The Truth About TeaCup Yorkies

FAQ About the Teacup Yorkie

Are they healthy?

There are many different kinds of health issues. Some are congenital — present at birth and nothing to do with the parents passing it on. Some are hereditary — the pup inherited the health issue from one or both parents. When shopping for a Yorkie, most of us love those tiny Teacup Yorkies and pay more for them. Unfortunately, many people decide to start breeding because they think they can make a lot of money, and if their only purpose is profit, they want to breed the tiny ones because they cost more. This is where the problem begins.

Breeders who only care about money are drawn to breeding TeaCup Yorkies.

Breeders that breed only for size, without any thought to evaluating health, find two tiny parents and breed them. I believe that's where these tiny babies get the bad rap for being unhealthy.

Genetically tiny, or tiny because of a health issue?

Stunted growth in a puppy can be a sign of a health issue. As a breeder of really tiny Yorkies, I always ask myself: does the puppy exhibit any other symptoms of a health issue that would cause the small size? For example — Hydrocephalus.

Breeders who want tiny and healthy can weed out bad genetics — the same as any size Yorkie.

If you can breed a healthy standard-size Yorkie, you can breed a healthy smaller TeaCup Yorkie. Puppies don't have a hereditary heart defect because of the size of their body — they got it from a parent. Congenital defects can happen to any size dog. My vet told me that when you have 1 cell that divides 1 trillion times to make up a 5 oz puppy at birth, sometimes things go wrong. The cellular copy machine breaks, causing a deformity. If the deformity is in a major organ, it can be life-threatening — and better breeding could never have fixed it.

The smaller the Yorkie the more fragile they are.

The smaller the mammal, the more difficult time they have regulating body heat and blood sugars. If you purchase an extremely tiny TeaCup Yorkie, you will need to be more careful about making sure they eat 3 times a day. Yorkies are social, picky eaters with little fat — a perfect storm for hypoglycemia, which can be quickly fatal in a 2.5 lb Yorkie. Be prepared to pay close attention to your puppy.

What Does "Teacup" Mean?

This is one of those situations where everyone has an opinion and usually a heated discussion follows. There is no set size for a teacup because it was made up. Some people say less than 5 lbs is a teacup Yorkie. Some breeders say less than 4 lbs. And really — who is right?

The breed standard for the Yorkshire Terrier is set by the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America (YTCA). AKC shows that standard on their website with a link to the breed club.

I personally will use the term "teacup," even though other breeders claim only a backyard breeder would. I am always honest and tell people that everyone has a different opinion about the size, give my best guess of each individual puppy's full-grown weight, and explain the extra caution required. Now that you have information on both sides of the fence — you can make up your own opinion.

Health Issues, Stunted Growth & What Breeders Miss

Common health issues in Yorkies — Hydrocephalus, liver shunt, and others — all have symptoms. One of the most common is stunted growth. Young breeders pick the smallest in the litter for breeding, or they see a pup with a few low-sugar episodes and don't realize that small size plus hypoglycemia together is a major red flag. They would be wise to keep that puppy until 8 months before rehoming.

This is where tiny Micro Yorkies get a bad rap. Either the breeder knows and sells anyway — knowing their health guarantee will only replace the puppy rather than refund — or they simply don't know.

Being Tiny is NOT the Cause of Health Issues

I have bred so many tiny girls. You don't get a liver shunt because you're tiny. You don't get a heart murmur from being tiny. Being tiny can be genetic, or it can be a symptom of a major health issue — those are two very different things.

Health issues regarding organs or musculoskeletal structure are either hereditary or congenital. Congenital means present at birth. My vet explained it as a small cluster of cells dividing millions of times — if something goes slightly wrong during cell division, you have an improper heart valve. There are a million contributing factors: nutrients, placenta location, blood flow. Hereditary means the pup inherited a major issue from the parents' genetics.

Medically Minded Breeders vs. the Rest

Experienced breeders who read medical journals, consult their vets, and do all the things start to become medically minded. They write down arrays of symptoms and possible diseases. Smart breeders look for early indicators and are willing to hold a puppy longer if they aren't sure whether tiny size is genetic or a symptom.

I had an 8 lb Yorkie — my very first momma. She consistently produced puppies that were 2 lbs full grown. My sister's in-laws bought two girls from her second litter. One is still alive today, one recently passed — both lived long, healthy lives. Puppies can be tiny simply because it's in their genetics.

The Hip Size Problem Nobody Is Talking About

Yorkie breeders are causing major issues with size and breeding capability. If you breed an 8 lb female to a 2 lb male, generation after generation, it becomes genetically very difficult to determine adult weight. It also hides something critically important: hip size.

Breeders buy big girls and tiny boys so they avoid C-sections — but still have a chance at that one tiny one worth more than the rest of the litter combined. I check every single female's vaginal canal. You can have an 8 lb female with narrow internal structure. I have 4 lb girls that whelp with no issues because I know exactly what wide hips feel like. Take a cue from nature — in almost every mammalian species, the male is larger than the female. But Yorkie breeders have spread the idea that the male must be smaller, instead of learning to breed for wide hips.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND A NEW BREEDER TO BREED TINY FEMALES. I am documenting my own experiences. I go against the grain on everything and have had to learn things the hard way — and I am grateful for it.

I Never Hit the Brakes

When I was pretty young — shorter than the kitchen counter — I remember my mom Pam cooking at the stove. I could just barely see the red-hot coil. My mom said, "Don't touch that Janet, it's hot." I looked her square in the eye and, without breaking her gaze, reached up and touched the coil.

When I was 16 I got in a car accident driving my sister to school. My Dad was a police officer and had to call UHP. After the investigation, the officer said I had hit the gas and continued to hit the gas even after fishtailing — I never touched the brake. Not once.

You can imagine what I did when so many breeders said don't breed a female less than 5 lbs, or 4 lbs. All in — just like that. Blessing or curse, I still don't know. But I do know this: I can breed healthy Yorkies as small as I want.