Teacup Dachshund: The Smallest Of Its Kind

Who doesn’t love the look of an adorable teacup dachshund? The teacup dachshund is a tiny dog that stays looking as cute as a puppy for its entire life – what more could you ask for? Well, there is a lot more to the teacup dachshund than its tiny size and attractive puppy-like features.

Keep reading to discover a wealth of facts about the teacup dachshund, including how its tiny size is created and the effect it can have on the dog’s overall health.

By the end of this article, you will have a good idea of whether the teacup dachshund is the right dog for you.

Namely, in this article, we will discuss:

• Origins of the teacup dachshund
• Its size and physical characteristics
• Breeding and Genetics
• Lifespan and health
• Exercise and activity requirements

What Is A Teacup Dachshund?

A teacup dachshund is essentially the smallest variety of dachshund you will find available on the market today.

Generally speaking, there is no such thing as a “teacup dachshund.” Namely, the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not officially recognise this variety of the dachshund breed.

However, due to public popularity and the demand for even smaller varieties of popular dog breeds, some breeders have latched onto the tiny-dog idea. As a result, they are now breeding tiny dachshunds intending to market and sell them as a separate and rare variety of the dachshund breed.

The teacup dachshund has a “designer dog” status on the market and is desirable for the following reasons:

Teacup dachshunds need less exercise

It is surprising how many people dream of having a dog. On the other side, they consider walking the dog every day to be a chore. These types of dog owners may be attracted to smaller dogs because the handbag-sized dogs don’t need as much exercise as the larger ones.

Teacup dachshunds can fit in handbags

Tiny designer dogs are so dinky that you often can carry them about in your arms or inside a bag. However, it often leads to a small dog being under-exercised and becoming obese, but it can also have its benefits.

For example, being able to take a dog into a shop with you is a wonderful luxury that dog owners with big dogs simply don’t have. It is also much easier to travel on public transport with a smaller dog.

It is especially so as you can only take a dog onto the London underground if it can be carried down the escalator.

Teacup dachshunds don’t need much space at home

For people who live in tiny apartments without gardens, smaller dogs may seem like the perfect choice.

Teacup dachshunds eat less

The fact that smaller dogs don’t have large stomachs, and therefore eat less can be a very desirable factor for prospective dog owners. You certainly won’t need to spend as much money on dog food if you own a teacup doxie.

How Big Do Teacup Dachshunds get?

As mentioned earlier, the teacup dachshund is not a recognised variety of the dachshund breed according to the AKC. Hence, there is no official set size that a “teacup” must adhere to for it to be considered a teacup dachshund.

The American Kennel Club only recognizes one breed of a dachshund, which exists in two sizes:

• Standard – Standard dachshunds are between 16 and 32 pounds.
• Miniature – Miniature dachshunds are less than 11 pounds.

Therefore a teacup dachshund is officially just a very small miniature dachshund.

As a general guide, any dog that is less than 8 pounds is considered to be a “Toy” breed, and so a “Teacup” dog would potentially be even smaller than this.

The best way to help your dachshund live longer?
Watch our video to find out!

Origins Of The Teacup Dachshund

The teacup dachshund began to come into existence fairly recently. Originally, the standard and miniature sizes were bred for hunting purposes. For instance, the breeders created the standard dachshund to flush badgers and similar animals out from underground.

The miniature dachshund was bred for the same function. However, it targeted smaller prey like rabbits and rodents.

On the other side, the breeders created the teacup dachshund as a modern variation which is purely a domestic pet. The variety is a response to the increasing demand for super tiny pet dogs, handbag dogs, and lapdogs. The teacup dachshund is particularly popular in Japan and the UK.

There are a few different ways that breeders create teacup dachshunds:

• Selling the runt of a litter as a “teacup”.
• Withholding the mother’s milk to keep the puppies small.
• Repeatedly breeding runt dogs with runt dogs to create litters with tiny pups.
• Crossbreeding small dachshunds with other small dog breeds.
• Targeting the “Dwarfism” gene.

