What does “Toy”-“Tea cup” and “Microchihuahua” chihuahua mean?

We are regularly asked what the terms “tea-cup”, “toy”, “tiny” or “microchihuahua” mean.

First let us remind you that the weight standard for the Chihuahua is 2 to 6lb once adult. When we look through the classifieds, all of these terms are used but what do they really mean? Secondly, I would like to point out that these terms have no precise value or definition as such since they are terms invented by breeders but certainly not used by everyone. These terms are not used by all breeders because with the popularity of Chihuahuas pseudo-breeders began to use these terms to unfortunately fool people. In addition, people who own Chihuahuas often use them wrongly or without knowing their meanings.

The term “Toy” is used to describe small dogs. This term is also used during several canine compliance championships to create a cohort bringing together all miniature dogs. For example, the Pomeranian, Poodle, Chihuahua, Yorkshire, and Pekingese are all toy dogs. This term is therefore not only used for the Chihuahua but for all small breeds. Certain breeds have different weight standards in the same breed and at this time the term toy can be used to designate the standard as for example in the case of the poodle which is divided into 3 weight standards, the standard poodle, the miniature poodle and the toy poodle. The Chihuahua has only one weight standard (2 to 6lb adult) so using the term toy chihuahua makes no sense.

The term “Tea cup” was originally invented to describe small breed puppies entering a teacup between the age of 6 and 8 weeks. At that time, we can believe that breeders of chihuahuas and miniature breeds wanted to create a term to define a puppy which was in the lower range of the weight standard of the chihuahua breed, therefore approximately a dog of 2 to 4lb once adult . Let's be honest, depending on the size of the teacup in question, puppies who will weigh 5lb to 10lb once adults can also fit into a teacup during their first weeks of life or even between the age of 6 and 8 weeks. , which unfortunately can mislead families purchasing a Chihuahua based only on the term “Tea cup”. Some people believe that seeing a puppy enter a teacup necessarily means that it will be very small once an adult, which is completely false. With the growing popularity of miniature breeds, many pseudo-breeders use this term to unfortunately fool people. I don't know of any good breeders using this term, we can even say that the use of this term can be seen as a red flag.

The term “microchihuahua” can mean very small chihuahuas mostly between 2lb and 3lb when adult and sometimes even chihuahuas under 2lb when adult. I have never seen such a small (less than 2lb) healthy Chihuahua in Canada so let's hope that breeders will be responsible and that such small dogs will never be bred in Canada. The term "microchihuahua" was first popularized in Asia where breeders began to breed smaller and smaller chihuahuas by keeping and breeding the smallest from each litter (which is not very healthy let's face it! ). Of course, when such small Chihuahuas are mated, they most often have difficult or even impossible births, requiring one or more repeat cesarean sections which can be very dangerous for the dog and her babies. This fashion was quickly transmitted to the west coast of the United States with the “accessory dog” and “pouch dog” phenomenon where it is possible for 10 000$ to 20 000$ to have a chihuahua between 1lb and 2lb once adult . But are these small chihuahuas actually physically fit chihuahuas? It is important to ask ourselves this question. In my opinion, a Chihuahua weighing less than 2lb or 2.5lb has a high chance of having genetic problems or malformations if its lineage is not certified and well studied. There are perfectly healthy “microchihuahuas” between 2lb and 3lb but most offered on classified ad sites are not healthy or will be bigger than promised. A “microchihuahua” should never be skinny, leggy, with disproportionate features (as evidenced by the 3rd photo). It should also not have no nose, a head that is too round, legs that are too short, or disproportionately large eyes (as evidenced by the first photo). Often “microchihuahuas” that are too thin or too extreme have a life expectancy of 7 years maximum and are often very ill throughout their lives. The “microchihuahua” should look exactly like the standard chihuahua (muscular, compact, lower body and legs, small apple head, short nose, etc.) but only in a smaller format. It should also come from a standard chihuahua mother (preferably a 4lb to 6lb adult mother) with small genetics and not from a “microchihuahua” mother (2lb to 3lb adult) who gave birth. We started using the term "microchihuahua", a few years ago after visiting a certified "microchihuahua" breeder, we decided to use this term in turn to describe our puppies which will be between 2lb and 3lb a year. once an adult and I am surprised to see how the term “microchihuahua” is so quickly popularized in Quebec and is now on everyone's lips. Have we popularized this term in spite of ourselves? I hope that this term (after all invented and increasingly popular) will not be used again by pseudo-breeders to make money by fooling people. Obviously, the “microchihuahua” is not a new breed but a term to describe a standard chihuahua but having a very small weight. Let's not forget that according to the breed standard, the Chihuahua can weigh between 2lb and 6lb adult.

For our part, we do not mate female “microchihuahuas” since the risks for the female are very, very high and for nothing in the world we would sacrifice the health of our dogs. We have breeding dogs between 3lb and 6lb with very small bloodlines so sometimes puppies of 2 to 3lb are born in our litters. On this occasion we use the term “microchihuahua” but we always prefer to give an adult weight estimate rather than using one of the terms mentioned above.

In short, should we really rely on its terms when choosing a puppy? In my humble opinion no, when it comes to adult weight, you should never rely only on the term used to describe a puppy. It is better to ask for an adult weight estimate than to rely on an invented term. It is always advisable to do business with a breeder who is a member of the Canadian Kennel Club and has very good references. To better choose a puppy and better estimate its adult weight, it is important to see the puppy's parents, to know the adult weight of the puppies from the previous litter, to ask the breeder for references to find out if he has been honest when he gave an estimate to families who had previously adopted his puppies. We must never forget that the breeder cannot guarantee 100% an adult weight, the weight charts published on the internet are very often incorrect, it is up to the breeder who must rely on the knowledge of his dogs, the breed itself as well as its experience to estimate the adult weight of a puppy. Always remember that a good breeder will answer all your questions before adoption but especially after adoption.

And after all, I believe that it is better to choose your puppy according to other criteria than its adult weight? His health, his temperament, his conformity to the breed are more important to me than a number on the scale.

Author: Machu Pitou Chihuahua Breeding.
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