[News] Celebs Popularize the Tiny Breeds

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Call it the Paris Hilton Effect. The hotel heiress and her Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, have made teeny dogs the latest celebrity fashion accessory. If it barks and you can stick it in your purse or carry it in your arms, consider yourself on the cutting edge of a trend.

But the "Simple Life" starlet isn't the only one whose miniature dog has become a media hit. You can hardly open an issue of People magazine without seeing celebrities, including Britney Spears, with their toy dogs. Ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi owns a toy fox terrier named Piston. Jessica Simpson, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey, Mira Sorvino, Kelly Osbourne and tennis star Venus Williams all have much-photographed petite pooches.

"The style of the times is small dogs," said Bash Dibra, a New York dog trainer whose celebrity clients include Jennifer Lopez and Madonna. Dibra is the author of "Your Dream Dog" (New American Library, 2003) and several other books.

It's not exactly a scientific poll, but Screensavers.com reports that toy dogs are now more popular than perennial favorites golden and Labrador retrievers. The free site, known as something of a pop-culture barometer, bases this surprising statement on 20,958 downloads of 56 different dog screensavers. Its two top dogs are the Shih Tzu (which weighs 10 to 16 pounds) and the Chihuahua (2 to 6 pounds).

"I love the toy dogs," said Lori Chambers, 42, of Parkton, Md., who owns a 7-pound Yorkshire terrier named Maggie May. "They're small physically, but they have attitude."

Little is getting bigger

The American Kennel Club says that the popularity of small breeds has been rising slowly but steadily, though the golden retriever is still at the top of the list for purebred registrations. The question is, though, whether most people are going to register a dog they plan to carry around in their purse. And teacup dogs--the really tiny ones you have to raise your voice several octaves to talk to--aren't a separate breed at all. Any toy breed can have its teacups. And the AKC isn't very happy about them.

"They're being bred smaller and smaller because there's money in it," said Gail Miller, the AKC's director of media relations. A teacup "is thought to be rare so they can charge a lot."

The cost seems inversely proportional to the poundage. People routinely pay thousands of dollars for teacups and some toy breeds, while you can get a lovely golden retriever--55 to 80 pounds--for $300.

There are two ways to produce a teacup dog. (No, they don't actually fit in a teacup, unless you have a very large teacup. These are dogs that usually weigh 2 pounds or less.)

Reputable breeders let nature take its course, and with luck there's a runt of the litter. Unfortunately, more and more teacups are the result of inbreeding. With them you must calculate the cost not only in terms of purchase price but also vet bills.

They often are unhealthy little puppies, and even the genetically OK ones are as fragile as premature babies. Until they're fully grown, they can suffer from hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, unless fed every three hours or so.

"They are very, very cute, but just be aware that medically you can be getting into something expensive," said Dr. David Tayman, owner of the Columbia Animal Hospital, who warns about dental disease (tiny dogs often have poor bites as a result of inbreeding) and heart and respiratory problems.

Needy pets

Even healthy teacup dogs demand special attention.

"Some of these little dogs are really needy," explained Arizona-based breeder Wanda Jones, who calls her business Tucson Tea-Cups. "They panic easily."

They also must be monitored closely. They can break a leg jumping off a sofa and have questionable immune systems.

Jones screens her customers before she sells her puppies, which she can afford to do because there is so much demand. "I quiz everybody buying my dogs and try to figure out if the dog is going to be a companion or a conversation piece," she explained. "People say, `I want to be able to take my dog everywhere I go and put it in my purse.' Is that a good thing for a puppy? No."

She prefers that customers pick up their dogs in person, although she has shipped a teacup to as far away as Vancouver, British Columbia, when she was sure the miniature pup was old enough to withstand the stress.

Jones recommends that consumers research the breeder before they buy, and check references. Veterinarians are a good source for information on reputable breeders.

The current interest in tiny dogs might have started with the popularity of the Taco Bell commercials featuring a Chihuahua, one of the smallest of the purebreds and a perennial favorite of people who want a cuddly companion.

Other popular toy breeds include Pekingeses, Papillons and Yorkshire terriers.

Accessorizing

"People tend to look at small dogs as accessories of their own," said Mike Campbell, owner of the newly opened Doggie Styles in Beverly Hills, Calif. "They can look even more fashionable if the little dog is dressed up."

By dressed up, he means dressed up as in dresses.

"Owners swear dogs enjoy being dressed," he said. "And when they are trying the clothes on, the dogs do seem not only patient but happy. They like the attention."

He also carries cashmere and silk sweaters, and T-shirts that run from $20 to $150. Necklaces for dogs, not to be confused with collars, are made with Swarovski crystals and pearls (freshwater pearls) and will set the owner back $30 to $150.

Tinkerbell, eat your heart out.

Why go small?

Some big reasons to have a small dog:

- They are bred as companions, particularly if you want a lap warmer.

- They can be a good choice for apartment dwellers.

- Elderly owners will find a small dog easier to handle.

- They don't eat much. Big dogs can be expensive to feed.

- They don't need much exercise.

- They travel easily. You can put their carrier under the seat in front of you on a plane.

- Bigger dogs can scare children.

- They are a good compromise if you want a big dog and your partner doesn't want a dog at all.

-- The Baltimore Sun

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...lnorthwest-hed

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