Teacup Dog Breeds
Petite and Fragile

The idea of Teacup dog breeds may be seductive but beware an extra tiny puppy may not develop into a tiny adult and in fact may become the largest dog in the litter.

The only guarantee of a "teacup" size breed is to buy one of the tiny dog breeds which are naturally small.

The Chihuahuha is considered the smallest dog breed in the world.

They have been biologically small for centuries. No responsible breeder will deliberately breed an extra small line as this could result in many complicated health conditions.

Teacup breeds do not exist as a separate breed.  Toy dog breeds are registered as a range of small dog breeds which are extra small.  The use of  "teacup"  to describe an extra small dog is marketing terminology often used by unscrupulous breeders.  

Small dog breeds which often fall victim to the "teacup breeders" are:

• Yorkshire Terriers
• American Hairless Terrier
• Toy Poodles
• Pomeranian
• Chihuahua
• Maltese
• English Toy Spaniel

These dogs are naturally small  but to seek out an extra small version of these lap dogs is potentially risky.   Toy dogs are fragile anyway and require extra care.  A miniature version of these gorgeous small dog breeds should occur naturally. 

Great care must be taken to seek out responsible breeders to ensure the baby you are looking for is not bred in a puppy mill with breeders who will sell, at great cost, a "teacup puppy" with no guarantee of the adult size. 

Teacup dog breeds being minuscule versions of tiny dog breeds face a number of health risks based on size alone.

• High mortality rate as young pups
• A small dose of diarrhea can kill within hours.
• Dentition problems, tooth decay due to an overcrowded mouth.
• Major organs such as heart, lungs and kidneys may not be fully developed
• Extremely fragile bones which can break with just normal play.
• Extra special diets are needed due to their inability to eat sufficiently to maintain body temperature.
• Difficult to control blood sugar levels.

Why is the dog extra small?  Is it in fact not fully developed and is suffering from some unknown disease?  Early mortality is possible.  Extra care will be required for the life of this tiniest of tiny pets.  Be sure you are prepared for this commitment.

If you want a pet that fits in the palm of your hand get a hamster!

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