Hey everyone I would like to get a tea cup poodle for my daughter. Are they easy to maintain?

Sure, except for the massive vet bills you will be paying for a poorly bred runt. That is all teacup dogs are. Poorly bred runts, bred by irresponsible people. Most come with a long list of health and tempermant problems.

I highly suggest a toy poodle instead.

If a breeder tells you they have a "teacup" anything run the other way fast! What you are actually wanting to get is a toy poodle. Some "breeders" use the term teacup to get more money for a dog that is smaller than it should be and could end up having many health issues. Do your research on the breed and see what size ranges there are and also do your homework on the breeder-ask for references(if they are good breeders they will be happy to contact former customers and have them contact you). Also ask for a health guarantee and read it carefully and follow through on it to the letter so if there is a problem you can either get your money back for the dog or get a replacement dog. Visit as many breeders as you can and a few times to see the same dog at different times of day so you can get a better idea of the temperment of the dog and how the breeder handles things-cleanliness,exercise,feeding etc-all of that will help you make a good choice in dog.

In all honesty, the only small poodles I've ever come across are yappy and tempermental. I would never have a small dog around a small child. Additionally, they are very fragile and require grooming...the good thing about poodles is that they don't shed and most people with allergies deal well with this breed.

My best suggestion is to go onto a website such as petfinder.com and look for a rescue dog. Animal shelters, the SPCA, etc can also help. Many of these dogs are "mutts" which, in my opinion make the best pets. Many of them will be put to sleep unless they find a home. When choosing a dog, since you are skiddish, you should take your daughter with you and interact with the dog...see how she does with the dog and how the dog does with her.

I absolutely guarantee that you will find a dog that suits your personality and touches your heart.

Good Luck!!

Well, first off, there is no such thing as a 'teacup' poodle so if someone is telling you that then they are likely very poor breeders or a puppy mill. These sorts are usually very expensive and hard to care for because the person breeding them didn't know or care and just made puppies to sell to people who don't know any better. So get away from anyone refering to their puppies as 'teacup' and find a good breeder that breeds and knows about and cares about Toy Poodles (the smallest of the Poodle varieties).

Second, you are selecting a breed that is what is known as a 'coated' breed which means it will take time and effort to maintain their coat in a healthy manner. If you don't brush/comb it regularly it will become matted and matts can cause painful sores and even can cause deadly constriction situations. Having them professionally groomed every 6 weeks or so is needed as well, unless you learn to do it - but that doesn't preclude you needing to brush/comb it, just like you do for yourself on a daily basis to prevent knots and matting. Never bathe the dog until it is thoroughly combed out as matts/tangles tighten when wet. So that is something that isn't 'easy to maintain' in the breed.

They are usually quite smart dogs and when bred and reared properly and socialized well they can be wonderful companions for 15+ years -- so be prepared for it to be your dog for a long time, even after your daughter leaves for college :) There are problems, diseases, situations that are breed specific to these dogs and you should be made aware of them by your knowledgeable breeder. Also no breeder would place a pup before it has had the litter socialization it needs during its eigth week so you won't be taking it home until it is around nine weeks or so. The breeder should be able to help you with selection of grooming tools and the things you will need to properly care for it.

If the coat idea sounds like too much, you might want to look at one of the other toy breeds that aren't as much coat need, Toy Fox Terriers, Chihuahuas, Toy Manchester Terriers, Mininature Pinschers, Italian Greyhounds --- all are small and easy to care for and if your child is not rambunctious with dogs, it can be safe as well.

If you are too fearful of dogs, it won't matter what size or breed they are - - you need to either learn how to properly interact with dogs or select another type of companion animal... fish, turtles, girbles...

i would absolutely not suggest getting a teacup poodle, or a teacup anything for that matter. like the aswer above said, teacup is another name for a badly bred dog that will come with a lot of problems. i have seen many teacup dogs that are plagued with even things such as seizures and mental issues.

there is one more thing to think of though. your daughter is only 5, that is a little too young to know exactly what she wants. the only thing she will know of the dog is how to play with it since she is still to young to accept responsibility of the dog. you should be patient, and wait until your daughter is much older (say 11 or 12) before you allow her to get a dog. why? dogs are a lot of responsibility, and since you will be the primary caretaker of a dog for your daughter this young you may get sick of it. there will then be another dog without a home. you should wait until your daughter is older, that way she can decide on the breed of her choice, and have a chance to research the possibilities and gain knowledge. it will also be a very good way to help her to become responsible and learn about all of the work that there is in keeping a dog. even with all of the work though, she will grow to love it more if it is a decision that she makes later in life (around 11 or 12).

