TEACUP CARE
Please read if you are considering buying a teacup of any breed of dog.
Tips to help you and your new puppy adjust
1. The most important rule, is to always have food and water available at all times! Due to their small size, teacups must replenish their energy more frequently than the larger breed puppies. The only way to do this, is by supplying plenty of nourishment in the form of food and water. You must remember that puppies only eat very small amounts of food at a time but they exert large amounts of energy. Also, do not change the puppies food for the first 2 weeks until the puppy has adjusted to it's new home. Then, if you are going to make a change, do it gradually by slowly adding more of the new food to the old each day until they are totally switched over to the new food. (I feed my puppies Beniful for puppies dry food. Please note that if you decide to add water to it it will cause them to have a yellow runny stool so don't be alarmed if this happens.)
2. Keep your puppy warm and don't allow them to get chilled. I use a heat pad on low when it is cold or if the air-conditioning is too cold. Make sure there is enough room in their pen to be able to get off the heating pad if they get too hot. Also when they seem cold, it helps to put a sweater or jacket on them. (this part I love!)
3. The next most important rule, is to use a baby or puppy playpen or some other type of small enclosed area to keep your teacup confined in when you are not playing with them. This must be a small area with enough room for their bed and easy access to food and water where they can rest and eat in peace. I use a 4 x 4 fenced play area in my dining room, or a baby play pen works great too. He will cry to get out but it is important to his health that he is not allowed to play all he wants and gets his rest. It is too easy for them to tire and lose track of where their food and water is. If allowed to play all he wants this could lead to hypoglycemia which could cause the death of your puppy.
4. Do not allow your teacup puppy to play all he wants. Play with them for a short time, then place him back in his pen with his food and water so he can rest. A puppy will play until he drops and become to tired to eat or drink. It is up to you, his new mommy to be responsible and see that your puppy gets enough rest.
5. "Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar can be deadly to your puppy! It is a problem that affects many toy breeds of puppies usually between the age of 5 - 20 weeks of age, and then through out his life anytime he becomes sick because it doesn't take long for their blood sugar level to drop. All owners of small breed dogs should be on the lookout for it!!
The best preventative for this, is to have a tube of Nutrical on hand. I call it dog candy, they love it and it is full of vitamins for your dog. It is also one of the best preventatives and/or cures for keeping your puppy from going into hypoglycemia. I always send a tube of it home with my babies so their new owners can give it to them morning, noon and night until they feel their new puppy has become adjusted with his new surroundings. You should also give it to him if he has had a busy day or anytime you think he might be feeling under the weather. You can never give him too much!!
Nutrical has a food source combined with sweeteners which keeps the blood sugar more stable for a longer period of time. It helps keep the blood sugar up when they are sick or tired or not able to get to their food and water for a period of time.
First signs of hypoglycemia are throwing up clear liquid or nothing at all, shivering, tired. If you see these first signs give nutrical (or something sweet) right away, and offer food and water. Shortly after puppy should return to normal. If not take your puppy to the vet because hypoglycemia is very life threatning in such a short time.
6. These puppies are small and usually under your feet following you around so be careful not to step on them or trip on top of them or sit on them.......also, make sure you have a firm grip on your puppy at all times. Many fatalities or broken bones have been caused by a tiny dog wiggling out of their owners grasp, or jumping off a lap, couch, bed or stairs, and breaking their neck, legs, or landing on their head.
Small children should be supervised around these little ones. I have children sit on the floor if they want to hold one that way they can not drop them to the floor. Remember a fall as little as two feet can cause an injury or be fatal.
Also you will need to supervise your new puppy if you have a big dog in the home. They can easily get hurt while playing, just from the big dog pawing or running over the top of him and stepping on him.
These are just a few things to ponder on when choosing to buy a teacup puppy, or if one just arrived. Teacup puppies just need a little extra TLC which I'm sure a number of us don't seem to mind. They will always be small, therefore they will always be your baby!!
ADULT SIZE AND WEIGHT POCKETS: 2 TO 3LBS. TEACUPS: 4 TO 5 LBS.
UP TO 8 INCHS TALL
TINY TOYS: 6 TO 7LBS.
UP TO 9 INCHES TALL
Toys: 8 to 10 lbs.
10 INCHES TALL
AKC Standards for a Toy Poodle is 10 inches tall and under. Pockets, Teacups, and Tiny-toy are names breeders use to describe the size of a Toy poodle.
If size is important to you, then it is better for you to wait until the puppy is 12 weeks old. At this age you double the weight to determine adult weight.
I weigh my puppies from birth, but in my experience, the weight chart that breeders use is not always accurate because mine are so fat from their mommas's milk. (which is a good thing.) And puppies can start out very tiny and end up huge or start out huge and end up tiny. I know that a lot of us don't want to wait for 12 weeks, so this is why I average the size of past litters they have had. And why it is important to buy from an experienced, reputable breeder.
