# So, What Weight is Considered a Tiny .....



## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

say, how many pounds and under, please.

Or, to put it another way, those crooked, lying breeders who try to flog runts and tinies etc. off as "TeaCups", what weight would they be fully grown, for example.

I'm trying to figure out what's a Tiny Chi (when I see ads saying, "too small to show or breed with" or "Adult TeaCup" or "Teeny, weeny adult" etc. etc. So, what do Americans & UK, Europe etc. consider to be tinies. 

Then "average" ..... what is considered average and, then, of course what is considered on the "heavy" side of the scale.


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## Buildthemskywards (Jun 16, 2012)

I read that a show chihuahua should be between 4 and 6 pounds.


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## LittleGemma (Apr 1, 2012)

I'd imagine a "tiny" would be anywhere around 3lbs and below. I'm going to add an extra category and say small would be 3-4lbs. I think average would be around 4-6lbs, and heavy is anywhere over 6. That's just my opinion and what I've seen with breeders that advertise "tiny, teacup, micro, etc..." Chis. Here when they advertise tinies, they usually say how big they're estimated to be as adults, even though it's really impossible for them to know so early.


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## LeStatKelly (Aug 25, 2011)

When I take LeStat anywhere everyone thinks he's 'tiny'....

Even pedigree chi breeders are astonished at how small he is. Mind you they also say he's a pedigree when I know he's not!
He now weighs between 2lbs 8ozs and 2lbs 15ozs but I've not managed to get him up to 3lbs yet and he's 2 years and 1 month old now.

He's not a pedigree and his mother is a tiny jrt.

Most chi's in the UK that I've seen, other than show types, have been around the 9-10lb mark, some a lot bigger and still considered very small, until this 'tiny chi cross' designer dog thing got over here.


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## Wicked Pixie (Oct 14, 2011)

Most people think Bambi is tiny, we get asked if she is a Teacup a lot. I would consider her an average size, she is 4 and a half pounds, but lean and muscular. A lot of pet Chi's are much bigger, I don't know any as small as our two.
Most show dogs are much smaller than Bambi, I would say around 3lbs. Genuine 'tinies' would be well under 3 lbs IMO, so LeStat and LS's Bella sized.


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

I consider tiny 3 lbs. and below.

My Eden (they'll be weighed at vet today) fluctuates between 3.2 and 3.6 and she seems tiny because she is built so daintily. Hope is just 3.8 but is much sturdier and muscular so does not looks as "fragile".

Ruby tops us out at 4.0 yet everyone always tells us how "tiny" the girls are in person, especially if they are a Facebook friend and then meet them. 

We have a lot of overweight, sausage bodied Chis here and my girls are certainly tiny/lean by comparison. You will also see people reporting how "itty bitty" or "tiny" a dog is in a listing and then you read that she is just 3 pounds at 10 weeks. That is going to be an average to higher end of standard Chi but you are right-they will do anything for a buck. There are idiots here who will later sell or rehome a Chi because it got too big (and it is like 6-8 pounds). We meet people who have a 4 month old Chi who will assure me that they are full grown because that is what the breeder told them. Lot of scam artists.


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## Brodysmom (Jan 8, 2009)

I agree with everyone. I think a 'tiny' would be 3 pounds and under. Small would be in the 3-4 pound category. Average would be 5-6. Large would be anything over 6 pounds. Having said that, MOST of the chi's I see around here are large or even giant (over 8 pounds). It's rare to see one of average chi size in this area. So when you do see one, or we are out with Brody, people stop and say how little he is. When he is really just very average (just a shade over 5 pounds at 4 years). 

This is a different spin but there are MANY chi's who could very likely be in the average category but their parents overfeed and they are obese. A 5 pound frame does not do well carrying 10 pounds, but I see it all the time. The poor fat chi's waddling around and panting with exertion. Yet their owners are giving them treats every time they turn around. To me that is a real shame. And there is nobody to blame except the owners.


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## Mona Lisa's Smile (Mar 16, 2012)

Most show breeders won't breed a female if she's not 4 lbs. ....greeders....well they might breed any size dog to make $.


Mona Lisa was sold as a pet originally because she was deemed too small to breed. She is 8 months old and just hit 2.9 lbs. (her breeder is letting me show her for the fun of it and she knows I'd never try to breed her). Her mother, Moma Mia is a hefty 5 lbs.

Males, on the other hand can be smaller.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

I have heard people say that they have a "teacup" chihuahua that is only going to be 5 pounds. I would guess that a "tiny" chi would be about 3 lbs or under.. Honestly, I couldn't imagine having a dog that small. My dogs are "giant"  Chis(6.5 and 8 lbs), and they are still
small to me!


