Teacup Yorkies are amazing pets known for their uncommon nature and beauty. Cuddly, quirky, adorable, and the most impressive thing is that they literally fit into a cup of tea, isn’t that amazing?
Known by many celebrities, like Paris Hilton, for example; these little ones have entered the hearts of millions of people in the world. Teacup Yorkies are sometimes mistaken for Toy dogs
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What are Teacup Yorkies?
The rise in popularity of Teacup Yorkies is mainly due to some celebrities, such as Paris Hilton. She cheerfully displayed dogs (and even little pigs) that fit in the palm of her hands or in small teacups. Hence its name.
Teacup Yorkies can be of different breeds, but they should never exceed the weight of 1.80 kilograms or measure more than 43 centimeters in its adult stage. Although it should be noted that these measures have not been standardized or recognized by the different canine
organizations.
Sometimes, Teacup Yorkies are confused with "toy" dogs or "toy" dogs, although it is important to note that dogs that are dwarf or exceed the weight and measure mentioned. The most popular
Teacup Yorkies breeds are as follows:
• Yorkshire terrier
• Poodle or poodle
• Chihuahua
• Maltese bichon
• Dachshund or dachshund
• Beagle
• Pinscher
• Papillion
• Smooth-haired fox terrier
• Pug or pug
• Boston terrier
• Australian terrier
• Brussels griffon
• Pekingese
• Shih Tzu
In order to achieve a teacup-size dog, breeders cross the smallest dogs in a litter with other small-size dogs, until they produce pups of a desirable size for customers. The intention of the breeders when creating these small dogs is simply economic, however, that entails different health problems for the dogs that make us delve into the reasons why it is not advisable or ethical to encourage the sale of dogs cup of tea.
Fun Facts About Tea Cup Yorkies You Need To Know
1. It has a long-life expectancy
If cared for well, a Yorkshire Terrier can live 15-20 years. Yes, we know that our furry friends should last forever, but within the canine world, these are many years.
2. Its name is that of a city
The name of the breed is due to the northern English city of Yorkshire, as it is believed to come from there.
3. It has a high level of Recognition
This is one of the curiosities of the Yorkshire Terrier that most surprises. Although around the year 1860 the breed began to be bred and presented in competitions, it did so under other names. It was not until 1886 that the English Kennel Club recognized the breed under its current name.
4. It’s a Cross-origin breed
The origin of this dog is somewhat uncertain. There is often talk of the crossing of several breeds, such as the Sky Terrier, the Scottish Broken-haired Terrier, the Scottish Terrier, the Dandie Dinmont, the Clydesdale Terrier, and even the Bichon Maltese breed.
5. It’s a created dog
Obviously, although it is not known from the crossing of which breeds the Yorkie finally emerged, one of the most important curiosities of the Yorkshire Terrier is that it is a created dog. This is the reason why the specimens of the breed weigh between 2 and 6 kilos, giving rise to so much difference between a standard Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Terrier called "Toy".
6. Teacup Yorkies are somewhat stubborn
If there is something that stands out about the breed, it is generally that it is a somewhat nervous and stubborn dog. This is due to its territorial and overprotective nature. They love being the leader of the pack!
But we can't just stay with that. It is also an extremely affectionate, friendly, cheerful, and sociable dog.
7. A very hairy furry
The original Yorkshire Terrier is one that has thick and long hair. That is why it needs to be gathered over the head so that it does not affect your vision.
This hair is very fine and silky in texture, but to keep it that way requires a lot of care.
best curiosities of the Yorkshire Terrier
8. A very clever dog
Stanley Coren's ranking on canine intelligence placed him at 27th. It is not a bad position, considering the number of breeds of dogs out there.
The Yorkshire Terrier is very easy to train, but the ideal is always that you start your training as a puppy.
Which of these curiosities about the Yorkshire people did you like the most to know?
9. They Are Popular Specimens Among Celebrities
The funny thing is that it is not a common race but several. What characterizes Teacup Yorkies is their size of 43 centimeters and their weight of 1.8 kilograms in adulthood respectively.
The life of a Teacup Yorkie
Breeding techniques for Teacup Yorkies make them more prone to various health problems, which can lead to a miserable quality of life.
Physical health problems
Hypoglycemia: This disease is caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar levels and can cause weakness, lethargy, tremors, and in the worst cases, even a coma. The fact is that Teacup Yorkies need to eat at least every three hours, mainly due to the small amount of food they are able to ingest. If their feeding schedules are not followed correctly, they can easily develop hypoglycemia.
Heart defects: congenital diseases such as pulmonary stenosis are frequent in this type of dog. In fact, chronic valve disease affects up to 40% of Teacup Yorkies. Other heart-related health problems include a heart murmur, an enlarged heart, or dilated cardiomyopathy.
Tracheal collapse: this is a genetic condition characterized by the obstruction of the dog's airways. This can lead to coughing, trouble breathing properly, and blue gums, which indicate oxygen starvation.
Seizures: These seizures can appear in Teacup Yorkies as a sign of hypoglycemia and other health problems.
Respiratory problems: dyspnea and tachypnea can occur in these dogs very easily. The first can appear due to the overload suffered by the respiratory system, thus causing noisy breathing. On the other hand, tachypnea causes breathing much shallower than normal.
