Teacup Poodles are cute little nuggets that have become highly coveted canine companions. How much is a Teacup Poodle and should you buy one?
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What is a Teacup Poodle?
Friendly, alert, and highly intelligent, Poodles are popular family pets and make great companions for singles, children, older adults, and anyone who loves dogs. This adorable and highly trainable breed may have descended from the French Barbet or a type of German water dog.
Poodles are ranked second in intelligence among all dog breeds. These dogs are skilled in hunting and dog sports. They can be trained to become seeing-eye dogs, military dogs, circus performers, and truffle hunters.
The American Kennel Club, the British Kennel Club, and the Canadian Kennel Club recognize three size variants for Poodles: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. In some places, the Medium Poodle is also a recognized size variation of the Poodle.
But what about the Teacup Poodle?
Like “Royal Standard,” “Micro Teacup,” and other such terms, this size variation is nothing, but marketing speak. The Teacup Poodle is not a recognized size variation of the Poodle. No kennel club has set standards for this particular dog.
The Teacup Poodle is just a Toy Poodle that has been bred to be exceptionally small. No dog breeds are Teacup-sized by default. What happens is that some breeders, capitalizing on the appeal of tiny, adorable puppies, devise ways to make smaller and smaller versions of the breed.
This results in a dog that is smaller than a standard Toy Poodle. These dogs can fit into a teacup as puppies. Some Teacup Poodles weigh between 2 and 4 pounds and stand no taller than 9 inches.
How much does a Teacup Poodle cost?
If you are thinking of buying a Teacup Poodle, contact your local breeders.
Because Teacup Poodles aren’t all that common, they can fetch a pretty penny. Puppies are typically evaluated at 8 to 10 weeks to determine the price for each. The price of a Teacup Poodle will depend on its sex, size, and color.
Female Teacup Poodles are usually more expensive than males. Puppies with red coats are more expensive than those whose coat is white, black, gray, silver, cream, apricot, and other colors.
In the United States, a Teacup Poodle puppy can cost between $1,000 and $5,000. The price of a Teacup Poodle usually includes deworming, first vaccines, declawing and tail docking, a microchip, health records, registration, grooming, and a health checkup with a veterinarian before the puppy is handed off to its new owner.
Teacup Poodles are more expensive than Standard, Miniature, and Toy Poodles. But you really shouldn’t have to pay more for them. Unlike healthy, normal-sized dogs, Teacup Poodles are frail and need special care. It’s very likely that you will have to pay higher medical expenses for a Teacup Poodle than for bigger Poodle types.
Caring for a Teacup Poodle
According to The Poodle Club of America, poodles are prone to certain diseases. These include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Patellar luxation
- Chronic active hepatitis
- Bloat
- Epilepsy
- Hypothyroidism
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Addison’s disease
While Poodles are known to be long-lived dogs, Teacup Poodles have a significantly shorter life expectancy. These dogs have smaller organs and thus tend to develop health problems. Some Teacup Poodles live fewer than five years, whereas a normal-sized Poodle would live approximately 15 years. Still, some Teacup Poodles can live up to 7 to 10 years.
If you own a Teacup Poodle, you have to be very careful with it as it is quite delicate. These dogs are not suitable for families with children. If a child accidentally steps on your Teacup Poodle or handles it roughly, your dog can be seriously injured.
However, just like other dog breeds, Teacup Poodles do need some exercise. They are well suited to life in an apartment, where there’s just enough space to run around in.
Sufficient exercise is essential to avoid behavior problems. Make sure to walk your Teacup Poodle every day so that it can satisfy its primal instinct to roam.
Ethical considerations
Teacup Poodles are often bred to profit off of their cuteness, never mind that breeding them so small has adverse effects on their health and longevity. These dogs are basically like premature babies and, in nature, would not survive puppyhood. This is why some dog lovers discourage potential buyers from purchasing Teacup Poodles.
Still, there are those who can raise healthy Teacup Poodles. If you do decide to buy one of these precious dogs, you have to be extra vigilant about its health.
Some people buy Teacup Poodles solely to show them off. Just like any other dog, Teacup Poodles shouldn’t spend their lives in a purse or a cage. They require physical activity, space to move around in, and interaction with other dogs.
Teacup Poodles are incredibly cute and endearing little darlings. But they’re also extremely fragile.
If you want to own a Teacup Poodle, you have to be financially ready for its care. Think about how much is a Teacup Poodle going to rack up in medical expenses before you get one.
