My Sophie is tiny, 2 lbs. 6 oz. at 9 mos. She is definitely more worry/work than larger dogs I have had. Even though she's healthy and very active, she is also incredibly delicate. I use a harness with her instead of a collar to protect her trachea. If I have a house guest or if Sophie and I visit where people aren't used to having a tiny little thing underfoot, I clip a bell to her so that you can hear where she is. (She likes to trot along behind you and if you don't notice her, it would be easy to tread on her.) My vet has advised me to seek immediate medical attention if Sophie has a bout of extended diarrhea or illness because she could become dehydrated and/or hypoglycemic so quickly. Sophie is scheduled to be spayed at the end of January; I waited until she was older due to concerns about anesthesia when she was even tinier.
Truth is... Sophie was a surprise gift, and although I adore her, I never would have chosen her because: 1) She came from a backyard breeder and I have always adopted dogs; and 2) I would have preferred a bigger, sturdier Yorkie. I know everyone has his/her own opinion about dog size, but I do get really disgusted with breeders/buyers who are so focused on "teacup" or "micro-teacup" (what is that??!) size that they don't consider the ethics in breeding dogs to be small at the cost of health. And I know I'll probably catch some heat for this, but I think dogs should be healthy, active members of our families, not toys or dolls. |