How long do teacup Yorkshire terriers live for?
I would avoid buying a “teacup” anything, as that’s not an actual size (Yorkies are small, and there’s only one size class; ideally they should be under 7 lbs.) “Teacup” is a marketing term for runty little guys who can have a whole host of issues, including hypoglycemia and hydrocephalus, as well as behavior issues. The vast majority of breeders who breed “teacups” are doing so for the extra cash they can pull in without regard to health or temperament. (Here I expect countless thumbs-downs and people hollering about how their teacup yorkishnoodlepoochi is perfectly healthy… Yeah, I heard it all.) That said, a Yorkie with no genetic or congenital health issues should live for quite a long time, from 15-18 years.
Probably about as long as the saucer Yorkie lives. Sigh!! THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A TEACUP YORKSHIRE TERRIER!!! This is a con, something irresponsible people are calling the smallest of their litters in order to catch gullible puppy buyers and persuade them to part with their well-earned money. Go find a good Yorkie breeder, and buy a proper Yorkie. You may be lucky and find a small Yorkie who has no problems throughout life, and lives to the normal age without being at the vet all the time. You are more likely not to.
Just as a heads up, Teacup Yorkies are not a real “breed”. They are just a way to make money, to get them they keep breeding the runt of the litter until they have extremely small dogs. With this small of dog and an unnatural way of breeding the dog will have many costly health problems. As a result the lifespan will be greatly decreased. The normal Yorkie lifespan is around 15 years though. Instead of buying a Teacup Yorkie from a breeder I would rescue a real yorkie from a shelter. You can look for them on: www.petfinder.com Good Luck!
