No, the standard is "must not exceed 7 lbs."

American Kennel Club - Yorkshire Terrier

Your are correct, I don't understand why so many people think it's 4-7 pounds. I read that all the time here on Yorkietalk.

Teacup is a word nothing else. When I got my boy the breeder had a girl, my boy and a tiny, tiny boy. I wanted the tiny boy but she would not sell him. I told her I would pay $100.00 more if I could have him. I have a very strong nurturing sense (I have no kids) and I wanted to make his life the ultimate. She would not sell him to me for anything, she said he could not bark, was very fragile and she was afraid he would be hurt in another household. That is when I decided to buy my boy who is still only 3 lbs at 10 months. I don't care how big he is and I hope he grows some more.

A good breeder would be cautionary about selling small pups (fragility, breathing and kidney problems). People think that buying a "teacup" or a "tiny" is the deal but basically they are buying a lot of vet bills and a shorter time with their pup.

Melissa and Rambeau (I'm a big boy!)

To clarify, when I said some dogs were too small, what I was referring to was most people who show dogs don't want them too small. They apparently show better a little larger and with a little longer leg. I don't show, but have heard this said.

I respect your opinion that the term needs to be eliminated. My opinion is that it is not wrong to use the term in referring to SIZE. The term teacup originally referred only to the size, as in small enough to fit in a teacup. I see no reason why it should be wrong to continue to use it as a SIZE distinction. Any good breeder will talk at length with the prospective owner before placing a pup, and will use that time to make sure they understand the proper meaning. If "teacup" is wrong to use as a size distinction, then so should be "teapot" and "teakettle".

Again, I respect your right to have your opinion. Mine happens to differ. :)

i agree with yorkiechick
 

i agree with yorkiechick... the smaller ones are more work and prayer from birth... they are also more "rare" and as with anything "rare", more costly. i do know that the more i spend on something the better i try and take care of it... "tinies", "teacups", "bitties" or whatever the "seller" wants to call them will probably take a bit more attention. so i guess the rest of us just need to get over it.. :)

I love your style socalyorkiemom!!!

I think you should take great care of your pets no matter what the cost – to suggest that you take better care of your pets that are more expensive rubs me the wrong way. As far as "getting over it" there is nothing to get over, we are trying to educate people on the Yorkshire Terrier breed and how to select a good breeder, and a good breeder will not use that word.

I agree with you that money shouldn't determine how you care for your pet:) Unfortunantly that isn't the case for most people:( honestly you will have people who will get a yorkie for cheap and not treat it very well because it wasn't really that expensive and they don't care. But if you pay $2500.00 for a dog you best believe it will get royal treatment. It's a sad world we live in:( When i needed to rehome my lab the animal control told me DO NOT GIVE AWAY FREE!!! Because people do not value them and they will most likley be abused or end up at the shelter:( Again the word teacup doesn't really bother me it's the use of it for scalping uneducated buyers. However...... The word Micro Mini and Teaspoon bother me for some reason i just think it is absurd anyone using those words is definently out for the $$$.

I think Tea-cup is hard since there is a teacup poodle and yorkies are in the toy group so it's hard for some to understand that there really isn't such a class for them as tea-cup. I would consider a T-cup to be anything under 4 lbs to me that is acceptable, but i don't think they should be priced for thousands more. I do feel they cost more to raise and stay healthy so of course they will be more to recoup the cost the breeder has put into them.

I really doesnt bother me when someone uses the term teacup. Its just used to define size. I dont think its wrong for breeders to charge more for them either just not thousands more. That is taking advantage of people

Aaarrrggghhh!!!
 

AKC Standard - It's been mentioned, it's been linked. If you don't believe me, google AKC and look up yorkies. The standard is "Must not exceed seven pounds." That includes everything from 0.0 lbs to 7 lbs. The average of 0 to 7 would then be 3.5-4 lbs. So if 4 lbs is about "averaged" size (used very generally), I don't see how a 3 lb dog is "tiny" or "teacup."

Teapot - Clearly a play on "teacup". Used to refer to Yorkies over 7 lbs since they are technically above the AKC standard. I do not think I have ever heard anyone use teapot in a non-joking/endearing manner.

Teacup - I loathe this word. Tiny is almost as bad, except when someone says, "You're dog is soooo tiny." I've had someone ask me if mine is a mini-yorkie before. Seriously.

Here's my problem with teacup and tiny (and mini) - it's not an official breed (like with poodles and pinchers) and it's not used on bigger dogs, which in my mind defeats the argument that is simply a size descripter. When talking about a smaller than normal lab, it's not called a "teacup lab." It's called small or "tiny for a lab", but usually just small. I have no problem with small.

Also, teacup is most commonly used to refer to smaller than normal dogs (yorkies) whose main purpose is a fashion accessory for some vapid psuedo-starlet. Just as breeders falsely advertise "teacups" to exploit people's ignorance, I think those same people purposely bought teacups as a fashion statement/accesory/whatever because it's the cool thing and "so hot".

I didn't get my dog because I wanted to be in style or fashionable or cool. (I actually wanted bigger dog, and Harls was the compromise. Now she's daddy's little girl). And I don't want people who see her to assume I'm trying to just follow the latest hollywood trends because I have a small yorkie.

BTW, Harley is 2.4 lbs and 4 months old. I am hoping she gets to 5 lbs because of the health risks associated with the smaller ones. I don't dress her up, I don't put bows in her hair, and I don't carry her in a man-purse. But she does get cold and shakes real bad when its cold outside, so I am rethinking some clothes just to keep her warm (oh and if I can find it, a football jersey for september).

And knowing how these dogs really do get cold, I do not think all people who put clothes on their dog are hypocritical if they criticize someone for carrying them in their purse. I personally don't care if someone has a dog in their purse, so long as the dog is properly taken care of. I wouldn't do it, but it doesn't bother me if others do.

I agree. Have you seen the breeder sites that advertise teacups and they have these pups in a larger than normal cup? Come on how silly is that.

:thumbup: I LOVE this post!

Just to set the record straight, I happen to love different carriers, purses, whatever, my comment was about getting the yorkie as a fashion accessory. So lets not confuse this, otherwise, I would call myself a hypocrite. :eek: Here was the original statement.

Personally, I think people need to lighten up on the teacup term. I am 59 years old and have heard that term all my life....teacup poodle, teacup chihuahua, etc. My grandmother had a teacup toy fox terrier that would actually fit in a teacup. Breeders that use teacup as a marketing tool will not care what we say and continue to do it. Some breeders will quit using the term just because they don't want to be 'red flagged' but they will continue to breed Yorkies that are too small. I get calls all the time from people asking for teacup yorkies. Sometimes I will gently explain about the term 'teacup' but most I the time I just tell them what size my Yorkies will be. When we have new members coming here we should quit focusing on the term they use and focus on the issue at hand.....breeder education. If everyone jumps on a newbie all at one time then they feel cornered and they just run away. Anyone who sticks around long enough will soon learn so much about breeding if that is what they are really interested in and they can learn so much about yorkies in general and how to properly care for them.