It’s fascinating to just read the name ” teacup dogs”. You can definitely guess that these dogs are very small in size and may fit in a teacup.
You may have to spend a couple of dollars just to have this miniature in your house. It may cost you in the range of $750 to $10000. You may see variations in its prices from breed to breed, breeder to breeder, health conditions, etc.
Read the article below to find answers to all the questions you have in mind about a teacup puppy and how you can groom and handle them.
What Is a Teacup Dog?
Teacup dog is slang used for puppies who are so small that you can even fit them in a teacup. They are specially bred by the grunts of different parent breeds.
ShiTzu, Maltese, Pomeranian, Yorkshire, poodle pug, etc are some examples of the breeds in which you may have the option to get a teacup-sized dog. A full-grown teacup puppy may be seventeen inches tall or less.
Its appearance depends on the breed you are choosing to crossbreed. You may find some with fur and some with soft coats with no fur.
Its behavior is the same across all the breeds. They bark, howl and make a lot of noise. But you should not worry about it too much as it’s just a language for communication.
It looks small but comes with a lot of demand for care. You have to hold them properly, bathe them properly, and brush them properly as they may easily slip out of your hands. It is often referred to as a “cotton ball”.
How Did Teacup Dogs Come About?
It completely depends on the breeder to breeder as to what technique they use to make a teacup-sized dog. They usually choose the smallest litter of the parent dog to pair with the other dog’s litter.
You need to research well about the breeder you’re planning to buy your pocket-sized dog from. There are many cheaters out there in the market that may claim a dog to be a teacup size but is usually just a small dog.
You may also be careful that it is actually a small healthy dog and not just a dog looking small due to malnourishment.
Most Popular Teacup Dog Breeds
1. Pomeranian
“Pom Pom” is slang that you can definitely think of whenever you come across a Pomeranian. It is so small that you won’t find them weighing more than three pounds.
You will definitely find them cute and adorable when you encounter them for the first time. Because of their size, you should not think of them as a weak dog.
It is a bold and strong breed of dog with a little touch of confidence and smartness too. You may notice them barking a lot without any reason and it may get difficult for you to handle them too while they are barking.
The joint disorder is the main health issue that you may need to deal with if you are adopting a teacup, Pom.
You should not think of leaving them with your kids as they are too fragile to handle. You can train them to handle unnecessary or nuisance barking.
2. Poodle
Toy Poodle is one breed that is very popular for being small yet intelligent almost all dog breeds. But you will find a teacup poodle to be tiny than a toy poodle too.
It is so small that you won’t find them weighing more than ten pounds and ten inches in height.
You should know that this poodle, which is perfect to be in your pocket as well, usually comes about by mixing the runts of the litter of two different toy poodles or choosing a particular gene that may cause canine dwarfism in them.
Just like a toy poodle, your pocket poodle will also be very smart and intelligent. Your poodle can even do tricks, it is that intelligent. With intelligence, its loyalty is also commendable.
You should leave this small fluff ball with your kids as their bones may break if not handled with proper care.
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3. Maltese
Your mini Maltese is one of the prettiest and most beautiful dogs that you have ever come across. It is so small that you won’t find them weighing more than five pounds and seven inches in height.
Just like a teacup poodle, your mini Maltese is also very smart and intelligent. They are fast learners and you may find them so playful and sweet that you always want to hold it and keep it with yourself.
As these dogs have white fur and are very small, you may even decorate them with dog accessories like a scarf or a bow.
You can even leave them with children as they are too playful and full of energy. It will definitely keep your child entertained. When it is being held in the lap it may not jump or move a lot but rather become a ball and cuddle.
You may teach them various commands too and having them will just feel as good as you are having your own child.
4. Russian Toy
In all the above miniatures, you have to specially breed them to make it a teacup size but that’s not the case in Russian toys. It is born in a miniature size only.
You will not find a Russian toy that weighs more than six pounds or has a height of more than eleven inches.
Just like the other teacup dogs they are always playful and full of energy. You may notice that its energy level does not decrease even if they grow older in age. You may leave it with your children too, to play with.
These teacup dogs are a very healthy breed. When you get them you may not notice them being ill or facing any health issues. Unlike other teacup dogs, their lifespan is also longer. You may expect to live as long as fifteen years also.
5. Mini Pug
“Family man” is a phrase that definitely should come to your mind when you are thinking of getting a mini pug. You will not find a mini pug that weighs more than five pounds or has a height of more than eleven inches.
You can even mix the genes of a chihuahua and a pug to make a smaller size pug. Even if you mix chihuahua’s traits, the resultant will look exactly like a pug only.
If you don’t have a space in your house to keep a normal pug or you are too busy to take care of it then you can definitely get yourself a mini pug. It needs very little to almost no care.
A mini pug will not excite your kids. You may notice that a mini pug is always resting and being less energetic and that’s how they are!! It may not be an appealing option if you are planning to get it for your kids.
You should be prepared that it may have a lot of health problems like breathing problems etc. at a young age. You can think of getting it if you want to give it to your grandma.
