Teacup puppies generally can have babies starting at about six months old. The majority of the time, teacup puppies are created by breeders who pair the runts of two different litters of a small or toy breed, to create the smallest offspring possible.
Teacup Puppies Are Able to Have Babies
Teacup puppies can have babies. In fact, this is how most teacup puppies are made; breeders will intentionally breed two undersized dogs to make a teacup puppy of a specific breed. However, in some cases, teacup puppies can naturally occur on their own as the “runt of the litter” when a normal-sized dog of a certain breed has puppies.
Some may wonder if a teacup puppy, as opposed to a teacup dog, can have babies. The truth is that a female teacup puppy can have babies before she reaches her full adult size. Female puppies can typically become pregnant as early as six months of age.
One thing that people should keep in mind when mating the runts of two litters for this purpose is that not all of the offspring are going to be teacup puppies. It is quite possible that the offspring of two teacup puppies or dogs will end up being a normal-sized dog of the breed.
Teacup Puppies Are Extraordinarily Small Puppies
Some people might have misconceptions as to what teacup puppies actually are. A teacup puppy is technically a puppy that is so small that it can fit into a teacup. In many cases, a teacup puppy can also fit into the palm of a person’s hand.
Teacup puppies are not the same as toy puppies, as toy puppies are slightly bigger.
Teacup puppies are specifically bred by mating two abnormally small puppies of a certain breed, typically a breed that already tends to be small even when bred under normal circumstances.
Generally, by the time a teacup puppy reaches adulthood, meaning about a year of age, he or she should be less than four pounds in weight and 17 inches in height. If he or she is bigger than this, the puppy is probably not a teacup puppy.
Most of the time, a teacup dog breed is a variant of a breed that is already small, usually a toy breed. There are teacup Poodles, Yorkies, and Pugs. Some common teacup dog breeds include Beagles, Dachshunds, Shih Tzus, Maltipoos, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas, and Pomskies, among others.
These dogs have often specifically been bred to be as small as possible. Often, they will look like a smaller version of the breed from which they came.
Teacup Puppies Often Have Health Problems
Even though teacup puppies can have babies, this does not mean that they necessarily should. Teacup puppies commonly have health issues. These include heart defects, seizures, collapsing trachea, hypoglycemia, digestive problems, blindness, and respiratory problems.
Many people might like the idea of a teacup puppy because people can take them anywhere they go, and these animals will not require a lot of food or preventative medications.
However, not requiring a lot of food does not necessarily mean that you will not have to spend a lot of money on this pet. It is only going to work to your advantage if you end up getting a teacup puppy who is actually healthy. If you have a teacup puppy with health problems, which they are likely to have in many cases, the medical costs could more than offset what you save on food.
Most of the time, breeders create teacup dogs by pairing together two runts of different litters, in order to make the smallest dog possible. This can lead to health problems in the offspring when the dogs that are selected for breeding happen to be small because of a medical condition or birth defects.
The breeding practices that are often exercised with teacup puppies often also lead to a higher risk for liver shunts, which are congenital birth defects that impact the ability of the liver to flush out toxins. Treatments for those conditions can cost up to $6,000, and they are not even always effective.
Additionally, there are many small dogs who are predisposed to developing dental issues, such as gum issues. Sometimes, doctors will have to remove all of the baby teeth in a teacup puppy because they will not come out on their own.
Sliding kneecap, otherwise known as patella luxation, is another health problem that can affect a teacup dog’s ability to walk. It can also make the teacup puppy more susceptible to arthritis, especially when he or she gets older.
Teacup dogs are also more likely to be predisposed to the development of hydrocephalus, which is essentially fluid surrounding the brain. This condition can be deadly.
Anyone who owns a teacup puppy needs to be vigilant about the dog’s health. If these dogs miss even one meal, they can end up getting seizures or even dying because their blood sugar levels can become dangerously low (hypoglycemia). These dogs do not need a lot of food to survive, but they do need to be fed a minimum of once every three hours.
If you see your teacup puppy begin to shiver, show signs of lethargy, and tilt their head more often, this could be a sign that the dog is in trouble. In some cases, this can even lead to a coma. It cannot be stressed enough that an owner of a teacup puppy needs to make sure that this puppy never misses a meal.
Additionally, their bodies have a harder time staying warm in cold weather. Their bones also break easily, meaning that owners need to be extra careful not to step on them or let them jump from surfaces that might be too high.
Owners should also be aware that because a teacup dog has weaker bones than the average breed, osteoporosis and mineral deficiencies are more likely.
These dogs are also more likely to have breathing issues, such as tachypnea and dyspnea. Tachypnea is a faster rate of breathing, which can lead to shallow breathing. Dyspnea might be occurring if your puppy is exhibiting nostrils flaring and noisy breathing. Typically, dyspnea is the result of an overworked respiratory system, which is fairly common with many small dog breeds.
In addition, if you observe your puppy coughing, having breathing difficulties, and showing blue colored gums, then this might be because of a collapsing trachea. In some cases, antibiotics can treat this condition and keep your dog healthy.
If a teacup dog needs an operation at some point, their low body temperature and blood sugar can put them at higher risk. Doctors have to either make sure that an operation does not go past the dog’s blood sugar reserves or give them the supplements that they need.
Doctors also have to make sure to keep the animal warm while his or her body temperature drops during anesthesia. Overall, if these animals need surgery or any other type of invasive treatment, it will be more of a challenge for the veterinarian, and the animals will be more at risk than the average dog.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is definitely possible for teacup puppies to have babies, starting when they are about six months old. In fact, mating teacup puppies with one another is how most new teacup puppies are made. However, it is also important to keep in mind that teacup puppies are more likely to have health problems because of how they are bred.
In addition, even if they end up being healthy, owners need to be much more vigilant when it comes to taking care of them because of their small size and the issues that come with it. Teacup puppies are injured more easily, and they are at more risk if they are ever in need of surgery.
If you are interested in having a teacup puppy as a pet, it would be a good idea to learn about the genetic history of the puppy’s parents. Because many teacup puppies come from runts of litters who may be passing on health problems to their offspring, they are more likely than other dogs to have health problems themselves.
If you make the effort to educate yourself before getting a teacup puppy, you will be more likely to have a healthy dog who is less likely to be vulnerable to the typical health problems of teacup puppies. In this case, you will be able to enjoy all of the advantages of having such a small dog with minimal negative consequences.
