Teacup Poodles are one of the tiniest toy dog breeds in the world. Measuring in at a microscopic 9 inches in height (and often much less) and with a weight of just 6 pounds, the Teacup Poodle is a miniature version of the already tiny Toy Poodle!
These small dogs are perfect for small apartments, and despite their small stature, they are full of love, highly intelligent, and definitely playful. Their big hearts are just begging for friendship and family, and they make for the best companion dogs.
In this article, we explore the history of this unique breed of poodle and explain why you need a micro teacup poodle in your life! Keep reading, and discover everything there ever was to know about Teacup Poodles!
What is a teacup poodle?
A Teacup Poodle is one of the smallest dog breeds in the world. These tiny toy pups are literally the size of a teacup when they are born, and they don’t get a whole lot larger as they grow older. A Teacup Poodle puppy can be just a few inches in height and a few pounds in weight when born!
Teacup poodles are not an official breed but rather a smaller version of the toy poodle, which is a smaller version of the much larger poodle breed. Teacup poodles very much resemble their larger cousins in almost every sense - look, temperament, etc. - except for their size. This is literally a teacup-sized version of the poodle!
Let’s take a brief look at the attributes you can expect of a teacup poodle:
Height: Must be 9 inches or less to class as a ‘teacup.’
Weight: Must be 6 pounds or less.
Temperament: Intelligent, loyal, affectionate, loving, independent.
Appearance: Like a mini poodle. Small, dark eyes, and floppy ears. Thick fur coat (often curly) that comes in a range of colors, from black and white to brown and beige. Teacup poodle coats are only ever one solid color and have hypoallergenic fur.
Known health issues: Their small size ensures that they are rather fragile. Susceptible to eye conditions and heart conditions.
Lifespan: A full-grown teacup poodles can expect to live for anywhere between 12 to 14 years, making them a wonderfully long-lived dog breed.
A brief history of the teacup poodle
This tiny pup is a variant of the traditional poodle, and it’s only in very recent years that much larger poodles were bred down to be much smaller.
A standard-sized poodle (a large poodle) can grow as tall as 25 inches and weigh as much as 70 pounds, so there’s been a lot of selective breeding to scale these large dogs down to such a small size. For that reason, teacup poodles are quite rare and are all purebred.
To understand the history of the teacup poodle, you need to understand the history of the poodle.
The poodle is a type of ‘water dog,’ which means they have a thick, waterproof fur coat. They were originally bred in France and Germany to be working dogs and were primarily tasked with retrieving game from rivers or ponds (where their waterproof coats came in handy!).
The poodle has been a distinct breed since at least the 17th century and were prized for their work ethic and intelligence. Their distinctive coats and elegant looks also caught the upper classes’ attention, who began breeding the poodle down to be lap dogs and companion dogs. Over several centuries, distinctive breeds of poodle evolved, primarily based on their size.
These breeds are:
- Standard poodle
- Medium poodle
- Miniature poodle
- Toy poodle
The most recent scaling down of the toy poodle has led to the even smaller teacup poodle, which is by no means a working dog but a fully-fledged lap dog!
How to take care of a teacup poodle
A teacup poodle is absolutely fantastic for small apartments and tiny homes because they really need no space at all to be happy (they are 9 inches tall, after all!). If you don’t have much of your own space or little access to a garden, then the teacup poodle breed is for you.
If you’re raising teacup poodle puppies, then like any puppy, they need to be house trained and potty trained. You’ll find that these pups mature quickly and are highly intelligent. Despite their tiny stature, they respond incredibly well to training and easily pick up commands. However, their intelligence can make them rather independent, and they can often be quite stubborn, although very playful.
Because of their small size, they also don’t take too much care and attention to stay fit and healthy (although they won’t say no to a spot of pampering and grooming). They don’t need much food, and they don’t need too much exercise. It’s recommended to try and walk them at least once a day if that’s possible.
Teacup Poodles love to show affection and cuddle up, but given their height, you’ll need to train them to use a bed ramp for dogs if you want them to be able to get around the house easily.
Curious facts about the teacup poodle
The teacup poodle is a fascinating little dog, so let’s take a look at some of the most curious and intriguing facts there are to know about this miniature pup.
Teacup poodles only have one color in their coat
While you can find a white, red, black, or brown teacup poodle, you’ll never find a brown and black, or black and white teacup poodle (or any other mix of colors).
Teacup poodles only ever have one solid color in their coat, which is unusual for many breeds of dogs. Conversely, other larger breeds of poodle can be born multicolored and with a single colored coat.
Teacup poodles are hypoallergenic
If you have allergies, then teacup poodles are the perfect solution. Their coats, while beautiful and thick, are hypoallergenic, meaning they don’t shed.
This is the same for all breeds of poodle, which is why they are often so prized as family and companion dogs (the ultimate hypoallergenic dog is the labradoodle - a cross between a labrador and a poodle!).
Teacup poodles are expensive
Compared to many other dog breeds, teacup poodles are relatively expensive to purchase from breeders, and they are incredibly rare to find in a rescue home.
Teacup poodles are purebred dogs, and this pushes their price up. They are also low in numbers because litters are limited to just one or two puppies at a time. In the US, a Teacup Poodle can cost as much as $5,000!
Teacup Poodles love a spot of grooming!
Teacup poodles have thick fur coats, and they need a little bit of pampering and grooming here and there to keep them in shape.
Poodles are famous for their coats, and they often win dog shows and competitions, so there’s no surprise that this miniature version loves to be groomed too.
Teacup Poodles are social dogs
Their small size won’t stop them from having fun, and teacup poodles are among the most social types of dog you could have.
Teacup poodles love to play with other dogs (even if they are much larger than them), and they love being around people.
Unfortunately, this does mean that they can be quite susceptible to separation anxiety when their owner is away for a long time, and they can appear quite needy when they start looking for affection all the time!
Teacup poodle: the last word on these tiny toy dogs
Teacup dogs might be one of the smallest varieties of pooch out there, but they’ll instantly bring love, warmth, and affection into your home. Small in size but big of heart, a teacup toy poodle is a perfect addition to any small apartment or home.
These tiny pups need little exercise and little space to get around, but they’ll still shower you with friendship throughout their lives. If you’re looking for a miniature dog, then the teacup poodle could be the one for you!
If you’re deciding which toy dog to raise, then why not bookmark our guide to Teacup Poodles for future reading?
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