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Shorkie Dog Breed Introduction
Shorkie is a designer dog deliberately developed in the United States in the 2000s by crossing a Shih Tzu with a Yorkshire Terrier(Yorkie). It also known as Shorkie Tzu, Shih Tzu-Yorkie mix, or Yorkie Tzu. As Crossbreeds, Shorkies may tend to lean towards traits of one parent than the other. However, it is also difficult to make accurate predictions of the appearance of individual dogs. Fortunately, pet owners can count on a silky allergy friendly coat. This is because both parents, Shih Tzu and Yorkie have low-shedding silky coats that are regarded nearly hypoallergenic.
Shorkies are intelligent, loving, loyal, affectionate, allergy friendly, playful, and make great pets for owners who are ready to spend lots of time together. This hybrid suffers from separation anxiety if left alone for long hours. For this reason, they make great companions for Seniors. Shorkies also make excellent watchdogs. They are quick to bark at just anything that startles them including people, animals, and unusual sounds.
A Shorkie is not suitable for extreme weather. It will likely need jackets in the winter and canine sunscreen during hot summer months. These are dogs have big personalities and are oblivious of their size. Therefore, they will not back down from bigger dogs. Owners should also keep a close eye to ensure they are not injured or picking up fights.
Shorkie Origin | History
The crossing of a Shih Tzu with a Yorkie to create a Shorkie is a recent phenomenon. However, there is a possibility that naturally crossing of the two pure breeds existed way before deliberate crossing started in the 2000s. Breeders created Shorkies with the aim of having an allergy friendly family companion that has the sturdiness and loyalty of a Shorkie as well as the spunk of a Yorkie. Since Shorkies are crossbreeds and not pedigrees, they are not recognized by major Kennel Clubs such as AKC. However, they are recognized as Shorkie Tzu by the American Canine Hybrid Club. Pet owners may also register their Shorkies with the International Designer Canine Registry.
Shorkie Lifespan
A Shorkie has a lifespan of 11 to 16 years. According to a study conducted in 2006, hybrids tend to live longer for a year or two as compared to their pure bred parents due to hybrid vigour. Both Shih Tzus and Yorkies have an average lifespan of 13 to 16 years. Therefore, some Shorkies may live up to the age of 17 or 18 years.
Shorkie Grooming | How To Groom A Shorkie
To prepare a Shorkie for a positive grooming process both at home and with a professional groomer, get your pet accustomed to touch on the paws, feet, ears, face, and the entire body. A Shorkie has a long silky coat that looks more like human hair than fur. This coat requires daily brushing using a slicker brush to prevent matting and tangling. Before brushing the coat, spritz it with a water conditioner solution or a detangling spray to prevent hair breakage. The coat needs to be trimmed by a professional groomer every six weeks for a neater appearance.
A Shorkie needs a bath every four weeks or so depending on the lifestyle of the pooch. Before bathing your dog, slicker brushing is recommended to remove mats and tangles that get messier when wet. Use a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner designed for silky coats. After a bath, thoroughly rinse of the cleaning products from the coat to prevent skin irritation. Some of the Shorkies are prone to tear stains. Wipe the eye corners on a daily basis using a clean damp washcloth or unscented canine wipes.
Trim the nails of a Shorkie fortnightly using nail clippers to prevent cracking, overgrowth, and splitting. Overly grown nails are painful for your fur baby while running or walking. Clean the ears on a weekly basis using an ear cleanser solution and cotton balls. While cleaning the ears, check out for signs of dog’s ear infection such as odor, redness, and a dark discharge. Brush the teeth of your pet every day or at least twice a week using a dog-formulated toothpaste and toothbrush.
Shorkie Haircuts | Grooming Styles | Male Shorkie Haircuts
For easy maintenance of the coat, owners may utilize several grooming styles or haircuts that do not require daily brushing. The type of haircut will depend on the coat texture and the weather that the dog lives in. Some of the suitable haircuts for Shorkies include:
Teddy bear Shorkie haircuts – Most pet owners keep their Shorkies in a teddy bear cut to reduce daily grooming sessions to at least twice a week. This grooming style is suitable for Shorkies since they have a round face. To achieve this grooming style, the hair on the face is trimmed in a circular manner to get a teddy bear look while the hair on the body is trimmed to a length of 2 inches.
Puppy cut – This is one of the suitable grooming styles for summer months. The hair on the face and tail is left a little longer. The body hair is clipped to a length of about 1 inch.
Kennel cut – This grooming style is also referred as summer cut. The hair on the body is trimmed to half an inch. For this haircut, use a sunscreen to avoid sunburns.
Natural haircut – This is a suitable grooming style for parents that are able to brush the coat on a daily basis. The coat is allowed to grow to its fully natural length. Although, trimming may be done on the ears, feet, and around the genital area for sanitary purposes.
Shorkie Shedding
A Shorkie has a silky coat that sheds at low-to-non-levels all-year round making it suitable for allergy sufferers.
