The term Teacup is now a common term created and used by puppy mills. They use it to lure impulsive people into buying a tiny cute little puppy. They make believe that ANY puppy they sell you will remain tiny as an adult so you will buy from them. The TRUTH is that ALL Pomeranian puppies are tiny! But ALL grow up! Most between the sizes of 3-7lbs as that is the AKC standard. But many puppy mills breed HUGE females to get more puppies per litter, so many of those so called TEACUPS might not even be the standard size, but larger!
Many believe that a TOY or Tea Cup is the new trend in dogs. They believe a tiny puppy is such a novelty, rare and adorable they will pay grand amounts to own one. They want attention, and will use a dog to get it. Many BUY without thinking first if they should. Most puppy mills depend on this desire. This desire makes YOU AND EASY TARGET!
I have seen many websites advertising very large puppies as “Adult size will be 3 lbs or less!”. I know from experience that those puppies pictured will most likely be larger then 7lbs as adults. Most even put a false inflated price tag of 2-3 thousand dollars for these dogs! So be careful and educate yourself. All puppies in the group AKC has listed as the TOY group, will be in the 3-7lbs range. That is the AKC standard. The SIZE your puppy will mature at is the LEAST of your worries though! So read on!
Ethical breeders can't be 100% correct in predicting exact adult sizes. of their puppies. How can these other breeders have ESP and know ALL their puppies will mature to be teacups? The truth here is that most, if not all, will be an average 7lbs and up regardless what they promise you. Most know this, but they lie to be sure you will buy the puppy.
True Teacups are very rare and it is NOT common to have a whole litter of them, let alone, litter after litter. True teacups are also more likely to be prone to health problems, especially if they are bred to be to small or bred in large overpopulated puppy mills. So read on before you decide to buy one. Know the risks involved in owning a smaller then average TOY breed is first.
2.The risks involved in owning a Teacup, Toy, or Pocket Pom? Are they healthy?
Here are a few Facts:
•
A puppy who is under 1lb or under by the age of 8 weeks old may not survive to adulthood
• A dog who is only 2-4 lbs as an adult is more prone to health defects such as:
Open Fontanel
Heart Murmur
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Hypoglycemia even as an adult
Fragile or underdeveloped bones and body
Enlarged Heart
Liver Shunt
Early Death-will not reach 2 years old in age.
•A tiny dog is easier to step on if left loose in your home.
•A tiny dog needs 100% supervision until they are at least 6 months old or longer.
•A tiny dog may need special or extra vet care, such as med's/tests, even an adult.
•A tiny dog may be at a higher risk in surgical procedures due to size.
•A tiny dog is more likely not to survive surgeries as anesthesia is to risky.
- All tiny dogs are more prone to have common illnesses become fatal.
Many puppy mills will tell you that Teacups are just like any other puppy.
That is not true.
True Teacups may not grow properly. The bones and organs can be stunted in growth. This can lead to health problems that can cause high vet bills or lead to or cause death. The most common problems a super small dog may have is a heart murmur or an open fontanel. Most puppies can live healthy normal lives with these defects, but some will not, especially if the new owner is not made aware of these defects. But it is important you know what to look for, and ask the breeder about. It might be harder for these puppies to adjust to the trauma of going to a new home. Most of these tiny ones, may suffer hypoglycemia, Guardia or Cocci at higher and more frequent numbers because their systems are so fragile and weak. These conditions may also be harder to fight off for the smaller ones, and what might be harmless to a normal size puppy, could be fatal for a tiny one and vet care will be required. Now add to that, most come from Puppy Mills and they leave before they should be away from mother, and you have a puppy set up and sold to die for profit. Don't support this! Do your homework!
Any puppy that is not 1 1/2-2lbs lbs by 8 weeks, can be considered a HUGE HEALTH risk. Most that are not 2 lbs at 8 weeks are at a higher risk to not even reach adulthood. They may require much more attention, work, or vet bills to be sure the puppy grows and matures Healthy. Most ethical breeders do not breed for such high risks. However, since we are not all powerful, and we can't manipulate the gene pool to perfection as we may wish, we do occasionally get such tiny little ones from time to time, just as we may occasionally get one who will be larger. Most ethical breeders however will tell you the same thing, that the smaller the dog, the higher the risk may be for health problems.
