. Further, as evidenced by the passing FAVN, her pups have impeccable immunity, especially since my yorkie passed with more than double the antibody result. Since this was such a long process, I was granted the opportunity to know Karen in a profound way. I learned all the ways in which she cares for her animals (those that she breeds, those that she professionally enters into competition, as well as those she cares for as pets). I learned how she genuinely pours her heart into this beautiful breed, ensuring a well-bred, well-tempered, healthy Yorkshire Terrier line. Do not hesitate to buy from her. You’ll be more than satisfied with your Yorkie. The naysayers said that “since I waited 5.5. months, my yorkie wouldn’t bond with me.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. My little yorkie immediately began loving me the moment she ran into my arms. Now she’s my little shadow. She is so beautiful, so loving and so calm. You will also be more than satisfied with Karen as your breeder, which is very important when you make such an investment. She spent so much time sharing her knowledge of this breed, sharing links to puppy products, as well as answering all my questions with patience and grace. Whereas many breeders may take the money and run, Karen is still answering my questions even after I paid for and picked up my beautiful girl. She even brought the parents to the airport with my puppy so I could personally meet them. I was so impressed by them since both parents were from championship bloodlines. Even more impressive, I learned that my yorkie’s father is an AKC Grand Champion. Karen even groomed the mother for me (right outside the airport entrance) so that I would know how to do it on my own! Karen embodies all of the qualities of an excellent breeder, who not only cares for her animals, but for the people who buy them. Karen went the distance for me and I am truly humbled by her actions. And I know she has gone the distance for countless others to ensure her Yorkshire Terriers would go to loving homes. Warmest Aloha Always to Karen Hobbs! Etta Ann

Photos

Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.

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