Shorkie Hair | Coat
A Shorkie has a hair like coat as opposed to a fur. The coat is long and silky resembling the human hair.
Shorkie Hypoallergenic
Shorkies are regarded a hypoallergenic hybrid. This is because they have a long silky coat that sheds at low to non-levels all-year round. The coat also produces less dander. However, there is no truly 100% hypoallergenic pure bred or hybrid dog. Pet owners are urged to spend lots of time with the Shorkie that they are about to adopt to determine whether it aggravates their allergies.
Shorkie Training | How To Train A Shorkie | Training Tips
A Shorkie is an intelligent, playful, and affectionate dog that gets its independent and stubborn nature from the pure breed parents( Shih-Tzu and Yorkie). They also have little attention span which makes training and particularly housebreaking a bit difficult. They require early training and socialization to ensure they are less likely to engage in some behavior issue such as chasing, digging, or nuisance barking. This is also a half terrier that often feels the need to stand for oneself in order to be seen. Therefore, it up to the owners to help the Shorkie feel secure and teach it how to express itself in quieter methods through consistent positive reinforcement training.
To raise a well-mannered, well-adjusted Shorkie, socialization training is key. This training starts from an early age of 3 weeks while the pup is with the breeder until the age of 16 weeks after the pet has already settled in its new home. Therefore, it is crucial to get a Shorkie from a responsible breeder who will start socializing the pups early enough to build on their social skills. Normally, owners take their puppies home from the age of 8 weeks. Taking a Shorkie home from the age of 8 weeks helps in reducing the severity of separation anxiety. This is because the pup gets to interact with its litter maters and the dam.
To socialize a Shorkie, expose it to a wide variety of people, animals, surfaces, sight, places, smell, experiences, situations, and sounds such as baby crying sounds, sirens, whistles, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and lawn mowers. Enrolling a Shorkie in a puppy class will also serve as a form of socialization. The classes provide a controlled environment where puppies get to interact. Puppy classes also enable the pet parent to not only identify and correct bad habits such as small dog syndrome but also have access to training information and assistance.
Shorkies respond well to positive training methods such as the use of treats, toys, verbal praise, petting, and playtime. However, they are sensitive dogs that don’t respond well to harsh correction methods such as yelling, shoving, kicking, or beating. These methods are counterproductive. Keep the training sessions for a span of 2 to 3 minutes distributed throughout the day. This is because Shorkies have little attention span. Make the sessions fun and challenging to avoid boredom.
Start teaching basic command words like come, sit, stay, lie down, heel, leave it, wait, etc. immediately the pup comes home. Teach one command word at a time until the pooch is well-acquainted before proceeding to the next command word. Avoid issuing a command word while too excited or frustrated since it will not sound the same for your Shorkie. Effectively housebreak a Shorkie by creating a feeding schedule, potty training, crate training, and teaching it the chewable and non-chewable stuff. Patience and consistency is key.
Crate training a Shorkie comes in handy in training it to be confident in staying alone for a few hours. It is particularly effectively if it starts immediately the pup comes home. A well-crate trained Shorkie can stay home for a few hours without experiencing separation anxiety. Although, a dog should not be crated for more than 4 hours at a time. While at home, always leave the crate door open so that the pup may understand that staying in a crate is not a forced experience. Always position a crate in a place where there are ongoing family activities so that the dog does not feel isolated. Throw favorite treats and toys into the crate while the dog is watching to lure it to get into the crate. Make the device comfortable by lining it with a comfy blanket.
Shorkie Potty Training
A Shorkie has a stubborn streak, short attention span, and a small-bladder size which may make potty training a bit difficult. However, patience, consistency, and frequent potty breaks is key in successfully potty training this hybrid. Potty training commences immediately the pup comes home. The rule of thumb when potty training is understanding that the bladder and bowel muscles of a puppy strengthens as the pup matures. Generally, an 8-week-old pup is able to hold for 2 hours before eliminating while a 12-week-old puppy is able to hold for a period of 3 hours.
This is especially true for small, medium, and large-sized dogs. However, Shorkies are toy-sized dogs that will go for frequent potty breaks. Therefore at the age of 8 weeks a Shorkie will be able to hold for a period of 30 minutes to one hour while a 12 week-old pup will go for potty breaks every one hour or so. Before bringing a pup home, choose a designated area where it will be relieving itself.
Parents should also decide whether the Shorkie will eliminate inside or outside especially for apartment dwellers who have a hard time accessing a yard or street. Indoor potty training utilizes puppy pads and litter boxes that are available for retail in the pet stores. However, a parent should not start indoor potty training if he or she wants the puppy to eliminate outside later on and vice versa. This will confuse the pet hence having a relapse in house training.
