# Teacups



## Emma (Apr 29, 2011)

I have just come off pre loved and was a bit surprised to see an advert for a teacup cockapoo who is a show mini cross and at 11 wks old weighs less than a kilo. :-( this doesn't sound right to me.

The reason I feel a bit uneasy with this is my friend bought a 'teacup' yorkie and has nearly lost it several times now, although thank goodness he seems to be on the mend now. I looked in to teacups and from what I understand they are basically premature baby puppies that require special care for all of their lives? It sounds a bit cruel to me all so people can have handbag sizes doggies.

So I was wondering how everyone else feels about this or if I'm just sensitive about it because my friends experience skewed my view?!

Emma x


----------



## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Any breeding practice that results in health problems for the pups should be outlawed


----------



## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

A show mini cross weighing less than a kilo at 11 weeks, wow that really is tiny. My Betty is one of the smallest dogs on here. She's english working x toy and she weighed 1.4 kg when i got her at 8.5 weeks and that seemed soooooooo tiny when i got her and she finished growing at 5.2kg. To be honest I love her size as she's easy to pick up but wouldn't want her any smaller. For a mini cross to weigh that little at that age doesn't sound right or healthy at all. There are times i wish Betty was just a bit bigger (not when she gets on my bed to sleep though!!!).


----------



## Sezra (May 20, 2011)

I do not have much experience of Teacups but from what I have read I would never consider one. Stick to the recognised sizes of dogs an find a reputable breeder who cares about temperament and health rather than making money from novelty sized dogs.


----------



## ferns mum (Jan 18, 2012)

My Fern is only 5.2 kg and is one of the smallest cockapoos I have heard about. She was the smallest in the litter but was all ways the most determined and could climb out of the puppy pen from 6 weeks and left all of her brothers and sister behind when it came to exploring the big wide world.
She is now full of life and enjoys nothing more than running wild in the fields with her Mum and Granny.
She could be described as a "Coffee cup" but certainly not a "tea cup"


----------



## ali-s.j. (Jun 6, 2011)

Ah, Fern sounds very sweet. Of course there will be pups who nature just intended to be wee ones, like Fern, a world away from "designer" dogs.


----------



## Soo (Dec 16, 2011)

Rather than them being bred for I think its possibly just someone trying to cash in on the runt of the litter. The person who buy the pup may find their teacup pup ends up being a normal sized adult.

Peppa is pretty small as she was the runt of her litter but my vet thinks she will mature up to a normal size.


----------



## JulesB (Mar 6, 2011)

ferns mum said:


> My Fern is only 5.2 kg and is one of the smallest cockapoos I have heard about. She was the smallest in the litter but was all ways the most determined and could climb out of the puppy pen from 6 weeks and left all of her brothers and sister behind when it came to exploring the big wide world.
> She is now full of life and enjoys nothing more than running wild in the fields with her Mum and Granny.
> She could be described as a "Coffee cup" but certainly not a "tea cup"


Fern is the same weight is the same size a Betty! Betty is full of life too and whilst small in size, not in character.

X


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

Teacup is a term that should send a person screaming. It means that the breeder is cashing in on size, often if not always while neglecting something much more vital like health, smarts, or temperament. 

If someone sells 'teacup' dogs, they are a BYB. They very, very rarely test, and don't show. It's purely a cash thing, not a love of dogs and a will to better the breed. If it were, they wouldn't breed them so small that it's dangerous for them simply to live. Now a 'small toy' or a runt is fine, they're perfectly natural. Even the best breeders will have them sometimes. 

This person on yahoo answers really sums it up lol.

Definition:
"Teacup" Dog. The runtiest runt of the runts. A disgusting mishap that humanity has created to please impulse buyers who don't think about the overall health of their dog. Often full of genetic issues. Physiologically damages, smaller lungs, heart, organs in general then they should be in proportion to their body height. Tend to live shorter lives and often with less vigor.

The worst dog for an reasonable person.


----------



## Enneirda. (Mar 5, 2010)

Double post.


----------



## BaileyButton (Feb 20, 2012)

I don't agree with teacup dogs being bred purely as a fashion item - what other reason would you have a dog weighing a kilo? A company called Fuzzy Nation make fabulous handbags that are modelled on teacup dogs, the idea being to prevent people buying real dogs as fashion items, just buy whatever breed of dog you want as a handbag. The company are also very ethical and give donations to animal shelters in USA. Just thought I would share.


----------

