Texas Teacups
 

The recent thread, Breeder in Dallas, TX, reminded me of my "pet peeve" - TexasTeacups.com. Beware.
This is from a post by the owner:
In 2000, I was the first breeder to take a stand for teacup puppies on the internet, which attracted people from all over the world! My first website came in to existence by the help of Vanessa Loggins, for whom I am eternally grateful. With her help she gave me the opportunity to share these teacup puppies to other dog lovers all over the world. Both negative and positive feedback came with this new introduction because at that time no one dared to admit they breed teacup puppies and where (sic) afraid to advertise. Becky Bice, owner.

I do not rant on this site because of my feelings about how some people have been treated in the past. But this VERY different. This is a breeder/broker who is PROUD of her methods. Demands a lot of warnings! Could save a couple of puppies and a few broken hearts. IMO.

OMG!!!! I almost don't have words for this. What a ridiculous website. Talk about an in-your-face puppymill!!!!:mad::mad: :eek::eek::eek: And boy are they proud of their "celebrity" customers. I clicked on a female adult yorkie - 2 lbs.-- that they were selling, but no longer are because SHE IS BEING KEPT FOR BREEDING!!!!! Oh, but if somebody really wants her, they'll let her go for $25,000! :rolleyes:

And the last thing that made me want to hurl was this quote: ( This business is owned and operated by the grace of God ) http://texasteacups.com/images/right...mall1_dy6x.jpg:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown

That name sounds so familiar I am pretty sure I went to that facility one time or it could have been a similar sounding name. IF it is the one I am thinking about, it was essentially a puppymill in a large barn type structure on a fairly large property rather far out of town with just crate after crate after crate of very tiny dogs of many breeds. I think the prices at the time were in the thousands. I didn't see any sick, deformed or multiples in a single crate and it was clean but it was no life for any of the dogs I saw, I am pretty certain. After talking with her a while, it was pretty well established she was a puppy broker, too. I did see several breeds with badly tear-stained faces and too-long toenails and adult-dog breed standard conformation was usually poor. I don't know how the workers there or those dogs stood the strong disinfectant-mixed-with-feces-and-urine odor, though mostly one only smelled the strong, strong breath-taking disinfectant. For a puppy or little pregnant female to have to live constantly breathing that awful strong, strong smell must have been horrible! I'm all for clean but that couldn't have been safe or pleasant for those dogs with their strong senses of smell to endure 24/7! And of course, who was there to see to them all through the long night?

There were too many dogs for even a team of people to give them the life of a beloved pet and how any one of them (that were not chosen pets for special treatment) ever got any one-on-one loving, human-to-dog connection, meaningful interaction and lap time/down time, I'll never know. I doubt any got much in the way of any daily intellectual challenges or stimulation and likely were only exercised in groups when there was some time. It was AWFUL. I am not certain it was that name but it was very like it - of not Texas Teacups, it was Lonestar Teacups or Tiny Texas Teacups or something like that. I would say for anyone responding to any breeder with "teacup" in the title of their business or kennel, think twice. Go see the facilities. And then there are the sham-facilities, where they meet you in a nice home setting, usually rented by the hour, with the kennel van parked down the street so you never really know unless you see something like that barn thing full of dogs. Just awful, awful, awful. And I won't even get into the horrible genetic diseases and issues so many of their puppies have and the misery and vetting involved in the medical aspect of a tiny. And yes, this lady was very proud of her dog business and "the happiness I bring to people and dogs".

Oh, and check out their prices!! There must be a LOT of people with way more money than brains, or ethics for that matter.

Thanks for bring yet another of the unscrupulous Breeders to our/my attention. :thumbup:

It's a real shame that there are SO many out there, that downsize breed with the preponderance of medical issues, which are common to that practice.

In my opinion, I think that the Yorkshire Breed is generally getting bigger/heavier as the years/generations pass.

I can see this putting a lot of burden on our good/responsible Breeders, trying to accommodate the AKC weight restrictions. The (within specifications) well proportioned and healthy Dogs that are available, will not live forever. The AKC needs to "rethink" it's standards. IF this were to occur, I think it would considerably reduce the interest that some have, for the diminutive.

