Teacup Schnauzers
The Micro Minis of the Schnauzer World

The existence of Teacup Schnauzers understandably upsets many Miniature Schnauzer purists. They say that anyone deliberately breeding even the Toy size Miniature Schnauzer is “uninformed and therefore not responsible”.

While the original breed standards for Minis DID describe dogs that would be considered Toy today, this justification doesn’t stretch anywhere near the Teacups.

How Small ARE the Teacups?

The unofficial weight range for Teacup Schnauzers is between 1.4 kg and 3.2 kg (3 to 7 lbs).

 

5 lb adult Teacup bitch “Piper” with her normal-sized Mini Schnauzer friend “Reggie”. Photo kindly donated by Indy Jones of Utah, Schnauzer Lovers Forum
By comparison, by the Breed Standards, the “ideal” Miniature Schnauzer weighs between 6.4 kg and 9.1kg (14 – 20 lbs) and stands 12 – 14 inches high.

So, these diminutive little dogs are only about a third of the official desirable size for the Miniature Schnauzer!

Things to Watch Out for With the Micro Mini Schnauzer

While the Teacup-sized Schnauzer definitely has “novelty” value, it is certainly unsuitable as a playmate for boisterous children, especially at 8 weeks – the usual age puppies are adopted.

At that age – due to their small size – they are also very prone to hypoglycaemia.

This basically means their bodies’ run out of energy and can be triggered by shipping, a missed meal, cold conditions or even excessive playing.

Many people even leave their puppies with the breeder until they are several months old so they are a bit more robust when they arrive at their new home.

So they ARE delicate…. Unlike the strong and sturdy normal-sized Miniature Schnauzer!

Handle with care!!!

With these little fellows it is reportedly easy to fracture their skull or snap a leg. A small knock on the head can result in hydrocephalus (water on the brain)… an incurable condition.

 

Platinum Teacup bitch “Piper” as a puppy. Photo kindly donated by Indy Jones of Utah, Schnauzer Lovers ForumThe smaller size also increases their susceptibility to damaged ligaments such as luxated patella (dislocated knee) – jumping up and down from furniture onto slippery household floors, the weaker structure of the finer joints put them at greater risk of such injuries.

Is it ethical to breed the Teacups?

Some people say that breeding Teacup Schnauzers may be going a bit too far in pandering to market whims.

Teacup dogs of all breeds are all the rage with the “beautiful people” but is breeding them really ethical?

Are they more ornamental than practical? A fashion accessory pandering to the egos of the uninformed? Having never met one, I can’t give you a firm opinion.

But if the Teacup is just a scaled down version of the sturdy Mini, then it may still have a legitimate place in dog lovers’ homes.

My advice?

If you have a gentle family and carpets throughout, by all means consider the Toy or Teacup.

And if you want a robust and fabulous “just right” sized dog you can’t go far wrong with the Miniature sized Schnauzer!

Most of them are still small enough to curl up on your lap… who could ask for more than that!!!

Return from TEACUP SCHNAUZERS to SIZE MATTERS!