What is the difference?
Everyone generally knows that Toy poodles are small dogs, and Tea Cups are even smaller. There are some who have a fit about this classification tool because "Tea Cup" is not a recognized poodle size according to the AKC. LET US ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACT. A Toy poodle is genetically the same as any other poodle, be it Miniature or Standard, they are simply smaller. Yes, it is true that the term "Teacup Toy Poodle" is not officially a term. But I do not believe that it is a marketing gimmick, as some do. Being able to classify Toy Poodle puppies as either 'Teacup', 'Tiny Toy', or simply 'Toy', is an extremely useful tool for not only breeders, but also the buyers!
So what are the exact sizes?
A toy poodle is recognized as being 10" or under at the highest point of the shoulder. There is not a weight requirement involved at all in the standards of a Toy Poodle, which is something that I think is a good thing. There are many people who are interested in breeding long-legged but very light poodles, and I just can't understand that desire. It is basically a breeding ground (excuse the pun) for fragile and unhealthy animals. There is no sense in a dog that is 10 or 12 inches tall weighing in at only 3 pounds! But, to each their own I suppose. It is none of my business what others believe to be right, but thankfully I am welcome to my own opinions!
So in my opinion, a dog 10 inches tall and a healthy 8 lbs is just as 'Toy' as another which is 10 inches tall and 3 lbs, the former simply being a sturdier and more durable animal. So when I classify my puppies, I will almost always do so by height alone, because that is honestly the 'size' of the dog.
9-10": Toy
8-9": Tiny Toy
Under 8": Teacup
As opposed to the trending version of classifying solely by weight and nearly disregarding height altogether.
Over 6 lbs: Toy
4-6 lbs: Tiny Toy
Under 4 lbs: Teacup
So when classifying my poodles, I do not take weight into account, though I will record and state their weight, as that is a good bit of information to have, as well as other pointers such as when a given puppy is longer than he is tall, or any other abnormalities.
So what are the exact sizes?
A toy poodle is recognized as being 10" or under at the highest point of the shoulder. There is not a weight requirement involved at all in the standards of a Toy Poodle, which is something that I think is a good thing. There are many people who are interested in breeding long-legged but very light poodles, and I just can't understand that desire. It is basically a breeding ground (excuse the pun) for fragile and unhealthy animals. There is no sense in a dog that is 10 or 12 inches tall weighing in at only 3 pounds! But, to each their own I suppose. It is none of my business what others believe to be right, but thankfully I am welcome to my own opinions!
So in my opinion, a dog 10 inches tall and a healthy 8 lbs is just as 'Toy' as another which is 10 inches tall and 3 lbs, the former simply being a sturdier and more durable animal. So when I classify my puppies, I will almost always do so by height alone, because that is honestly the 'size' of the dog.
9-10": Toy
8-9": Tiny Toy
Under 8": Teacup
As opposed to the trending version of classifying solely by weight and nearly disregarding height altogether.
Over 6 lbs: Toy
4-6 lbs: Tiny Toy
Under 4 lbs: Teacup
So when classifying my poodles, I do not take weight into account, though I will record and state their weight, as that is a good bit of information to have, as well as other pointers such as when a given puppy is longer than he is tall, or any other abnormalities.
How To Estimate Adult Sizes In Puppies
There aren't honestly many charts out there for the height progression of Toy and Teacup poodle puppies, though there are a heaping ton of charts for weight progression. But the few things that I've found to be pretty unanimous and that I will be using for the size estimation of my puppies are:
1. Double the weight from 12 weeks
and
2. Add 3 inches to the puppy's height at 8 weeks
1. Double the weight from 12 weeks
and
2. Add 3 inches to the puppy's height at 8 weeks