There are so many breeders selling so called teacup dogs, but are they really a teacup size? Teacup dogs are dogs that are small enough to fit in a teacup, giving rise to the name. They are being bred smaller and smaller, because it is believed that is what people want. Puppies whose size has been intentionally reduced to fit into a teacup are prone to all sorts of health complications. Should we continue to reduce their sizes or just enjoy the miniature sizes that are available now.
Teacup puppies for sale
Often the term âteacup dogâ is used as a marketing ploy to drive up the price of a puppy, as some people find the extremely small size desirable. The term teacup dog covers many varieties of miniature or toy breeds of dog.
Chihuahuas and Maltese are examples of toy dog breeds. There is no such thing as a âtoy Chihuahuaâ, or âtoy Malteseâ. Chihuahuas and Maltese are already toy breeds so the term Toy Maltese is a misnomer and leads the buyer to believe they are getting something even smaller. The AKC standard for a toy breed is 6 lbs and under which, at the time of writing, would cover so-called teacup breeds. To say a dog is a teacup Chihuahua possibly suggests that its growth was stunted at birth and therefore have defects that may not be obvious when purchased.
Making the most of normal small breed dogs will give you more satisfaction than a dog that is not correctly bred.
Introduction of size breeding
Some dog breeds such as the Shi Tzu (Tibetan Temple Dog, Tibetan Lion Dog) have always been small while other breeds have been reduced from their standard size to miniature and toy.
Before and during the early part of the 19th century all dogs were working dogs to a certain degree. Breeding of dogs specifically for appearance was introduced in the mid 19th Century. Take for example the classic Poodle.
Poodles were used as a water fowling dog for many years until their size was reduced to allow them to become a housedog and reduced further to become a lap dog. Many people like the smaller breeds because they have a more genteel appearance. Breeds that are naturally small are fun but also very protective despite their size.
For many small breed owners, dressing their âbabiesâ in cute clothes has become the latest trend. There is nothing wrong with that as long as the puppy is comfortable. Wearing a coat indoors may not be necessary and may make the puppy unnecessarily hot but the use of a jacket when outside may be beneficial in keeping a chill at bay, especially when they have been short groomed.
Maltese, Pomeranians, Yorkies, Miniature Pinscher, and Papillionâs are just some of the dogs that are ideal to wear clothes. There are all sorts of small dog clothing available and includes dog robes, dog raincoats, dog dresses and dog coats. There are even booties available to protect their tiny feet.
A large selection of clothes is available for smaller dogs. If you have a small, toy or even teacup dog, take the opportunity to see what is in fashion for small pooches.
Ian Patterson
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/teacup-breeds-are-they-real-732604.html
is a teacup chihuahua a real breed?
i have heard that those teacup dogs are runts from a litter. is that true? my friend says they’re a real breed, and i think so too, but does anyone know the correct answer?
The teacup is just a name for an under standard size dog of ANY breed.
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NO!
Chihuahuas come in ONE size only.. they are already small at 6 pds or less.
There are no "teacups" "minis" "toys" "micromini" or any other sizes of Chihuahua.. those are just scam labels used by irresponsible breeders to sell sickly runts for a high price tag..
Here’s what the breed club has to say about "teacups" http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/NEW%20TRANSFER/Teacup1.html
this is the official club who determines what a chihuahua is suppossed to be… they are the officials for the breed.
ADDED
there’s no such thing as a "small version".. there is no minimum size for the breed.. smaller sizes are generally unhealthy tho, and breeders do not like to use smaller dogs to breed because of difficulties with whelping.
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yeah its an extra small dog
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Teacup chihuahuas are not recognized by the AKC. All this means is that they are runts of the litter, usually bred by parents that were runts of the litter. Any good vet will tell you that the smaller dogs of any small breed run more risks of health problems. Their organs are smaller, their bones are smaller, thinner, and more brittle. Common sense. This leads to problems. My chihuahua weighs 2.5 lbs. This is average for a chihuahua, and anything under 2 lbs. is just asking for trouble, which means large vet bills, and usually, heartache.
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Teacup is one of the many selling gimmicks for poorly bred dogs. There is no such thing as a Teacup dog, Royal Standard Poodle or Warlock Dobe. Chihuahuas are supposed to be up to 6lbs and the show ones are 1.5 to 3lbs so they are tiny. A well bred pet is usually that size or slightly bigger, the over 6lbs ones that PM, BYB and PetStores sell are poorly bred oversized ones.I have seen 20lb "Chihuahuas" that ignorant people bought thinking it would be a wee doggy. Many teeny tiny under 4lbs are in rescue, my g/f adopted a 1 1/2 pound one many yrs ago and there are many one the web. Generally speaking, any dog under 6lbs needs special care, their teeth are often a chronic problem, liver shunts and brain shunts are common and they do need to be more carefully monitiored since they can be overdosed by meds, eaten by hawks and owls and break bones when handled by kids or by leaping off furniture. They can also squeeze thru a hole in the fence like a mouse.
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"teacup" is a made-up name given to undersized dogs by disrespectful BYB’s See the link below from the offical Chihuahua Club of America’s site. #
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http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/NEW%20TRANSFER/Teacup1.html
The word teacup is just a reference to the puppies estimated adult size, one that will be small. Its not a technical term for a breed. Kind of like slang. So yes there are teacup chihuahuas out there, but they are not a breed on their own, just a small version of a chihuahua.
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Hi,
There’s no such thing as teacup chihuahua. Chihuahua has only one size. Here’s more info:
http://dogtime.com/chihuahua.html
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Chihuahuas are a real breed. However, the term ‘teacup’ isn’t recognized by any reputable registry. BYBs and puppymills use the term to describe runty, ill-bred undersized dogs of any breed. So if you see a place/person selling ‘teacup’ puppies, you can be sure the pups are from irresponsible breeders.
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