Content
- Origin of Shorkie
- Shorkie Features
- Shorkie colors
- Shorkie's puppy
- Shorkie personality
- Shorkie care
- Shorkie's education
- Shorkie's health
- Adopting a Shorkie
In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about a fascinating breed of dog, whose recent appearance justifies that it's still not as popular as it should be. We are talking about Shorkie dog, does that name sound familiar to you? You might think it looks like "yorkie", and it's not without reason, because this is a crossbreed breed that arose from the cross between a Shih-tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier, resulting in a toy-sized puppy with a personality that is everything , less small. Do you want to get to know this new and curious breed better? Read and discover all the Shorkie features.
Source- America
- U.S
- Slender
- provided
- short paws
- short ears
- toy
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- Giant
- 15-35
- 35-45
- 45-55
- 55-70
- 70-80
- more than 80
- 1-3
- 3-10
- 10-25
- 25-45
- 45-100
- 8-10
- 10-12
- 12-14
- 15-20
- Low
- Average
- High
- Strong
- Sociable
- Intelligent
- Active
- Dominant
- Kids
- floors
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Medium
- Long
- Thin
Origin of Shorkie
the Shorkies emerged at the beginning of the 21st century in the United States of America, where breeders decided to make controlled crosses between two iconic breeds, the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih-tzu. Although it is a very recent breed, there is certainly a lot to talk about, as it has incredible characteristics, some yet to be discovered, since they do not appear in a concrete way until a few generations have passed.
As such, the Shorkie comes from two well-known breeds, both considered toy breeds, as evidenced by their official standard set by the American Kennel Club (AKC), and famous also for their intelligence, open and friendly personality, and incredible build. These crossbred dogs are given other names, such as: Shorkie-tzu, Yorkie-tzu or Shih-tzu-yorkie mix.
Shorkie Features
Shorkie is a small dog, being classified as a toy race. In fact, when they are puppies, they barely reach a kilogram in weight, whereas an adult Shorkie is in the weight range. between 3 and 6 kg, and its height varies from 15 to 35 centimeters at the withers. This shows that there is a lot of variability, mainly due to the different genetic loads of each individual, with Yorkshire or Shih-tzu being predominant. Their life expectancy varies between 11 and 16 years.
These puppies have a somewhat different morphology from one to another, as they usually have a body image resulting from a mixture of Shih-tzu and Yorkshires in different proportions. In general, they have compact body, moderately developed musculature, thin and curved tail. As for your head, some specimens are brachycephalic, a characteristic shared with the Shih-tzu, while others look more like Yorkshires and lack this morphology. Anyway, its muzzle is thin and trimmed, with triangular ears bent forward and a dark nose.
The Shorkie's fur is medium long or pronounced, presenting an extremely touch. silky and very delicate. In some specimens, the typical two-layer structure of the Shih-tzu is inherited, with a woolly underlayer and a less dense upper layer. In these dogs, the thermal insulation is logically better than in those with only a coat of fur, especially in cold weather.
Shorkie colors
As in size, there is a considerable variability in Shorkie's coat color. The most frequent ones are: black, leonado, brown, blue, red and white, in all their combinations.
Shorkie's puppy
Shorkie's puppy has a sizevery small, because at 10 weeks of age it's very rare to reach a kilogram in weight. These little ones need a lot of attention, especially in relation to the company, as they are very sensitive, from an early age, to loneliness, requiring high doses of love and dedication. Especially when they are young, it is important to pay attention to their most basic education, trying to make them progressively adapt to the customs and times of their home, their dwelling and their possible companions, human or animal.
In this hybrid breed, it is vital to ensure a good hydration and nutrition because, due to the low percentage of body fat, they tend to develop hypoglycemia, something that can be avoided if they are well fed, without excesses, but without shortages. It is also essential to ensure sufficient rest as they grow and need to replenish their energy to properly develop their little organism, so naps are very important as they need to sleep most of the day to be healthy.