Keep reading to find out more about the breeding of teacup dachshunds.

Teacup Dachshund Breeding: Genetics

Did you know that the appearance of the dachshund is, in fact, a genetic condition called Chondrodysplasia, which is a form of Dwarfism?

It is easy to recognise this when you consider the stunted growth of the limbs in comparison to the body and the head of the dog.

The FGF-4 gene that causes this is also present in some other dog breeds, such as the Basset Hound and the Shih-Tzu.

Another gene, which the breed experts suspect to be present in the teacup dachshund, in particular, is Ateliotic Dwarfism. This gene causes retarded growth by affecting the pituitary gland, which produces the growth hormone.

Breed experts suggest that this gene could be passed on through a recessive gene from the parents.

The important fact is that the dwarfism gene has already been targeted to create the miniature dachshund. That is to say, when breeders use genetics to create the teacup dachshund, the dog is essentially being shrunk twice.

If you want to find out more about the dwarf breeds of dogs, feel free to read our detailed article about Dwarfism In Dogs.

Teacup Dachshund Lifespan

It is a well-known fact that standard dachshunds have a long life expectancy, with an average of 12 to 16 years. In fact, the oldest dachshund in history lived until 25 years of age!

Miniature dachshunds have a slightly longer life expectancy of 13-17 years.

It seems that the smaller the dachshund, the longer its potential life could be.

However, it is not valid for a teacup dachshund. A teacup dachshund’s lifespan is around 12-15 years on average.

How long a dog lives, of course, not only down to the averages assigned to its breed type. The responsibility always falls on you, the dog owner, to give your teacup doxie the best life possible.

A healthy breed-appropriate diet is essential, and you should pay close attention to the quantities your dog eats. The extra weight that dachshunds put on leads to more pressure on their legs and spine.

The short legs of a sausage dog are not designed to carry the weight of its long body, let alone if it is overweight. Extra body weight also attributes to many other health problems, such as putting an internal strain on the organs.

Appropriate exercise is also essential, ensuring that your teacup dachshund receives plenty of fun and love. As well as that, it will stop it from becoming depressed, inactive, and developing health problems that will shorten its life.

Teacup Dachshund Health

In every litter of puppies, there will be a runt of the litter. Sadly in the case of dachshunds, the runt of the litter is sometimes passed off as a “teacup” due to its small size.

Runt puppies

You can acquire a puppy that was described as a teacup dachshund but was, in fact, the runt of a litter. In this case, you will end up with a smaller dog, but this could be at the cost of its health.

Runt puppies are often happy and healthy little pups that grow up to be wonderful pets that live for many years.

But when taking a runt home, you will always run the higher risk that your new pup will be a sickly puppy. Your teacup doxie might have a compromised immune system and other health problems. You may end up spending more money on vet bills down the line than you had bargained for.

It is because runts have a harder time getting to their mother’s milk because of their brothers and sisters being bigger and stronger.

If a puppy doesn’t consume enough food at this vital stage in their development, they may end up not getting all the nutrients they need for healthy growth.

In fact, some dodgy breeders of teacup dachshund varieties will go as far as limiting the amount of milk the puppies get. They do it in order to stunt their growth so that they can be marketed as “teacups.”

It can, of course, cause terrible health issues further on down the line. Namely, it may result in weaker immune systems, more fragile bones, and organs that don’t function well.

If a runt puppy doesn’t get access to the care it needs from its mother; it can also develop behavioural issues later on. It is further exacerbated when a smaller pup is perhaps not able to play equally with its littermates and learn valuable life lessons and social skills.

Crossbreeding

If you have decided to go for a teacup dachshund crossbreed, your puppy may be gifted with the well-known phenomenon of Heterosis or “hybrid vigour”. It refers to the many health advantages that crossbred dogs have over purebreds.

