"Teacup" Yorkies
One of the most frequently asked questions that I get is "Do you have any teacup Yorkies?". The simple truth is that neither we nor anyone else has a "teacup" Yorkshire terrier because no such classification exists. Let me clarify.
The official breed standard for the Yorkshire terrier calls for adult Yorkies to have a weight of no more than seven(7) pounds.
On average, Yorkshire terriers weigh between 5 and 7 pounds as adults.
To be exact, the breed standard states: "Weight: Must not exceed seven pounds." This definition was approved on April 12, 1966.
Why then, you may ask, do so many breeders advertise teacup Yorkies? There are only two reasons:
Fraud:
Some unscrupulous breeders advertise teacup Yorkies to take advantage of those people who are not very familiar with Yorkies. By telling someone that they are getting a "teacup", they make the buyer feel that they are getting something special (as if one get much more special than a Yorkie at all..... As stated above, a standard Yorkshire terrier must weigh no more than 7 pounds. On average, Yorkshire terriers weigh between 5 and 7 pounds as adults.
Ignorance:
Sadly, there are people out there breeding Yorkshire terriers who simply aren't knowledgeable enough about Yorkies to know that there is no such thing as a "teacup".
On average, Yorkshire terriers weigh between 5 and 7 pounds as adults. There are, of course, smaller Yorkies born that will weigh less. Most Yorkshire terriers that you see participating in the show ring tend to be 6 to 7 pounds.
A dog weighing 3 to 4 pounds is considered very small and often requires special care. Dogs this small should not be handled by children expect under strictly controlled conditions. Children are clumsy by nature--not intentionally--and dogs weighing less than 4 pounds are fragile, with easily broken bones.
Tea Cups