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## Kurukulla (Sep 26, 2011)

missy_r said:


> I have heard people say that they have a "teacup" chihuahua that is only going to be 5 pounds. I would guess that a "tiny" chi would be about 3 lbs or under.. Honestly, I couldn't imagine having a dog that small. My dogs are "giant"  Chis(6.5 and 8 lbs), and they are still
> small to me!


Love Penny & Lion!!!!

I personally dont think weight comes into it.. you can have 2 5lb dogs and they look totally different sizes.. you cannot eye weight unfortunately.

The 'pet' dogs ive seen locally are always very big and not very typey.. to the point i question if they are chihuahuas at all. My Parents have seen a few chis and always comment how they dont look anything like a chi should.

I have a 4lb 5oz bitch, 5lb bitch and 6lb bitch (whos on a diet should be 5.5) and a boy who will be lucky to make 4lb adult. My 4lb 5oz bitch is not that uch smaller than my 5lb bitch but they are totally different in bone density so look different.

But id say anything under 4lb is tiny.. and anything over 6.5lb is big i dont personally like anything under 4lb.. 5-6lb is ideal for me!!


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Brodysmom said:


> ...
> This is a different spin but there are MANY chi's who could very likely be in the average category but their parents overfeed and they are obese. A 5 pound frame does not do well carrying 10 pounds, but I see it all the time. The poor fat chi's waddling around and panting with exertion. Yet their owners are giving them treats every time they turn around. To me that is a real shame. And there is nobody to blame except the owners.



Could not agree more! 

It is extremely upsetting to see obese dogs, they have no say in the matter.
Dogs are active creatures, without exercise and balanced nutrition they do
not get to perform at their full potential, they do not get to live their lives to
the fullest. Not to mention the amount of health problems that obesity causes.


And Dee, I have the perfect examples of the two opposites, Bella is tiny at 2.1
lbs and Chanel is a giant at 8 lbs. I think an in-between size would be absolutely
ideal for a Chi. 8 lbs is still a small dog, although not up to the Chi standard, but
the 2 lbs is simply too fragile imo. What's sad is many dogs that size come with 
a million health issues as well. Personally an ideal Chi in my mind is around 4-6 lbs.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Toby is just over 5 pounds, and he is definitely the perfect size! 

In my mind:
A tiny Chi is anything up to 3 pounds.
A small Chi is anything up to 5 pounds. 
An average Chi is 5-6 pounds. 
A large Chi is anything over breed standard (>6 lbs)


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

I agree with the catagories, too. I have people come up to me and ask how old Twiggy is, thinking she is a puppy. When I tell them she's three, they practically accuse me of lying. Then I get the teacup thing. And they are always calling Pepe a teacup and he's 4 pounds, 7 oz. But we have thousands of chis here and I've seen maybe ten that are within the size recommendations. Most are a lot bigger.


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Here too Pam, most Chis are large. Not just overweight, but taller and longer
than the standard. I blame the puppy mills, we are the puppy mill capital
unfortunately. Lots of BYBs too.


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## pupluv168 (Mar 7, 2012)

Here, too. I rarely see a Chi here that is standard. It took me forever to find a reputable breeder whose dams and sires were all within standard!


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## Lindsayj (Apr 18, 2012)

I agree that different dogs can be so different. Chloe is 3.4 pounds right now. She's not full grown, but she's old enough that she doesn't have that puppy look about her anymore. (to me at least) People think she's a tiny baby and are surprised to hear she's almost 5 months. She's built very thin though, so she comes across very little. We almost always get the teacup question any time we're out in public. My boyfriend and I joke about it and keep a tally of how many times we're asked. It just gets frustrating. I would agree with Ashley's idea of the categories though.


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## 20887 (Mar 16, 2011)

Kurukulla said:


> Love Penny & Lion!!!!
> 
> I personally dont think weight comes into it.. you can have 2 5lb dogs and they look totally different sizes.. you cannot eye weight unfortunately.
> 
> ...


That is very true... Penny is the heavier one, and she looks smaller than Lion! She is very stocky and long. 


Most of the chihuahuas I see in my area are fairly large and non-standard. They look like the "Taco-Bell" dog. I can tell that most people don't really know what a chihuahua looks like, because people ask me all of the time what my dogs are! I know they aren't exactly to standard, but to me they are pretty close.