I'm pretty sure I stopped at that boutique in Forney a couple of months back when I was antiquing at the Forney shops and the lady was telling a potential customer the difference in a teddy bear face vs. a doll face. Had reams of stiff-netted tutu's and dresses and even the puppies there were fully dressed and trying to play in those things. The dogs I saw were ultra-tiny. But the dog barn facility I visited years back was west of Dallas as I recall and may be unrelated to this boutique though the other factors are all too familiar, just as the name is. When I had Jilly and was looking for a second Yorkie, I visited all kinds of places and met with all kinds of breeders, partly just to see what was being done in the name of Yorkie breeding in North Texas. A lot of it wasn't anything you would ever want any dog to have to endure.

Divine it "Ain't"
 

Somewhere in heaven, there are tears over this. Yet another one trying to hide one's evil behind the divine. There are very hot places for people like this.
Wish this warning could be kept up near the top of the list.

An internet search shows she has changed locations over time and there are variations to the business name. The "store" is east of Dallas, off I80. Poor, poor babies.

was everyone offended by this statement?

"BELOW ARE PHOTOS OF CHEAP YORKIES SOLD ON THE INTERNET FROM COUNTERFEIT TEACUP BREEDERS THIS IS WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE WHEN FULL GROWN ( Big head, big body and long nose, some even have floppy ears )" and the paragraph that follows it.

Grrrrr

Protest WFAA
 

For North and East Texas folks: Texas Teacups was given a guest segment on WFAA's Good Morning Texas (Channel 8)! I sent WFAA's GMT a letter of protest; it went unacknowledged. I no longer watch the program, even though one of my writing partners is a recurring guest "expert". What were those idiots thinking when they cameo'd a person who advocates what she does? To a lot of under-educated people, that is seen as a stamp of "approval". I suggest others in our area consider boycotting GMT, too, until they attempt to make up for their mistake by doing a segment, with expose', on puppymills in the area.:mad:

I clicked one of the pictures this is what it says for price "Registered Starting Price: $125,000.00
With Registration & Lifetime Pet Replacement" ARE YOU KIDDING ME:eek:

You are kidding me!?!?!!!!! What in the world and who in the world and oh, wow! Well, a lot of people here in North Texas sure seem to do BIG BUSINESS trafficking in very, very tiny little Yorkies, Poodles, Maltese and Chihuahua puppies and all types of "designer" mixes. There are women everywhere with tiny little dogs wearing all kinds of clothing and bling and in the stores that allow it. It is THE thing to get tiny dogs and pull up their hair into a huge, tight-looking bow, or elastic-covered head band with a big bow on it, a tutu or dress, necklace and often, shoes, too. And the fancy leashes!!! To top that, the fancy dog beds they have in the boutique or finer pet stores cost mostly upwards of $1K. They look like Barbi castles and things. I wonder when just being a happy, healthy dog stopped being enough and it had to become a super-tiny fashion statement on a jeweled lead that sleeps in a mini-Cinderella's carriage at night in its own pink dog suite? Any way, I guess one of those types wouldn't think much of paying six figures for a lifetime of furry eye candy on 4 feet. When one dies, they just go back and get another. Tiny dogs are big business here. Sigh.

I guess this is why we shouldn't buy our pets from the same place celebrities buy their pets. There is so much BS on this site it's ridiculous.

HA yea !, I have some very nice cushy beds, with little Pillows and soft Blankets, and my guys won't even get in them. They like the XX-old blankets with tears and holes. They roll and tunnel in them, just like they cost a million dollars. :D

I started looking at the website and couldn't finish...such a shame.

There are some breeds listed on the site that I've never heard of... Daisy breed, Morkies, Maltepoo, etc. I guess she'll breed any dog that stands. Not even to mention the Teacup French Bulldogs... How is this possible? I wonder what are the health implications of a teacup brachycephalic breed? Isn't there a way to shut someone like this down?

