Revisado para precisão em 9 de dezembro de 2021 por Jennifer Coates, DVM Introdução ao Teacup Yorkies
Teacup Yorkies às vezes são referidos como os menores cães do mundo, geralmente pesando apenas dois a quatro quilos. Em vez de uma raça verdadeira, este tipo de cão é um subconjunto do cão Yorkshire terrier, mas apenas uma versão menor dele. Eles são considerados cães de raça miniatura ou de brinquedo e são companheiros caninos absolutamente adoráveis. Eles são chamados de yorkies de xícara de chá porque são tão pequenos que poderiam caber dentro de uma xícara de chá. , e propenso a certos problemas de saúde. É importante estar preparado para o que você está se metendo ao trazer uma xícara de chá Yorkie para sua vida, então aqui estão alguns detalhes para saber se você optar por comprar ou adotar uma!
Tamanho dos Yorkies de xícara de chá
O tamanho é o que realmente diferencia os Yorkies de xícara de chá de outros cães e o que os torna tão únicos. Embora os Yorkies de xícara de chá possam atingir até seis quilos de peso, eles quase sempre pesam entre dois e quatro quilos. Os cães atingem esse peso adulto completo dentro de um ano. Em comparação, um Yorkshire terrier padrão pesa cerca de três quilos, então, para ser considerado uma xícara de chá, é preciso haver uma diferença de peso substancial. No entanto, esse tipo de criação pode levar a problemas de saúde, e as práticas envolvidas podem até ser antiéticas, a menos que você encontre um criador responsável que realmente cuide bem dos cães. Você também pode encontrar um Yorkie xícara de chá que precise de um lar através de abrigos locais ou resgates de raças. Existem apenas diferenças muito pequenas de peso entre Yorkies xícara de chá macho e fêmea. Veja o tamanho que você pode esperar que sua xícara de chá Yorkie fique quando estiver totalmente crescida.
| Tabela de peso> | 2 meses | 4 meses | 6 meses | 12 meses |
| Yorks de xícara de chá masculinos e femininos | 12-23 onças | 21-41 onças | 19-53 onças | 2-4 libras. |
Características do Teacup Yorkies
As pessoas adoram cachorros de xícara de chá por causa de seu alto “fator fofo” e o desejo humano de cuidar de um animal bebê . Mesmo quando adultos, os Yorkies de xícara de chá têm características de bebê, como olhos grandes, cabeças proporcionalmente maiores que o resto de seus corpos e uma natureza fofinha. É comum alguém pegar uma xícara de chá Yorkie se mora em um espaço pequeno sem espaço suficiente para um cachorro maior ou se quer um cachorro “portátil” que possa andar de bolsa pelo mundo. uma xícara de chá da personalidade de um Yorkie, aqui está o que você pode esperar com base nas características da raça.
| Raça Característica | Nível (alto, médio, baixo) |
| Afetuoso com as pessoas | Alto |
| Bom com crianças | Baixo |
| Bom com animais de estimação | Baixo |
| Necessidade de exercício | Baixo |
| Nível de energia | Mídia |
| Nível de inteligência | Mídia |
| Pode ser treinado | Mídia |
| Quantidade de latidos | Alto |
| Quantidade de derramamento | Baixo |
Teacup Yorkies são afetuosos e se apegam muito aos humanos. Isso significa que você não deve deixar uma xícara de chá Yorkie sozinha por longos períodos e a ansiedade de separação pode ser um problema real. Estes são cachorrinhos enérgicos que são brincalhões e amigáveis. No entanto, eles são pequenas criaturas delicadas que não devem estar perto de animais de estimação maiores ou crianças pequenas que podem lidar com eles com muita força. Sabe-se que os Yorkies da xícara de chá latem com frequência, mas podem melhorar esse comportamento com bom treinamento. É fácil mimar esses cães por causa de sua fofura e tamanho minúsculo, mas eles ainda precisam de firmeza e consistência se você não quiser que um filhote pequeno tome conta de todos os aspectos da sua vida!
História do Teacup Yorkies
The history of the teacup Yorkie dates back to the history of the standard breed of Yorkshire terrier in the late 1800s. Between the 1860s and 1880s, Yorkshire terriers were established as a breed, introduced to North America, and registered with the American Kennel Club. The teacup version of these dogs has only been gaining in popularity in very recent years, especially among celebrities, fashionistas, and city apartment dwellers. They have been commonly known in society since the 1990s, although smaller-than-average Yorkshire terriers have been around for much longer than that.
Teacup Yorkie Standard Information
Since the teacup Yorkie is not an actual breed that is recognized by an official registry organization, such as the American Kennel Club, there is not established standard information for these types of dogs. In fact, teacup Yorkies are bred to not comply with the breed standard for the Yorkshire terrier and intentionally be quite a bit smaller.However, there are still certain physical characteristics that teacup Yorkies commonly share and that make them identifiable and distinguishable from other types of teacup dogs. The general appearance of a teacup Yorkie should resemble that of a full-size Yorkshire terrier, such as having standing V-shaped ears and a silky coat. The coat of a teacup Yorkie can have shades of brown, black, gray, gold, silver, and blue. However, these miniature versions of the dog have smaller heads, shorter legs, and a lesser weight.
