"No Teacups" (Article in a Magazine)
 

I just received the March 2006 issue of Dog Fancy. Every month they do a several page article on a specific breed. This month's breed, THE YORKSHIRE TERRIER!!!!!!!
I was reading the article and toward the end they have a section called No Teacups. It reads:

"The tiniest of the tiny Yorkies, weighing less than the standard size of 4 to 7 pounds as adults, are sometimes called "Teacup Yorkies." The term doesnt technically exist, according to the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America or the American Kennel Club, and refers to dogs who, rather than being rare or special, are actually just dangerously small, more susceptible to injury and accidents, and particularly vulnerable to health problems, says Shirley Patterson, corresponding secretary of the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America. She urges potential owners not to be fooled by breeders trying to sell these extra-small Yorkies for extra-large prices.
'These dogs need constant supervision, become dehydrated very easily, and get sick frequently,' Patterson says. Responsible breeders will not charge more money for these smaller dogs, who can naturally be born in any litter."

Isn't it a great article? I thought you all would enjoy it because I know how many of you get irritated by ignorant people searching for a "teacup"

Awesome article! :thumbup:

:thumbup: The best part is that many people will learn the truth about "teacups" when they read this article!

Now...If we could just get that ALL over the net maybe so many people wouldn't look for extra tiny - there's still the pet shops and bad breeders out there and the more people talk about it - the better educated the public will be one day.

Good!

This is great news that the word is getting out more and more!!


The majority of YT's could have written that article for Dog Fancy. :thumbup: It's so great to see on here such informed and educated Yorkie owners. Thumbs up to Yorkie Talk!! :aimeeyork

I wish this article could be printed in ALL the doggie magazines every month. They need to make it a "sticky" LOL :p

:bravo: :bravo: :bravo: At least the word is getting out!

Great article! Thanks for sharing :)

Finally a word of WISDOM!!! I guess you all know I feel about teacups!! They crack!! and I hate holding up my pinky finger when drinking from them !! LOL :D

Great article! I always wished for a teacup before my YT days, I had no idea. We never miss a chance to educate people now. But sometimes it seems overwhelming how much there is to do.

Great Article. Finally the word is spreading. :thumbup: :thumbup: :bravo: :bravo: TY for sharing this with us.

I shouldn't even mention this because I know a lot of people will take offense
--- but - really, it's just a question.

BUT - Two vets in a room with at my last visit said (in agreement) that often very small Yorkies are not sharp, intelligent little guys like their larger Yorkie mates are. One vet said that sometimes their eyes are just not sharp and they just aren't as alert as they should be.

My daughter had a small Yorkie visit her place of work today. She said it was 7 years old and weighed 1 1/2 pounds. She asked the owner if it was healthy and he said it was very healthy. But, she told me that it didn't look right to her. She said it eyes were bugged out and its tongue was hanging out and it shook a lot. She thought something was wrong with it and that it "looked funny."

To your knowledge, has this every been an issue with very tiny Yorkies?


Carol Jean

Awesome Article!! :thumbup: T4P! :)

:zip: :zip: :zip: :zip: :zip: :zip:

Its great that the news is getting out!!!! :D BUT in defense of some people on YT who have the small ones, they aren't ALL bad. I think its more of an issue of breeding for them than owning one or having one naturally born in a litter. I hope this makes some kind of sense....:rolleyes:

I think the article is great but that they shouldent make the tiny ones sound like time bombs because that just isnt true or fair to those of us that actually own one.
It upsets me to hear that the tiny ones get sick frequently,that they are prone to accidents,that they are dangerously small??? None of this has to be true and in my case it isnt at all.
Lady is 3oz shy of 2lbs and she has been sick once in 2 years and even then it was because she ate a bug whilst on her walk! She has never had diarrea,she has only had one accident (my fault) and even then nothing happened,she was fine,and as for her being dangerously small,I think thats just stupid and again unfair.I have 2 small kids who LOVE to play with her and a cat that loves to chase her around the house...she is healthy,playful and normal.
I agree that we shouldent call them tea-cups so that people dont think that they are getting something extra special,but please,lets stop making the smaller yorkies sound like super sick animals that only a profesional could own...Its a matter of stopping the term "tea-cup" not making the small ones sound like freaks.
I am a normal everyday person and I assure you that I havent had to go to university in order to look after Lady.She has to eat a special high calorie food to keep her weight stable (which is normal as tiny as she is) and she has glucose treats once a day just in case..but thats it! THAT is all the special care she needs and anyone can do it.
The vet bills arent higher with Lady,she isnt more work and neither does she need more care than Jessica who is over 7lbs.
Please please stop making the smaller yorkies sound like timebombs.They cant be bred,you have to be a little more careful around the house etc,but other than that they are just regular yorkies,plain and simple.
Im sorry about this post but when you´ve read post after post where people claim that you have to be a special person to own such a small yorkie,that these shouldent be raised in a home with kids,or that they need so much more care than a regular sized yorkie and that the vet bills are super high! etc,the day comes when you have to say something because none of this is true 80% of the time.
I just needed to get this off of my chest...

Well said!!!! That's why I posted what I did,,, I took the easy way out and kept my views to myself.

I am in agreement with Monica and Gina but kept my views to myself to avoid controversy until someone else spoke up.

I actually took the liberty of emailing the YTCA representative tnat was quoted to ask her to cite her source for the fact that tinies "get sick frequently" and " are particularly vulnerable to health problem" as I do not think that is true.

I sent the email when this thread was started but have not received a response.

