[Gracie'sMommy]

Well, what do you consider "that small" of a Yorkie? Gracie is 2 lbs. and expected to be around 3 lbs. fully grown. She comes from a 3 lb. Dad and a 5 lb. Mom. I knew when I bought her she'd be around 4 lbs., the low end of Yorkie standard. However, as she's grown (she's almost 5 months old) it appears she may stay around 3 lbs. as an adult unless she has a big growth spurt sometime soon.

I bought her specifically for her size. I wanted a "small" dog. A purse puppy, if you will. Not that she travels around in my purse, but you get my drift. I have a 65 lb. Lab, and a 15 lb. Shih Tzu. I wanted something smaller, something puppy sized that stayed that way! It's just personal choice.

So I paid $1,200 for her. A lot of money, sure. But she's worth every penny. In fact the joy I get from her is priceless. The breeder I bought her from does breed smaller dogs. Her litters go back 4 and 5 generations and she breeds for the small end of Yorkie standard, and is very careful in her breeding practices. I researched her *in depth* before I spent a dime, making sure that she has a good reputation (she does), that she has happy and healthy pups (she does) and she stands behind every puppy she sells. And yes, she does advertise them as Tiny or Teacup....because they are! My 2 lb'er is tiny next to somebody else's 8 lb. Yorkie. She doesn't fit into my coffee cup, but if I stood her beside my Shih Tzu I'd even refer to her as a teacup....because *next to other dogs that's what she is*.

Gracie is by NO means "weak" because she is small, nor do I feel that she is in danger of unusual health problems. I don't treat her with kid gloves. Trust me, she is as rough and tumble as they get! She plays with my Lab like she's the same size! She has no idea she's as small as she is.

I would have loved to have bred her and had "grandkids" but she will be too small and I would never, ever put her through something like that. If I thought she'd be over 4 or 5 lbs. yes, I'd probably breed her. And no, I wouldn't breed her with a 10 lb. male, either!

So, I guess my response here is this...yes, there are breeders out there selling "tiny" and "teacup" Yorkies for inflated prices. Why? Well, first of all because they can!!! If the market bears it, why not? And second of all, sometimes Tiny or Teacup is basically nothing more than a way to describe the damn dog! I often refer to my Shih Tzu as a moose! Is she *really* a moose?? No....but she's big for a Shih Tzu! If I were selling her I sure wouldn't describe her as petite! My breeder referred to Gracie as being "teddy bear faced", and she is. She looked like a little teddy bear as a baby. Is this a standard Yorkie term? Nooooooooo. But it described my baby! I was adamant that I did NOT want a Yorkie with a wolf face (and you all know what I'm talking about), so I was more than happy to hear her described as a teddy bear.

Yes there are wonderful breeders who aren't in it to make money, they are in it for the love of the breed. Bravo to them! But I can tell you this....IF I were a reputable breeder, I would not "blue light special" my babies either. Because somebody who is going to invest a lot of money in my baby is going to take care of her. That's just the way I feel about it.

Right or wrong...all the usual disclaimers apply and your mileage may vary! haha