The only way that's possible is, IF, the conditions (housing/feed/water/cleanliness) are considered within the local interpretation of "abuse", THEN, the Breeder may...

Be given a warning, or
A moderate Fine, or
Several Fines of increasing amounts, or
Removal of some or all of the animals....

That could take YEARS !

Absurd!!!!!!!!!! Tucker is cuter and likely healthier than her dogs and he was 850. just saying. 25,000 for a dog???????? How is she even selling these? Ridiculous

Some people are obsessed with "quality". It's a psychological issue. There's some truth to it, nice things do cost more, and that's called justification. If one has the money, and "want" that, it's very easy for one to justify the expense. I recall touching on this "condition" in Psych 101.

How many Dogs would this Breeder have to sell per year, to live a very comfortable life, and beyond that, keep the Kennel in emasculate condition.

Understand, I'm not supporting this, but, I do wish I had the money to consider it. :D

"Teacup" Yorkies are tiny, tiny dogs that don't come anywhere near the Yorkshire Terrier standard minimum recommended size and most are anythings but quality. So many of them have terrible genetic issues, malformations and often medical problems from breeding for size rather than health and betterment of the breed. If this place is the same one I visited or similar to it as to the attributes of the breeding stock or puppies, none of the adults I saw were anywhere near correct conformation and it seemed like the majority had terrible tearing problems. Most had some degree of things like roach back or high behind, large and/or poorly set ears, very short muzzles, undershot jaw, short, bowed legs, etc. I didn't have her show me any of the puppies as I wouldn't have had any one of them so I couldn't personally attest to what they really were like except very tiny for their stated age. Breeders like this are charging only for the diminutive size and cater to those among us who prefer a dog that size and not too interested in conformation or health potential. And there sure was no quality to the living quarters for her dogs, confined to rows of cages in that huge barn, though they were clean then. All it was missing were the filthy cages crammed with dogs so sick they could barely stand but the facility I visited had all of the other hallmarks of a puppymill and dog broker, all wrapped into one.

Just makes you want to sit down and bawl. These poor babies. It absolutely breaks my heart.

The saddest part is that is that stars Blake Lively(Gossip Girls) , Paris Hilton, Kathy Hilton, Kevin Jonas " Jonas Brothers ", Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical ), Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Harvick, Olympic Ice Skater Michelle Kwann, Ciara, Rihanna, Greenbay Packers AJ Hawk, NFL Brady Quinn, Melissa Jow (Star of Disney's Unfabulous), Basketball star Katino Mobley, Jordan Hinson (Eureka & Disney's Go Figure), Amber Smith Sports Illustrated Model, Jessica Simpson's Family, Ricky Hendrick. They all got puppies from them. It is sad to know they are encouraging this. They have to understand good or bad they are role models. Everything they say and do people listen and want to be just like them. I wish all of these stars would realize that animals are not an accessory. They are living breathing creatures. And they are displaying these poor dogs only make others want what they have. They need realize that there is no such thing as a tea cup dog. They are toy breeds. This greedy breeder is breeding tiny females dogs that are way too small to breed. It just breaks my heart.

Okay looked at one puppy and had to stop. Those people are shameful!!! The poor things are so small, they are selling them at a price this unbelievable (pure greed) and they have the nerve to post the celebrity bloodline of the puppy.

Lesson learned, do not look at those sites.

How sad. I couldn't look any farther.

I think we need to do what we can to change that !

In fact, there are TeaCups, Dogs just like the ones this unscrupulous Breeder is breeding. I want to do what I can, to make the word "TeaCup" a bad word ! One which anyone, celebrity or not, would be ashamed to be associated with, or admit they have supported the Breeder that stooped to that level of literal abuse.

These Celebrities may just be the avenue to that shame !

They have WebPages, Facebook, other Sites which they use to revel their popularity. I'm going to try to find those sites, and shame the person, tell what hideous acts they are supporting. This topic is something that one of those Sensationalistic Magazines would probably love to know. They like to embarrass celebrities like that. There must be many resources which we could find to do that.

We (here on YT) have been badmouthing this activity forever. I think it's time to step it up a notch if there's ever anything actually going to be done about it.

