is she a 'teacup'?

[roxies_mom]

There was a time when I didn't know the difference either. It was before I even thought about having a yorkie so I really didn't even care about being educated. I only really learned it after coming onto this site. I catch myself wanting to correct people too and have some but now I just bite my tongue and don't always feel like getting into a big conversation over it. I just want to do what I'm out doing and mind my own business lol! I know it's probably better to try to educate others but it's amazing how many of us that just never knew. Maybe someday a journalist or someone will do a story that reaches alot of people explaining how not to get ripped off from the ones that try to sell them as "teacups".

[heatherm0890]

i didnt know either until doing a little bit of research...i always wanted a "teacup yorkshire terrier" haha...bailee is only 4 pounds so i get it all the time"is she a teacup???" i usually jst say no,her parents were just small...then i usually get an odd look but whatever..

[Nancy1999]

I don't mind when layman use the word "teacup", it's just a nickname for a small dog. Some people think an 8-pounder is a teacup, and it has no real meaning. I just don't like it when a breeder uses the word, and that's an excellent indication you should buy elsewhere. I guess I find the word terribly old fashioned. I prefer "tiny" and I guess this would be anything under average, but who really knows what "average" is? Most breeders don't breed to standard, so saying 4-7 is average really doesn't seem true either. So when they ask you if she's a teacup, you could always say, she's standard, just on the small side. If the person asking you is over 40, just say "yes".

[suzeb29]

I've only had my puppy about 5 weeks and I couldn't even count the number of times I've heard the word tea-cup. It is so annoying to me and as much as you try to educate people it's usually to no avail. And what is with the look of disappointment on their faces when you say "no he's just a baby"? Like he's not cute anymore because I told you tea-cups don't exist? I think it's sad that the word tea-cup has become so widely accepted when in actuality it is just a word irresponsible breeders use to sell smaller/more frail dogs at an exorbitant price. And sometimes, they wind up not being "tea-cup" sized in the end anyway!

[CotonMom]

Huh, well I just learned something. I've been thinking my 3 lb yorkie was a teacup!

I bought her when I was living in Taiwan and as the breeder didn't speak English and communication was limited I figured I'd misunderstood about the size of her parents. So is it possible her mother really was 7 lbs? That's what I understood the breeder to say at the time.

I was hoping for a larger yorkie as I was getting her as a companion to my 13 lb coton but as it turns out yorkies pack a lot of dog into a small package. I'm not sure my coton could have handled a bigger yorkie.

[AmyChristine]

This is kinda funny, for the longest time I was set on explaining to people the there IS NO TEACUP haha and hubby would look at people after they asked the dredded question like oh no now your gonna hear it Now I just say,"no, she is a yorkie" I have learned that it keeps me out of alot of debates and people who want more info will ask, and then I can further educate.

[LilMissy]

I get asked this at least once a day. My new response is, "What's that"?

[tjdmom]

I know what you mean! I've even ran into someone with a bigger yorkie and he saw my Zoe who's 5.5lbs and he even asked if she's a teacup. I usually go into the explanation that there is no teacup and yorkies are supposed to be 4-7 lbs but I know what you mean, their eyes glaze over and they don't even hear you half the time!

[AmyChristine]

oops I double posted

[heatherm0890]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

I get asked this at least once a day. My new response is, "What's that"?

love it!!!

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by tjdmom

I know what you mean! I've even ran into someone with a bigger yorkie and he saw my Zoe who's 5.5lbs and he even asked if she's a teacup. I usually go into the explanation that there is no teacup and yorkies are supposed to be 4-7 lbs but I know what you mean, their eyes glaze over and they don't even hear you half the time!

LOL! i know what you are talking about! i would spend all this time explaining to them, but since it's not the info they wanted. they would just ignore what i said and look at me like i am crazy.

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

I don't mind when layman use the word "teacup", it's just a nickname for a small dog. Some people think an 8-pounder is a teacup, and it has no real meaning. I just don't like it when a breeder uses the word, and that's an excellent indication you should buy elsewhere. I guess I find the word terribly old fashioned. I prefer "tiny" and I guess this would be anything under average, but who really knows what "average" is? Most breeders don't breed to standard, so saying 4-7 is average really doesn't seem true either. So when they ask you if she's a teacup, you could always say, she's standard, just on the small side. If the person asking you is over 40, just say "yes".

'teacup' is a category only allowed if you are 40+ years old?

[CotonMom]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

If the person asking you is over 40, just say "yes".

Well that explains my confusion over the terminology - premature dementia.

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by CotonMom

Well that explains my confusion over the terminology - premature dementia.

LOL!

cotonmom, i sent you a private message, did you get it?

[yorkiepuppie]

Originally Posted by LilMissy

I get asked this at least once a day. My new response is, "What's that"?

if i said that, they will probably look at me like i am from another planet. they will probably think "who doesn't know what a teacup is!?"

and then THEY will probably explain to me what a teacup is, at which point my eyes will probably just glaze over...