Weight of a Teacup

[yorkiemom1970]

and when i said "name" i meant an actual name for a yorkie. like gidget, bridgit, midgit, ect...

[Maddie-Rudy-Mom]

When I take my three out, people always ask if Polly is Maddie and Rudy's baby. I just tell them no she is just small and yorkies can come is all sizes as you can see.

[whispersmom2]

The only standard for a Yorkshire Terrier from AKC is to 7 lbs. There is no standard for a lower weight. Therefore any breeder can call any size a "teacup". A friend and I saw Yorkies advertised..rare reds-- and she called and asked about them. She was told there were teacups and standards. So, we HAD to go look at these rare red teacup Yorkies. We got to the house and went in and there were the most gawd-awful looking dogs, matted, dirty and smelly. But, wait! Those were the adults. The puppies were 8 weeks old and looked like normal colors. We asked where the "teacup rare reds" were and she looked at us like we were idiots.. She said these 2 puppies in her hands WERE them. They were already over 2 pounds and would easily top off at 5-6 pounds. So, according to her standards, anything under 6 pounds as adults were "teacup!" Needless to say, we beat feet out of there and went to the truck and howled with laughter..

[HisNameIsHarley]

Originally Posted by Mueyinter

Hrmm the weight of a teacup? I guess it would depend on what brand of teacup it is, and what material it is made of. Ceramic, porcelin, etc. I'll go home & check in my cupboard tonight & weigh mine for you.

Love it..Love it..LOVE IT! Now when you weigh it is it empty or have tea in it?

JUST PLAYING AROUND! There are no such things as 'teacup' yorkies. Be careful how you use the term.. But it's ok bc you're new here. Actually most people don't realize that there's no such thing as a teacup yorkie.

[HisNameIsHarley]

Originally Posted by yorkieusa

That's because they are teapot yorkies!

You guys really gotta quit!! My tummy is aching from laughing!!! Harley's a teapot yorkie! hahaha

[HisNameIsHarley]

Originally Posted by vainchick5

So this is what I don't understand..If everyone is using the alternative word for teacup, as tiny, mini, runt, or extra small, what's the difference really? Just a disclaimer, I would NEVER buy from a breeder that advertised teacups, nor do I call my little girl a teacup. But I'm just curious about alllll the fuss over A WORD??!!...it's like saying shoot or sh*t..it means the same thing, it is just a nicer way of saying it.

I think really the biggest issue I have with the term 'teacup' is that is used as advertising schemes to get uneducated people to buy a teenie tiny dog below breed standard for outrageous prices. I've seen advertisments for 'tiny yorkies', 'teenie yorkies', 'teacup yorkies', 'small yorkies' everything you can think of to lure people in. This of course works bc most people are looking for a really small yorkie. I see it as a trend that's basically running the breed into the ground and perhaps into risk of falling apart. Which is why it's so important for breeders (who care) to take such care and consideration when breeding their dogs only to the standard and what's best for the breed.

[yorkieusa]

Here is an article about them:

Looking for information about extra tiny yorkies? Did you know that teacup yorkies are not a "breed" as such, but rather an extra small sized yorkshire terrier? But let's face it - they are really gorgeous and undeniably very cute - right? Well, before you rush out and buy one just because of how cute you think that they look - and for the "novelty" - let's first discuss what you may expect in relation to the potential health risks of acquiring such a tiny yorkie: (Note: These are only known risk possibilities - but you do need to be aware of them all the same!) Potential Health Risks of Teacup Yorkies:

1. Statistically teacup yorkies live shorter lives compared to their "standard" sized counterparts.
2. Teacup yorkies are more prone to hypoglycemic episodes (drop in blood sugar),because they are less able to control their blood sugar. This can potentially make them prone to coma. This also means that extra special attention must be given to frequent feeding to keep blood sugar levels regulated.
3. There is a greater risk of uterus rupture if a female becomes impregnated - and this carries a high risk of death. The males have been known to have a very low sperm count compared to the standard sized yorkie.
4. Teacup yorkies are much more physically vulnerable to injury than its standard sized counterpart. They risk injury and breaking bones even from jumping off a bed or couch and they are easily trod upon because they are so tiny and not so visible. You also need to be extra careful with your teacup around boisterous children or other larger dogs.
5. Teacup yorkies are more prone to hypothermia. Because they are so tiny and have less body fat, their body temperatures can drop very quickly. Therefore, it will be imperative to be extra vigilant in keeping them warm - such as providing warm clothing,rugs and maintaining a well heated environment at all times.
6. They have lower immunity and strength because of their small size and this makes it a bit more difficult to fight infection and so they must be watched carefully for any type of illness. For example, a bout of diarrhea would weaken them a lot quicker than their larger counterparts.
7. There is a higher risk of death during anaesthesia from an operation, as their small body mass becomes more vulnerable to recovery.
8. Teacup yorkies have a higher incidence of genetic defect than their "standard" sized counterparts.



