A Few Facts About The Teacup Yorkie Poo
The Teacup Yorkie Poo is a hybrid or "designer" dog. As the name implies, it is a mix between a Toy Poodle and Teacup Yorkshire Terrier. The Teacup designation has to do with the dog's size. More about that later. The Teacup Yorkie Poo is one of those little dogs you can carry around in a purse, if not a jacket pocket. It is essentially a ball of fluff with a personality.
Yorkie Poo Characteristics - One of the more attractive features of the Teacup Yorkie Poo is that it doesn't shed, a characteristic of both the Poodle and the Yorkshire terrier. It does inherit the characteristics of both breeds, as would be expected. It tends to bark which it inherits from the Yorkshire side of the family, but a dog weighing only 2 or 3 pounds doesn't have a bark that's going to rattle the rafters. If the Yorkshire side of the family gives the Yorkie Poo its bark, the Poodle side gives it a somewhat stubborn streak. Both sides contribute to its energy and intelligence. The Yorkie Poo is a good family dog, and a good pet for your children. The main danger to the little guy is that someone could accidentally sit on it.
The Yorkie Side - The Yorkshire terrier is a long-haired breed having a blue and tan coat. Its coat is parted in the center from the top of the head to the tail. Although the Yorkshire terrier doesn't display the somewhat aristocratic air of the poodle, it still manages to look rather self-important. The AKC Breed Standard for a Yorkshire Terrier specifies it should weigh no more than 7 pounds. A Toy Yorkie will usually weigh somewhat less.
The Poo Side - The Poodle is one of the smartest of the dog breeds. As mentioned above, it tends to have a stubborn streak, but still is highly trainable and an excellent companion dog. The larger sizes of poodles are regarded as excellent hunting dogs. The American Kennel Club acknowledges three sizes of poodles:
- Standard Poodle
- Miniature Poodle
- Toy Poodle
The Standard Poodle is more than 15 inches high at the shoulder, while the Toy Poodle is 10 inches or less.
The Teacup Designation - It is the teacup designation for any canine breed or hybrid where things start getting a little fuzzy, if not at times downright unethical. “Teacup” is of course a subjective definition, and somewhat arbitrarily thrown about. Even a Chihuahua will not usually fit into a teacup, though it comes as close as any breed to be able to do so. A true teacup type of dog is one what has been carefully bred for size, and noted for its smaller than usual size. If you are looking for a Teacup Yorkie or a Teacup Yorkie Poo, you're looking for a very small dog. There are breeders who can accommodate you with the real thing, and there are those who will try to pass of the runt of the litter, or a Yorkie Poo that has been born prematurely, or is otherwise abnormally small. In such cases, the dog you get, while it may be small and cute, and remain so, is very likely to be an unhealthy dog.
Potential Health Concerns - When a dog the size of a Teacup Yorkie Poo becomes ill, or is chronically not well, you can have a real problem on your hands. A 2 or 3 pound dog does not handle illness anywhere near as well as does a 20 pound dog. Hypoglycemia, low blood sugar levels, is somewhat common among the Toy Yorkshire breeds, and some other Toy breeds as well. A Teacup-sized dog can have a difficult time in dealing with this type of disorder.
If you take good care of your little pet, keep it groomed, warm, and well fed, it can have a long and problem-free life.