Teacup yorky is a controversial term.

Many yorky lovers will tell you that teacup yorky is always used in reference to backyard breeders. Backyard breeders, also somewhat synonymous to puppy mills, are unethical yorky breeders who are greedy money grubbers. Such breeders breed runts of yorky litters until they create a yorky that will not reach 3 pounds when full grown.

A Teacup yorkie is not always bred by the unethical.

However, teacup yorky is a term that is also used not in reference to small and unhealthy yorkys but also used to describe cute yorkys. The literal meaning of teacup yorky would be a yorky that actually fits into a teacup, although this really does sound unethical! I would never want to see a yorky forced to sit in a teacup. Actually, when I do see pictures of yorkys in teacups I wince. Its just not right!

If only those unethical breeders would stop breeding yorkys so small teacup yorky may not have such a bad stigma. I think there is nothing wrong with the term as long as it is used not in the literal sense. Teacup yorky can be used to refer the extra cute yorkie!