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

I am one of the people who feel that weight does not tell you much at all, you can have a 3 pound Chihuahua that is deer headed, long and tall and looks quite large to the eye!
I think a true "tiny" is just that, visually very petite, you know it when you see it because trust me they are NOT that common (not where I live anyhow) there are a few dogs on this board that fit that description. One of my dogs measures 8 inches from neck to tail, look at that on a ruler and you'll see what I mean, that is tiny. Even a visually tiny dog can weight more than it looks! you just cannot tell these things always by pictures. I get asked if my dog is a teacup all the time, I just chuckle.


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## Jennmay (Dec 31, 2011)

People ask me if Holly is a teacup all the time. I say no just a Chi on the smaller side. She is 2lbs. She is very petite. Zoe on the other hand is larger. She weighs 10lbs but I am not sure if she is mixed or pure breed. Sometimes i think she is mixed with a dachshund. But for tiny I would say under 3lbs full grown.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

KittyD said:


> I am one of the people who feel that weight does not tell you much at all, you can have a 3 pound Chihuahua that is deer headed, long and tall and looks quite large to the eye!
> I think a true "tiny" is just that, visually very petite, you know it when you see it because trust me they are NOT that common (not where I live anyhow) there are a few dogs on this board that fit that description. One of my dogs measures 8 inches from neck to tail, look at that on a ruler and you'll see what I mean, that is tiny. Even a visually tiny dog can weight more than it looks! you just cannot tell these things always by pictures. I get asked if my dog is a teacup all the time, I just chuckle.


I was curious to see how long Twiggy was, I had never meaured her before, so I measured her. She's a bit of a wiggle worm, scared of everything, but nearest I could tell she's about 7 1/4 to 7 1/2 inches. long.


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## sugarbaby (Dec 21, 2009)

dont see many small chi's around here either most that i have seen that dont belong to friends are huge ,alot bigger than my Myami , she is 6lb and heavy built ,i think if i didnt watch what she ate she would end up quite overweight , Keona is 4.7lb and i would have to say there isnt many i have seen as small as her around here , im always getting asked if she is a teacup or a puppy , i travelled quite a distance for my girls which is the only time i have ever seen tiny tiny Chihuahuas , the breeder had a few tiny chi's but they weren't used for breeding , i often see adds from backyard breeders claiming they have teeny tiny's and half the time the pics are taken when the puppies are only about 4 weeks old .


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Wow, the answers in here are answering every question I had as well as a whole lot of others, ladies, you're all brilliant!!!!

I have to agree with Bella, out here in Australia the average people's pet Chi and a show/breeding Chi are worlds apart in looks, weight, bone structure etc. and I personally think that may be because of the amount of back yard breeding that's been going on for many decades over here. 

Maybe I'm wrong, but I tend to think that in this country it's always been a case of it's only the "newly introduced breeds" that remain very close to overseas standards UNTIL every Tom, **** & Harry jump on the bandwagon when it becomes super popular and start breeding indiscriminately i.e. Chi's, Poodles, little white, fluffy lapdogs of any breed, Rotties, Mastiffs, they become a free for all. 

Equally there are many breeds the backyarders never seem to bother to get their hands on to mess with standards, modify to suit public whim or actively cross-breed i.e. Schnauzers, Samoyeds, any of the Bulldogs etc. are just a few that spring to mind.


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## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

I agree with the other posters.. under 3 is a tiny, 3-4 is small, 5-6 is average, and over 6 is over the breed standard.

Izzie is just under 4 lbs and EVERYONE freaks out about how small she is and if she is Bella's puppy, or if she is a teacup Chi. No one believes they are sisters, let alone littermates. I always get asked if she will get any bigger, how something so small can be alive, etc. If only those ppl could see some of the Chis on here!

On the other hand, Bella is 8 lbs, and she never gets any love or attention from strangers. Everyone thinks she's Izzie's mama. Poor Bells.

ETA- I have seen a couple adult Chis in my area that are 2-3 lbs tho. At Petsmart and at the dog park. I have seen a few decent typey Chis around, but mostly they are Chi mixes or prolly from BYB.


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

svdreamer said:


> I was curious to see how long Twiggy was, I had never meaured her before, so I measured her. She's a bit of a wiggle worm, scared of everything, but nearest I could tell she's about 7 1/4 to 7 1/2 inches. long.


Yep she's about the same length as my guy, so really quite small! is she tall? my small guy is very short.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

KittyD said:


> Yep she's about the same length as my guy, so really quite small! is she tall? my small guy is very short.


It will take about three people to try to measure her height, she thinks the tape measure is going to eat her. But I think she is a bit more leggy than standard. Once my daughter gets off the computer, I will try to measure her.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Ok, I had my daughter try to hold her as I measured her. Near as I can tell, she is 6 and 3/8 inches high. No way I could measure her and take a pic. lol She was in full "mom, that's going to eat me" mode.


