Tea Cup Puppies

A toy dog is a breed of dog that is small. Generally, tea cup dogs are part of the toy breed class but are bred to be smaller than the normal size. Tea cup is an unofficial term and is not recognized by the American Kennel Club, however, there are a number of breeds termed tea cup dogs.

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is known as the world's smallest breed of dog. They range in height of 6 to 9 inches at the shoulders and usually weigh between 2 to 6 lbs. They are originally from Central and South America as well as Mexico. The original reason for breeding of these dogs was ritual sacrifice by the Aztecs and Toltecs. They come in a variety of colors with both long and short hair.

Pomeranian

The Pomeranian stands around 8 to 11 inches at the shoulder and weighs between 3 and 7 lbs. The Germans bred this breed as a lapdog and a companion. They have long, fluffy coats of white, black, brown or blue coloring. The coat of the Pomeranian is generally straight and coarse.

Yorkies

Slightly larger than the Pomeranian, the Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, stands 8 to 9 inches tall at the shoulders and weighs between 4 and 7 lbs. They were originally bred for hunting small rodents in England. The Yorkie generally has a long and silky coat that is brown with a grayish hue on the face.

Maltese

The Maltese is about the same weight as a Yorkie, but they stand slightly taller at the shoulders at about 9 to 10 inches. The Maltese has spent its history as a lapdog, beginning with its routes in Malta in ancient times. The most common color of the long, silky haired Maltese is white.

Pug

One of the larger breeds of teacup dogs, the pug stands around 10 to 12 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 14 and 18 lbs. Also bred to be a lapdog and a companion, the pug originates from China. The characteristically smashed-face Pug has a short coat in black, fawn, apricot, silver or a combination of these colors.

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is known to stand between 8 to 11 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh in at 9 to 16 lbs. They come from China where they were bred for companionship and as lapdogs. They are sometimes known as Chrysanthemum dogs because of the fur on their faces looks like the petals of a mum. Their long, straight coats are dense and come in a variety of colors including white, black, gray, silver, tan and brown.