I don't FEEL that this article was trying to put owners of tinies down. I think it was trying to educate the public to words used to sell these dogs at an extremely large sum, JMHO. I have read that tinies are fragile, and are more prone to getting sick than a standard size Yorkie. I like the article, my personal feelings. Some dog's don't grow to become 4-7lbs...some smaller, some larger....However, I feel that this article is a start for folks to get turned around; so they won't breed a 3lb female to get other 3lb dogs..JMHO

I think it was a great article and if you don't mind I'm going to repost it on craigslist and backpage where alot of the bad breeders hang out. For the most part it was on point, I'm sure it doesn't mean to cover 100% of tinies, but is generallizing. I have seen more freak accidents reported on YT about tinies than the larger yorkies. I believe that the bigger ones are more sturdy and would have possibly been able to survive some of the unfortunate accidents that happen. I just hope that the public knows what they're getting into and does a little bit of research now before getting one on the basis of "Wow, they're so cute I want to put it in my purse and go shopping." I'm not putting down the people that own them, I think it's fine as long as you know what to do if something goes wrong by doing research. I think that it does take a special person to give the little guys the proper care and attention they need as with all yorkies really.

THIS is very well said - :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

and I agree - no one was putting very small yorkies down....

Tinies are NOT for everyone - why try to make them sound easy to care for when most of them really do need special care ? Many people who have very small yorkies have to take special measures for their little ones & there IS more worry involved....NOT ALL people who want small dogs are equipped to care for them....

You're probably right. You shouldn't even mention it.

Most of us that have the smaller version are amazed at the sweet dispositon, and intelligence of our little critters. That something so small can be so large on personality and spunk is more fun than you can imagine. I bet there are just as many big dumb dogs as little dumb ones. It all depends on their lines and the breeding they came from. Breeders that sell to pet shops and backyard breeders will not maintain the quality of the breed that reputable experienced breeders will.

Tiny happens. If you can't appreciate small dogs don't get one. If you understand and appreciate the joy that comes with these special dogs find a good breeder and get one. They are not for everyone but those of us that wanted one understand how fortunate we are. If I ever get another pup, I will do everything I can to get one that will be under 4lbs. Perfect size for me.

I have that magazine too! I love it even more after seeing that article!

I haven't read the entire article but the last time I picked up a Yorkshire Terrier Magazine (Dog Fancy puplisher) one article called "teacups" those under 3lbs. and another refered to them under 4lbs.

Either way it wasn't the article that was offensive. As usual it is the comments that introduce and follow a posting like this.

Sheesh....this is ridiculous !!!
I have a Yorkie just under 2 pounds. She is perfect in every way and just as smart as my other 5 standard size Yorkies....3-9 pounds.
She is "Honey I shrunk the dog" and she is totally precious.
This is very erroneous information to be passing around here or anywhere else.
People are different.....dogs are different....some smarter than the other.

I, um didn't say anything like that in my post on this thread. I did say I've read where they are fragile, and are prone to illness....

Also on another thread, someone stated they had a small full grown yorkie and it was scary, I think it is different for every owner. I also think those who breed tinies to get tinies, are often the ones who get the "rude" comments!

If I may respectfully ask "where" you read this?

I have never found a credible source for this idea and from my experience and the experience of others with tinies, this is not true...it has all been unsubstantiated hearsay and espoused mostly by yorkie owners and breeders who are opposed to tinies because they are not breed standard.

I never claimed that the article was "putting the owners of tinies down"...just that it is spreading misinformation unless they can point to a credible source like a study or survey that has been done.

I do not agree with the statement that there are more stories on here about sick or injured tinies than standard sized yorkies. All yorkies are more "fragile" than most other breeds because they are smaller dogs. That is logical.

Ok I usually stay away from this sub. I don't know why it erkes me so. It takes alot for me to just walk away from them but I usually do. I don't think it takes a special person to care for a tiny yorkie anyone with a heart who is capable to love can own the biggest of dog as well as the tinest. The Yorkshire breed a are little to begin with. We all can agree breeding for tinnies is wrong but to say that all of them are prone to getting hurt or sick is just wrong. As far as accidents go,,, 2 lbs 4 lbs 7 lbs or even 10 lbs,,, that is still very small. You still have to watch out where your sitteing to make sure there isn't a sleeping yorkie in that spot. You have to watch your step because you don't want to step on them. They all like to play rough, they all get underfoot and stepped on at least once in thier lifetime. And with my thoughts and views on freak accidents is,,,,,, if the good lord wants them to be with him,,, then it's just thier time. I have 2 good examples here,,, Gus's father, may he rest in peace. Was killed by a fence that fell on him one very windy day. He was a 3 and half pounder. Are you telling me that if he had been bigger (standerd size) he's chances would have been greater that he would have survived? The other,, As you all may know about Gus's accident, He pulled though when even the doctors said he wouldn't. That goes to show you it just wanted his time to go. I thank the heavens above that I still have him here completely healthy and no side affects what so ever. I also have to point out that I have 4 kid in the house. My niece is 3 and yes I do worry about her hurting Gus but not because that he is littler then standerd size, because she can just as easy hurt him just as easy as she can a bigger one. I don't find that I have to care for Gus who is under 3 lbs different then my Pom who was 4.5 or my lab mix who was 45 lbs. The smaller breeds, yes you have to be a little more careful that goes without saying. A tiny yorkie takes the same amount of effort to care for as the standerd size no ore no less.

Honey is ADORABLE and what a creative name!!

I also have 4 who are under 4 lbs and they are all just as healthy as any other yorkie and my smallest is the healthiest.

What you said is my experience as well.

And Gus...oh Monica...with all he has been through and he is alive and well...a good example of the strength and health of the tinies!! Go Gus Go!!