Caring for Teacup Yorkies
Taking care of a teacup Yorkie might initially sound easy because of their tiny size, but they demand attention and need a lot of affection and care every day. These dogs can be nervous around new people and animals, which can bring out their aggressive side – something that might come as a surprise considering their size.Here are some general tips for taking the best care of a Teacup Yorkie.Best Living Environments:
- Small apartments in cities
- Frequent interactions with affectionate people
- Away from young children
- Never leave the dog unsupervised in the outdoors
Type of Exercise:
- Running around inside a house or apartment
- Not the best dogs for off-leash dog parks or long walks
- At least 20 minutes of light exercise, like walking on a leash, per day is recommended
Mental Enrichment:
- Consistent interactions with people throughout the day
- Playtime with small toys
- Food dispensing toys when left alone
Training Strategies:
- Walk with a harness instead of a leash around the neck
- Train early to curb unnecessary barking
- Use positive reinforcement because these are people-pleasing dogs
- Start potty training by the age of two months
- Socialize by introducing various people, places, smells, and noises
Grooming Tips:
- Most teacup Yorkies enjoy being groomed
- Brush the coat daily to prevent matting
- Keep the coat shorter for easier grooming
- Inspect the dog’s nails each month and trim as needed
- Bathe every month or so
- Brush teeth daily
Common Health Problems of Teacup Yorkies
Breeding unusually-sized dogs comes with many health risks, and this is certainly true for teacup Yorkies. Tiny pups have tiny bones and can suffer severe injuries from falls and other accidents. It is very possible to accidentally step on a teacup Yorkie while not noticing it is underfoot. These dogs do not live as long as many other toy dogs because of these health problems and have a life span of around 12 years.Here are some of the most common health issues that arise with Teacup Yorkies:
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
- Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (malformed hip joints)
- Patellar luxation (a type of knee problem)
- Collapsing trachea
- Dental problems
- Doença cardíaca
- Portosystemic shunt (blood flow problems affecting the liver)
- Progressive retinal atrophy (a degenerative eye disorder)
- Hydrocephalus (water on the brain)
Diet and Nutrition for Teacup Yorkies
It is very common for a teacup Yorkie to be a picky eater, as these dogs have a taste for the finer things in life. They love treats and may prefer to eat treats instead of their more nutritious regular dog food. These small dogs need to eat more frequently than big dogs to prevent their blood sugar levels from dropping, particularly as puppies. Therefore, you may need to feed your teacup Yorkie puppy five small meals per day and keep the meals about four hours apart to prevent hypoglycemia. Adults generally do well with two to three meals a day.Most adult teacup Yorkies will thrive when eating a high-quality, nutritionally complete and balanced adult dog food. Puppies should eat puppy food until they are around nine months old. If you feed your teacup Yorkie homemade dog food, make sure you are working from a recipe that is designed by a veterinary nutritionist and that is appropriate for your dog’s age and health status.Feed the amount of dog food needed to keep your pet slim. You should be able to see your teacup Yorkie’s waist and feel (but not see) the ribs without having to press too hard. In general, puppies need more calories per day than do adults, but a dog’s needs will vary with their activity level and other factors. Don’t leave food out all day for a teacup Yorkie to graze on.Talk to your veterinarian if you have any questions about your teacup Yorkie’s diet or health.
Where to Adopt or Purchase Teacup Yorkies
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the breeding of teacup dogs, including the teacup Yorkie. Many people believe that dogs should not be intentionally miniaturized because of unethical breeding practices and the high risks of health problems in these tiny dogs. Pet parents of teacup Yorkies may face confrontations from angry dog lovers who judge them for having a teacup Yorkie.However, many teacup Yorkies already exist and need loving homes and patient people to take care of them. Therefore, you may be able to adopt a teacup Yorkie from a shelter or rescue group. These are often dogs that have been handed over by someone who thought the dog was irresistibly cute but was ultimately unable to care for it.
Related and Similar Breeds
The teacup Yorkie certainly isn’t the only kind of teacup dog that exists, especially as miniaturization has caught on in different places around the world. Here are some other teacup-style dogs that you may be interested to learn more about if you are looking for a very tiny companion:
- Teacup Chihuahua
- Teacup shih-tzu
- Teacup Pomeranian
- Teacup poodle
- Teacup Maltese
Pet Insurance for Teacup Yorkies
Because of the potential for health issues with teacup Yorkies, it is a smart idea to get health insurance for your pet as early as possible. Healthy Paws offers pet health insurance plans for teacup Yorkies and other teacup-type dogs so that you can be proactive about these concerns and take the very best care of their health.Request a pet insurance quote on our website today so you can start planning for your teacup Yorkie’s future. Pet parents trust us to help keep their teacup Yorkies happy, healthy, and thriving.
