Shorkie - Perfect Small Mix Companion

---

The popularity of mixed dog breeds is very well known, and one of these popular crossbreeds is the Shorkie. Shorkie is a Shih Tzu Yorkshire Terrier mix, and it is a cute little companion dog. However, Shorkies are hybrids, and there are some things future owners should know about them.

What is a Shorkie?

A Shorkie is a small companion dog that came to life when dog breeders decided to crossbreed two popular companion breeds - Shih Tzu and Yorkshire Terrier. Both of these breeds are adorable family dogs that make great pets for single owners and families with kids. However, unlike the parent breeds, Shorkies don’t pass a constant set of characteristics. Their looks and temperament will be determined by which part of the Shorkie family has more dominant genes.

Image Source

Origin

Many popular crossbreeds and hybrids came to life in the US, where breeders like to experiment with creating new breeds and crossbreeds. Unlike many of them, the careful and intentional crossing between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih Tzu started in the United Kingdom. That is where this breed is still very popular. They were called by many names, and some of these names include Yorkie Tzu and Shorkie Tzu.

The intentional crossing of the two pureblooded breeds started in the early 2000s, making them one of the youngest popular crossbreeds in the world. Some popular small crossbreeds are Maltipoo, Havapoo, Yorkiepoo, and Cockapoo. The idea behind creating such crossbreeds was the creation of ideal small companions that would barely shed. That is why so many Poodle crossbreeds there are. However, there are breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier that also barely shed.

Physical characteristics of the Shorkie

Like with many other crossbreeds, the exact physical characteristics of the Shorkie are not set in stone. When you think about pureblooded puppies, you can be pretty sure what they will look like. When it comes to crossbreeds, you can never be absolutely sure.

The exact physical characteristics of the Shorkie will be determined by the dominant genes from one side of the family. The puppy can end up with long, silky hair like the Yorkie or a thick coat typical of the Shih Tzu breed. Based on the Shorkies produced so far, we can determine most of them are between 6 and 14 inches tall and weigh 7 - 15 pounds. They have medium-long coats that barely shed.

It is important to remember that not all Shorkies will have the same characteristics. Since they are crossbreeds, puppies from the same litter can be very different.

Image Source

Temperament

The temperament of every single Shorkie puppy can end up very different. The same issue remains; knowing which parent breed will have more dominant genes is impossible. Yorkies are more energetic than Shih Tzus, so the new Shorkie puppy can be active or more relaxed. However, based on Shorkies we have observed so far, here are some of their most dominant temperament traits;

Watchdogs

These dogs are small, so they will not guard you that well. However, they are also very alert and aware of their surroundings. They will undoubtedly let you know if anything suspicious is going on in their surroundings. Like Yorkies, these dogs are keen to greet everyone loudly; in fact, they can be prone to obsessive barking.

Joyful

We can use many words that have a similar meaning to joyful; friendly, happy, jubilant… But the best one to use to describe these dogs is joyful. They love having company and playing with the kids in their family. They are always happy to see other dogs in the park and family and friends at home. They look like they were designed to be happy-go-lucky dogs.

Image Source

Challenging to train

Most Shorkies are challenging to train. They have a short attention span and prefer to act on their impulses rather than on command. They can be trainable, but that depends on each puppy and the combination of their inherited genes. Many owners think small dogs don’t need training, but that is untrue. Small dogs like this one need to be trained. They need to be socialized because that is the only way you can ensure your puppy grows up in a well-behaved dog.

Health issues

One of the most significant issues with crossbreeds is that they are prone to health issues from both sides of the family. Some breeders claim that crossbreeds are healthier than pureblooded dogs, but that is nothing other than a marketing claim to make you buy a dog from them. The truth is you can only produce a healthy dog is to breed two healthy parents. Since Shorkies are not a registered dog breed, there is no kennel club that controls the quality of breeding dogs used for Shorkie production. Here are some health issues that vets noticed in this young crossbreed;

• Respiratory problems
• Spinal disc disease
• Lens luxation
• Glaucoma
• Hypoglycemia
• Brachycephalic airway syndrome
• Congenital liver disease
• Dental disease

Image Source

Shorkie puppy

If you want a Shorkie puppy, we advise you to look in shelters and rescue organizations. Buying a crossbred puppy is challenging, especially one that is uncommon. However, if you are adamant about buying a Shorkie puppy, you should ask existing owners for recommendations. You should know that the average price of a Shorkie puppy is $500-$1.200. However, puppies whose parents have good pedigrees might be a bit more expensive.

Cover Image Source

World Dog Finder team