What do you think, would/will you take an active roll in this ?

Since this puppy mill owner has been in the business for many years you can bet they have more than one website and that they sell to multiple distributors. These people develop fancy looking high end websites with very high end prices in order to nab the people who have more money than brains but they also truck off the same stock to pet stores and various other distribution areas. They also sell to the less elite pet owner who only has a couple of thousand hard earned dollars to purchase the mini dog of their dreams. They get the least amount of money for the pet store pups but make up the loss by scamming others. It has to be one of sickest ways of making money known to man.

All of these pups come from the same filthy facility although there is a huge difference in the price point. These people are scammers on steroids.

A television program that promotes puppy mills needs to be run off the air.

We will never stop greedy breeders; they will pick a new word if people learn to avoid breeders who advertise teacups. All we can do is help people choose good breeders and this goes way beyond a breeder who uses that word. Buyers should be educated to know that good breeders don't breed small dogs and don't breed FOR small dogs. So many backyard breeders don't want to get picked on so they use the words "doll face" which is synonym for teacup. They breed 6 pound mamas so that they can't be criticized, but 3 pound daddy's hoping that the buyer will think the pups will be an "average" rate, and most pet buyers don't realize, that's not how it works. Most pet buyers don’t understand what standard means don’t think we need a standard, and only seem to be concerned with one thing - size. We have a great link in the library that gives so much great information on finding a good breeder. I hope all YT members read it and remember to link it. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/bre...e-breeder.html We need to be able to teach others not just what the red flags are, but how to spot red flags.

Well, I don't care how much money I had I would never dream about considering what they offer.

Until people stop wanting and clamoring after them and women quite wanting them to dress up like little walking dolls or to carry a tiny wearing lots of bling as a fashion accessory and tougher laws are put in place to try to stop having dogs living in cages most of their days and with little human contact, all we can do is spread the word what their dogs' lives are like and try to discourage people from buying these kinds of tiny, tiny dogs.

Nothing will stop these people except their trade dries up or they are put out of business with strong, strong, almost unenforceable laws in this day and time of budget cuts. Just keep trying to get the word out that though cute sometimes, these little dogs are often unhealthy and have many problems living a normal dog's life.

I myself really love and prefer a healthy and happy normal-sized Yorkie with good sturdy bones and musculature, a lot of feisty attitude, enough muzzle for good breathing, scenting and teeth, and enough size to be able to live a good dog's life.

I wish YT could flood the Facebook and Twitter pages and email of TV shows and movie studios that glamorize the tiny, tiny breeds on any of their productions.
I would love to see an alert thread on YT anytime a tiny is seen and the members could let that particular show know the downside of breeding/whelping/raising and owning tinies and ask them not to keep perpetuating the desire for them by romanticizing or glorifying tinies.

Sad but true that bad breeding practices will probably always exist to some extent. The general public believes that AKC or some other registration means they have a quality puppy. There are those who actually realize all the reasons that their breeding methods are detrimental but choose to do it anyway. There are also buyers who have their heart set on a tiny dog and feel they won't get one from a reputable breeder or have no idea of what a reputable breeder would be like.

Really a buyer is more likely to get a Yorkie that is 7lbs or under from a person with an established line of dogs that has been producing consistently for size and conformation. Have lost track of the number of people here on YT and other places that have purchased that pup that was not supposed to be more than 4lbs but turned out to be at least 8lbs and much larger. Trying to inform people is not an insult to the dogs that are being exploited by unethical breeders. It is an attempt to put as many of those scamming animals abusers out of business as possible.

:thumbup::thumbup:
So true! Anyway, I'm here to say, that Yorkietalk works, I was one uneducated puppy buyer when I came here. Before for the internet it was harder to really research some of these things and I was under the belief system that all purebred breeding was wrong. I only would get a dog from a shelter, not a breed because I thought they were all in it for the wrong reason. Yorkietalk really taught me so many valuable lessons, and I was able to find a breeder who breed for the betterment of the breed. I don't feel one bit guilty supporting THAT type of breeder.