Cute dog? Yes! Cute little dog? A big yes! The cute little dog that fits in your pocket? Thousand times yes! Admit it. If given a chance we would all be keeping a cute teacup dog in our pockets forever. And why not? They are absolutely adorable. Having tiny furballs to play around with sounds like a lovey-dovey-gooey idea. If you still have a teensy bit of doubt then these cute pictures of teacup puppies would make it all go away.
Teacup dogs are freakishly popular. The reason is that they remain the size of a teacup forever. Hence, another name for teacup dogs is micro dogs. Thanks to celebs and Instagram you might have seen teacup dogs, everywhere. Being a hot commodity, teacup dogs can fetch top dollar. Sadly, if they don’t fit your budget, we hope that these cute pictures of teacup puppies bring you joy. Wink!
Your heart will go all warm and fuzzy when you look at these lovely teacup dogs. It wouldn’t be a surprise that after seeing these pictures, you might want to bring in a teacup dog for your own. However, we suggest you research thoroughly before getting a teacup fur ball because things are not as simple as cute these dogs are.
There are a lot of complex theories regarding teacup dogs. In fact, according to The American Kennel Club (AKC): “When it comes to Teacup breeds, there is a lot of controversies, too. The AKC does not classify or register Teacup dog breeds at all. Teacups are the smallest puppies from a litter of Toy breed dogs. For this reason, many say they are just the unhealthy runt of the litter.”
So in case if you are thinking they are the same as toy dog breeds then it is not true. In fact, their cuteness is just the tip of the iceberg here. And under the surface, many things could go wrong where the teacup dogs are concerned. Basically, the teacup dogs are the smallest dogs of their litter and often have many health issues.
You would want to consult with a good vet and a reputable breeder if you want to bring a teacup fur baby into your family. As you can see on social media, teacup dogs are extremely popular and thus extremely expensive too. Breeders know they fetch a great price and therefore many tend to go the unethical way. In other words, breeders will breed small, sickly animals to get smaller dogs or deliberately stun their growth by starvation. That is just so wrong in so many ways! Therefore be very vigilant while adopting a teacup dog breed.
All About Teacup Dogs
Although ‘teacup’ is not the officially recognized term because The American Kennel Club does not endorse teacup breeds, it is the most widely used and highly known term for these tiny dogs. There is no single breed that comes under teacup dogs but several breeds like Chihuahua, Maltese, Poodle, etc. Generally, dogs weighing between two and five pounds and that measure less than 17 inches after full growth can be considered ‘teacup’ dogs.
Teacup dogs are very fragile. You might think they would be easy to handle because of their size but that’s not how it goes. Teacup dogs need more attention than regular dogs. They are prone to sickness and have a high rate of broken bones. You can’t leave them alone outside because then they become easy prey for predators like owls, hawks, or even other larger dogs.
It shouldn’t come as a shock that teacup dogs have tiny bladders and stomachs since ‘small’ could be their middle name. Therefore, you would have to take them out to relieve their pressure frequently rather than simply twice a day. And they also need to be fed 4-5 times a day with small meals. You also shouldn’t leave them alone with children or on their own. It is like taking care of babies, only these fur babies remain that size forever.
There are many popular breeds and you can’t really call any single breed is as the best teacup dog breed. That all depends on what preferences you have because different breeds require a different level of attention. Some of the most popular teacup dog breeds are:
Teacup Chihuahua
You might also know them as puppy purse dogs.
Teacup Maltese
These are great watchdogs if you can believe it.
Teacup Poodle
Big or small, they are still one of the smartest of them all.
Teacup Pomeranian
These are calm but also very curious.
Teacup Yorkie
If you have kids then these are not for you. Because they don’t like kids and they bark a lot.
Teacup Shih Tzu
They are cute, calm, and love kids.
They are high maintenance and need all your attention but they are cute. I guess their scales are heavier even if they weigh almost nothing! So make sure you are all in before you get a teacup dog. After reading all that, you might think that having a teacup dog is not such a great idea. But that’s not the case. They are definitely worth it but only if you can give every second of your day to them.