[LoveInAnimals]

My name is Sarah. On my 21st birthday, About a year ago, I recieved two Kittens whom I named Smooki & Belle.


About 6 months later, I came across a shelter who worked with a breeder of Teacup Puppies. The shelter & the breeder agreed that any pups not sold in 8 weeks after they were 8 weeks old, the shelter would receive them. Well Bebe was a Teacup Chihuahua. She couldn't get sold because she had a little housebreaking problem. She tends to have an "OverActive" bladder and had to use the bathroom ever 30 minutes. She got adopted once but got returned after the family was moved out of their house and into an apartment where dogs weren't allowed.

I live in a Condo on the 3rd floor. You are allowed to have 5 pets(Small Pets are not counted) in your condo. So when I saw Bebe on the shelter listing, I fell in love with her! When I met her, she just began to lick my face. I took her home and called the shelter 3 hours later to say she had successfully eaten and drank. She gets wet food for breakfast and dry food for dinner. Sometimes visa versa.

Well, after Bebe was here for a few days, she started chasing Smooki around and Smooki spat at her nose and I had to take Bebe to the Vet because Smooki made her bleed. Anyway, after that, I bought a gate to seperate them. So far, its been working and I've been introducing them slowly.


I've joined this forum because I want to add two more puppies to my family because the shelter received an overabundance of Teacup puppies because the breeder's "breeding Dogs" all got pregnant and had pups around the same time and normally, the breeder keeps about 3 pups. This time around, the breeder's been going through financial problems and didn't expect all these problems and may not breed again.

Anyway, I have my heart set on a Teacup Maltese and a Teacup Yorkie but there are tons there!

Oh, I guess I should introduce myself a little too. I am 22 years old. I grew up around Horses Dogs and Cats. But when I graduated from college, I didn't want to buy a house. So I found a Condo that allowed Pets. And then I recieved Smooki & Belle. Anyway, I work from home. I'm not married nor do I have a boyfriend.

Sorry for the long intro and Thank you! , Sarah and Bebe.

[Yogi]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on taking in a shelter dog. Just for the record though, there is NO such thing as a tea cup Chihuahua, Maltese or any other breed of dog. The term originated in the early to mid 1960's when a photographer for life magazine snapped a photo of a 6 week old Chi in an over sized coffee cup. The magazine titled the photo "Tea Cup Chihuahua". What you have is a runt or undersized Chi. But sorry, no such thing as a tea cup Chihuahua. Just undersized Chihuahua.

[LoveInAnimals]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Welcome to the forum and congrats on taking in a shelter dog. Just for the record though, there is NO such thing as a tea cup Chihuahua, Maltese or any other breed of dog. The term originated in the early to mid 1960's when a photographer for life magazine snapped a photo of a 6 week old Chi in an over sized coffee cup. The magazine titled the photo "Tea Cup Chihuahua". What you have is a runt or undersized Chi. But sorry, no such thing as a tea cup Chihuahua. Just undersized Chihuahua.

The shelter told me that. I just call them Teacup because the shelter has pictures of when the pups could fit in a teacup.


But Bebe is just my little baby.

[Yogi]

Understood, but it becomes even worse when shelters who should clearly know better than to use this term use it anyway to entice people to adopt a dog. It just puts them in the same light as puppy mill breeders. Especially when they know better yet continue to use terms such as this that do not exist. As an AKC breeder, this is one that upsets me greatly as does most of my colleagues.

[LoveInAnimals]

Originally Posted by Yogi

Understood, but it becomes even worse when shelters who should clearly know better than to use this term use it anyway to entice people to adopt a dog. It just puts them in the same light as puppy mill breeders. Especially when they know better yet continue to use terms such as this that do not exist. As an AKC breeder, this is one that upsets me greatly as does most of my colleagues.

They don't call them "Teacups". They will call them Mini Malteses or whatever. Or they will even call them undersized Malteses or Runt Malteses. But they don't call them Teacups. They take pictures of them in Teacups so people can actually see what their true size is.

[Lunareclipse]

In all honesty, I let my cats lay into my dogs so my dogs have learned to leave them alone and steer clear of them. Obviously you can't do that with any breed of dog, but mine aren't prey driven and have learned their lesson. I wouldn't seperate them unless you think their life is in danger. They have to learn to live together. Your dog may have to take a few scratches on the nose to learn his lesson.