" Teacup "  Yorkies  

One of the most frequently asked questions that we get is "do you have any teacup Yorkies?".  The simple truth is that neither we nor anyone else on this earth has a "teacup" Yorkshire Terrier because no such classification exists.  Let me clarify.  

The official breed standard for the Yorkshire terrier calls for adult Yorkies to have a weight of no more than seven(7) pounds.

To be exact, the breed standard states:  "Weight:  Must not exceed seven pounds."  This definition was approved on April 12, 1966.  To review the breed standard for Yorkshire terriers, click here. 

Why then, you may ask, do so many breeders advertise teacup Yorkies?  There are only two reasons:  

• Fraud
       Some unscrupulous breeders advertise teacup Yorkies to take advantage of those people who are not very familiar with Yorkies.  By telling someone that they are getting a "teacup", they make the buyer feel that they are getting something special (as if one get much more special than a Yorkie at all:-)).   Beware, many of these people also advertise "toy" and or "standard" Yorkies with weights up to 10 or 12 pounds.  As stated above, a standard Yorkshire terrier must weigh no more than 7 pounds.  

• Ignorance
       Sadly, there are people out there breeding Yorkshire terriers who simply aren't knowledgeable enough about Yorkies to know that there is no such thing as a "teacup".  One can only image their general breed knowledge and the quality of their puppies.  
  

I was told of a breeder recently who has Yorkies weighing less than two(!!) pounds all the time.  The person writing wanted to know if we had puppies of that size.  I must point out that as of last year, the smallest dog in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was a Chihuahua who weighed just under 2 pounds at 1 lb. 14 oz.  For someone to claim that they regularly have adult dogs weighing less than 2 pounds is a stretch to say the least.  

On average, Yorkshire terriers weigh between 5 and 7 pounds as adults.  There are, of course, smaller Yorkies born that will weigh less.  Most Yorkshire terriers that you see participating in the show ring tend to be 5 to 7 pounds.  A dog weighing 3 to 4 pounds is considered very small and often requires special care.  Dogs this small should not be handled by children expect under strictly controlled conditions.  Children are clumsy by nature--not intentionally--and dogs weighing less than 4 pounds are fragile, with easily broken bones.