Will your home be the right home for a "teacup" size puppy or dog?
First consider why you want a dog like this. Is it because it is popular? I say if you want
something that is popular go buy the latest pair of genes or the latest handbag. These
things are easily discarded after they go out of style. This is not true of a healthy T Cup
size dog. They have been known to live 20 years. This is a long term commitment.
Chihuahuas bond to even the poorest of caregivers and it is cruel to get rid of them after
they have bonded to you.
Next how is big is your paycheck? Can you afford one of these puppies. Though it is not
true here a lot of people sell these dogs for a lot of money because "t cup" dogs are a fad
right now. But this is only the beginning. If this tiny dog is hurt the veterinary bills are
huge. You do get a brake on dog food cost its true sense these tiny dogs don't eat
much, but you should feed these dogs a high protein food such as Proplan or Biljack or
foods made for the small breed and these foods can be over $1.00 a pound. It adds up.
You should consider if you are going to be able to keep your dog in good health.
Chihuahuas are the healthiest t cup size dog (it is my opinion that they should be the
only dog this size). Still, you need to keep in mind that they can be hurt. They are living
in a giant world with furniture low enough to get up into but to high to jump off of without
breaking a leg. Broken legs are probably the number 1 injury in chihuahuas because of
this. If your dog is allowed to run free in your home, are you willing to spend your time at
home watching where you step or where you sit. One false move can cause serious
injury to one of these 2 pound dogs. Also consider that a 2 pound dog jumping off a sofa
would be like you jumping out of a second story window. You are likely to get hurt and so
are they.
What so many people don't think about is that all dogs originated from the 100 pound
wolf. This dog is a seriously drastic mutation of this animal. This causes some serious
complications in his tiny digestion. The smaller the dog, the worse this problem is. A rat
(for example) weighs about 2 pounds. But his little body is made to store fat and use
sugar for an animal this size. A chihuahuas body is made to store fat and use sugar for a
100 pound animal. Mother natures way of compensating for this seems to have been
overcompensate. All small dogs have more of a tendency towards hypoglycemia (low
blood sugar) with the t cup dog having the most trouble with this. What this means for
you, the t cup dog owner, is that you need to vigilantly watch everything your dog eats.
Any variance from their regular diet can cause problems like diaria. This is a serious
thing for a dog with little fat stores in their liver to fall back on. They go down fast with
diaria causing hypoglycemia, dehydration and possibly death. So this is not a dog you
can allow to have a taste of your food. Even a crumb dropped on the floor can be trouble
for a littel dog snatching it up. Not being fed enough food can cause hypoglycemia,
which causes lethargy, seizures, or even death. A high protein puppy food like BilJack
should always be available for them to snack on. But this food does not have enough fat
in it for that to be all they eat. 2 more meals of a good high protein high fat can food
should also be fed to them. I personally like Ceasars because it comes in small cans and
seems just right for these dogs. Greenies and some dog biscuits although labeled for
small dogs should not even be attempted to be given to these tiny dogs. When they are
labeled for small dogs its referring to dogs in the 6-20 pound area not a 2 pound "tcup"
size. There are some things on the market now for "tcup" size dogs but read the labels
carefully to make sure the company knows what a "t cup" size dog is. There is not
enough government regulation on pet food as yet so we must do our own research.
Time, money and some peace of mind is what these little dogs will take from you. They
are not for the faint hearted or poor. Nor should they be for the hard worker who is
seldom home.
But these little dogs can be a lot of fun. Their intelligence is so high probable due to the
fact that they must be that way to survive. They are so adorable and will draw a crowd
wherever they go. Their antics can brighten your day and cheer you up if you have been
having a bad day. Just to look at a tiny little dog who is so glad to see you is good for the
mood. You can take them with you most everywhere you go and sneak them in places
where they are not allowed (not recommended).They also travel well and are great
company on the road. They are great company anywhere and don't take up much room
so are good for apartments. They can be content to play all day in a large playpen with
their toys as long as attention can be given to them when their loved owner comes home.
If this is what you need in your life, then all the worries stated above is worth what you
are getting in return.
I think the t cup size dog is here to stay and all my complaining about people purposely
breeding them will be waisted effort. Please think carefully about this precious life before
buying one and really if your home will be the right home for such a dog.