Not everyone is enamored with the prospect of miniaturizing toy dogs through selective breeding, and the AKC refuses to officially recognize the "teacup" size.
"When the breeders make the dogs smaller than they should be, you start running into problems," said AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson.
"Just say a Maltese is supposed to be six pounds (2.7kg) and you try to breed one that is two pounds (1kg), then how do you fit all the teeth and the organs into a dog that small?" she said.
Mini mutts also require a substantial outlay on accessories, with owners
advised against carrying them in their normal handbags because of the risk of suffocation.
American Kennels and other stores now boast XXXS sections, with special handbag-sized dog carriers, as well as collars the size of a woman's bracelet, some of them encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
No fashion slouch himself, Bibi actually has three carrying bags -- one for summer, one for winter and one "for special occasions" -- as well as a selection of a half-dozen changes of clothing.
But despite Bibi's all-enveloping fur, Chan does draw the line at hairpins.
"Because he's a boy," she insists.
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