The Teacup Puppy
Phenomenon
As a breeder I am weary from taking phone calls asking me for
a so-called "Teacup" puppy.  Thus the reason I am writing this
piece concerning my views about the phenomenon of so many
people wanting a "so-called teacup" puppy.

I'm also amazed at the number of young girls calling.  I guess
they want to be like a certain hotel heiress and carry a cutsie
little dog around in their purse.  

Puppies aren't toys, they are living breathing babes that need
love and attention, not to spend half of their life in someone's
HOT purse!

Please take the time to read this and educate yourself as to
what you are asking us for!  The lives of many little dogs
depend on the education you get from us as breeders.  

Thanks for taking the time to educate yourself.

Molly

This is a topic that most assuredly needs to
be brought to the attention of perspective
puppy buyers.

Let's start out by saying "THERE IS NO
SUCH THING AS A "TEACUP" PUPPY".

With that in mind let me say this;
It seems as though there is a plethora of
people who are insistent on buying tiny
puppies in the 2 to 4 pound range.  Also
commonly referred to as a "Teacup puppy".

The word "Teacup" has been used to merely
describe the size of a puppy, meaning it is
very small and will probably be under the
standard size which is 4 to 7 pounds for the
Toy Group, Yorkshire Terrier breed.
We cannot imagine anyone wanting
anything smaller then that!

Many breeders, while tacking a whooping
price on a puppy, "claim" to breed so called
"teacups" as if they were a breed all their
own. Don't be fooled! They are not a breed
all their own.  

If a breeder says they specialize in "teacups"
RUN, RUN, RUN for the hills! Most
"TEACUP" puppies are in reality, a
premature puppy.

Most females are bred on the ninth through
the fifteenth day of their heat cycles. Eggs
can be fertilized for up to 72 hours after any
of these breeding's. Therefore, it is possible to
have puppies conceived up to a week or so
younger than the puppies first conceived in a
litter.

However, when the first puppies conceived
are mature and ready to be born, labor starts
and all the puppies will be born, no matter
when they were fertilized.  

Some of the problems that may be
encountered are both genetic and congenital
in these tiny babies and the list is a long one.

The risk of open fontanels, portosystemic
shunts (PSS), hypoglycemia, cardiac
problems, collapsing trachea, luxating
patellas, Leggs Calves Perthes disease,
seizures, hydroencephaly, blindness and
digestive problems can be increased in these
tiny babies.

Problems such as respiratory problems can
remain or worsen throughout their lives.
These babies frequently are so fragile that
they do not live more than a few years. There
have been several tiny Yorkies as adults who
still had open fontanels and their owners
had to carry nourishment with them all the
time. Their vets have felt it unsafe to give a
full dose of vaccine so the puppies had to
get several injections to be on the safe side.

There is no such thing as a "tea cup"
Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese, Poodle, or any
other breed for that matter.  They
simply do
not exist. "Tea-cup" is just a marketing
phrase given by unethical and unscrupulous
breeders to drive up the price of their
puppies!

So called "Teacups" fetch anything from
$1000 to $10,000! This is ridiculous and
shameful! There are a lot of chronically
unhealthy puppies because unscrupulous
breeders and puppy mills are inbreeding.  
Some poor darlings only live for a very, very
short time!

They take the little teeny tiny Yorkies and
they breed 21/2 pounders with 3 pounders ...
well they’re playing with genetics. You should
NEVER breed a female of any breed less
than 5 pounds.

PLEASE educate yourselves before buying a
tiny puppy whether it is a Yorkie or any other
breed.  You could be in for months or years
of heartbreak not to mention
staggering
veterinarian bills!  

DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!
IF YOU WANT A HEALTHY PUPPY,
DON'T FALL FOR THE TEACUP ACT!

Molly Forman
www.cloverdaleyorkies.com
Click on Mini Mouse's
picture to read about one
certain purse puppy.  
Mighty Mini Mouse, the
tiny Diva Yorkie.