Some breeders target tiny dog breeds such as Yorkshire terriers and Chihuahuas to crossbreed them with certain breeds. This way, they create smaller versions of that breed.

The downside to acquiring a crossbred puppy is that the outcome is somewhat unpredictable. You never know what physical and health traits the pup will take from which of the parent dogs. The only thing you are pretty much guaranteed is a smaller dog.

Intervertebral Disc Disease

Other health concerns that teacup dachshunds owners should be aware of include them being prone to back problems. Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD) is hereditary in all dachshunds and can cause disks in the dog’s neck or back to rupture. In fact, one in four dachshunds will have back-related health problems between the ages of 4-7 years.

It is sensible to make sure that your home is “dachshund-proof” in order to minimize the risks of back injuries. For example, you can provide step-access to higher levels such as your sofa to discourage your dog from leaping off. You can also limit access to staircases, or carry your doxie up and down steep stairs when necessary.

One of the most important measures to prevent IVDD is Supplementation.

We highly recommend the Dachshund Advanced Care by Breedology, it is an advanced dietary supplement, precisely formulated for the dachshund breed. Their potent natural formula includes Chondroitin, Glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid among other ingredients that work in perfect synergy to provide advanced joint and cartilage support for dachshunds of any age.

Exercise & Activity Requirements

People often assume that tiny dogs like teacup dachshunds don’t need to be exercised. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. It has often been said that dachshunds are athletes and not lapdogs!

You should never assume that just because the teacup dachshund is such a tiny dog and has very short legs, that it is not capable of exercise. Quite the opposite, it most certainly is!

Don’t forget that the breeders originally created dachshunds as hunting dogs. Hence, they have strong stamina and enjoy being active and using their brains. It also applies to the teacup dachshunds, as they are still the same breed of dog after all.

When you see a quiet and sedate dachshund, the likelihood is that it is overweight, unfit, lazy, and unmotivated. It is not the norm for the healthy weiner dog. It is just what that individual dachshund has become.

Despite their short legs, it might surprise you how far a dachshund can hike! The great thing about the teacup dachshund is that they are light enough so you can carry them if they need a break. It will not interfere with your walk or whatever it is that you are doing. Some dachshunds are even great at agility.

Did you know that the first official Olympic summer games mascot was a dachshund? His name was Waldi the dachshund.

Where Can You Get a Teacup Dachshund?

You can get a teacup dachshund from a breeder; all you have to do is find a reputable breeder of miniature dachshunds and ask to reserve the smallest pup in the litter. The breeder can always show you the photos of the Dam and Sire of the litter so that you will know the approximate size of the pups when they grow up.

But the best possible way is to try to rescue one instead. We have created a list of dachshund rescues across the U.S.A. and worldwide to help you find your pet companion. You can also contact local animal shelters – dachshunds are a popular breed, and they might always have a teacup dachshund to rehome.

To Sum Up

Despite the popularity of the teacup dachshund rapidly growing, breed experts rarely advise to get one of these puppies due to the sometimes-cruel ways that these dogs have come to be so tiny.

The potential health problems in the handbag-sized dogs are too prevalent to be able to guarantee a healthy dog. If you still have your heart set on a teacup dachshund, a great option would be to try and rescue one.

Alternatively, go for a crossbreed to increase your chances of having a dog with more sturdy health.

F.A.Q.s

Does a teacup dachshund make a good pet?

The fun and loving personalities of teacup dachshunds make them perfect family dogs. You can read our article on what makes dachshunds good family dogs here.

How long do teacup dachshunds live?

Miniature dachshunds have potentially longer lifespans than standard ones.
However, it is not valid for a teacup dachshund. A teacup dachshund’s average life expectancy is around 12-15 years.

Why are teacup dachshunds so popular?

The teacup dachshunds are in trend now because they are a more compact version of a breed that is already very popular. People do sometimes prefer a dachshund, who needs a bit less exercise or will fit in a handbag.