Teacup is usually a word used to describe a puppy that will be 2-4 lbs full grown.
The use of the word "teacup" or any other wording to describe the word small is not a new breed or classification. It's a descriptive wording used to describe a size, quality, characteristic. People get so fixated on the wording saying there is no such breed called a "teacup" I don't understand why it is someone word teacup that they try to say is saying it's a new breed. It's a way to describe something really small. I also don't understand why using a descriptive word make a breeder less ethical by using it. If you are interested in purchasing a tiny Yorkie, sometimes called a Teacup, Micro Mini,Teeny, or any other name that means “extra small”, there are several things you should consider. The YTCA’s Code of Ethics precludes the use of the words “teacup”, “tiny specialists”, doll faced, or similar terminology by its members, and for good reason. All breeders may occasionally have an unusually small Yorkie (hopefully healthy), though no responsible breeder breeds for this trait. Many breeders prefer a general weight range of 4-7 pounds believing that size retains desired Toy qualities while maintaining optimum health. The Yorkie Standard states weight "must not exceed seven pounds" and as a prospective pet owner you should realize that even at 7 pounds, the Yorkie is still a small dog. (Females weighing less than 5 pounds are considered by most breeders to be unsuitable for breeding.) Special circumstances often come with extra tiny dogs. They are extremely susceptible to both hereditary and non-hereditary health problems, including birth defects that may go undetected for a long time. Other common problems may include, but are not limited to, diarrhea, vomiting, along with extra and expensive tests prior to routine teeth cleanings and surgeries. Small ones are more likely to have poor reactions to anesthesia and die from it. Tiny dogs are more easily injured by falls, being stepped on and being attacked by other dogs. These health problems nearly always result in large veterinary bills. Please take this into consideration and make purchasing a healthy pet your top priority, not size. The “novelty” is certainly not worth the pain, heartbreak, or extra expense. Remember, all Yorkies are comparatively small. The most important thing is finding a healthy puppy that will grow into a healthy adult, especially since you looking at an 11 to 15 year commitment with your Yorkie. Some breeders use the term to think you are getting a smaller than the standard puppy so it's always important o find out the parents sizes before purchasing a puppy and exactly what your puppy weighs and what the puppy is charting full grown.
I personally think any wording used to describe something smaller than the average norm, or breed standard should be acceptable. Words such as teacup, tiny, teeny, mini and micro are words given by breeders to describe the size of a tiny puppy there is no universal standard. In my personal opinion each breeder has the right to express their own definition of the size of a puppy. It is not a new breed or different from the breed standard itself. It only describes size! Every breeder I believe has the right to use descriptive words to describe the size of their puppies.
Every time we breed a female, we take their lives into our hands. Just like humans, there are risks. To think a larger or smaller mom will not have complications will mean you are going into it blind. I have seen more smaller females have less issues than the bigger girls. I have never lost a female to whelping, and hope I never do. But I also don't let my female stay in labor too long. I know the minute every puppy is born. I know some people that sleep through and wonder why they keep losing puppies. I am lucky I have a great vet on call 24/7, and yes I have used it. Most people that breed the smaller females tend to take more precautions because of the size. Society demands smaller, not bigger, and it always will. Why do you think we fall deep in love with a tiny puppy. It is so adorable, from their tiny little paw, tiny nose and eyes, and from that first tiny little kiss.
Are Teacups Healthy? Well, the words has brought much controversy between dog breeders today. Many people have the mistaken idea that teacups are not healthy. While it is true that some teacups can have health problems, if a teacup is bred from a healthy line, and bred from a line that is specifically bred to be small, then they can be just as healthy as any other size dog. Sometimes a puppy will be born extra small out of a litter of regular or miniature size that have all regular or large dogs behind them, and the breeder will call this a teacup. But the real reason that the pup is tiny, is because they have something wrong with them that keeps them from growing to normal size. This pup might be sickly, or will have numerous health problems, or might even seem to be healthy, but only lives for a short time or a few years. This is not a true teacup! This is just an unhealthy pup! This is where many people mistakenly get the idea from, that teacups are not healthy.
That is why it is so important to purchase a teacup from an experienced breeder that has the knowledge to know the difference.
Priceless Yorkie Puppy has worked with the teacup sized dogs and puppies and are experienced with breeding these tiny little precious puppies so just because other may think they are unhealthy we know the difference. So, please understand the difference between a true teacup and a runt of the litter as there are differences on how they were bred.
Most of what you read on the Internet implies that the smaller than average Yorkies are all small because they are just the runts of the litter and have underlying health issues. There is some truth to that statement in that if a Yorkie puppy has underlying health issues it probably will be smaller than usual. But a smaller than usual puppy does not mean the puppy has health issues. The fact is a Yorkie can be smaller than usual because it has less of the growth hormone in its bloodstream or because it has underlying health issues. What we’ve seen as well as other breeders of the extra small Yorkshire Terriers is that somewhere around 8-12 weeks of age the puppy’s growth rate begins to dramatically slow down. This could be an indication of reduced levels of the growth hormone in the bloodstream. Hopefully, someday there will be standard testing to determine the levels of this hormone in the bloodstream. Until there is testing available we recommend that people who want the smaller than average dogs, that they buy from a breeder that specializes in the miniature or teacup yorkies. We say that because we feel that it increases your odds of getting a healthy puppy that is small because of genetics. Please don’t take us wrong. We not saying that a breeder that breeds for the standard size yorkies can’t have puppies that are small due to genetics. We’re saying there may be a greater risk that the puppy is small due to health issues.
Pricing: A common question is how much are teacups? And why are teacups so expensive? Usually, the tinier the teacup, the more money that they cost.The reason that breeders charge so much for teacups, is that true teacups are very hard to get! It is rare to even get one in a litter, or sometimes only one out of 2 or 3 litters. So beware of breeders that advertise whole litters of teacups! Also, most breeders put a lot of TLC in raising these tinies 24/7. How much is your time worth?? Teacups also require extra care, and most can't go to a new home until they are at least 12-14 weeks old. And, in the case of extremely tiny teacups,(those under one pound at 8 weeks or older), sometimes these are not ready to go until they are more around 4 mos of age. So be very leery of people selling "teacups" out the door at 6 to 8 weeks old! Please understand that teacup and micro teacups might not be the right fit for your family as they do require a lot more care than a normal sized puppy so if we feel that your lifestyle is not suitable for a teacup puppy we may not sell you a puppy. It is for the best interest of our puppies.