teacup poodles

[Shelley j]

I have recently been thinking of looking for a teacup poodle as a companion. Is there any one with experience and advise???

[Melinda]

well to begin with, there is no such thing as a "teacup" Poodle, its actually a small toy poodle so any breeder you go to that claims they are teacup poodles....well, I'd walk away quickly. Toy poodles can live up to 14+ years, they are great little dogs, I'm only giving my opinion but on my grandparent boarding kennel they wouldn't take poodles because there were always kids there and they didn't make the best pet for little hands, ours that we owned was great with kids!!! till she hit about age 10, then for some reason she snapped and bit through my brothers nose while he was sleeping on the couch resulting in stitches. I've known many poodles, some cross, some quite submissive, guess its all in the socialization of them, but beware of ads stating "teacup"

[Shelley j]

Thanx for the input, I'd still like to hear more about them. I so miss having a dog. Just choosing a breed is very hard and I don't want to rush. My last dog was a big, dum, loveable Black & Tan Coon Hound. We had him for 10 years, til he passes away. So if anyone has any more information I'd appreaciate hearing from you.

[lUvMyLaB<3]

I agree, please beware as there is no actual breed as a teacup anything, they breed them small by poor breeding techniques in order to charge more money for a small dog, these are not ethical breeding practices, if you can find one in rescue by all means get it, but don't buy a puppy as these can only be found in pet stores or bred by BYB's. Good luck choosing a friend, just choose wisely keeping the dogs best interest at the forefront.

[14+kitties]

I have a toy poodle. I got her when she was 10 weeks old. She just turned 15. Her weight fluctuates between 5 to 7 pounds. She is wonderfully smart. In some cases amazingly so. She learned how to pull strings on toys that vibrate after watching me do it once and this was when she was 14 years old. She has been a wonderful companion to me through a lot of hard times. I know she reads my every mood and responds accordingly. She is my snugglebum in bed. Never too far from my side. She is one of the greatest joys in my life.
That's the upside.

Now the downside......
She is very nippy. I won't allow children around her because she tends to be very possessive of my time. She goes for the heels. In the last couple of years she has had to share me with tons of kitties and has done very well. But, she will go after one of those cats if she is sitting beside me and they get too close. She also used to put the run on a 85 pound lab. It's taken years for her to get to the point where the lab can be in the same room with her without her freaking out.
The worse part. Because she was bred to be as small as she is she has suffered seizures since she was a year old. Before then there was no indication of problems. My vet at the time told us because they are bred to be tiny their brain sometimes gets squeezed inside a head that just does not have room for it. Toy breeds tend to also have rotten teeth. This is not a big issue if you can get them removed or looked after but because of her seizure issues she can't be put under to have them removed. This makes her breath horrendous. I do what I can to try to clean them but it's hard.
Having to watch her go through a seizure is heartbreaking. Seeing that tiny body stiffen and twitch violently is very frightening. I sometimes wonder if I am watching her die in front of me.
If you still decide to get a "teacup" poodle please........ make sure you see both parents. Ask to see health records. Ask if there are any issues with seizures. If the breeder will not let you see the records or the parents then please do not get that dog as cute as it may be. I can guarantee you there will be problems.
Good luck.

[aslan]

hey Shelley, I too grew up with "Toy" poodles, and my mom today still has one. 14+'s information is pretty bang on. My mom's latest dog, though not snappy as she is actually quite fearful, she IS extremely yappy. Unfortunately even meeting the parents isn't always a guarantee on the outcome of the pups. Usually a breeder selling pups as " teacups" is using the runts from two " toy' litters. There is actually as melinda said no such thing as a Teacup. So you could buy the little one expecting a tiny dog, and genetics kick in. Tho mom and dad are tiny their relatives may not be. A Toy poodle can grow as large as 10" at the shoulder. Goodluck with whatever decision you make, i'm sure no matter what the little one will be loved to death.

