[xoCourtney]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Another thing about the ultra small dog is that they are so fragile that they are easily injured. If they jump or fall off the couch or worse still - the bed - it is a trip to the vet, even if the dog lands on carpet but hardwood, tile and brick are the hardest on tiny body parts. A GSD can roll off the couch in his sleep and barely have a problem but a 3 lb. dog that goes off that couch is usually injured. Tiny dogs are always at risk around larger dogs, no matter how closely you watch or how calm and submissive the larger dog. Things just happen and tiny dogs get hurt so easily. With tiny dogs, they can't just walk up to you for a cuddle - they must constantly be jumping or ramping to get to you on the couch, chair or bed. Who knows how their tiny joints will hold up under a lifetime of constant jumping up and down doggie steps or ramps. I know my ER vet told me my Jilly's traumatic shoulder dislocation coming down her doggie steps was from her tiny size, fragile joints and the repetition of overstressing those joints for her lifetime. A very small dog can't run through a field or successfully compete with other dogs in very many activities due to their tiny size so they don't get a whole lot of fun and challenging activities in their lives. A tiny little dog can just walk through the space between the fence and the gate, never mind that the gate is closed! When out in the grass or yard, a small dog's little belly is right at the grass level and so often get itchy from running through anything that grows in the yard and large landscape rocks and other decorations are hard for them to navigate through, over or around. They are often more susceptible to noises and fears than other, larger and more active and hardy canines. And once you add in the CT, GI, endocrine, orthopedic, neurological and other genetic problems they can inherit, people usually begin to see that anyone who deliberately breeds for tiny puppies for any reason is not doing the little dog itself - the little guy that has to try to live his life in that 1.5 - 3 lb. body - any favors. Watch a tiny Yorkie of only a a couple pounds struggling just to get up on the porch from the sidewalk to join his family and you begin to see that these little things have a hard, hard life in spite of how much they might be coddled at times.

And I agree wholeheartedly. Miley is 2.5 lbs right now at 15 weeks (awh she's 15 weeks today...they grow up so fast!) and I accidentally stepped on her paw this morning getting ready for work. She was okay but I still felt horrible!! I personally can't imagine having an adult dog at 2.5 lbs but thats my personal preference. There are people here or who are coming here that WANT smaller dogs regardless of the health problems associated with it. It is something that is advertised in the media and makes people think its "cute" to have a little purse dog. I guess now I see better why everyone hates the term teacup. It's not something that is ever going to change but I guess what I was trying to say is those with teacups should be just as welcomed as those who have standard or teapots. There was another thread that made me post this thread. Someone simply came on looking for a breeder that provided puppies that get no more than 4lbs (and again I know NO ONE can know for sure the adult weight of any dog) and they were basically being investigated by the YT SWAT team...while others were very helpful and just told them to take caution and extra care of their desired tiny others were like well why do you want a smaller dog and why this and blah blah blah and that's what made me post this thread. I didn't mean to cause WWIII but there ARE people who do want smaller dogs and they shouldn't be looked at like they are contaminated because of it. EDUCATING someone and making someone feel bad about what they want are two completely different things.