3. Is a Tea Cup right for you?
Ask yourself the following:
1. Can I be home with my tiny companion 24 hours a day?
2. Did I do research on this breed, and can it fit into my lifestyle/schedule?
3. Do I have time to groom weekly as needed?
4. Can I afford the vet care he or she will need after purchase?
5. Can I handle the stress of the extra 24/7 care the puppy will need?
6. Will I still love this puppy even if they get bigger or smaller then I expected?
7. Can I give up sleep if needed to watch,comfort, or care for the puppy?
8. Can I devote the time and funds needed to train the puppy?
8. Will I be patient training the puppy, even if it takes up to 6 months to potty train?
10. Will I be willing to change my plans if the puppy needs me?
11. Do I have a babysitter I can trust for the puppy should I need one?
12. Do I have a vet I can trust?
13. Is my family ready for a new addition that might change things?
14. If I were a puppy, would I like yourself, and recommend myself, as an owner?
15. Do I have experience in dog ownership?
16. A first time dog owner should not start out with a teacup. The extra care required can be to much.
4. Hints that the Tiny TEACUP TOY puppy you want could be from a puppy mill...
- 1.They raise more then 3 breeds of dogs
- 2. They have more then 10 puppies for sale at one time.
- 3. They only show puppies for sale on their site. No adults.
- 4. They make excuses why they can't send you pictures of adults.
- 5. Their website gives no information about how they raise their dogs, pictures of parents, or premises.
- 6. They offer a warranty, but with several stipulations about foods, vitamins etc that must be proven that the puppy was given these the whole year, to have the guarantee valid. This makes in nearly impossible to follow through on , and gives them many ways to get out of the so called contract.
- 7. They say you must pay a deposit to be put on a waiting list.
- 8. They put emphasis on the fact that they have the tiniest puppies, ALL puppies are teacups, and they focus ALL info on the puppy around its tiny size etc.
- 9. They may be pushy, or full of excuses, or skirt around questions you ask.
- 10. They guarantee size to be super small or teacup on all puppies!
- 11. Some do not even speak proper English.
- 12. They do not ask you anything about the home you will provide, or why you want a puppy.
- They will not let you come to their home.
- They prefer to ship, or meet you somewhere to purchase the dog.
I see many of dog websites now that seem to be puppy mills. They only have pictures of puppies on the site. There are no adults mentioned, or displayed. Some even go so far as to post that the adults are in another country so can't be photographed, or that the adults are at a friends, or they no longer own the parents etc etc. The excuses go on and on. The truth is the adults are kept in such unhealthy conditions, they never look well enough for a photo. The site they run my be very fancy so many think that makes it honest, and professional. The whole site promises they only raise teacups, the tiniest most darling puppies you have ever seen, and will ever find anywhere. They may even claim movie stars buy from them! This is all sales gimmicks to get you excited about spending LOTS of money! They may not have a site at all. You may just see them in your local paper ads. When you call they may want to 'set up' a viewing at a local place, and not allow you to their home. Even if you ask if they can bring the parents, they will have an excuse for that to. It might sound like a good one, but don't let that fool you. They only care about the sale, not the dog, and not about you. So be careful. Don't be led into a path of heartache by the sparkle of all their promises and hype.
5. What is a puppy mill?
These links will show you some pictures. But use caution, they are graphic and heartbreaking. Only click on the link if you can handle seeing animals in pain or ones that have passed away. Selling to someone who runs a facility like this is my worst nightmare, this is why I am so picky about where my puppies go. These people are why I no longer wish to sell my dogs with Full AKC or AKC papers. I only want my fur kids in the best loving pet homes!
Many of the sites you find now online are puppy mills. If you only see puppies on the site, see promises of all puppies being TINY TOY TEACUPS and such, beware! But your local ads might be full of puppy mills to. so be sure to SEE where they come from, ask many of questions, and protect yourself!
7. HOW TO FIND a GOOD BREEDER
1.They show pictures of their adult dogs on their website. All dogs appear clean and healthy.
2. They seem to have only one or two breeds of dogs that they raise.
3. They have less then 15 puppies for sale at most given times.
4. They are happy to answer ALL your questions, even if your NOT buying a dog from them.
5. Their website gives LOTS of information about themselves and how they raise their dogs.
6. They offer a warranty, and have had their puuppies VET checked BEFORE going to you.
7. They are easy to talk to and NOT pushy about sales. In fact some are downright picky about where their fur kids are going and might as YOU alot of questions.
8. They put emphasis on the truth and never make false promises even if it costs them a sale.
9. They invite you to their home to see the adults and living conditions of all the dogs.
10. They have refrences from past customers.
11. They are happy to send you many pictures of the puppy you put a deposit down on. They have the time to take the pictures for you, and are happy to show them off to their new owners!
12. All puppies are sold up to date on shots and worming and flea preventitive (if needed in some areas). A shot record is provided, and follow up scheduling is discussed.
