Please know that I respect you greatly Kathryn and I am sure hearing the vet use the teacup word afte what you have read on here was a shock and I mean no offense to you but.....

The word is not offensive to me and is quite commonly used now to refer to a dog who is smaller than the breed standard of several toy breeds including poodles and chihuahua.

I do not understand the contiuned uproar over a "word" and the fact that because it is not part of the AKC classification, that it is wrong to use it to describe size or that "teacups do not exist".

It is no wonder that the average person would look at someone weirdly who would make such a comment. That is like saying dogs under 5 lbs do not exist when we know they do. :p

Also, teacups cost more because they are in demand and they are more expensive for a breeder, they require 24/7 care from birth and they have to stay with Mom longer so the vet incurs a lot more expense in raising them to the time of adoption.

I think we would all be happier if we stopped making such a fuss over such a commonly used term. JMHO.

Looking at it from the other side I think you have to remember that vets are well versed in dog medicine, not breeding and showing. Some vets MAY know there is no such thing as a breed yorkie "teacup" and may use it referring to size not breed. I am sure (and hope) that they are busy studying medicine and not the political correctness of terms. I would be more upset if the vet had no idea what this breed is prone to than if they knew teacup wasn't a good term.
My vet has never mentioned that Mignon is a teacup or that Rio is a teapot, he calls them tiny and big. I really don't care what he calls them as long as he knows what the breeds specific problems are.

Why do we always get so mad when people use the term "teacup." Many many people use this term to describe a "small dog" -- which Yorkies are.

My personal opinion is that there are no "teacup Yorkies" (meaning that some Yorkies are smaller than others) -- but there are certainly what many people call "teacup dogs" (meaning that some breeds are very small.)

If this is the worst I could find wrong with my vet (and the term "teacup" doesn't offend me at all) -- I wouldn't be worried at all.

A vet's speciality is caring for the health of a dog. My vet told me that she learns new things everyday -- from us - when we share what we know about our particular breeds. I wouldn't have been offended at all by her using the term "teacut" (meaning very small - which your puppy is). But, if you wished, you could have taken the opportunity to point out that there is no such thing as a "teacup Yorkie." And - she may already have known this - but just used the word to describe your dog as small.

And as far as your dog's weigh -- it's going to be what it's going to be. I think these little dogs are born to be a certain size and hoping and praying and dieting can't really change that. Your vet is probably used to a lot of people wanting their dogs to stay small - as well as others who want larger dogs. Personally, I think 4 to 4 1/2 pounds is a wonderful weight for a healthy little Yorkie. But, it is small, isn't it?

My vet's office has three vets working there and I never care which one I see. I like them all. They are different ages, have different levels of experience, two do surgery - one doesn't - and they have quite different personalities. I like and trust each one of them.

Good luck!

Carol Jean

LOL!!!! thats sad
 

Well #1 I think vets should know that there is no such thing as a teacup yorkie but i dont care really cuz i no its not a teacup and there is no such thing but i still think thats kinda wack that a vet doesnt get her stuff right. :eek:

#2 if the vet called my dog cat i wouldnt want them working on him or her cuz they would probably give her the wrong prescription cuz she cant read either. :D

Danny, you're funny!!! I like you already! :p (Don't worry, not that way...I'm 29 and a teacher of students your age. Though it has been known to happen. Okay, I'm grossing myself out. I'm gonna shut up now! :D)

O and ow do u get those special smilies that cry laughing

DITTO to #1 and #2!!!! haha.

#1: Vets specialize in pets, not yorks, or even dogs. They take care of dogs, cats, aves, cattle, reptiles, etc. So, it's not a big deal if "yorkie" is part of his vocabulary.
#2: :D :thumbup:

On the right hand side when you're typing...hit "more." It's underneath the dog with his tongue sticking out. :animal36

all kidding aside, i'd personally would be a bit concerned if my vet used the term "teacup" as an adjective to describe very small dogs. to me, it means this particular vet is not well versed enough in small breed dogs. by bringing my yorkie to a vet not very familiar with small breed dogs, i run the risk of having the vet treat my little one as she/he would a 50 lbs lab.

like i said, use of correct terms would be something i would expect of someone who is an animal care expert, especially one that is treating and caring for my dog. i would expect someone who is an expert in the field not to make the same mistakes as a layman. like, i'm sure i'd never find a civics teacher out there who uses the same term to refer to african americans as it's used in our outdated civics books printed in the early 70's.

it's true that vets do care for and are taught to care for more animals than just dogs, or small breed dogs specifically. but you can say that of human doctors too, and i would never ask my protologist for advice about birth control.

with all seriousness aside.... this thread reminds me that i have to complain to my
husband. i just realized that i've been walking around with a "teacup diamond" in my engagement ring!!! tell me it isn't soo!!!!

African-Americans are not called "Negros", because of political pressures, not because civic teachers are more or less qualified. Everyone, beginning at the time they can comprehend will be taught the politically correct term. "Teacups" is a specific term referring to small breeds, especially Yorks because of the market demand. It means a smaller-than-usual-sized dog. A vet is illustrating the fact that the dog will be small, not the negative connotations that it brings out within Yorkie community.
If you are going to a regular vet, you should not expect him not to use terms you and a small group of people consider politically incorrect. If you have a specific question about birth control, you would seek a specialist due to a narrow area of expertise. A proctologist would not be a good choice because of the uniqueness of the problem. If you have a problem that is specific to only Yorkshire Terriers and you seek out a specialist who deals only with those uniquely specific questions, then the vet will be immersed into the culture and will be very correct and unupsetting, the same way proctologist is part of a "procto" community following very closely problems and trends in his field.
Now, I do not like breeders, who are part of the community and profit off of the breed using "teacup" to describe size and intentionally bred runts.
And being a representative of the male population, describing your ring as teacup is irresponsible and demeaning. ;)

Yeah , what she said. lol

I would never use the word 'teacup' on this forum (i would be scared), but it does bring to mind a time I was at a restaurant that had horses on the door of the restroom, like a mare and a stallion. I was not sure which was the girl, so I had to stand there and wait until someone went in (and hope they knew.)

I had found a cat once which I thought was a girl. The vet said he thought she was fixed (he felt around her stomach). A month or so later the cat got very sick. I called and he said 'well, I would think he was blocked if it were a male.' As it turned out, he was a male and was blocked. I always wondered about that vet. But at least he never mistook my dog for a teacup! - I just would never forgive that!

I had no idea. LOL!

You just need to realize that makes it even MORE valuable! :D