What Are Teacup Dogs?

What is a teacup dog?

One of the hottest type of dogs currently on the market is called the teacup dogs. These dogs are miniature versions of already-small breeds such as the Beagle, Maltese, Chihuahua, or Yorkie. Unofficially, a teacup dog is a dog that is at least 1 year old and measures at 17 inches or less. They generally weigh 4 pounds or less at maturity. There are no specific breeds for teacup dogs, as they are not an officially recognized breed. Popular teacup breed favourites include: Shih Tzu, Chihuahua, Yorkshire Terrier, Pug, Poodle, Pomeranian, Maltese and Silky Terrier.

Breed Origin

Teacup dogs can naturally occur, but more often they are the product of intentionally breeding two undersized dogs. Because the mother dog is so small, she can only whelp a couple of puppies at most and there is a greatly increased chance of complications. In other words, breeding teacups is extra risky for both the mother and the puppies. These dogs are in high demand and can sell for thousands of dollars, there’s a huge incentive for unethical breeders to produce these dogs any way they can. This could include breeding dogs that are closely related, or even deliberately stunting a puppy’s growth through starvation or other revolting methods. It should also be noted that there is no officially recognized teacup breed, and typically no guarantee that the tiny puppy you get from the breeder won’t grow up to be a standard-sized dog.

Disadvantages

The very reasons that people want toy dogs are the worst things for dogs in real. Indeed, a life spent inside purses, having little exercise and even less interaction with other dogs is never a recipe for a healthy and happy canine companion. Because of teacup puppies’ unnaturally miniature sizing, they often face a host of health issues. Their tiny tummies often have tremendous digestive issues, resulting in the need to be fed small amounts, multiple times a day. Teacup dogs’ tiny bladders mean accidents are virtually unavoidable. Teacup dogs also often develop heart issues, respiratory problems, and seizures. They don’t live nearly as long as standard dogs. Since teacup dogs face so many health issues, taking preventive measures is essential, so you are required to visit the vet much more often and paying much more than you would with a regular dog. While teacup dogs are becoming more popular, they are often treated as accessories rather than living creatures. Teacup dogs often face short and painful lives, and their breeding should not be encouraged.