News24 | Storm in a (Yorkie) teacup: Consumer fights to get money back after tiny dog grows too big

A teacup Yorkie puppy, literally in a cup.

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How small is a teacup Yorkshire terrier?

The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) had to weigh this issue following the complaint by a consumer that she’d overspent on her puppy, which, in her view, outgrew its teacup status. It ended up being “not as small as she had expected”.

This was not the consumer’s only complaint about the breeder, but it was arguably the most interesting.

The complaint was dismissed by the ARB’s directorate in 2025, but the consumer appealed. The advertising appeals committee also dismissed the complaint on 13 January 2026.

While the breeder is identified in the ARB’s rulings, the consumer is not (the pronouns “she” and “her” are used). Since both findings were in favour of the breeder — saying there was no misleading advertising — the decision was taken not to name them here.

But the ruling does raise the question: How small is small?

The Kennel Union of South Africa’s (KUSA’s) “breed standard” for Yorkshire terriers are that they weigh up to 3.2 kg. There is no minimum weight, and there is no separate listing for other sizes. Yorkshires fall into the category of “toy terriers” and are viewed as companion dogs. The breed originated in England in the 19th Century, bred to catch rats in mines and textile mills, according to the Yorkie Info Center. KUSA is the official dog registry in southern Africa, and also regulates dog shows and dog sports like agility and dog dancing.

Looking at websites and social media pages advertising Yorkshire terriers, it becomes clear that there is a lot of nitpicking about Yorkies’ sizes. Apart from “teacup” Yorkies, terms like “pocket-size”, “miniature” and “micro” are used – but very few dare to actually attach a weight measure to these terms.

One breeder does show weights, but indicates a possible overlap in the measurements, saying a miniature Yorkie is any dog smaller than 1.8kg, a teacup is smaller than 1.2kg, and pocket-size is between 1kg and 1.5kg.

The size was not just a question of cuteness for the complainant. In the case of dogs, the smaller it is, the more expensive it is.

Yorkies are already a fairly expensive breed, with prices advertised higher than R5 000, but the smaller the dog, the higher the price can go, with R8 500 mentioned in an exchange between the breeder and the complainant.

Interestingly, the consumer declined the offer to return her puppy for a full refund. She only wanted a refund for “the portion which she believed she overpaid”. (Kudos to the puppy for crawling with not-tiny-enough feet into her heart.)

The consumer argued that the designations “function as price signals without adequate explanation”, meaning in her view it contravenes the Code of Advertising Practice’s clauses on “misleading claims”.

The breeder – and other local breeders concur – says the designation “teacup” is an “informal descriptor rather than a guaranteed weight category”, and “prices depend on lineage, veterinary fees and other associated costs rather than size alone”.

The directorate had previously noted: “There are no formal pricing guidelines for breeders in South Africa, and breeders determine pricing as they deem appropriate.”

And so, the weighty issue was put to bed.