About Tea Cup Dogs

Tea cup dogs are the small dogs sometimes carried in purses. They are smaller than members of the toy breed group, which includes poodles, Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers and pugs. They are adorable lapdogs, but that cuteness comes with a price, including increased health care costs.

  1. Toy Breeds

    • The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize tea cup as a separate category of canines. Dogs referred to as tea cup dogs are smaller versions of members of the toy breed group. The standard size for toy breeds is under 10 pounds but more than 4 pounds. Tea cups generally weigh 2 to 4 pounds.

    Size

    • Since the tea cup breeds are so small, they come with some inherent problems, even under the best of circumstances. Their legs are small and prone to breakage, even from something as common as jumping out of their owner's arms or off the couch. Their size also makes it more difficult for them to regulate their temperature. They are not outdoor dogs and since they can get hurt so easily, they may not be good with small children who are inexperienced with pets or other household dogs that may be exuberant in their play.

    Breeding

    • Since tea cup dogs are popular, some breeders are maximizing on the trend by genetically breeding smaller dogs through such processes as breeding the bitch more than once during the heat cycle. No matter when the pups are conceived, they are all born at the same time. This means the puppies conceived later in the heat cycle are premature and smaller than the puppies carried full term. This is a bad breeding practice and leads to smaller dogs and inherent health risks such as the fontanelle being left open (hole in the skull) and the lungs not fully formed.

    Health Concerns

    • Tea cup dogs are known to suffer from many health issues such as hypoglycemia, cardiac problems, collapsing trachea, luxating patellas, seizures, hydroencephaly and blindness. Not only can these types of problems cause a lifetime of health issues and lead to expensive veterinary bills, they can lead to the premature and painful death of the pet. In addition to the health problems that come with breeding tiny dogs, consider the health concerns that are inherent to each breed. For example, the Maltese breed is prone to retinal atrophy, which can lead to diminished vision. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, when bred to be teacup size, has had problems with the brain being too big for the skull, causing extreme headaches and death.

    Breeder References

    • There are no responsible breeders who are breeding teacup-size dogs. Respectable, responsible breeders are involved in breeding because they want to better the breed. Breeding dogs that are too small to meet the standard is not a respectable practice. Those breeding teacup dogs are motivated by profit, not by a desire to better the breed. The breeding, and purchasing of teacup-size dogs should be discouraged.