What's the difference between a teacup Chihuahua and a regular Chihuahua?

Question

I'm trying to see if I should get a teacup chihuahua or regular, or are they both the same?

Answer 1

Size. A "teacup" is bred by irresponsible breeders to be undersize for the standard. They are smaller and have more health problems, yet these "breeders" charge MORE for them because they are the fad thing.
The regular size is what is "normal" for the breed. Go to the AKC site and read the breed standard and it will tell you the correct size for the breed.

Answer 2

The term Teacup is almost always a marketing ploy. Very few, if any, breeds have an AKC recognized Teacup subgroup. People use the term to refer to extra small dogs, but in most cases, these dogs are smaller than the breed standard and thus would not be acceptable for any responsible breeding program nor for any respectable dog show. Your even more likely to run into health problems in "teacup" dogs because it's generally runt-to-runt breeding in addition to being bred by irresponsible breeders to begin with (a responsible breeder tries to produce show quality dogs, which teacups are not). Chi's have enough problems to begin with... I'd stick with the standard size.

Answer 3

A Chihuahua is a Chihuahua...there is really no such thing as a teacup..it is only a term irresponsible breeders use to sell dogs bred smaller then the standard allows or that are runts. Dogs delibrately bred smaller then the breed standard often have serious health issues and shorter life spans. They are also more prone to having structural deformities.
If you want a Chihuahua look for a responsible breeder don't fall for BYB/Mill gimics.

Answer 4

There really is no such thing as a Teacup Chihuahua. Some Chihuahuas are just smaller than others, that's all. Chihuahuas can range in weight from 2-6 pounds.

Answer 5

Teacups aren't real. It's NOT a size, I really wish people would quit saying that. All they are is poor puppies and dogs that have been overbred by runts of previous litters or born too small to create this "new tiny dog" that is full of more health problems than normal chihuahuas.

Answer 6

A breeder of "Teacup" Chihuahuas is out for $£$£$£$£
There is NO SUCH BREED.
The maximum weight for a Chihuahua is under 6lbs, buying a particularly small example may mean it will health problems all its life.
Find yourself a responsible breeder of Chihuahuas who is breeding to the breed standard and forget these silly names.

Answer 7

ok first of all u should not get a teacup chihuahua cuz u will be ripped off. they arent real chihuahuas they r mixed with other dogs to make them smaller

Answer 8

From what I read, the term is misleading. Some breeders are greedy and charge more for "teacup" even though they are the same as any other dog of the same breed, just born smaller.

Answer 9

They are the same breed of dog, however, someone started keeping the runts and breeding them to a runt of another litter, hence producing a so called "teacup" variety.

Stick with a standard size or regular sized.

Answer 10

the teacup is slang, there is no such thing as a teacup.
peolple call any chihuahua under 3lbs a teacup. but the world is slang. akc does not reconize the world teacup chihuahua.