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## KittyD (Apr 2, 2010)

So funny! mine hate the tape measure as well haha that's the little one who was hit by a car or something right? she has the hip injury? poor little thing.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

Yeah, she was run over by her former owners new caddie and was never taken to the vet. She mostly gets around on three legs. But she is the boss of the dog room, a real diva. They are tougher than most people think.


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

AussieLass and Sugarbaby - I've only ever seen 1 adult chi here that is smaller than my adult Chi's (both now about 2.5kg or 5lb, Chloe just had a growth spurt and is now probably a smidge bigger than her brother) and she was only 1.6kg or 3.5lb. The rest would be 3-5 kg.


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

'Tis as I suspected Sarah, our Aussie models are predominantly much bigger & beefier than those overseas, sadly. The National Chi show is being held in Qld. this year, August so I'm going to go along to that and spend the w/end looking and learning, comparing etc.

I actually want to take my very motley crew along for some extraordinary socialisation, but how embarrassing walking around with 4 x misbehavin' bushpigs lmao.


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## LeStatKelly (Aug 25, 2011)

Wicked Pixie said:


> Most people think Bambi is tiny, we get asked if she is a Teacup a lot. I would consider her an average size, she is 4 and a half pounds, but lean and muscular. A lot of pet Chi's are much bigger, I don't know any as small as our two.
> Most show dogs are much smaller than Bambi, I would say around 3lbs. Genuine 'tinies' would be well under 3 lbs IMO, so LeStat and LS's Bella sized.


When people ask me if LeStat is 'teacup' I always ask which orifice they would like todrink from....lol



Brodysmom said:


> I agree with everyone. I think a 'tiny' would be 3 pounds and under. Small would be in the 3-4 pound category. Average would be 5-6.
> This is a different spin but there are MANY chi's who could very likely be in the average category but their parents overfeed and they are obese. A 5 pound frame does not do well carrying 10 pounds, but I see it all the time. The poor fat chi's waddling around and panting with exertion. Yet their owners are giving them treats every time they turn around. To me that is a real shame. And there is nobody to blame except the owners.


I agree most of the pet chi's I see are overweight as well. My sisters is! She doesn't really overfeed him though I think he's just prone to being a bit on the bigger side.



svdreamer said:


> I agree with the catagories, too. I have people come up to me and ask how old Twiggy is, thinking she is a puppy. When I tell them she's three, they practically accuse me of lying. Then I get the teacup thing. And they are always calling Pepe a teacup and he's 4 pounds, 7 oz. But we have thousands of chis here and I've seen maybe ten that are within the size recommendations. Most are a lot bigger.


Every time we go out someone asks me how old my 'chi puppy' is! Considering he's a x breed and 2 years old now it gets a bit old having to explain it all the time. Also if I've got the rottie out as well it makes him look even smaller!

I'd love to see another tiny chi in person so that I can actually gauge whether LeStat is as small as I perceive him to be as I've never seen a dog as small as him in person! Other than a 9 week old chi puppy I once saw who's owner thought LeStat was younger than her puppy!


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

> 'Tis as I suspected Sarah, our Aussie models are predominantly much bigger & beefier than those overseas, sadly. The National Chi show is being held in Qld. this year, August so I'm going to go along to that and spend the w/end looking and learning, comparing etc.
> 
> I actually want to take my very motley crew along for some extraordinary socialisation, but how embarrassing walking around with 4 x misbehavin' bushpigs lmao


That's cool! You will get to see Winnie's dad and auntie. Please take lots of pics! I'm planning to go to Melbourne show this year to look at the Chi's. Your babies are not bushpigs!!! They are little sweeties. BTW we need updated pics now you have Midge. I know it's a bother but come on, its been ages since you put up pics and we all helped you to decide to get Midge so you owe us!!!


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

Well, if you put it that way, I guess I can't argue with that can it ... rolls eyes, and wonders where fresh batteries are, oh what about a memory stick .... a camera would be good ..... sigh. I'm the world's WORST photographer, I'll make them look even worse than they are lol.


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## OzChi (Oct 26, 2011)

excuses, excuses...


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## ~LS~ (Oct 29, 2011)

Dee, don't make us beg!


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## AussieLass (Mar 1, 2012)

I found the memory stick and the stash of batteries. Not sure if they're charged fully so will go and do that now. However, what I can't find is the bleedin' camera! I even cleared the dining table of ALL dog clothing that I bought from Aunty Elaine way, way back, misc stuff etc & hung up all their harnesses, collars where they belong but, alas no camera under any of it. :foxes15:


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