[Shelley j]

I'd just like to say thankyou to everyone for their thoughts and experience speaking out about this little breed. I certainally appreiciate your help in trying to decide if it was the breed for me. I think now that I have to look at a different breed. I could not emotionally handle watching a little animal go through seizures. Thanx again for all the help - still searching...

[Melinda]

Shelley , have you considered searching through a rescue? many advantages to them, dogs are vetted, matched to your lifestyle, usually already housebroken and spayed/neutured. Plus, you're saving a life. The best part of all? you may be matched with a breed/mixed breed that you never considered!! Like opening a surprise package. good luck in your search

[babymomma]

Originally Posted by Shelley j

I think now that I have to look at a different breed. I could not emotionally handle watching a little animal go through seizures. Thanx again for all the help - still searching...

If you like toy poodles, dont turn them away. Any breed of dog you get can have seizures, cancer etc. Its just you have to know where to look and where NOT to look to find this dog..Stay away from ALL BYBs and of course puppymills. Only go to a breeder if they have there dogs health tested, they have great temperments... You May paw less for a well bred TP then you would for a badley bred BYB toy poodle.

Visit the parents. Ask the breeder questions.ADN lots of them.

If you see a breeder who is breeding bitches and studs under 4 lbs run as fast as you can out the door..

Another thing to remember, if you get a small breed dog. yu have to socialize socialize and more socializing, with humans and other dogs. I THOUGHT i was socializing my dog ennough. We did go to alot of places with alot of people... But it wasnt enough as we live in the country. Now she is fearfully aggressive.. And she is from a GREAT breeder... (She is a yorkshire terrier)
She barks, and lunges and growls at people... I think she is intimidated by the giants that are walking towardsa her (I dunno really, All i know is i need to show her that these people are harlmess and they are nothing to fear.)

Good luck.

Rememer,A 8-9 lb dog is still small... A "teacup" (Yuck, i hate using that stupid word) is what 5 lbs and under? , The smaller the dog, the more chances of broken bones, and health issues...

[JennieV]

I would second everyone's posts here and add that a friend of mine had a teacup poodle, which was UBER-cute and smart...she was playing one day, ran, slid on the wood floor and ran into a chair. She broke her neck on impact.
Smallest breeds are awfully dainty and fragile, as well as being poorly bred and having more health problems than you want...

I would recommend you look into some toy dogs, such as Chihuahuas, Yorkies, Maltese, Papillons...if you really want a small dog. but STAY AWAY from teacup variety.

Check out petfinder.com...there are SO MANY out there that desperately need a home and a heart open to them, of all breeds and all ages. You will have soo many to choose from!

One more thing I would add, whatever breed interests you - please research it! For example, some breeds like Jack Russell Terrier, while cute and small, they need an awful lot of exercise and attention, much more than other smaller dogs. JRTs never run out of energy, LOL, which can be exhausting.

[14+kitties]

Babymomma, I never meant to infer that toy poodles are the only ones to suffer with seizures. You are correct. ANY dog can have seizures or develop them over the years.
However, Shelley j asked for our experiences. I was giving her mine.
Shelley - if you can find a reputable breeder of small dogs then by all means adopt a small dog. Or better yet, as Melinda said, go through a rescue, Petfinder, some organization like that. They do their level best to match pets and owners. You also have a cat(s) so you will have to consider that aspect as well.
Good luck.

[Purpledomino]

Teacup anything is a red flag to run the other way and fast. A knowledgeable breeder will never advertise a dog as a "teacup", as a matter of fact it is the easiest way to weed out the bad backyard breeders, puppy mills, and uneducated. Actually, the resputable breeders will not be advertising their puppies period.

Anytime you adopt an animal of unusual proportion for its breed standard, you need to know that you have an inherant risk of health issues. Teeny tiny dogs come with giant responsibilities for their care, and this is for the healthy ones. Unfortunately, the tiniest usually have issues with their health directly related to their size, as previously posted.

