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Toy/ Miniature/ Teacup Yorkies
Overview
The AKC standard for the Yorkshire Terrier used to state that the dog was to not exceed 7 pounds (3.17 kg).
Many sites will still relay this information.
However, the AKC now has an official weight of 4 to 7 pounds (1.81 to 3.17 kg)
Before this change, breeders could breed for a 2 pound Yorkies without causing any stirs. Now, most attempt to stay within breed standards. Let's discuss what a Teacup Yorkie actually is.
What does "Teacup Yorkie" really mean?
An Official Breed of the Teacup?
Information regarding Teacup Yorkies can sometimes seem conflicting. Most dog breeds which are classified in the Toy group such as the Pomeranian, Chihuahua and the Yorkie are dogs in which people, the media, breeders and others will refer to Teacup varieties of the breed.
There is is only 1 Yorkshire Terrier breed. There is no official breed known as the Teacup Yorkie. This holds true for just about all dog breeds. (The Miniature Poodle is an example of an exception)
However, with the Chihuahua, Pomeranian and other dogs including the Yorkie, there is only 1 dog breed. There is not a separate variety which is a Teacup, Miniature, Toy or other name which implies a smaller sized breed, separate from the standard breed.
Until rather recently, the AKC standard did not mention a minimum weight for the Yorkie. This left breeders the window of breeding down to any weight that they felt comfortable doing.
Now, there is a minimum weight stated in the AKC standard: 4 pounds ( 1.81 kg).
The term teacup refers to a dog on the smaller end of the weight standard. It may also refer to a dog under the weight standard.
There is no clear line. The media has taken this word and pushed it into the mainstream of those purchasing puppies. One breeder may call a 4 (1.81 kg) pound Yorkie a Teacup and another will refer only 2 or 3 pound (.90 kg or 1.36 kg) dogs as Teacups.
The public wants very small "Teacup" Yorkies, but breeders know that very tiny dogs= health issues.
Ethical breeders who refer to Teacup Yorkshire Terriers breed to the lower end of the weight scale and usually would not attempt to breed dogs under 2 or 3 pounds when fully grown.
Ethics
The smaller a dog is bred to be, the more health issues that dog will have. Hypoglycemia occurs more often in 2 pound (.90 kg) dogs than in 7 pound (3.17 kg) dogs. A 2 pound (.90kg) dog will not recover from health conditions as fast as a 6 pound (2.72kg) dog.
Ethical, professional breeders who are devoted to the love of the breed will focus on breeding Yorkies who fit the breed standard. Can an ethical breeder sell Teacups? Yes. Why? It is a breeder who decides which puppies will be labeled as a Teacup and the word is not a noun, it is an adjective. Therefore, Teacup = small.
A breeder may carefully pair dogs in order to produce litters of puppies, who when fully grown will be at the bottom end of the weight standard, this generally ranges from 4 to 5 pounds (1.81 to 2.26 kg). In doing this, a breeder is in the range of the AKC standard and is not breeding unnaturally small dogs. These dog are often referred to as Teacup Yorkies and this is fine...the dogs are within the standard and not so small as to be overly fragile with health issues.
There are breeders who aim to please the demand of the pubic and not please those who show dogs. However, if a breeder purposefully breeds for dogs who are under 2 pounds (.90 kg) when fully grown, this is not in the best interest of the puppies, owners or the breeders. You will find that most ethical breeders will not do this. It is illogical to do so, as these very tiny puppies will struggle to survive. An ethical breeder invests a lot of time and money into their lines. Breeding dogs who do not survive is not their goal.
Therefore:
If a breeder sells Teacup Yorkies and tells people that it is a separate dog breed (saying that they do not breed Yorkies, they instead breed the Teacup Yorkie breed) this is not ethical (as there is no such dog breed).
If a breeder refers to dogs on the lower side of the accepted breed weight standard and using the word as a verb (small), this is ethical and widely accepted.
One must remember that a 7 pound dog (3.17 kg) is very little dog.
YorkieInfoCenter | Minature, Toy and Teacup Yorkie Information