13. A good breeder is someone you will feel comfortable talking to. Someone who will be helpful and patient.
Here are some other links I have found with some GREAT recourses for you. I want you to educate yourself, so you can make a well informed choice when you buy a puppy, even if you do not buy from me, I don't want to give people who run puppy mills encouragement to continue to hurt animals and humans. If I can keep just one person from buying from a puppy mill, this page has been effective and both you and I will be happier for it.
8. Are there Healthy Teacups out there?
I have tried to put this page together to help educate you, and to help you understand the risks involved in owning a True Teacup. I want to say that I know many many healthy Teacups who have lived happy full lives with NO problems, and NO extra health issues. But, because not all breeders are honest, many only care about a quick sale that is final, and because even the breeders with the best intentions can't be god, I wanted to state some general facts for you to keep in mind when searching for your perfect pet.
I just want people to understand the risks. I want new owners to be aware, educate themselves, so that they can make informed decisions for themselves and not get taken advantage of, or jump into a sale they are not ready for.
Please also understand not all health issues a dog has, or may develop in its life, is the fault of the breeder. Puppy Mills make so many of us honest breeders look bad. There are many of us who are honest, and raise poms because we LOVE them and enjoy them. But even we can't control genes in our dogs any more then parents can control what genes their children will inherit. If we could, we would be very wealthy, and all health problems cured! I think most should be warry of breeders who make grand promises about their puppies they sell. Find an honest breeder. Even if they tell you they can't promise you the things you want to hear, that might be a much better resource for you. I NEVER promise any of my puppies will be tiny as adults. I may say I think they will be small, but I always tell people I can't be sure on how a puppy will grow to mature. Be skeptical of those who do make such claims and you should do well.
5. What about you, do you get and sell true Teacups?
I start with healthy parents of healthy sizes. Most mothers are 5-7lbs. This allows for easy birthing, and less risk of producing fatal teacups, c cections, or health risks to the mother. Most parents have a parent or grandparent in the 4-5lb range. This helps to produce the ideal sizes of 4-7lbs and avoid super tiny, to large, and fatals. Even with this practice, I do get super tiny teacups and larger poms occasionally. Even if I think I have a super tiny puppy, I would never Gaurantee it to be a teacup or such. I will tell you I think it might be a tiny dog as an adult, but I will also tell you, I can't be sure. Only God knows for sure what the final Look and size of the puppy will be.
All puppies are vet checked at approx 8 weeks before they go home with new owners. So if any suffer from anything, all new potential owners will be told ahead of time. All puppies come with a 1 year guarantee. If your puppy should suffer something genetically fatal in the first year, I will replace the puppy.
Yes, I have produced several tiny so called teacups who are very healthy and happy. Not all will have health related problems but not all have been without some minor issues. Not all people looking to buy a tiny dog, should own one either as they are not responsible enough to take on all the challenges owning a tiny one may put on them. If I do get them I am very picky on where they go, and I am honest about any risk involved in buying one. I have a specail contract for the extra tiny ones I think may be 3 lbs or less as adults. Since they are more prone to problems, I wanted to create this page and let people know, when trying to buy a super tiny, there is always a potential risk. You take on that risk when you look to buy the runt of the litter and try to buy an unhealthy tiny sized dog. For some it is worth the risk and cost. I just wanted to put this out there for so many who didn't know there were such risks.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope it helped inform you a bit about the risk Tea Cups can be. If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I am not just about selling Pomeranians, so even if you are not trying to buy from me, I will still be happy to help you in any way I can, so don't be to shy to email me.
If you think you understand and accept the risks involved, and you have the extra $$ to spend on possible vet care, then I wish you well with your hunt for the perfect Teacup. At least now, after reading this, you can do so better informed. You will be able to ask the breeder questions, and understand that not all breeders are going to be honest with you.
This page is not written to scare you, or stop you from trying to get your ideal pet. It was written to help educate you, so unethical breeders will have a harder time tricking you into a sale. Not all breeders are bad, unethical, or scheming. Remember most of us try to always do what is best for our fur kids. My intentions here are simply to get the word out, that teacups can require more care, tell you what to expect and what to look for in your puppy, and mention that not all puppies sold as teacups will actually stay small and that not all small puppies will be healthy.
Don't be afraid to ask breeders questions. Most ethical breeders like to see you have concerns, and do not mind taking the time to help. Be weary of those who are pushy, or who make many of promises about size of the adult dog. No one knows 100% what a puppy will mature to be, just as no parent can be sure as to what their children will grow up to look like. So look for an honest breeder, but do not expect them to have godly powers. :D
Other links on this subject for you to review and help educate yourself. Be sure you know your facts BEFORE you BUY! And always ask the breeders your thinking of buying from LOTS of questions and TRUST your instincts!