6. Yorkie
If you need a dog that despite its size may stand out a lot then you should definitely think of getting a Yorkshire terrier. It usually weighs four pounds and may not grow heavier than seven pounds.
You may notice that people of high profile and especially in cities have this type of teacup dog. Because of their regal youth and personality, it is beloved by rich personalities.
You may find them bossing around most of the time and living a Porsche lifestyle. It’s definitely great as a watchdog.
You may notice that your Yorkie is not getting along with the other dogs. Small Yorkies don’t like to socialize much and like to be on their own.
You should give it the proper time to exercise and walk as it is very necessary to keep their bones strong and intact.
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7. Shih Tzu
A Shih Tzu has an image of being with rich white families or white girls with rich parents. It is often referred to as a Chinese breed. It usually weighs around eight pounds.
These breed dogs are usually referred to as cotton balls. You definitely need to take them out and help them socialize more as you may find them being extra clingy to you. It may develop separation anxiety very easily.
Taking care of them can be a challenging task for you. You need to brush them every day and give their hair a trim every 6 weeks. You also need a special brush to comb your hair.
How Long do Teacup Puppies Live?
You may hear about this long-going perception of a lot of hospitals and certified doctors that if you have a teacup size dog then you can definitely expect them to live much longer than their big cousins.
Your teacup puppy’s life span surely depends on what breed you have in the miniature size.
For example, if you have a Yorkshire then you can expect them to live up to 15 years also. On an average regardless of the breed, you can expect the teacup dogs to live from 9 years to 15 years.
But there are a lot of psychological and normal health issues that your miniature is too prone to. So, their lifespan automatically decreases if they contract any kind of disease or disorder.
What Is the Price of a Teacup Puppy?
The price for which you can expect to buy your teacup dog depends on many factors. First comes the breed that you are choosing as your miniature pal.
If you choose a breed of purebred bloodline then you can expect them to even go up to $5000.
The next factor on which the price of a teacup dog depends is the breeder you buy your teacup puppy from.
As they are prepared by cross-breeding, if you buy your puppy from a breeder with a popular reputation then it will definitely cost you more.
But a popular breeder definitely has a reputation for putting in effort and money in checking the parent breeds before using them, feeding the puppies with good pet food, etc.
On average you can expect your teacup puppy to cost around $3000. They are specially bred and that’s why it may cost you more than a normal size puppy.
However, chihuahua beagles come on the cheap side. But there are many breeders out there selling teacup dogs for just $500, but you should be cautious before buying them.
How Big Do Teacup Puppies Get?
When you are looking at the height you can expect your teacup dogs to be seventeen inches tall. If you have a dog that grows taller than seventeen inches, then you might not call them a teacup-sized dog.
When we talk about weight, your teacup puppy should not weigh more than five to seven pounds.
This is given that the height and the weight of your teacup puppy will depend on the breed you are getting but a five pounds heavy and seventeen inches long is definitely a standard size for your puppy.
How Do You Take Care of a Teacup Puppy?
You can follow the below simple steps to take care of your teacup puppy.
1. Make Your Home A Teacup Puppy Friendly
Your teacup puppy walks very fast, which may be injurious to your miniature dog. As their size is too small, they may fit into small gaps behind your sofa or near sinks.
You should completely block places like these to avoid your teacup dog from getting hurt.
You should also remove all the small things which your teacup puppy might bump into and hurt themselves.
2. Regular Vet Visits
Your teacup puppy is more prone to getting ill and health issues than any other dog breed. You should take it to a vet for regular body checkups.
Your dog’s vet will monitor its heartbeat, bones, blood pressure, weight, etc., and may prescribe you early medications if needed.
3. Grooming
Your teacup dogs need a lot of care and grooming. You take the help of a professional who might help you in grooming your dog as teacup dogs are too fragile.
You have to be very careful while bathing them and brushing them and you have to hold them with a lot of care every time.
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4. Training Them And Raising Them
It is always advisable for you to take the help of a professional who can train your dog properly.
Your dog needs early socializing as it may act clingy and face issues of separation anxiety if not given a chance to mingle and socialize properly with other small dogs.
Your dog also needs proper walking time. You have to take them out for a walk at least for 45 minutes.
You should not let them sleep for more than ten hours in a day. You should also provide them with toys which may help their minds to stimulate and become sharp.
What Potential Health Issues Are Teacup Dogs Prone To?
1. Hypoglycemia
The main cause of your dog having hypoglycemia is that you are not feeding them at the proper frequency. You are advised to feed your dog every three hours.
It is a condition where your dog’s glucose level suddenly becomes very low and you may see signs of weakness and laziness in them.
2. Overweight
Your small dog definitely needs to be fed every three hours, which means they need to be fed at frequent times.
Another trait that is very popular among them is their laziness. So if they eat a lot and they don’t get to walk properly or exercise accurately then their weight may increase a lot.
3. Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis
Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis which you can abbreviate and easily call HGE is a situation where your dog might show signs like reduced appetite, vomiting or diarrhea, etc. You need a vet to check and cure this condition of your miniature.
