A doggie in a cup! Sounds cute, isn’t it? It would be, as if your little stuffed-toy pup came to life. A teeny-weeny golden retriever, that could fit in your hand…………exciting hmm? But hold on. Golden retrievers are dogs; live, energetic, intelligent, loving, full-bodied living creatures, right? They are supposed to be man’s companion and not mere ‘moving and breathing toys’.
Golden Retriever is a breed known for its majestic looks along with an extremely pleasing demeanour. Trying to fit it into a teacup is not only cruel but also derogatory. If you love Golden Retriever – the breed, love it as it comes – the medium-large dog. And if it is the size that attracts you, then go for a toy dog breed, e.g. Chihuahua.
Moreover, there is nothing like a teacup Golden Retriever. Some breeds have been specially bred to reduce their size, over the generations. But there is no special small-sized Golden breed.
Talking about the term ‘teacup’, it can be defined as ‘slang’ in the group of dog terms. There is nothing like a ‘teacup’ breed. It is a term popularly used to describe a very small toy dog or pup that is small enough to fit in a teacup. No major kennel clubs approve of this term. Irresponsible, profit oriented breeders, or back-yard breeders as they are called, use this term to market small pups/dogs in order to make them sound special; so that they can fetch high (often exorbitant) prices.
Nelson Williams offers more info at : http://goldenretrievertrainingcenter.com/teacup-golden-retriever. He and his family live in Vermont. He brought home their first Golden Retriever when his now grown daughters were babies. His family has bred and cared for more Golden Retrievers than they can remember. With years of experience and volumes of research, the Williams offer for free, ‘Secrets of Raising Golden Retrievers’: http://www.goldenretrievertrainingcenter.com.
Choosing A Mixed-Bred Dog
Any dog with two or more ancestors of different breeds is called a mixed-breed. There are probably as many mixed-breed dogs in this country as there are purebreds, largely the result of failure to alter or contain pets properly. However, it is important to realize, of course, that each of today’s purebred dogs began as a calculated experiment in selective breeding by a fancier with a definite purpose in mind, to engineer a new breed to suit a specific need.
Mixed-breed dogs are normally no better or worse than purebred dogs with regard to temperament and physiology. Keep in mind that a mixed-breed dog is simply the product of purebred animals. There is no process occurring that would make mixed-breed dogs far better or far worse than purebreds. Some people insist that mixed breeds are hardier than purebreds because they come from a larger gene pool, but this is not generally true. If today’s mixed breeds were farther removed from their purebred ancestors – say, ten or twenty generations – there might be validity to that claim. But this is not the case. The vast majority of mixed breeds had a purebred parent or grandparent and will therefore approximate their physiology and temperament, albeit with some minor and often interesting variations.
Mixed-breed dogs are always available, unlike purebreds, which often require a search and then a waiting period. Shelters in this country are filled with mixed breeds of all ages, as a result of the irresponsibility of owners. They are also very affordable, usually costing only the price of altering, licensing, and vaccinations. Purebred dogs on the other hand can cost anywhere from three hundred dollars for a pet-quality puppy of a popular breed to well over a thousand dollars for a large or rare show-quality dog. In addition, if you get a mixed breed through a shelter, you will most likely be provided with some educational material, and you may also be given an opportunity to enroll in an obedience class.
There are drawbacks to acquiring a mixed breed dog, however. It is hard to predict the size that a mixed breed pup will attain when fully grown. In a year you could end up with a two-hundred-pound pet. Even more important, you will usually know little or nothing about the dog’s history or breeding. Was the dog abused? Hit by a car? What were his parent and litter-mates like?