The Term “Tea Cup”

There are many different opinions when it comes to this term. The most important thing to know is what’s the Maltese breed standard size? The standard size for the maltese is less than 7 pounds with a preferred weight of 4-6 pounds. You can refer to the standard according to the AKC by clicking “HERE”.

Now that we know the standard for the maltese is – what does tea cup mean and why do some people try to stay away from breeders who use the term that we are starting to see so commonly now? The term tea cup is generally referred to as a dog that is charting to weigh less than 4 pounds as an adult, Or a dog that is below the standard size.

Because the term is not an officially used term just about any breeder can say they have a “tea cup” dog for sale and it could be charting 6 pounds. It is best to use caution when you see advertisements for a “tea cup” dog, because there are breeders out there that will use it as a marketing ploy to sell their dogs for more even if they are not really going to be small. When your searching for that tiny puppy be sure to ask for pics and weights of parents. Its always good to ask for a video of your puppy playing! 

Some people are of the opinion that these extremely tiny dogs are unhealthy and sickly; but there is a difference between a runt, and a genetically tiny dog. Runt’s are sickly tiny – a genetically small puppy inherits its size genetically. Even though some say all these tiny dogs have many issues – you have to look at this from a scientific point of view. Bad knees, improper bite, congenital heart defects are all passed on GENETICALLY and have absolutely nothing to do with the size the dog is. The only thing that is a health hazard to these extremely tiny dogs that is in direct connection to the dogs size is hypoglycemia, it is a serious low blood sugar condition and it is exaserbated the smaller the dog is. We encourage you to read our hypoglycemia disclosure so you can be prepared, know the warning signs, and take preventative measures. click “HERE” to see our hypoglycemia disclosure. 

We specialize in producing quality “Tea Cup” puppies that will live long and happy lives. We want all our clients to be educated about the maltese breed and have all the information necessary to pick the puppy that best fits their situation. We want all of our puppies to be kept by their new family forever. Thank you for visiting our site and we hope you decide to make one of our babies part of your home.