Technically speaking, a "teacup" yorkie is below the "standard" size yorkshire terrier - ie below 4 lbs. It should also be noted that a responsible breeder will not deliberately breed a teacup. As is quite often the case, these tiny yorkies are just extra small in size at birth compared to their "standard" sized siblings.


Important Fact - Did you know that the A.K.C and the C.K.C do not recognize the name "teacup"? The standard says that they should weigh between 4-7 lbs(C.K.C) or 5-7 lbs(A.K.C). If you think about it - this is undeniably a small dog even if you get one that is on the large side of the standard. Remember, all yorkies are small anyway - the most important thing should be in finding a healthy puppy that will grow into a healthy adult.

Now then, if after reading this , you still believe that adopting a teacup yorkie is still the way to go for you - and you are willing to truly make the commitment to looking after one properly, then I suggest that you contact a reputable breeder and ask if they have any really small yorkies. I also recommend that you refer to my page about breeders and what to look for to get further valuable reading on this matter.
http://www.allaboutyorkies.com/teacup-yorkies.html

[cheryl000]

Thanks for the info yorkieusa. I didn't know all of those risks. Now I know what info to send people who say they say they want a "teacup" yorkie.

[deanna.yorkie]

Yorkshire Terrier Breed Standard
Toy Group

General Appearance
That of a long-haired toy terrier whose blue and tan coat is parted on the face and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail and hangs evenly and quite straight down each side of body. The body is neat, compact and well proportioned. The dog's high head carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance.

Head
Small and rather flat on top, the skull not too prominent or round, the muzzle not too long, with the bite neither undershot nor overshot and teeth sound. Either scissors bite or level bite is acceptable. The nose is black. Eyes are medium in size and not too prominent; dark in color and sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression. Eye rims are dark. Ears are small, V-shaped, carried erect and set not too far apart.

Body
Well proportioned and very compact. The back is rather short, the back line level, with height at shoulder the same as at the rump.

Legs and Feet
Forelegs should be straight, elbows neither in nor out. Hind legs straight when viewed from behind, but stifles are moderately bent when viewed from the sides. Feet are round with black toenails. Dewclaws, if any, are generally removed from the hind legs. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.

Tail
Docked to a medium length and carried slightly higher than the level of the back.

Coat
Quality, texture and quantity of coat are of prime importance. Hair is glossy, fine and silky in texture. Coat on the body is moderately long and perfectly straight (not wavy). It may be trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance, if desired. The fall on the head is long, tied with one bow in center of head or parted in the middle and tied with two bows. Hair on muzzle is very long. Hair should be trimmed short on tips of ears and may be trimmed on feet to give them a neat appearance.

Colors
Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured. Color of hair on body and richness of tan on head and legs are of prime importance in adult dogs, to which the following color requirements apply:

Blue: Is a dark steel-blue, not a silver-blue and not mingled with fawn, bronzy or black hairs.

Tan: All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to still lighter tan at the tips. There should be no sooty or black hair intermingled with any of the tan.

Color on Body
The blue extends over the body from back of neck to root of tail. Hair on tail is a darker blue, especially at end of tail.

Headfall
A rich golden tan, deeper in color at sides of head, at ear roots and on the muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan. Tan color should not extend down on back of neck.

Chest and Legs
A bright, rich tan, not extending above the elbow on the forelegs nor above the stifle on the hind legs.

Weight
Must not exceed seven pounds

Approved April 12, 1966

This is AKC standards for Yorkshire Terrers which I copied from there site.

If you are looking for a small yorkie do your research on the back ground of the parents and previous buyers from the breeder and even talk to the breeders Vet.

I have a small yorkie that has not had any health problems, he is 2.5lbs and he is full grown. I had my Vet help me on what I need to look for when buying a small yorkie.

Hope this helps !!!

[SoCalyorkiLvr]

Originally Posted by Connie

I don't think people who use the term "teacup" should be blasted for it. Heck...I see things in magazines and on the net that refer to teacups...last night when looking at patterns...I think it was simplicity...they had patterns for teacup puppies. There may be no such thing as a teacup puppy, but there sure are a lot of things out there that refer to teacups. I think it's gotten to be a commonly used term and I don't think it's going to go away.

I totally agree! The term is way too emotional and it needn't be. For the newbie and the general population it is simply a descriptive term. Even Target uses the term in the sizing for it's dog clothes.

And, no offense to those who said otherwise, but the Breed Standard as written is not 4-7 lbs but rather 7 lbs and under which technically includes those 2 and 3 lbers.

In my opinion and in the opinion of most breeder's websites I have seen, a "teacup", tiny or mini is anything under 5 lbs as an adult. There is also a micro-mini which i believe is anything under 3 lbs as an adult.