4. Bone Fragility
The bones of your teacup dog are too fragile and get broken even if you drop them from a smaller height. Because of their size, they are more likely to be dropped by you.
You should be very careful about their bone health. You should regularly take it to a vet to get its bones checked, then take medications if its bones are not healthy enough.
There are many other health issues like issues with the heart, the first tooth, their gums, accumulation of the liquid in the brains, etc. which your teacup dog might face.
You have to give it proper time and care if you want to keep your dog healthy and live for a longer period.
What Do Teacup Dogs Eat?
You should definitely give them food that is rich in all kinds of nutrients and Fiber. You should feed them with the packed food of different vegetables, chicken, eggs, etc.
You should especially make sure that you feed them food that is rich in glucose as they are too prone to a low blood sugar level.
Before feeding them with any packed food you should definitely read the instructions that come on the packet of the food and feed them at the frequency which is mentioned on the packet
Adopting a Teacup Dog
You definitely know by now that a teacup dog is very expensive to buy. There are a lot of health issues and risks involved in buying your dog from a breeder.
You may not get the healthiest dog so adopting a teacup dog sounds like the best option in cases like this.
You can try a lot of groups that are there on social media like Facebook. You can try finding somebody who wants to give their teacup puppies for adoption.
You can even check out the shelter which is nearby to find out if there are any abandoned dogs and if you can take them.
Although it’s very difficult to find teacup dogs for sale in the shelters as it’s a very rare kind of dog and in almost all cases, they are bred on special requests only.
But you can always try!
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10 Commonly Asked Questions
1. Do teacup puppies get sick easily?
Yes, your teacup puppy may contract health issues very easily. They are specially bred by mixing the grunts of different parent breeds.
The grunts are reportedly developed by some deficiencies in your micro mini dog’s parents. And that is the main reason that your teacup puppy may also have deficiency from the beginning.
Due to their size, you may easily drop them or they may easily slip out of your hands. This is the main cause of their bone fractures.
2. Do teacup dogs stay small?
Yes, no matter how old your teacup dog has grown. It will never grow taller than its average height which is seventeen inches.
You may also notice that it may not become heavier than five pounds also. So, no matter if they live for fifteen years or nine years, their size will remain the same throughout their life span.
3. Do teacup dogs bark a lot?
The barking behavior of any dog depends on their ancestors or if they are a hybrid dog, then their parent dogs.
In the case of teacup-sized puppies, you may see them barking a lot if you have a puppy like a Yorkshire, Pomeranian, etc.
But if you have a teacup poodle, then they are calm and just live like a boss and roam around with an attitude with minimal noise.
4. What is the cutest teacup dog?
Calling a puppy cute definitely may vary from person to person. But according to me, you may find a small Chihuahua to be the cutest puppy.
It may not weigh more than 5 pounds and may not grow taller than four inches. It is the true definition of what a teacup dog must look like.
You may also find a mini Maltese to be very cute because it is all furry and white. It looks exactly like a cotton ball. You can also make it wear a bow and decorate it in many ways.
5. Do teacup puppies sleep a lot?
Yes, your tea cup size friend is very small, so it may need to rest frequently. You may let it sleep at least ten hours a day.
It is also very important for its health to go out for a walk and stretch a bit because of its size it usually gets tired easily. So, you may find it taking small naps of about thirty minutes.
6. Are teacup puppies loud?
Yes, you may see your teacup puppy howling, growling, and barking a lot. It is in their genes to make noise. However, it may vary from breed to breed. For example, if you have ShiTzu you may not find it making a lot of noise.
7. Is it cruel to breed teacup dogs?
Yes, it is definitely cruel to breed teacup dogs. You should know that many of the techniques that breeders use to breed a teacup puppy are called unethical.
And that is the main reason that you notice that these teacup puppies face a lot of health issues.
8. How fragile are teacup puppies?
Beachside of its size a teacup puppy is so small that you may drop them very easily. It slips out of your hand in fractions of a second. They are too fragile and can indeed be handled with care. You have to be very careful with your teacup dog.
9. Are teacup puppies playful?
Teacup dogs’ activeness and playfulness purely depend on their parents’ breeds. If its parent breeds are known to be cheerful then definitely its mini version can be as playful as its parent.
But in general, you may notice a lot of these miniatures running around your house and playing.
10. Are teacup dogs smart?
Just like activeness, smartness also depends a lot on what breed you are choosing to be a teacup-sized pet of yours.
You can’t just generally think that any teacup puppy will be smart. You have to run a background check of its parent’s behavior and intelligence to guess its smartness.
Final Thoughts
It is definitely cute to roam around with small-size micro mini puppies. It is small only by the looks but needs much more care and much more handling than a normal dog.
You need to take it to a vet regularly. You need to feed them with properly packed food. You even need to feed them more frequently than you would feed any normal dog.
You may also see them getting ill very soon. Its bones are too fragile. If you even drop them from a small height, their bones may break. Its sugar level is also a concern for you.
So if you are thinking that you will get a small dog and get away with all the time, you would need to spend to take care of a big dog but that’s just a myth.
You need to take care of a teacup size dog more than you would in case you adopt a normal dog.
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