It is the general public that seems stuck on the T word. It seems any small dog they see they think is a Tea Cup. They see the term in classified ads and on the internet, not to mention the Hollywood types and others in the news that use that term. Very few realize the issues with tea cups because the term is so widely used in general.
I live in an area where most people have large dogs. I always get flack about how small Gracie is. You know the type: "Is that thing a rat or what?" It's usually some young girl that will ask if she is "tea cup.'
Gracie was also a tiny pup. She was a very slow grower and did not eat well when she was young although she was otherwise healthy. It was several months after her first birthday that she made it to 5lbs.
When she was a puppy I had to rearrange the furniture in most of our rooms just to protect her from herself. She was a tiny daredevil. I even took my bed off the frame and got a set of pet steps so she could safely get up and down off the bed. (I don't think that makes her "special needs" but it was a first for me even through I have had toy breed dogs for years)
I don't think people know what they are getting into when they go looking for a tiny. Gracie is considered normal and she almost made my heart stop on several occasions!
