DO TEACUP YORKIES REALLY EXIST?

“Do you have Teacup Yorkies?” is the number one question I am asked by prospective puppy parents.

The answer…there is no such thing as a Teacup Yorkie! According to the breed standard, a Yorkshire Terrier weighs under 7 pounds and there is no distinction for dogs of a smaller size. No matter how small, a Yorkie is still just a Yorkie and you will never see the breed listed as ‘Teacup Yorkshire Terrier’ on a dog’s registration papers. The Yorkshire Terrier Club of America’s Code of Ethics prohibits using words like ‘teacup’, ‘micro’, ‘mini’ and ‘pocket’. They feel that these words are nothing more than a marketing ploy used by some breeders to justify charging outrageous prices for their puppies. I have personally seen the word ‘micro’ used to describe puppies listed for sale for as much as $10,000!!!

That said, I do acknowledge that most clients have a preference for a Yorkie of a particular size. For that reason, along with the pictures of my puppies, I post the weight and age of each puppy as well as the estimated adult weight according to the standard growth chart (click here). I do this rather than labeling my puppies as toy, teacup, micro, mini or pocket. I have found these terms mean different things to different people and I prefer to avoid the confusion these labels can cause.

HOW BIG WILL MY PUPPY BE?

There is no fool-proof method to determining the adult weight of a Yorkie. Your puppy’s adult weight will depend on a number of things. The size of the parents and grandparents, nutrition and how fast or slow he/she matures.

Let’s Talk Yorkie strives for health, first and foremost. Typically our puppies will grow to an adult weight of between 4 and 6 pounds; most being on the lower end of that range. Ours are still very small dogs but at that size they will not be as fragile as smaller Yorkies. They will retain the beautiful characteristics that made us fall in love with the breed in the first place. Like all breeders of toy dogs, occasionally we will have a litter of smaller puppies or a litter with a smaller puppy in it. When that happens we take special care in choosing safe forever homes for those puppies.

To ESTIMATE how big a puppy will be in adulthood the general guideline is to double its weight at 12 weeks of age OR use this Growth Chart.

To Use The Chart
Convert your puppy’s weight to OUNCES (16 ounces = 1 pound)
Find the puppy’s current age in the left column
Follow along that row until you get to the current weight (in ounces)
Follow that column to the bottom of the chart to find the estimated adult weight

This information is provided as a guideline only since it is impossible to predict a puppy’s exact adult weight with 100% accuracy.

PARTI AND OTHER RARE COLORED YORKIES

In your quest to find the perfect Yorkie puppy for your family you have probably come across breeders who claim to have rare colored Yorkies like Red Yorkies, Chocolate Yorkies, Blue Yorkies, Parti Colored Yorkies or Gold Yorkies. PLEASE do not be fooled by this!

Breeding for and advertising these colors seems to be a way some breeders try to make you think they have something special and convince you to spend a lot of money on one of their puppies. The sad truth is that these so called rare Yorkie colors are a genetic mutation which, along with producing unusual coat color, is also suspected to produce a variety of health issues from severe skin problems, hair loss and immune system issues, to long term illness and even death in the most extreme cases. Because of this, Lets Talk Yorkie has made the decision to breed only standard color Yorkies.

YORKIES ARE ONE OF THE BEST DOGS FOR ALLERGIES

Believe it or not, there really is a select group of dog that hold the title “Best Dogs for Allergies.” Yorkshire Terriers are classified as ‘hypo-allergic’ because they have hair instead of fur, do not shed, and have less dander than most dogs. No dog is non-allergenic – not even a hairless breed – because a person could be allergic to the saliva or urine of a dog as well as the dander and fur.

Even though Yorkies are on that list, I cringe every time someone asks: “I have allergies, will I be allergic to a Yorkie?” because there is no way to be sure. Just as every person is different, every dog is different too and even dogs of the same breed can affect an allergic person in varying degrees. It is also possible for a person’s allergic response to a puppy to worsen as the dog reaches adulthood. So the best answer I can give someone who is planning to bring a Yorkie into their home but has had allergic reactions to other dogs is: You can’t know for sure until you spend time with a Yorkie. Ideally, you should spend a full day or better yet, overnight with a Yorkie. Some people can tell within minutes if they are allergic and if you are sure that you will know right away, then perhaps a visit to a breeder who has Yorkies but no other animals in their home would be a good idea.

If you find you are allergic to your Yorkie but can’t bear the thought of giving up the family pet it may be possible to improve the situation (notice I didn’t say cure because there really is no cure) by doing the following:

1. Although a Yorkie’s long flowing coat is a thing of beauty, people with allergies should keep their pets coat clipped as short as possible. This is not because less hair means less dander, but because it is easier to keep the dog very clean, and a clean dog will be less bothersome to the allergic person. I have a relationship with a groomer here on Long Island and would be happy help you make arrangements to manage your dogs grooming at a reasonable rate.

