What is your opinion on teacup puppies? might buy one?

spellbindingpup · 01-23-2013, 01:43 PM

Are the puppies healthy? I was thinking of purchasing one but i'd like to be educated before I make a decision.

Rain · 01-23-2013, 01:58 PM

It's a very bad idea. Why do you want a dog smaller then a regular toy breed which weights between 4 to 7 pounds full grown?

There is no such breed standard as teacup, it's a marketing ploy by very bad breeders to sell runt of the litter puppies, and breeders who are purposely breeding dogs that were runts to other runts to get extra small puppies. Those puppies are ofter riddled with health problems, and if they do make it to adulthood are often doomed to a lifetime of bad health, and a shortened lifespan.

Here's some article on it Barktopia Teacup Puppies and Health Risks - PawNation The “Tiny Teacup” puppy trend breeds misery!

spotsonofbun · 01-23-2013, 02:09 PM

Its good that you are doing the research. Some here might react harshly because this is a sensitive issue don't be discouraged.

1. there is a sticky on here about puppymills and backyard breeders (byb) read them.

Buying from a responsible breeder is not only good for the dog but also for you. A good breeder will health test their dogs which means that there is less chance of you getting a unhealthy puppy. They will also provide you with support and take the dog back incase you need to rehome the puppy.

Don't buy from companies selling multiple breeds the links you have provided screams puppymills, the mother of the puppies is probably bred again and again until she dies. No thought put into the welfare or health of the puppies. There is a high chance of you getting an unhealthy puppy with a bad temperament.

Teacup dogs are bred by breeding runts and can have A LOT of health issues. They are not bred with health or temperament in mind. The smaller breeds are small enough there is no reason to breed them down and its dangerous. Don't buy dogs advertised as teacups or tiny.

What breeds are you considering? are you sure they match your lifestyle?

read about health issues and temperament of the breeds you are considering that will help you.

Have you considered rescues?

Remember a maltese needs just as much care and training as a great dane.

PLEASE DON'T BUY FROM THOSE LINKS

pawzaddict · 01-23-2013, 03:51 PM

Teacup is a ploy to get more money. As stated above breeders who advertise "teacup" are not reputable breeders and thus scamming people. Not to mention the parents of those pups most likely have issues or are not treated as pets (some breeders cage their animals for generations to make them smaller as dogs can only grow if they have the room to do so)

Nylanat · 01-23-2013, 04:14 PM

Don't do it.
Posted via Mobile Device

LynneMarie · 01-23-2013, 04:30 PM

Welcome to the forum..
As mentioned it is a ploy to get more money. All toy breeds can fit in a tea-cup when they are a puppy. Most pups sold as tea-cup get to and sometimes exceed breed standard. Find out how much the puppy weighs or weighed at 6 weeks of age. Take that weight and double it...then double it again and you will have a good estimated adult weight. I bred Chihuahuas for years and even though breeders sold so called tea-cups they were breed standard. My guess would be the puppy will be of standard weight. No breed has a classification as tea-cup.

bhaur · 01-23-2013, 04:57 PM

Well if you enjoy spending time/money at a vet's office. Feel free....
On a serious note. These dogs are just NOT healthy. Heart issues, circulation issues (heard of cases of a dog so tiny that its limbs were starting to atrophy due to little blood circulation), trouble drawing blood because their veins are too small, and last but not least (typically) horrible dental issues.
The standard for a Chihuahua is 1-6 pounds with 2-4 being ideal.... why the heck would you require anything smaller?
Get a rat or a hamster if that is the size you are after.
I have had rats that I have successfully litter trained and there are many that need to be rescued in shelters... perhaps that is an idea.

revolutionrocknroll · 01-23-2013, 05:54 PM

Teacup puppy brokers get their pups from puppy mills, sometimes in the US, sometimes imported from Korea. These dogs are created by breeding runts to runts, and as mentioned, are very unhealthy. I know of some teacup dog brokers- they'll have a nice website, tell you about how healthy the pups are and how humane their business is, and then they'll sell a bunch. However, the people who buy these dogs eventually notice how unhealthy they are and will start complaining about the broker on business and scam sites. At this point the broker changes the website and the "kennel" name and starts over. I used to follow a page on facebook that included posting updates of these brokers, and I saw this happen many times. This just goes to show how unhealthy these dogs are and how the breeders and brokers have no sense of honesty or morals.

crock · 01-23-2013, 06:53 PM

I can't add anything else, other than another strong suggestion not to do it. Research more on backyard breeders, puppy mills, responsible breeders, and ethical breeders each with +teacup . Searches with those terms will give you more comprehensive information on why it would be a poor choice at best to buy a teacup pup.

If you need help finding a responsible breeder, many here would be happy to help.

marbear · 01-23-2013, 07:37 PM

please don't...thank you so much for looking into it. Look at it this way...you would not wish your child to be born with dwarfism so they would be cute and small all their life knowing the child himself would be more prone to certain debilitating medical conditions as a result of that. Can you imagine the uproar if parents started going to fertility doctors to try to increase their chances of that with no regard to the child's quality of life or health? If you get a "runt" puppy or they somehow don't grow for whatever reason, that's one thing...to seek it out is another.