There is actually no official breed called Teacup Chihuahua or Tea-Cup. The name is some breeders came up with for the chihuahuas that are genetically bred to be smaller. This was probable to make the stand out and create more of a personal identity for these small creatures so they would become more valued. As to chihuahuas there are officially only two kinds, Long Coat and Short Coat.

The name teacup chihuahua has become so popular lately though that many are considering this to be a breed of their own. One help in their fame has of course been the celebrity Paris Hilton and her Tinker Bell dog.

These dogs are really small in size and some even discourage breeders from breeding these kinds of chihuahuas, at least the really small ones because they can easily become genetically disfunctional and create medical problems both for themselves and their owners.

The american kennel club in their standards describe as chihuahua as a compact, alert and graceful swift-moving dog that has terrier-like qualities of temperament. So beware that even though teacup chihuahuas can be small in size, their temper can something else.

Most people that buy these dogs though tend to buy them because they are easy to handle. Anytime you buy a dog it is a dog thing to dig into some study of the breed before making a purchase, that will make easier both for you and the dog in the years to come. People who buy dogs only with their eyes often tend to end up surprised or dissapointed when their pet turned out to have different characteristics than what they had expected.

A couple of words of advice if you decide to get yourself a teacup chihuahua is to invest in a coat for your dog. Many times because of their small size and lack of protecting layers of body fat they are vulnerable to cold. Another good thing is to invest in a harness rather than in a collar. This because your friend again can be somewhat fragile around the neck and is often more comfortable being out walking together with you in a good teacup chihuahua harness.

Many people appreciate their chihuahua because it is so loyal and loving. A good thing is to get them used to being with a mix of people early as they might show signs of jealousy later in life. They have also a tendency to be suspicious of people they are not familiar with. But I guess that is many times a human trait as well.

Kari Eriksson is an infopreneur and a dog lover since many years. Lately Teacup Chihuahuas have become a special interest and he operates The Teacup Chihuahuas Directory at http://www.teacupchihuahuasdirectory.com where you can find articles, links and useful resources.