Teacup Australian Shepherd Guide: Size, Price & More!

The Teacup Australian Shepherd (AKA Teacup Aussie) is the smallest version of the Australian Shepherd. They are an extremely cute dog breed, often featuring beautifully patterned coats. These traits paired with their loyal, intelligent and affectionate temperament are some of the reasons why they are so popular.

If you are interested in Teacup Australian Shepherds keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: @explore.with.aussies

Table of Contents

What Is A Teacup Australian Shepherd?

A Teacup Australian Shepherd is the smallest Australian Shepherd size. The “teacup” size is not an officially recognized size by kennel clubs however breeders do create them. This means that you cannot register them in most dog clubs. Most breeders call the size that is smaller than the Mini Australian Shepherd either “teacup” or “toy”. The terms are interchangeable as Teacup Australian Shepherds are the same size as Toy Australian Shepherds. It’s slightly more common for breeders to call this size “Toy Australian Shepherds” than “Teacup Australian Shepherds”.

How Are Teacup Australian Shepherds Created?

Teacup Australian Shepherds were originally created by breeding two Mini Australian Shepherds on the smaller size together until they consistently produced an even smaller dog size. This smaller dog was called the Teacup Australian Shepherd or Toy Australian Shepherd.

Unfortunately, the runts often have health issues are defects which is why they are so small to start with. This breeding practice is therefore quite unethical as Teacup Aussies often inherit health issues or suffer from them due to their exceptionally small size. That’s why there is so much debate about how ethical teacup breeds are.

If you are considering to get one, do thorough research into the health issues Teacup Aussies face and think twice before purchasing one as there is a lot of debate about how ethical it is to breed and own these teeny-tiny dogs. Often, the Australian Shepherds that are selected for breedings are smaller than normal because of a medical condition or a birth defect, leading to further health risks with each successive generation.

The Appeal Of Teacup Aussies

Besides Teacup Australian Shepherds being extremely cute there are a lot of perceived advantages of owning a Teacup dog. Some reasons include:

Teacup Australian Shepherds require less exercise as they have lower energy levels than the larger sizes of the breed.
Teacup Teacup Australian Shepherds take up less space so they are more suited to apartment living.
Teacup Australian Shepherds eat less as they are so small which can keep yearly costs down.
Teacup Australian Shepherd shed less hair than the average Australian Shepherd due to their smaller size.

The Disadvantages Of Teacup Aussies

In more cases than not the disadvantages of owning a Teacup Australian Shephed outweigh the advantages. This is because:

Teacup Australian Shepherds are at a high risk of developing serious health issues.
Teacup Australian Shepherds have more vet bills over their lives compared to the average dog.
Teacup Australian Shepherds can easily get hurt as they are sometimes quite fragile.
Teacup Australian Shepherds are more expensive than larger sizes of Australian Shepherd.
Teacup Australian Shepherds are not suited to families with children as they can accidentally get hurt.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Characteristics

Teacup Australian Shepherd Characteristics
Size	10 to 14 inches (25.4cm to 35.6cm) tall.
Weight	12 to 17 pounds (5.4kg to 7.7kg).
Temperament	Loyal, affectionate, eager to please.
Activity Levels	Moderate to high.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	10 to 12 years.
Coat	Double coat.
Eyes	Brown.
Shedding	Moderate to heavy.
Apartment Adaptability	Can live in an apartment if given enough exercise daily.
Good with Children	Yes.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Price

How Much Are Teacup Australian Shepherds?

Teacup Australian Shepherds cost between $3000USD and $4000USD. They are the most expensive Australian Shepherd size as they are quite rare and take a long time to breed. Note that Teacup Australian Shepherds are the same size as Toy Australian Shepherds.

teacup aussie — Teacup Australian Shepherd via @bubbabear2022

Teacup Australian Shepherd Size

How Big Do Teacup Australian Shepherds Get?

A Teacup Australian Shepherd gets to a height of 10 to 14 inches (25.4cm to 35.6cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs between 12 and 17 pounds (5.4kg to 7.7kg). They reach their full adult size around 10 months of age. They are the same size as Toy Australian Shepherds.

There can be a lot of variation in the Teacup Australian Shepherd size as it is not a recognised size. It is up to the breeder to determine what they consider to be a “teacup” sized dog. That is why it is best to ask the breeder what the average size their Teacup Australian Shepherds are when they are fully grown.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Appearance

Blue Merle Teacup Australian Shepherd

A Blue Merle Teacup Australian Shepherds have blue, grey, white and tan coats in a distinct mottled pattern. They would have originally had a solid black coat but the merle gene diluted it into mottled patches. The merle gene also affects eye color and skin pigmentation on the nose and paws. This means that Merle Australian Shepherds often have very light eye colors such as blue and often have pink patches on their nose and paws.

