Teacup

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by katelin

What would you want a breeder to say when describing the size of a puppy? I think a 4-5 lb. dog is "small". What would you call a dog that might be 3 lbs.?

My opinion on the male/female thing is the females cost more because more people want them. Not to breed but more likely because they think males are harder to house train. They don't want a "marker". So the females are more expensive.

I personally don't try to educate everyone I meet. If they are buying a puppy from me -- then I take all the time in the world to make it clear what the standard is.

Why do they even have to say "small"? Why can't they just say __ lbs? And to me, a breeder shouldn't have to advertise the SIZE of their Yorkies.. they should advertise the health testing, the pedigree, the adherence to standard. If it's that important to the buyer, they will ask the breeder.

[california doll]

Originally Posted by MindieRose

Well, I agree with that to a point. I have been talking to a lot of breeders anymore, trying to become as educated as possible before we breed. I have a good year or more before we do. I have bred Shih tzus though. Talking with some breeders, when asking about pricing they have said "oh this ones gonna be small, so he/she costs more..." Not "well this one has been small, and has required more care, so he/she costs more". With SOME of them, its all about what the size is going to be (of course they dont really know for sure), more than what has been put into them. And honestly, I dont really mind. I mean, if something is in high demand, dont the prices go up? Why is a Coach bag so much more than a bag from Macys?
Honestly I go back and forth on the issue myself, so this isnt my set in stone opinion. I just try to see both sides of it. Typically, not all the time, people want a smaller yorkie, smaller chi, smaller toy dog. Going by supply and demand, its a given they would be higher priced. Is it ethical? I guess thats going to be an indivually based opinion. I guess its easier to swallow if you say that they required so much care every so many hours, but honestly, the unethical breeders, you know dont care for their dogs the way they should, and thats not the reason they charge more for little ones. And what about if you have a litter of very small pups that dont require a lot of extra time, they just thrive perfectly well on their own? I am sure they would still cost more. But once again, I am not saying anything bad about, because I understand it. Its only irritating to me when people put a bunch of excuses around why the dog is so much, rather than just saying its because they are in high demand. I mean, if someone had a litter of pups that were really big, looked like they were going to be about 12 lbs full grown, I dont think they would ask as much for them, even if they had feeding issues at birth and they had to put a lot of extra time into them, because they know a lot of people wont pay a high $$ amount for a larger than standard yorkie.

i agree. supply and demand.

[Jaya and Jenna]

First off, I would just like to say how much I respect the OP of this thread..... Your choice of words and the way you express yourself is just great... especially with such a controversial subject. I'm so glad that you had enough courage to post this thread

Second, I completely agree with almost every post in this thread!! Teacup is mainly used to describe and 'sell' for size. Right now "small" is in demand... you see the hollywood purse pups, and every woman in the country wants a cute, cuddly furball... its just the way the ball rolls... and we just need to educate the public about what it means to have a dog that is under 3-4 lbs, and we need to do something about those businesses who breed for such tiny dogs. There is nothing wrong with small dogs... what is wrong is when those small dogs are a unhealthy size

I must admit that I was one of "those" people who went out and looked for a "teacup" sized yorkie and came home with Jaya. I had wanted a small sized dog for many reasons, especially the cute factor. When we got our second yorkie, size no longer mattered - we had fallen in love with the breed.

Jaya is now fully grown and is barely reaching 3 lbs. She is very petite, and turned out to be exactly what we had been looking for initially. Jenna is about 4 lbs, sturdy and strong, and will most likely get to 5 lbs. She is clearly larger than Jaya, but still very petite and compact. In my opinion she is perfect because she is so sturdy.

I am in a constant state of fear for Jaya... she is very athletic and strong and outgoing, but she is so petite that she can easily get hurt. My constant stress is "is she eating enough"... I have food out for her all the time, and I just want to put some meat on her!! I do not have nearly as many worries with Jenna...... and it is clear to me that breeding for such tiny dogs may in fact endanger them.


I think I've gone off on a tangent....... i just think this is a huge problem and I dont see it going away any time soon. I feel sad to think about how many yorkies are being bred for size - how many yorkies are being put in danger - simply for size and especially for a certain weight - a weight that many people are not able to safely handle, a weight that makes life difficult for the actual dog, a weight that just isnt right.

And if I - a person with good intentions - can fall into the trap, I wonder how many others are falling into it. I just dont know what we can do to stop this frenzy for fragile little dogs that has totally spiralled out of control.

[california doll]

im sorry, but you saying that you cringe when you hear that people want a dog to fit in their purse is a bit hypocritical, because from the icon you have as your default, your dogs are wearing clothes.

[california doll]

agreed. its just to describe its size.

same when ive read that people say 'silky' to describe a yorkie's texture, but its not a 'silky terrier' cuz thats a whole 'nother breed.

teacup just describes the size of the yorkie. not a certain breed.

[california doll]

Originally Posted by Sookie

Aside from the fact that some breeders use the word teacup to sell their puppy for more money, why is it not ok to use the word "teacup" as a descriptive term? Personally, I'm not bothered by it and I think that some people get too defensive. I would correct a few people at first who would ask "Is she a teacup?" but I don't really care anymore. I just say "She's 3 1/2 pounds". Call her what you want.

agreed. its just to describe its size.

same when ive read that people say 'silky' to describe a yorkie's texture, but its not a 'silky terrier' cuz thats a whole 'nother breed.

teacup just describes the size of the yorkie. not a certain breed.

[california doll]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

Sorry to hear that, those two in your avatar picture are precious!


