I feel it is very important for me to try to educate potential clients about what people refer to as “Teacup Yorkies”. As a responsible breeder, it pains me to have to incorporate the term “Teacup Yorkies” into my advertising and website. Please understand, THERE IS NO AKC CLASSIFICATION FOR “TEACUP YORKIES”. However, a huge majority of people use the search term, “teacup yorkie/s for sale”, when browsing the internet searching for a Yorkie puppy. As a result, if I want my website to come up in your search for a Yorkie puppy, I would not come up on many searches if I did not use these terms.
The Yorkshire Terrier is classified as a “Toy Breed” by the AKC. Breed standards, (which are determined by the YTCA – Yorkshire Terrier Club of America) state that the standard weight for the Yorkie should be between 4 to 7 pounds. Many people who are searching for a Teacup Yorkie are basically looking for a Yorkie that will weigh less than 4 pounds or less than AKC breed standard. Responsible breeders do not intentionally set out to breed Yorkies that weigh less than 4 pounds. However, that being said, many Yorkies do come in extra small sizes and weigh less than breed standard as adults. These tiny Yorkies are in high demand. I do have teeny tinies from time to time, which most people would refer to as “Teacup Yorkies”. Most of my “Teacup” size puppies weigh in the 3 to 3.5 pound range.
There are some important things to keep in mind if you are looking for an extra small Yorkie. Sometimes Yorkies may be extra small due to some underlying health issue. Make sure your breeder is willing to give you a written health guarantee for at least 1 year. Also, keep in mind that when tiny dogs get sick, they can go down very quickly. Teeny tinies are more prone to hypoglycemia as well as coccidia and giardia. They can over-stress very easily. STRESS CAN KILL A TINY PUPPY! An extra tiny Yorkie may not have as long of a life span when compared to a Yorkie weighing in the 5 pound range. Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not trying to talk anyone out of purchasing an extra tiny Yorkie. My goal is just to make sure that you are educated and understand the pros and cons of having a “Teacup size Yorkie”. Please feel free to give me a call if you should have any further questions.