Are You Really Prepared to Adopt a Teacup Yorkshire Puppy?
When it comes to being adorable, teacup Yorkie puppies take the ribbon. One look at these tiny canines and it's easy to see why people want them. However, this dog breed isn't the best option for every home. Here are three things you should know about teacup Yorkshire puppies to help you determine whether this dog would be a good addition to your home or whether you should choose something else.
They Must Be Fed More Often
Despite their small size, teacup Yorkie puppies require a lot of care. In particular, they have fairly demanding feeding schedules for a couple of reasons. First, they burn almost as much energy as a big dog because it takes a lot more effort for them to get around and do the same things as bigger dogs. Second, they're stomachs can only hold a little bit of food at a time, so they must replenish their stores more often.
Puppies must eat at least 5 to 6 times per day or a minimum of every three hours. Dry foods can typically be left out 24 hours a day without any problems. If you're feeding your Yorkie fresh food, however, you'll need to change it out frequently throughout the day as it may spoil and make your puppy sick. To avoid wasting food, it's a good idea to monitor your dog's eating habits and put food out during the times when you notice your dog returning to the meal bowl.
Their Small Size Can Result in Big Disasters
Another and more serious concern with teacup Yorkie dogs is the fact that they are very fragile, especially as babies. Teacup Yorkies will be a maximum of 3 pounds and about 5 to 6 inches tall when fully grown. While this may make it easier to carry the dog around in your purse when you're out shopping, this also increases the risk he or she will be injured just during the normal course of the day. Either someone may accidentally step on the dog or the puppy may play with the wrong thing and have something heavy fall on it, leading to significant damage and even death.
This is why teacup Yorkie puppies are generally appropriate for homes with only adults and older kids who can fully understand how fragile teacup Yorkies are and can control themselves enough to be gentle with the dog. Additionally, you may not want to get a teacup Yorkshire if you already have dogs or other animals that significantly outsize the puppy (e.g. Lab or even a Dachshund) as the larger dog may unintentionally hurt the tiny puppy while trying to interact with it.
They May Require More Medical Care
A third concern with teacup Yorkshire puppies is the dog may need more medical care. This is directly the result of their popularity. Since everyone wants a teacup pup, many breeders are rushing to produce them for buyers. This has resulted in the introduction of several genetic conditions that can be expensive to care for.
The most common condition affecting teacup Yorkshire puppies is hypoglycemia, where the puppy's blood sugar levels drops rapidly and can result in confusion, mood changes, and even death. This comes from going too long without eating food, which is why you adhere strictly to your puppy's feeding schedule.
Other conditions that can affect your teacup Yorkshire include patellar luxation, retinal atrophy, and portosystemic shunt.
It's important to thoroughly check out the breeder to ensure you buying from someone who breeds the dogs in an ethical manner and actually cares about producing healthy animals. Once you get your puppy, have it checked out by a vet on a regular basis so you can catch and treat issues as early as possible.
For more information about teacup Yorkshire dogs or to buy one, contact a local breeder.