Just look at those tiny teacup Yorkie puppies for sale on any website, who are most often out of tiny, undersized females too delicate to have been safely bred to carry and whelp a litter, are all too often bred merely for size and puppyish qualities and nothing more. "Teacups" usually sell for highly inflated prices and all too often sold at 6 - 8 weeks of age, far before their brain imprinting is finished and before they begin to show symptoms of medical issues.
Their usually greedy breeders rarely, if ever, invoke careful study of genetics, lineage for confirmation and health of the ancestors or careful pairing of male and female with health certifications from the appropriate registries, with only AKC-standard, healthy puppies that stay healthy throughout life their goal. Teacup breeders never breed only to improve the breed per AKC standards, never vying only for correct confirmation, health and temperament when deciding which two dogs to mate.
Oh, no, the pair are bred only for their tiny size and ability to produce dogs with eternal puppyish looks alone, nevermind the dam has a history of hydrocephalus, LP and liver shunt in her immediate lineage or the father's pedigree which includes both LP, liver shunt and MVD from parents and grandparents.
"Teacup" often denotes a very costly, tiny, fragile dog who could easily fracture a leg just jumping off the couch and is likely going to face several medical issues throughout its lifetime.
__________________  Jeanie and Tibbe One must do the best one can. You may get some marks for a very imperfect answer: you will certainly get none for leaving the question alone. C. S. Lewis |