Red Merle Teacup Australian Shepherd

Red Merle Teacup Australian Shepherds feature a mottled coat with red, copper, beige and white patches. The merle gene may also result in them having blue eyes and areas of their skin that lacks pigmentation. Red Merle Teacup Australian Shepherds look similar to Blue Merle Teacup Australian Shepherds except they would have originally had a red (liver) base coat instead of a black one.

Red Tri Teacup Australian Shepherd

Red Tri Teacup Australian Shepherds feature solid red, white and copper patches in their coat. The majority of their coat is red and they feature a large white patch on their chest and front legs as well as a smaller white patches over their muzzle and between their eyes. Their back legs may also feature white, especially on their paws. They feature small copper patches on the sides of their muzzle, above their eyes and in places where their red coat transitions to white.

Black Tri Teacup Australian Shepherd

Black Tri Teacup Australian Shepherds feature a mainly black coat with tan and white patches on their belly, chest, legs and face. The tan patches are usually featured on the sides of their muzzle, above their eyes and in places where their black coat transitions to white. This coat pattern looks very similar to the typical coat of a Bernese Mountain Dog.

Red Teacup Australian Shepherd

Red Teacup Australian Shepherds feature a solid red coat which can range from a light copper to a dark reddish-brown. There are no other colors in their coat. Red Teacup Australian Shepherds have light brown noses and light brown or hazel eyes. Red is one of the rarest coat colors for Teacup Australian Shepherds.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Lifespan

Teacup Australian Shepherds live for 10 to 12 years however some live even longer. Even though there is the general rule that smaller dogs live longer, Teacup Australian Shepherds have a slightly short life expectancy that the Miniature Aussie as they are more likely to suffer health issues due to their incredibly small size and the fact that they are often unethically bred.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Temperament

Teacup Australian Shepherds are an extremely loyal and affectionate dog breed. They can be quite shy around new people but once they get to know them they are much more outgoing. Teacup Australian Shepherds are very eager to please and also very intelligent which makes them quite an easy dog to train.

They really like to be kept busy and would rather take on a job or activity than lounge around at home all day. Their small size may be deceptive as they are in no way a couch potato. Teacup Aussies have very high energy levels.

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Teacup Australian Shepherd Puppies

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Teacup Australian Shepherd Shedding

Do Teacup Australian Shepherds Shed?

Teacup Australian Shepherds shed a moderate amount throughout the years and heavily twice a year during seasonal shedding when they lose their undercoat. The heavy shedding lasts for 2 to 3 weeks during spring and autumn. You should brush a Teacup Australian Shepherds every week to reduce their shedding.

The best brush for Teacup Australian Shepherds is a slicker brush as well as an undercoat rake. An undercoat rake is especially useful during seasonal shedding times as it helps them dislodge loose hairs in their undercoat.

Are Teacup Australian Shepherds Hypoallergenic?

Teacup Australian Shepherds are not hypoallergenic as they produce a moderate amount of dander which irritates allergy sufferers. They are moderate to heavy shedders depending on the time of year which is why they drop lots of dander throughout the year.

A similar dog breed that is hypoallergenic is the Toy Aussiedoodle as the Poodle has been introduced into the lineage. The reason why Aussiedoodles were bred was to retain the temperament of an Australian Shepherd but have the low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat of the Poodle.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Grooming

Teacup Australian Shepherds do not need haircuts. They are a double coated dog breed that sheds throughout the year and also seasonally. They don’t need to go to the groomer to get their hair trimmed. This is why they are such a low maintenance dog breed!

Like all dog breeds, Teacup Australian Shepherds need regular brushing, nail clipping and need to be bathed every few months. Teacup Australian Shepherds should have a bath every three to four months. Bathing them too frequently will lead to dry, irritated skin.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Training

Teacup Australian Shepherds are very easy to train as they are so smart and eager to please their owners. They are always very motivated to learn new tricks and skills. The best training method for Teacup Australian Shepherds is positive reinforcement training with treats or their favorite toys or treats.

When training your dog it is important to use positive reinforcement techniques as dogs repeat good behavior when it is followed by a reward such as a treat or their favorite toy. Clicker training is another type of positive reinforcement training that is a good method for learning new tricks. You use a clicker device so your dog can associate a new behavior with a click and then a reward.

Teacup Australian Shepherd Exercise Needs

Teacup Australian Shepherds are smaller than Standard Australian Shepherds so they don’t need as much exercise each day but that does not mean that they don’t need anything. Despite their small size, Tecaup Australian Shepherds are still a high energy dog and need between 30 minutes and an hour of exercise each day. Teacup Australian Shepherds enjoy going on walks, running and playing games. Mental exercise is also required so they don’t get bored and destructive.