I guess I just hate to see breeders catering to people who want pets as fashion accessories and status symbols. I cringe every time someone posts a thread about wanting a tea-cup to fit in her purse. These are living breathing creatures that have intelligence and sensitivities. Breeders who purposely breed and market these puppies are extremely unethical. Yorkies under 4 pounds have been shown to have many more health risks and dental problems. Doesn't anyone, besides me, worry about breeders who are in this for the money doing such things as limiting the mother's food, and or puppy's food to artificially produce tinier puppies?

Breeding is a lot of hard work, but I think it's similar to the ministry; you need to have a calling to do it.

im sorry, but you saying that you cringe when you hear that people want a dog to fit in their purse is a bit hypocritical, because from the icon you have as your default, your dogs are wearing clothes.

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by california doll

im sorry, but you saying that you cringe when you hear that people want a dog to fit in their purse is a bit hypocritical, because from the icon you have as your default, your dogs are wearing clothes.

What does a dog fitting into a purse have anything to do with it wearing clothes?

[Jaya and Jenna]

......People are just voicing their opinions....

lets try and remember to stay positive ..and perhaps less critical of others in the thread..........

[california doll]

Originally Posted by mypreciouspups

my friend and myself went to a pet expo in florida in the winter.. she saw a yorkie and went up to the woman.. my friend asked how old the yorkie was.. when she heard she said oh I guess she will stay small.. woman said well she better for that is what I paid for.. I could have slapped her.. snooty was not the word for it..anne

i totally see where youre coming from and that woman coming off as a bitch and whatnot, but a yorkie is a TOY dog; same as the chihuahuas.

if someone wants a small dog, theyd hope the dog theyre getting is small. if not they coulda just bought a beagle or a dalmation, etc.

she might love her dog, but i mean if she specifically got a toy dog for its size, then you cant get mad at her for that. you know?

[california doll]

Originally Posted by PrincessDiana

What does a dog fitting into a purse have anything to do with it wearing clothes?

fashion.

you think dogs enjoy being in clothes? probably not. they have enough fur/hair as it is. its uncomfortable. of course they look cute, so its not a prob if you get them used to it. (ive seen dogs wearing shoes which i think is going overboard) - but you saying you cringe when people want a dog to put in their purse for fashion or trend - is the same as dressing up your dog.

[Jaya and Jenna]

Originally Posted by PrincessDiana

What does a dog fitting into a purse have anything to do with it wearing clothes?

I agree with you Diana ............. but you know, some people consider dressing their dogs just as bad as putting them in compact little purses... I don't... but some do.. I get people commenting negatively when they see my yorkies in their sweaters..... I always tell them that there is a reason.... they get cold! And it really depends on what kind of clothing you put on your dog to determine if its 'comfy' to them or not. Yorkies have only one layer of hair, and they do get cold. My Jaya is very thin, and gets cold VERY easy... she always needs to wear a sweater when we go out and its cool weather. She even needs pj's or bathrobes after her bath because she begins to shiver uncontrollably.

In regards to the purse issue... some purses you can get now are just as good and open and large as carriers... just more fashionable and trendy. I don't know.. I just try to always keep an open mind.

There's nothin wrong with being a fashionable dog owner

[california doll]

Originally Posted by Jaya and Jenna

I agree with you Diana ............. but you know, some people consider dressing their dogs just as bad as putting them in compact little purses... I don't... but some do.. I get people commenting negatively when they see my yorkies in their sweaters..... I always tell them that there is a reason.... they get cold! And it really depends on what kind of clothing you put on your dog to determine if its 'comfy' to them or not. Yorkies have only one layer of hair, and they do get cold. My Jaya is very thin, and gets cold VERY easy... she always needs to wear a sweater when we go out and its cool weather. She even needs pj's or bathrobes after her bath because she begins to shiver uncontrollably.

In regards to the purse issue... some purses you can get now are just as good and open and large as carriers... just more fashionable and trendy. I don't know.. I just try to always keep an open mind.

There's nothin wrong with being a fashionable dog owner

exactly. i dont see anything wrong either with dressing them, but if one person is going to "cringe" at the thought of putting their yorkie (or any small dog) in a purse, yet they dress them - thats being hypocritical .

[PrincessDiana]

Originally Posted by california doll

exactly. i dont see anything wrong either with dressing them, but if one person is going to "cringe" at the thought of putting their yorkie (or any small dog) in a purse, yet they dress them - thats being hypocritical .

I don't think it's hypocritical at all. Dressing your dog is not the same thing as carrying them in a purse. Maybe for some people it is, but probably not for all Yorkie owners. Like Pam said, Yorkies DO get cold and sometimes NEED to wear clothing. I'm not saying I disagree with your point necessarily, but I don't think it's hypocritical because it is definitely two different things that can be done for different reasons.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by california doll

im sorry, but you saying that you cringe when you hear that people want a dog to fit in their purse is a bit hypocritical, because from the icon you have as your default, your dogs are wearing clothes.

I cringe because I think they are going for some "look" that's fashionable today without taking the needs of the dog into account. There's nothing wrong with using a carrier for your pet, but a yorkie shouldn't be an accessory. Many of these same people give their dogs away after a few months when it's too big for the purse or too much hassle. I've read threads where people didn't want the yorkie anymore because he reached 7 pounds. Dressing my dog has nothing to do with me making a fashion statement; he's making the fashion statement.

From the other thread you posted today, it doesn't sound like you've had a yorkie before and one thing different about this breed is that they don't have an undercoat like most dogs. Joey literally starts shaking when he gets cold, even in Arizona, clothes come in handy in the winter, and in the summer with air conditioning he often need a shirt. The last few months he's been neked except for his Red Wings jersey during the play offs.