as for being scared of the dog, it only takes time to adjust to any dog even if it is a larger breed. more research needs to be done on the characteristics of the many possibilities. i myself find that labs and jack russel terriers are among the best, although i have seen many mutts that are far more adorable and just as well behaved as any dog i have ever seen.

when the time comes, look around and dont restrict yourself to just a breeder.

Hope this helps.

If you are afraid of dogs, want an EASY to maintain dog, and are getting it for your 5 year old, I suggest you don't get a dog. Dogs are A LOT more work than people without dogs think they would be. Its literally just like having another baby. You have to housebreak, clean up after, pay for, bathe, feed, play with, teach, and train the dog. No dog is exactly easy to maintain, they all have their flaws. Poodles don't shed, but you have to get them groomed. Puppies will pee and poop in the house, and you have to do your research to find out how to housebreak, clean up after, bather, feed, play with, teach, and train your dog, and general information about the breed. Different breeds have different needs based on their size, energy level, coat type, temperament, etc. Do you really think your 5 year old will take care of the puppy? Trust me my 7 year old brother is scared of my pup, even though he loves dogs, just because she is a puppy now and she will nip and scratch. We're just trying to teach him how to show dominance over the pup so she will treat him better. Just DO YOUR RESEARCH and you will know which breed is best for you.

PS: A "teacup" isn't a real breed, it's just the conclusion of 2 small poodles breeding and then making smaller poodles, then the smaller poodles breed to make even smaller poodles so on and so on... Usually just bred for profit too...

There is no such thing as a teacup in any breed.

A dog that small is not good with a child that young because the child may accidently hurt the dog or the dog may bite because the child is too rough. It is best to hold off on getting a dog until your daughter is older or at least get a larger sturdier breed.

fisrt of all. its a toy poodle that is recognised by the KC.

if someone sells you an undersized poodle and calls it a |"teacup poodle" its a scam. a name to cover up a bad bred dog.

secondly, i wouldnt say that any dog is easy to maintain becoz however small they are, you still need to pay vet bills, beds,collars, accesories (something your daughter is bound to want =) ) shampoo conditioner, and the list goes on.

you need to do your research and see if you can really afford a dog.

good luck

There is no such thing as a "teacup" dog. It is a cute little name given to unhealthy runts bred by puppy mills and backyard breeders. I hope you have plenty of money to cover the cost of treating a liver shunt, hypoglycemia, and a number of other problems associated with runts. Toy dogs are harder to train than larger dogs. Besides, do you REALLY think a five year old can be gentle enough with an itty bitty dog?

first off i would like to award you for buying a dog for your daughter, even though you have a fear for dogs, and i hope you take my advice to the paragraphs below!

Poodles are quite easy to care for, but by quite i mean exercising him/her is simple, (a short walk everyday) feeding is easy, (any food you are willing to buy for your new companion, dry, tinned, sometimes both) but grooming the poodle is toughest. poodles are intrinsically neat, whatever the size and like to look good so grooming is very demanding and escential.

secondly, there is no such thing as a tea cup poodle, only the size toy and miniture exist. If a poodle happens to be littler then the normal size of a toy poodle (11inch) this will be due to various health defects and inbreeding. sadly, this is just a term back yard breeders use to lure in un-suspecting dog-buyers.

The poodle would be a good breed to buy though as you stated you have a 5year old daughter, so yes, a small breed like the poodle would also minimize risks of your daughter being knocked over!!

As for your fear of dogs i have 2 bits of advice.

1. dogs will be more scared then you are when you bring them back to your home, they wont be familiar with thier surroundings and will most probably whine most of the night if it is a puppy

2. Dogs smell fear, so if you dont show the dog your scared, you shouldnt have any problems!

Also, please please do NOT buy from a pet store or breeders who only breed for profit (this is if you plan to buy a puppy), for every dog that is bought, the mother dogs have to replace them.

I hope you and your daughter and your soon to be new doggy pal will be happy together!