Shorkie personality
The personality that Shorkie specimens usually have is really impressive. They seem not to be aware of their small size as they have a powerful personality. Are tremendously impulsive and they don't tend to think too much about what they do, which can easily cause problems as they don't realize the dangers in time.
In general, they stand out for being very energetic, always looking to play with everything they see in motion and wanting attention from their human family. They are very affectionate and they love the pampering sessions and the attention they receive.
Continuing with the Shorkie puppies' personality, sometimes they can bark a lot, as well as the Yorkshires, especially when faced with noise, visitors or strangers, as they are a little suspicious of the latter. However, when people get to know him, they certainly form wonderful bonds with Shorkie, although he always tends to maintain a special bond with those he considers his reference person.
Shorkie care
In general, it is considered that puppies of the Shorkie breed require certain care to be in good condition, therefore, they are not the most suitable for people who do not have time or who do not want a very demanding breed in certain aspects. For example, because they are active dogs, they need to exercise daily to release their overflowing energy, so they require walks and hours of play. Also, this is vital to maintaining an adequate weight, as Shorkies tend to gain a lot of weight because they are very greedy and anxious about food. So, if they don't move, they tend to gain weight easily, which negatively affects their cardiovascular health.
As for the coat, it usually requires attention, and it needs to be brushed regularly to stay healthy and glowing. Specifically, brushing once a day is recommended, and this is the best way to keep your coat free of tangles and environmental dirt. Finally, we must highlight the importance of environmental enrichment, because they are energetic and playful dogs. Therefore, providing Shorkie with assorted toys and intelligence games is more than advised.
Shorkie's education
The Shorkie inherits its great personality from its parent races, which can make it stubborn and eager to get away with it. However, although this can make you lose patience with your training, it is possible to teach you, you just need to know which techniques are the most productive. For example, considering their gluttony, experts comment that, in this case, prizes like treats or food generally work very well. The same happens in most cases with toys or games, as this breed is very playful. In general, the most important is avoid punishment and aggression at all costs, because besides being something quite unpleasant for everyone, they do not produce the desired results, only making the animal show more obstinate and refuse to obey.
Some recommendations for Shorkie are: hold frequent but short sessions, less than half an hour, so they are more receptive; wear them out a little beforehand with games or walks to calm their nerves; find a quiet place, free from distractions such as sounds or movement; and base the entire session on affection and respect. As with all puppies, positive reinforcement is always the best way to train a Shorkie.
Shorkie's health
Yorkshires and Shih-tzu generally have a number of congenital, ie, hereditary and race-linked diseases due to their genetics. For example, in this article, we can read about the most frequent ailments of the Yorkshire Terrier in detail, including conditions such as cataracts or tracheal collapse.
However, as a hybrid dog, Shorkie generally has greater resistance to these diseases, which can affect it, but with a much lower incidence. Some of the illnesses that occur in Shorkies are oral and dental problems, the glaucoma and the respiratory syndrome associated with brachycephaly, in cases where the specimen has this morphology more similar to that of the Shih-tzu. It is also true that the breed does not have a long history, so tendencies to suffer from certain pathologies may still be unknown.
In general, what you should consider to preserve the Shorkie's health is regular veterinary examinations, in which vaccinations, deworming and rigorous analytical tests are administered. This is to check that your health is good and detect abnormalities as soon as possible so that you can treat them early.
Adopting a Shorkie
Shorkies are energetic and happy dogs, and if you want one of them to be a part of your family, this is something you should keep in mind at all times. Why? Well, because this implies that they are sometimes very nervous, demanding pampering, games and a lot of attention, so you must consider whether you have the time and strength necessary to meet these needs.
Having seriously considered the issue of adoption, having clear the demands of owning a dog and the obligations associated with its good care, you can begin to think about where to look for the dog. We, from PeritoAnimal, recommend starting the search in associations, shelters and kennels closer to you, expanding the search rate if not found. Shorkies are more frequent than you think dog adoption entities, as are almost most hybrid crosses. If you don't find one available at the moment, you can also be patient and wait a while, in case any item is redeemed.