Teacup Shih Tzu - Look Before You Buy

Teacup Shih Tzu dogs are also called "imperial Shih Tzu" and "tiny teacup". These are the little bitty dogs in small sizes. The terms "imperial" or "teacup" are used interchangeably by some breeders. Also some breeders use "imperial" for the smallest dogs in the 3 to 5 pound category and "teacup" for slightly larger dogs in the 5 to 6 pound size.

These dogs exist because there is a demand for them. You know why you are interested in these small dogs. The size is cute and all that attitude in a small package is part of the appeal. The story is that the smaller dog is truly a descendant of the dogs from the Chinese Royal Palace, thus the "imperial" description. So the idea is that these are truly the descendants of the royal lines.

Fact is, the official American Kennel Club and the American Shih Tzu Club standards call for a weight of 9 to 16 pounds. The breed is classified as a Toy breed and is already a small dog when bred to the breed standard. Also this standard weight matches closely the weight of the standard dog as described by the Peking Kennel Club in 1938. The breed standard describes a rugged, stocky little dog that is small, but not at all fragile.

So, the really tiny teacup dogs do not meet the breed standard and are really a fad dog created to please a market looking for a dog that is not really a Shih Tzu. Now that would be OK as long as the dog itself is not harmed by this move. But in fact breeding for extreme small size can be harmful to the dogs in several ways. Consider how you can develop an extremely small dog in a short period of time.

To get a really small dog quickly, there are only a couple of choices. The first is to select as parents the smallest dogs available and breed those dogs. Then continue selecting for small dogs over a period of time in subsequent matings. The problem with this approach is that if size is the main selection criteria, other traits will be ignored. This usually results in health problems because your unbalanced selection methods will almost always end up breeding unhealthy dogs simply because they are small. A dog can be small and healthy or an unhealthy runt with physical problems. Also tiny female dogs struggle with birthing and have very small litters usually.

Another approach is to breed a standard size Shih Tzu to a small dog of another breed. This may produce a smaller healthy dog but the dog will lack some of the characteristics of the parents. Also any offspring of the crossbred dogs will show great variation in characteristics. You will not get offspring like the parents.

The standard Shih Tzu is a robust, balanced small dog. They are healthy, active dogs with good form and strength. Be careful if you choose a tiny teacup dog. It may be better to choose a different breed if you want a truly tiny pet dog.

Al Bullington has experience with all kinds of pets including an independent little Shih Tzu named Annie. Would you like more tips on Shih Tzu dogs?

Please visit http://www.shihtzudogs.net and get more free resources.

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5 Things You Need To Know Before Buying Your First Puppy

By: Steve Searls

Your daughter will be cutting a cake for her 6th birthday next week and you are thinking of giving her a special gift! But what could it be?

Your beautiful child loves animals and all of your neighbors have pets, so how about a cute little puppy? That is a wonderful gift for your darling daughter. You probably couldn't make her happier any other way. But wait a moment, if you are buying a pet for the first time, there are a few things that you need to know before you actually set out to buy it.

1) You need to give it time: Keeping a puppy is like having a small baby in your house. It needs tender loving care and constant observation until it grows a little older. And yes, you also need to play and entertain them all day. If you can't, you may choose to get two puppies to entertain each other or use the services of day care centers for your pup.

2) Dogs need training: In order to train dogs and puppies, you first need to train yourself on how to train them! Unlike cats, which can be left on their own, dogs are dependent on you. You have to interact with them and give them proper behavioral training.

Once you have learned the techniques of training your dog, you may also train your kids on how to interact with the pet and train them. After all, your kids are the ones who will spend most of the time with them, walking the dog every evening and playing with it in the backyard.

3) Be prepared to spend money: Relax a little: it's not that much money. But yes, you need to see if that little puppy fits into your budget. You may have several expenses, especially when you get the puppy home. It will need a dog house if you plan on leaving him outdoors for extended periods, toys, registration, vet fees and shots, expenses for training it, and maybe even clothes!

Dog can be among the costliest pets and can cost you nearly as much as any other family member would. So don't get into the dog buying business without considering the cost factor.

4) Your little puppy will grow into an adult dog. You already knew that? Great! But it is also important to know that keeping a dog into it's adulthood may be a lot different than keeping it as a puppy. Your dog will grow fast and, depending on the breed, may soon outweigh your 6 year old child. Your cute little puppy will soon need a lot more food that it needs now!

5) Puppies need exercise: Puppies need exercise in the form of play. They can amuse themselves for short periods, but require interaction with people or other animals. Apart from toys, they also need another puppy or a person to play with them. Your children can't be with them always, so if the idea of running with the pack, so to speak, doesn't thrill you, you may opt for buying a breed that is less active.

If your dog is larger in size, it will need more exercise and you will have to take it for walk every evening when you come home after an exhausting day at work. So make sure that you include this activity in your schedule.

A dog is a wonderful animal and the most faithful of all pets. Having one in your house would definitely be a great experience, but only if you are prepared to take care of it, spend a little extra time and money and treat it like one of your family members. If you are willing to do these things, then you will have a loyal, loving companion for life.

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