Teacup is the name given by
breeders to describe an extremely small toy
poodle - so there is no
universal standard regarding size. It is generally
agreed that a fully grown
Teacup poodle should weigh 4lbs or less and
be less than 8 inches tall.
Tiny Toy is a term used by breeders to describe
the size range between a
Teacup and a Toy.
Teacup poodles are not
runts of a litter.
Teacup poodles are unlikely
to be able to jump onto a couch or chair,
or climb stairs. If they
are placed or found in this position, they MUST be
constantly watched. A fall
or attempt to jump can result in serious injury to
themselves. Teacup poodle
puppies can be difficult to train, as they tire
easily and cannot sustain
long periods of exercise. Balancing play/training
time with rest periods is
essential however, as they grow they tend to require
less rest periods and
develop a play and sleep schedule on their own. A
warm soft bed designated in
a quiet area in the corner or under a end table
seems to work well.
Although they are friendly,
confident, playful, charming, lively and bright they
are not well suited to
family homes with children or other animals, as they can
easily be dropped, hurt or
stepped on.
For this reason we do
not recommend a Teacup for homes with children.
Teacup poodles have derived
from toy poodles and are the smallest type,
bred for their overall
'tiny features' - they are available in many colors, such
as black, white, silver,
red, apricot, chocolate and other rarer colors can be
obtained. Teacups are
very tiny dogs, which at 2-3 weeks old can be the
same size as a hamster!
Because of their vulnerability, reputable breeders
will not normally release
them until they are at least 3 months old.
Nutri-Cal
is a high
caloric dietary supplement and a readily digestible source
of vitamins and minerals in
a palatable gel formulation. This is used by most
breeders in the first few
months of the puppies life in small dose’s
(pea size or less).
Some breeders may recommend
a few times a day where others may
recommend it be used if the
puppy is acting lethargic or under stress’s
such as traveling or
changes in environment, like moving to their new
homes. Some veterinarians
recommend weaning or to use sparingly and
feel prolonged use can
result in health issues in later years.
There are some words of caution that need to be mentioned regarding
a teacup poodle while it is a pup. Their small size means that they
can
run out of energy quickly. This requires vigilance for the first 6
to 9 months
of their lives, as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can occur
instantly and
could be fatal. Some breeders recommend keeping your teacup poodle
in a child's playpen to avoid overexertion. One breeder recommends
letting
the pooped pup suck on a finger covered with Karo syrup to
counteract the
occasional low blood sugar incidents. Another suggests giving them
some
high-energy liquid food at night to carry them safely through to
morning.
Check with your trusted vet for good advice.