2. Bathe your Yorkie often with a high quality dog shampoo with moisturizing ingredients. Most importantly, use a cream rinse (conditioner) diluted and left in the coat (do NOT rinse out) at the end of the bath to help hold the dander down. Someone other than the allergic person should do the bathing.

TIP: If the allergic person also has other allergies be sure not to choose a scented shampoo and conditioner that will further aggravate their condition.

You can also try one the following products which area available online and through pet catalogs: Allerpet-D, Nature’s Miracle Allergy Relief Dander Remover/Body Deodorizer; Outright Simple Solution Allergy Relief (Dog); Allersearch Pet Shampoo; and MiteNix Herbal Pet Care Natural Pet Shampoo.

3. Brush your Yorkie often to remove dust and other allergens from its coat. Ideally this should be done outdoors.

4. Keep the Yorkie out of the allergic person’s bedroom.

5. If possible, carpeting should be removed from the area where the dog spends most of its time. Carpet holds in dander, as well as other allergens.

6. Frequent vacuuming of bare floors and rugs with a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA (High Efficiency Particle Air) filter and dusting of surfaces is a must.

7. Your Yorkie’s bedding should be washable and should be laundered every time the dog has a bath.

8. An electronic air cleaner/purifier with a HEPA filter may offer some relief.

9. As a last resort, consider seeing an allergist, who can give you a course of desensitizing shots. This can be costly and does not work for everyone; it also can take months or even years to complete the treatment.

In the end, I find myself praying that these measures will prevent a dog from having to be removed from the home because that can be heartbreaking for the family as well as the puppy especially if there are children involved. I therefore strongly recommend that you try to make the determination of whether you can live with a Yorkie or not BEFORE bringing one home.

Unfortunately, it has been my experience that a number of people just cannot live with a dog of any breed, in spite of how much they would like to or how closely they follow all of this advice. Of those people I ask the following: If you must give up your Yorkie please contact me. Your dog deserves to have new home where he or she will be loved as much as they were with you and I would be happy to help you find that home.

YORKSHIRE TERRIER BREED STANDARD

General Appearance
That of a long-haired toy terrier whose blue and tan coat is parted on the face and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail and hangs evenly and quite straight down each side of body. The body is neat, compact and well proportioned. The dog’s high head carriage and confident manner should give the appearance of vigor and self-importance.

Head
Small and rather flat on top, the skull not too prominent or round, the muzzle not too long, with the bite neither undershot nor overshot and teeth sound. Either scissors bite or level bite is acceptable. The nose is black. Eyes are medium in size and not too prominent; dark in color and sparkling with a sharp, intelligent expression. Eye rims are dark. Ears are small, V-shaped, carried erect and set not too far apart.

Body
Well proportioned and very compact. The back is rather short, the back line level, with height at shoulder the same as at the rump.

Legs and Feet
Forelegs should be straight, elbows neither in nor out. Hind legs straight when viewed from behind, but stifles are moderately bent when viewed from the sides. Feet are round with black toenails. Dewclaws, if any, are generally removed from the hind legs. Dewclaws on the forelegs may be removed.

Tail
Docked to a medium length and carried slightly higher than the level of the back.

Coat
Quality, texture and quantity of coat are of prime importance. Hair is glossy, fine and silky in texture. Coat on the body is moderately long and perfectly straight (not wavy). It may be trimmed to floor length to give ease of movement and a neater appearance, if desired. The fall on the head is long, tied with one bow in center of head or parted in the middle and tied with two bows. Hair on muzzle is very long. Hair should be trimmed short on tips of ears and may be trimmed on feet to give them a neat appearance.

Colors
Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured. Color of hair on body and richness of tan on head and legs are of prime importance in adult dogs, to which the following color requirements apply: Blue: Is a dark steel-blue, not a silver-blue and not mingled with fawn, bronzy or black hairs. Tan: All tan hair is darker at the roots than in the middle, shading to still lighter tan at the tips. There should be no sooty or black hair intermingled with any of the tan.

Color on Body
The blue extends over the body from back of neck to root of tail. Hair on tail is a darker blue, especially at end of tail.

Headfall
A rich golden tan, deeper in color at sides of head, at ear roots and on the muzzle, with ears a deep rich tan. Tan color should not extend down on back of neck.

Chest and Legs
A bright, rich tan, not extending above the elbow on the forelegs nor above the stifle on the hind legs.

Weight
Must not exceed seven pounds.

Disqualifications
Any solid color or combination of colors other than blue and tan as described above. Any white markings other than a small white spot on the forechest that does not exceed 1 inch at its longest dimension. From www.akc.org