Tea_Cup_Myth

The Tea Cup Chihuahua Myth

I feel the necessity to add this page about the so called Tea Cup Chihuahua due the alarming number of inquiries I get from people who think they want one.

There are no size categories in AKC breed standard for Chihuahuas, like there are in Poodles (miniature, toy, standard). ALL CHIHUAHUAS ARE IN THE TOY GROUP. According to the AKC BREED STANDARD, Chihuahuas should not exceed 6 pounds. That does not mean that a Chihuahua that exceeds 6 pounds is not a full blood Chihuahua. It just means that any Chihuahua over 6 pounds is not eligible to be shown in AKC conformation events. There certainly isn't anything wrong with a beautiful 7 + pound Chihuahua. In fact, most times the larger Chihuahua is better suited for an active family life style, especially when there are children in the home. Even at 7 to 9 pounds, that is still a relatively small dog. All Chihuahuas are considered to be in the Toy Group. There are only 2 varieties of Chihuahuas - Smooth Coat and Long Coat.

The tiny (3 pounds & under - so called Tea Cup) Chihuahuas, that have become so popular these days due to the Movie Stars and Entertainers that own them, are NOT of the norm. The average size Chihuahuas in the show ring today are around 4 to 6 pounds. That in it's self is a very small dog! There are some that remain under 3 pounds full grown. Personally, I don't breed for the diminutive size. I breed for healthy, to the standard Chihuahuas. I will NEVER breed a Chihuahua female that is under 4 pounds! Our Chihuahua females are on average 5-6 lbs.

Many times there are medical reasons why a Chihuahua will remain under 3 pounds. Hydrocephelus or heart problems or liver problems, often accompany the tiny, so called Tea Cups. Frequently these tiny dogs have serious health issues that can result in huge Veterinary bills and subsequent early death. Yes, they can remain tiny due to genetics, but this is not always the case, as ethical and conscious breeders generally will NOT breed a female that is under 4 pounds. Breeding tiny females to tiny males doesn't mean they will make tiny puppies. The genetics from Grandparents, Great Grandparents, GGGrandparents, so on and so forth also play a role in the adult size, shape and form or each and every pup. Runt puppies can and many times do grow up to be full size Chihuahuas. Sometimes they remain stunted, this is many times what the general public refer to as Tea Cup Chihuahuas. Four pound parents can have 2 to 7 pound offspring. Six pound parents can have below 3 pound offspring. This is why raising Chihuahuas is so challenging and nerve wracking.

These tiny dogs (T-cups) must have constant care. They are very prone to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). They must be kept warm, as their tiny bodies don't have the mass to maintain a proper body temperature. They cannot be allowed to jump off of furniture, as their little bones are like toothpicks and will break easily. They cannot be left alone more than a couple of hours a day, as they must be fed 4 to 6 times a day. It is a must that these tiny ones eat numerous times a day to avoid low blood sugar. The reason they must eat so many times a day is their tiny tummies don't hold much at a time. Their activity must be monitored carefully to avoid low blood sugar. Do you really want to have to worry about this every day?

Please be careful of breeders blatantly advertising Tea Cup Chihuahuas for sale. I have witnessed many unethical breeders offering what they call T-cups, Pocket Pets, Xtra Tiny, Tea Cups, rare, that are actually very young, 5 to 6 week old puppies. All 5 to 6 week old Chihuahuas are tiny. Most are under or right at the 1 pound mark at that age. Many of these 5 to 6 week old puppies will grow up to be normal sized and possibly over sized adult Chihuahuas. It is IMPOSSIBLE to guarantee adult size of a 5 to 6 week old puppy. Even at 12 to 16 weeks it is very difficult to accurately predict adult size.

Chihuahuas grow until they are about 7- 8 months old. By this age they have pretty much reached their adult height and length. However, many will continue to "mature out" and will gain weight and muscle mass, the older they get. I've seen some that don't actually come into their full maturity (body weight) until around the 2 year old mark.

Good luck in your endeavor to find that perfect Chihuahua to love. Please don't be sucked in by the deceptive terms used by some ... Tea Cup, T-Cup, pocket pets, x-tra tiny, rare! These are just a few of the monetary marketing labels that have been attached to the breed over the years.

Please read the Teacup Statement according to the Chihuahua Club of America.