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Teacup Poodle

History

The Teacup being the smallest. It is very small, usually about 2 to 4 pounds, with 3 pounds being the average. To determine the size range of my babies I use my parents' lineage and past experience with their previous babies. The general rule I use is to take babies weight at 12 weeks and double it. However I have seen a puppy stop growing at 3 months and I have seen them also just spring up like a weed.\ About the teacup poodle What is a Teacup Poodle, exactly?! And is it "teacup poodle", or "tea cup poodle"?! Or a tiny toy, or even a "teacup toy poodle"? There's a lot of confusion about the teacup poodle. That's understandable, since technically it doesn't exist. The Teacup Poodle goes very much unrecognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club), which breaks poodles down into only three types: standard, miniature, and toy. To the AKC, and to most countries outside the U.S., a Toy is a poodle 10 inches or under at the shoulders. Period. But American poodle breeders do recognize the teacup poodle. Since an AKC definition doesn't exist, breeders have to set their own standards. A common one is a poodle that weights 2-4 pounds in adulthood. That's one small dog! The thing you might not realize about teacup poodles is that they really aren't a special type of poodle. It's more accurate to say that they're the tiniest pups in the toy poodle litter: yes indeed, the runts! Breeders can't tell which ones will be true teacups until the pups reach a certain age, and even then, they have to make an educated guess. Meanwhile, those tiny pups require lots of special care from the breeder: they're babies who need to be babied!

Should I get a Teacup Poodle?
It's not hard to say why so many people are attracted to the diminutive teacup. Basic supplies like food and treats can be less expensive. Teacups can live in even the most metropolitan of places. And teacups, like all toy dogs, are bred to be companions — not herding dogs, not hunting dogs. They simply love to be by your side. Plus, there's no denying that teacup poodles (and puppies) are so very, very cute.

But they do involve extra TLC. Some will tell you otherwise, but for the most part, breeders will be eager to educate you on the special efforts needed to keep your teacup poodle happy and healthy. The tasks involved aren't unreasonable or impossible, but a prospective toy teacup owner should know that every dog under four pounds needs extra care to thrive. This is especially true when the puppy first arrives from the breeder. Teacup poodle puppies need to be kept relatively quiet and contained in a "crib" for most of the day, just like a human baby. They need to be watched closely for signs of low blood sugar or dehydration. Eventually, they'll mature and you can relax a little more around your teacup poodle.

However! If your house is a hotbed of frantic activity ... if your sport-loving family puts the Kennedys to shame when it comes to a pick-up game of football in the living room ... if your family contains any small children, or even large adults who can occasionally be on the clumsy side, like myself ... you should seriously consider being "Mom" or "Dad" to a larger dog. The teacup poodle is so small, it's possible for him or her to break a leg with an unlucky jump off the bed or couch, notwithstanding the damage you could do by stumbling over it. So you'll want to offer your teacup a fairly quiet household. A friend of ours bought an adorable little teacup poodle and showed it off for months without mishap. Her house was extremely tidy and well-managed, and usually only had adults, but with the visitors coming in and out and occasional weekends with children, the teacup eventually suffered a broken leg.) Are you scared off yet? Or are you girding your loins, saying, No problem, I can handle all that? If so, read on ...

Where should I get my Teacup Poodle? This one is simple: you should get your teacup from a breeder. Not a pet store! Reputable breeders never, ever, ever sell to pet stores. Reputable breeders care intensely about the home their puppy ends up in, and will size you up as a puppy parent, as they should! In return, you should also size the breeder up. Gauge how healthy, happy and friendly the parent dogs look. Make sure the breeder doesn't practice inbreeding (more common than you'd think!). Check for certification against common poodle problems such as hip dysplasia. By buying from a breeder, you should avoid the problems that plague most pet-store poodles, such as "nippiness" and excessive anxiety that come from a too-soon separation from Mom. If the breeder is remote, they should insist on a few things that might make your pocketbook wince, such as "limousine" service (especially gentle transportation options) for your teacup, and very, very high quality food. They're only looking out for the pup's basic needs.

How much will I pay for my Teacup Poodle? Expect to pay somewhere around $1000.00. Yup, that's a lot of money per pound.As much as it pains me to say it, this is not an area where you should comparison-shop. At least not the normal way. Cost-cutting, when it comes to breeding dogs, can only come from the places you don't want cut. Such as, certification against baffling and sad genetic defects. The kind that won't show up until five or fifteen years later when that teacup is 100% a part of your family. Your best bet is not to shop by price, but by breeder reputation, once you've decided to make the investment. The professional breeder strives to maintain and improve the breed with each and every litter, perpetuating as few of the breed's weaknesses as possible. This requires discrimination and care. Which means excessive cost-cutting is out.

How do I care for my Teacup Poodle? Teacups, like all poodles, absolutely must be groomed. Even if you're a big do-it-yourself type, you'll probably find it's simpler to have it done professionally. Grooming a teacup poodle involves regular clipping, regular baths, and regular cleaning for the ears, which can easily get "blocked" and infected in the smaller breeds. Clipping can be a bit stressful when you do it yourself, thanks to loose skin in the "armpit" area and places like that. It's easy to nick your beloved pet. And no dog, no matter how low-maintenance, is much fun when it comes to clipping toenails. Your groomer can take care of that too. Give the groomer a big tip at Christmas, won't you? One thing you really need to do yourself is brush your teacup poodle's teeth regularly. Another thing to keep in mind is that the very, very small dogs have difficulty self-regulating their temperatures. You'll want to make sure your poodle doesn't get excessively hot or cold. Same thing with dehydration: two-to-four pounds doesn't leave much margin for error. When your teacup's a pup, you'll need to make sure that she eats and drinks on a regular basis no matter what it takes to get her interested! Finally, believe it or not, that tiny little thing does need (and crave) exercise. Poodles aren't only intelligent, they're active by nature. Make sure your tiny buddy gets regular outings with lots of interesting things to sniff and investigate.

Enjoying your Teacup Poodle One of the least-touted benefit of the teacup poodles is their long lives. An average teacup lives 14-15 years, which is much, much longer than most large breeds. Their small size and equally small metabolism means less wear-and-tear on the internal organs. This is wonderful thing for you, the poodle Mom (or Dad). Your teacup might not only be with you for a long time, you'll find he or she prefers you to almost everything and everyone, including other dogs. Poodle loyalty is legendary, and this is no less true in the teacup. So take wonderful care of your teacup poodle, including putting some thought into their diet (have you ever heard of the raw foods diet for dogs?). You should have a special companion for a long time. With luck and care, you'll find you both enjoy every year of it.

Faults Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousnes with which the fault should be regarded should be exact proportion to its degree.

Note * Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully decended into the scrotum.