If you or anyone decides to adopt an unusually small dog, you need to be extra vigilant with its health, as they can spiral down dramatically. You also need to have alot of extra cash to spend at the vet, or vet insurance IMO.
Trust me, I know from experience. :sad:

[babymomma]

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Babymomma, I never meant to infer that toy poodles are the only ones to suffer with seizures. You are correct. ANY dog can have seizures or develop them over the years.
However, Shelley j asked for our experiences. I was giving her mine.

Yes yes, i know ..lol..But it seemed that she wasnt going to get a TP because of the health risks, I just didnt want her to give up on a breed she likes because of a Health risk thats all

[babymomma]

Good posts Jennie,purplesomino and 14+

And to the OP.. Any dog will need exsercize (Im sure you probably know this, but i like to point the fact out because..) Alot of people think that, because they are small, they can excersize themselves in the house (Which is true to an extent) .. They still need a stable walk, preferably every day, but a nice romp around the yard could tie them over for a day.

And As a first time dog owner, and terrier owner. I must warn you that i dont think most terriers (i.e Yorkies, jack russels) Are a great fit for most first time dog owners. I researched owning a dog for alomost 2 years before actually getting one. And i thought i was pretty prepared for what was to come. Lets just say, ive done pretty good, with all the help from pets.ca and all the researsh i did. but (Im so sorry keely) If i had my time back, I would have reconsidered my breed choice.. Now obviously if you want a terrier, im not going to say , No, Dont get it. The decision is totally up to you, i just want to warn you what you would be getting into. Its unreal,They are soo energetic, if keely doesnt get walked daily (sometimes twice daily, she becomes stir crazy! .. Quite frankly, IMO, my recomendation for you would be a Shih tzu. Ive been reading up about them and me and keelys groomer were talking about them the other day. For the most part they are calm, nice and easily trainable little dogs (not saying there arent a few bad apples out there ) but when aquiring a shih tzu you have to make sure it is from a reputable source (breeder, rescue) Around here they are being grossly over bred by BYB's and have alot of health issues. But i would have no problem taking one of these little guys from a reputable source that would tell you what your getting into (ie, A rescue telling you what health issues the dog MAY have) .. Then again, now that i think about it, poodles are great too! But there is something about the shih tzus personality that i adore. Just my personal opinion...

Sorry guys, im in a "talkative" mood today. lol

[lUvMyLaB<3]

For a first time dog I must give the thumbe up to a shih tzu, athough u would need to get a reputable breeder, They are very prone to many heath concerns with their bulgy eyes and brachiosephalic face. The like all dogs still need to get out for a change of scenery but they just love to be your best friend/couch potato/foot warmer. Will happily play ball if you want to, can do tricks and make you laugh, a pretty easy dog, and ohhh soo cute!

I was the luckiest person in the world to get first dibs on a pup in rescue, and know his breeding.. He is a shih tzu X lhasa apso with 1/16 bichon.. he is the size of a shih tzu has a short nose but not squashed so that is awesome, no long lhasa back, and the bichon has given him small eyes, very small bichon eyes that do not bulge at all.. The easiest best little dog on the planet.

I don't know if you are set on a very small dog, but there are many larger dogs that will require less work/training. excerside than a JRT, although I have had a couple JRTS and did very well, but I spend more time in a day with my dogs than most people do at work.

REALLY I would recommend that you go look around at what is in rescue, let the people know what you are looking for and they coukd give you the heads up on what comes in before they come available if they like you and approve you, it is easy to find what you are looking for that way, and save a life, and know everything to expect, and get support with it.

please please don't buy a dog you see advertised in classifieds, or a pet store, all the for sale this such adn such puppy for $X00 are BYB's, I promise you, pet stores are NOT good.. If you are set on a purebred, go to a club, or a dog show, get to know the people and their dogs, and when people may be expecting a litter, after a long interview and probably a wait, a pup may come available, that is the way to go, then you know the dog and its parents have been treated right, you will both benefit from this process.. Good luck, again, please consider rescue.... Someone needs you as bad as you need them.