What Are the Pros and Cons of Having a Teacup Yorkie? (Explained!)

The Teacup Yorkie is an unbelievably adorable breed, and these little pups are becoming increasingly popular, but what are the pros and cons of having your own tiny terrier? They have a great personality and are very cute and portable but there are many things that you need to know to properly look after them.

These little dogs are not recognized as a breed of their own by the American Kennel Club, they are just a very small variation of the Yorkshire Terrier. They have been gaining popularity since the 90s when they became a favorite pet of supermodels and celebrities, and miniature Yorkies have been bred at greater and greater numbers ever since.

This article will go into detail about the pros and cons of owning a Teacup Yorkie so that you can understand what makes them such a wonderful breed, but also what to watch out for if you are thinking of bringing one into your family.

Pros

1. They Stay Small and Cute

The Teacup Yorkie lives up to its name and some will stay small enough to fit inside a teacup – you can even cradle one in the palm of your hand. Even regular Yorkshire Terriers are small, and to recognize a Yorkie as a Teacup they should only grow to 6 inches or less, and weigh under 4 pounds.

2. Teacup Yorkies Have Different Coat & Hair Options

To add to their adorable size, Teacups are also bred from Yorkies with all different coat types, so each one will have an individual look. Their coats are silky and soft and come in different variations of black, brown, grey, and gold, and you will even find that the length of their coat varies as well.

3. Teacup Yorkies are Affectionate

Just like regular Yorkshire Terriers, Teacup Yorkies have very big hearts for such tiny bodies, and they form strong attachments with the people that they love. If you are looking for a companion that is always excited to be around you and loves to be close and cuddly, then these little puppies will be exactly what you need.

4. Teacup Yorkie Enjoy Walks and Short Playtimes

One of the reasons people are turned away from teacup breeds is that they are worried they might be lazy and not want to play with you. This is not the case for the Teacup Yorkie, and they love all kinds of games and excitement with their owner and will enjoy a couple of short walks every day.

5. Teacup Yorkies are Easy to Exercise

The other side of their energetic and enthusiastic nature is that you don’t need to give them too much in the way of daily dedicated exercise. Around 20-30 minutes each day is enough for these tiny dogs, which is a lot less commitment to long walks and park trips than you need to set aside for most dogs.

6. They Fit In Handbags or Dog Slings and are Easy to Carry

These dogs are so little that you can carry them around in your pocket or your bag, and they enjoy being carried as well. You also don’t need to worry as much about the mess around the house and damage to your furniture with a Teacup Yorkie and it is easy to limit where they have access to.

Cons

1. Teacup Yorkies Can’t Be Left Alone Long

The downside to the affection and love that Teacup Yorkies will show to their owners is that their strong attachments do lead them to suffer from separation anxiety. You should not leave your Teacup Yorkie on their own for too long, as they can become distressed and quite noisy when they are waiting for you to come back.

2. Teacup Yorkies Can Be Hard to Take Care Of

While Teacup Yorkies don’t need an excessive amount of exercise and aren’t very destructive, they are quite delicate and vulnerable animals. They find it difficult to use leashes so you will need a harness to keep them safe and their temperature needs to be watched very carefully so you may need additional clothing, particularly in the winter.

3. Teacup Yorkie Live Shorter Lives than Regular Yorkies

Unfortunately, Teacup Yorkies have a much lower life expectancy than regular Yorkshire Terriers and may only live to between 7 and 9 years old. To get tiny dogs, breeders need to breed from their smallest animals and often the smallest dogs in a litter are the least healthy, so Teacup Yorkies have mostly been bred with unhealthy genes.

4. Teacup Yorkies Suffer from Health Problems

Teacups Yorkies are known to suffer from a lot of health problems and need to be very carefully monitored by their owners all of the time. They often develop problems with their heart, their liver, their brain, their blood sugar, their bones, and even their psychology, so they need a lot of extra love and care.

5. Teacup Yorkies are Hard to Feed (specialized diets)

Most tiny breeds need a very specialized diet and Teacup Yorkies are no different, requiring a healthy balance of protein, dietary fats, minerals, and vitamins. The main difficulty with feeding Teacup Yorkies is that they need very frequent meals, at least every 3-4 hours, and though they don’t eat much at each sitting, it’s dangerous if they miss any.

6. Teacup Yorkies Aren’t the Best Family Pets

While Teacup Yorkies are very cute and develop strong attachments to their owners, they can also be quite difficult behaviourally and are not recommended for families with young children or other small pets. They are known to be aggressive and defensive of people that whom they have a strong bond, which can be difficult around strangers and guests.

7. Teacup Yorkies Can Be Yappy and Bark a lot

Though they don’t make a very loud noise, barking is very common amongst Teacup Yorkies and can be quite tricky to train out of them. It is very easy for them to become accustomed to making a lot of noise, particularly when you aren’t around, so you need to make sure that you start training early and remain consistent.

Kevin "Ken" Davies

My name is Ken and I’m one of the staff writers at Petloverguy.com. I’ve cared for pets most of my life starting with hamsters, turtles, and snakes. Then moving up to parakeets, guinea pigs, and even ducks.
I currently live with two yorkies and a chihuahua mix.