Digestive Issues: A Teacup Yorkie's internal organs will also be smaller than those of a normal-sized dog, which is why it's common for their liver to have more trouble cleaning out toxins.
Gum Disease - Teacup Yorkies often experience far more dental disease than medium-sized dogs. Generally, the accumulation of tartar causes gingivitis, which in the long run can lead to periodontitis, which causes bleeding gums and loss of pieces.
Patella luxation: it is also known as "sliding patella" and can greatly impair the dog's ability to move, also favoring arthritis.
Hydrocephalus: this pathology is characterized by the accumulation of fluid in the dog's brain, causing blindness, seizures, and many discomforts.
Bone Weakness: A Teacup Yorkies' bones are extremely brittle, which can cause various diseases such as osteoporosis or mineral deficiency. It also makes them more likely to have a fracture
Psychological health problems
Apart from the aforementioned physical problems, Teacup Yorkies will also suffer from a number of psychological problems throughout their lives:
Behavioral problems: According to a recent study at the University of Sydney, the combination of dog size, head shape, and weight can affect a dog's behavior. Genetics also plays an important role and that is that reproducing dogs with behavioral problems can have a direct impact on puppies in up to 30% of cases.
Chronic Stress: Due to their fragile hearts, Teacup Yorkies do not handle stress properly. It is important to highlight that chronic stress causes great drop-in defenses, thus predisposing you to suffer from the diseases that we have mentioned above and to manifest more behavioral problems.
Learning disabilities: excessive humanization, avoiding socializing them with other larger dogs (thus creating fears, which subsequently generate aggressive behaviors) and their own physical characteristics (bladder and small stomach) predispose Teacup Yorkies to have more difficulties in His learning. That translates into a greater effort on the part of their owners to teach them proper habits.
Is it a good idea to breed Teacup Yorkies?
The health problems of Teacup Yorkies are mainly due to selective breeding techniques, which have arisen as a result of the high demand for dogs of this type by owners. In addition, there are many breeders who do not have the license or the conditions to reproduce dogs in optimal conditions.
It should be taken into account that online sales of these dogs do not provide an accurate guarantee of their origin, since in most cases the breeder's license number is not displayed. Breeding sick dogs is also a crime that carries financial penalties and jail.
It is also common for breeding females to reproduce over and over again, thus increasing their anxiety levels, which have a direct impact on the puppies and also causing premature births. Once they are born, the puppies face possible malnutrition due to poor conditions and in some cases, to make them look even more like a "cup of tea" they are sold prematurely, before eight weeks, a time that they should still be with her mother. All of this causes serious socialization and learning problems, not to mention health problems, which cause many dogs to die before even being sold.
How to care for Teacup Yorkies
The many problems that can arise in a Teacup Yorkies mean that we must provide extra care. Pay attention to the following tips:
Tips on feeding Teacup Yorkies
In order to avoid hypoglycemia, these dogs should eat three to four times a day or roughly every three to four hours. Apart from offering them a diet suitable for their characteristics (with specific food for miniature dogs), we can also add corn oil to their feedings to avoid low blood sugar levels. Likewise, we can enrich your diet with foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids, ideal for good coat health.
Reduce stressful situations
It is important to ensure that the dog does not suffer from stressful situations. For this, we can develop a very marked routine of walks and meals, carry out short game sessions and ensure the necessary 14 hours of sleep.
It is not advisable to always carry them with us, especially if we live in a city since excess stimuli can cause stress. The dog needs a comfortable environment at home to rest whenever it needs it.
Veterinary care
Faced with any of the symptoms mentioned above, we must go to the vet to rule out any health problem. Although fractures are usually the most frequent cause of veterinary visits for these dogs, they are susceptible to various diseases, so it is important to also go to the vet every 6 or 12 months for a general examination. Do not forget to also follow the vaccination schedule and the deworming schedule.
Training
First of all, it is important to understand that due to his small size, Teacup Yorkies are shy and scare easily, and for this reason, all training and exposure should be done at his own pace. Before the start of the training, it is important to settle him in his new environment, and first establish a connection so that he feels that he can trust you. Once he is a little more confident, training should begin.
The Teacup Yorkie, despite its precious looks, is surprisingly quite smart. They can't wait to please their master and they love a snack or three, which makes them a quick learner as well. Positive reinforcement training along with a lot of verbal praise is key with teacup Yorkies. But again, due to his shyness, don't overwhelm him all at once.
It is also important to socialize him from an early age to build his confidence with other dogs. However, it is just as important to supervise him with other dogs to prevent him from being trampled upon.
Final thoughts:
Overall, despite all the controversy and poor health, the teacup dog craze isn't something that will go away. If you are sure you want a cup of tea in your life, you need to make sure you get it from a reputable breeder. While this will not eliminate cup of tea problems completely, it will ensure that he is as healthy as possible. You also need to be able to spend most of the day with him, be very connected and attentive as he is very delicate and prone to injury.
However, if this is something you can provide for him, then he makes a wonderful companion dog. Not only will the Yorkshire Terrier teacup keep you entertained with its brave personality, it is also the best partner for a lazy afternoon for tea and cookies, but just be sure not to confuse it with a bite to eat!
Charles William Pitts says
I have three Yorkies and I think only one is a teacup He sure doesn't seem shy. He barks with them and at them