I don't like any terms, teacups, purse puppy, micros, etc.. used to describe a dog!
In fact I don't like when any fuss is made over the size, PERIOD!
Yorkies should be within the breed standard, so I don't care if they aren't even using those buzz words, but just keep referring to "small size", "tiny" or whatever!

My personal problem with these terms is that so many people get caught up in the hype and truly believe that a "teacup yorkie" "purse yorkie" whatever are a completely different BREED or TYPE of Yorkie. I have had this phone call MANY times and while you try and try to explain that there is NO such thing, it has already been hard wired into their brains because of the advertising. I also feel this is in part the fault of celebrities who started this mess.

I bet breeders do hear that all the time. I guess we all can be grateful no one's come up with the term "Live Fashion Accessory" because that IS what quite a few so called 'celebs' did to small dogs

not to mention - the bragging over the PET STORES where they purchased them. Oprah nailed it with her shows on puppy mills - I didn't see it because it aired when I was at work - but I wish 'celebs' would follow suit and start speaking AGAINST pet stores and I wish all these 'breeders' would quit with the catch phrases.

It's like there's a SIZE obsession going on and it's dangerous for the dogs. Some are meant to be tiny - like a Chi - but to intentionally go smaller and smaller with yorkies can only hurt the breed as a whole. Just look at all the LS and other devestating illnesses we're seeing so much of....The dogs suffer but it's not stopping people from trying to profit off the small breed craze

this made me cry :( i hate these people that treat dogs like toys and accessories. they are living creatures. they need love, excersize, health care, and much more than just being packed around in a hand bag. I hurt so much knowing now about puppy mills and pet stores. it's disgusting how inhumane and uncaring these people are that do those things. poor little puppies are so scared and then they get thrown out with the designer hand bags as soon as they aren't in style anymore...do people not have any feelings or heart anymore???

GREAT post, Nancy, thank you!! :)

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i agree with you. it's getting silly out there. no yorkie should be purposely bred to be 4 lbs let alone all the crazy people out there that are now going for a 1lb and under teaspoon yorkie. yes i've heard it all now :mad:

it makes me so mad. Sadie is about 4lbs. but that wasn't intentional. she never grew no matter how much i hoped she would. her parents were both about 5lbs or so, so she was bred to be standard, she just didn't make it. which no that she's spayed and eating a much more stable measured diet, she could tip the 5lbs someday, but anyways, i did not purchase her for a "teacup" dog...and i hate hate hate people that breed dogs her size on purpose...she's not standard, and therefore should not and will not ever be bred. why don't others learn more about the breed standard and work to improve and not destroy it???

That is just sooooo sad! I can't imagine living your life stuffed in a purse all the time. :(

I doubt if many dogs live that way, it's the fact that people get this impression that you can put a dog in a purse and he will be happy for hours at a time. When they learn this is not true, they dump the dog. Most yorkies will just bark their way out of the bag.

I didn't mean technically "living" in a purse but to me... spending a few hours in a purse per day is close enough to "living" in one, lol. I just don't think it's fair for a dog! That's all I meant by that. :) I understand how people buy them as accessories or don't understand it's a real living thing -- it's a terrible thing all around. Celebrities like Paris Hilton, etc, make dogs look like a fashionable item, then people realize they actually require exercise and hard work, and the poor dogs are the ones who suffer in the shelter.

That's terrible..that makes me so sad. Honestly I've put Bella into a bag before, but that is not the reason at all why I got her. Or even Rocco. And to be honest, I can't even remember the last time I ever put her in a bag.

Once my husband and I went to PetLand--for the sole intent of oohing and awwing over the puppies--and one of the puppies displayed was labeled a "pocket" beagle..These catch phrases are getting extremely old.

If anyone buy's a puppy for their purse it should be a stuffed toy puppy.

Hugs Shirl x x

For starters I did not watch the video.. so maybe I missed something. It would not load for me.

I don't use those terms but I do not take offense to it either. I know alot of the older breeders around here use teacup. They know there is not a teacup yorkie to them it is the same as saying it is small. They are not doing it to sell higher prices or try to mislead anyone.. I know that is not always the case.

As far as the purse puppy thing. I don't think anyone is saying they are going to live in a purse forever. I think it just describes that they will be small enough to take with you.

What I think is funny is the people buying these $10,000 purse puppies. They have all the resources to find these sites online so why don't they research a little more to find out about the yorkie breed.

I think buyer should start taking some responsibility.

I have got emails about my website and how bad I am for having my Dad's cancer page on there. I was told I was doing it to get sympathy buyers. I don't give a crap what anyone tells me I will not take it down. If people come to my site and think that they don't know me and I don't want them to have one of my pups ever..

I don't think any breeder should be labeled bad because of a word. Call and talk to them you might be surprised.

I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I think the terms are used to garner sales and in a lot of cases get higher prices.
I think breeders should only state they breed for standard, that's what they should strive for.
Yorkies are small, the breed standard is small. So why do you need to point that out by using words like "teacup" or "purse puppy."

I do agree buyers need to take responsibility as well, they should be looking for the breed standard when buying a puppy!

Disagree with what the people in my area are doing it to make money? Some breeders I know are not even getting $500 a pup here..even their teacup ones. So I don't think they are doing it for money..If they are and didn't use that term they would have to give them away the economy is so bad. Like I said that is not always the case. Since the world wide web has came along things have change and ALOT of online people do it to make money. I am not disagreeing there. If the word teacup is the only red flag I just say call and talk to them if the pups look nice and they are resonably price.. you might be surprised.

I have had several people call me and say " Are they teacup" I tell them well they are standard 4-7 pounds. I don't even try to explain anymore because it is in there head and they think your full of it. Then next question is price and I get hung up on...:eek:

Unless I'm misunderstanding you, I think you are making my point!
You said some breeders are not getting $500, even their "teacup" ones and if they didn't use those terms, they would have to give them away with the economy!
That sounds like they are getting more for their smaller puppies and using those words to gain interest in them.
I'm saying if I were a breeder and a good one, my response would be what you said you tell people "standard 4-7lbs" and I would never say anything different. I would never want to attract buyers who are hung up on getting the smallest dog they can find!
Those words are not the only red flags, but NO, I wouldn't even contact a breeder who uses them to try and sell puppies. They might have nice Yorkies, but I'm already turned off by their sales tactics and I wouldn't go any further. Plus if a breeder has puppies that are under standard on a regular basis, then they aren't trying to stay with the breeding standard and that isn't what I would want!
I'm sorry, that's just my opinion!