During potty training, a crate has proven to be an indispensable tool. This device allows the owner to monitor a Shorkie for signs that it wants to eliminate outside such as whining, sniffing, circling, squatting, restlessness, and trying to lift a leg against the crate door. The crate should be able to hold a mature Shorkie. If the crate is too big, use a divider to adjust the crate size gradually as the pet matures. This will ensure the crate is not too big for the pooch to eliminate in one corner and sleep in the other corner. Although, dogs will naturally avoid soiling where they sleep.
If a parent is not comfortable to use a crate, he or she may use the umbilical cord method. This method uses a leash which is attached to the owner. The Umbilical cord method enables the parent to monitor the dog within a 6-foot range. Before a Shorkie is fully housebroken, it should not roam freely in the house to minimize accidents. For positive outcomes while potty training, take a Shorkie to the delegated toilet area immediately it wakes up, 20 minutes after meals and drinks, every 30 minutes to one hour, following an exciting activity such as playtime and car ride, after naptime, and before bedtime.
In outdoor potty training, the designated toilet area should be far from the Patio deck or BBQ spot. Once you take your Shorkie to the delegated elimination spot, utter the command word “toilet” or “potty” to give the dog the cue to eliminate. Avoid interchangeably using the two command words even if they mean the same since it will be confusing for your pooch. Wait in the toilet area for a period of 15 minutes to allow the dog to relax the bowel and bladder muscles for a pee or poo. If the dog fails to eliminate, take it back to the house and return it to the delegated area after a period of 15 to 30 minutes.
Before a Shorkie is fully housebroken, it may experience accidents in the house. If you get your pup in the act, clap your hands to distract the dog and utter a firm No. Immediately scoop the pet to the delegated area. If the pet eliminates there, give it a treat so that it will associate the area with elimination. Remember to clean the mess using an iodine solution or an enzymatic detergent to get rid of the odor.
If the odor is retained, a Shorkie will likely eliminate in the same spot encouraging future accidents. Prior to the age of 16 weeks, pet parents should set an alarm to take the pet to the delegated area at least once during the night. From the age of 8 months, the potty breaks will be after every 6 hours since the bladder and bowel muscles have strengthened.
Shorkie Temperament | Personality | Traits
- Playful.
- Affectionate.
- Stubborn.
- Independent.
- Fearless.
- Intelligent.
- Alert.
- Vocal.
- Energetic.
- Loyal.
- Curious.
- Watchful.
- Sociable.
- Outgoing.
- Friendly.
- Loving.
Shorkie Exercise
A Shorkie has moderate energy levels. It requires to be exercised physically and mentally. Daily short walks, indoor games, and providing toys for mental stimulation keeps a Shorkie happy.
Shorkie Barking
A Shorkie is an alert and watchful dog that barks at the slightest disturbance including unusual sounds, approaching visitors and strangers as well as falling leaves.
Shorkie Height
Shorkies have a height of 6 to 11 inches ( approx. 15 to 28 cm ).
Shorkie Weight
An adult Shorkie has a weight of 5 to 12 pounds ( approx. 2.3 to 5.4 kg ).
Shorkie Full Grown | Size
A Full-grown Shorkie is a toy-sized dog with a height of 6 to 11 inches ( approx. 15 to 28 cm ) and a weight of 5 to 12 pounds ( approx. 2.3 to 5.4 kg ).
Shorkie Health Problems | Health Issues
A Shorkie is a crossbreed dog that benefits from hybrid viguor that reduces the risk of inbreeding depression and lowers the chances of susceptibility to diseases. However, Shorkies may suffer from certain health issues including obesity, patellar luxation, Cushing’s disease, heart disease, periodontal disease, hypoglycemia, eye problems like glaucoma, tracheal collapse, allergies, and Brachycephalic syndrome.
Apart from Shorkie, other crossbreeds include:
Shorkie Names
A Shorkie owner may decide to get a name for the pup before it joins them home from the breeder or days after the pet has already settled home to understand the personality of a particular dog. Pet parents may get name inspirations from the heritage of the breed, coat color, personality, movies, books, food, songs, celebrity Shorkies, historical figures, and nature.
Regardless of where the parent will source the name, he or she should ensure that the name chosen will not make them embarrassed when uttered out loud in the public places such as malls and parks. Shorkies and other dog breeds better understand a name that has vowels.
If a parent settles with a long name, he or she should ensure they find a cute nickname for the dog. Avoid giving a pet a name that rhymes with the command words to prevent confusion. If a Shorkie shares a name with any household member or guest who frequent your household, it may result to confusion.
Male Shorkie Names
- Legend.
- Opie.
- Sammy.
- Darwin.
- Champ.
- Stan.
- Gus.
- Murphy.
- Max.
- Roy.
- Jason.
- Cyrus.
- Lazer.
- Pokey, etc.
Shorkie Food
The amount of food that Shorkie feeds on depends on its age, activity level, metabolism, size, and body build. Puppies tend to eat small portions of food 3 or 4 times a day due to high metabolism rates from when they start weaning until the age of 6 months. From the age of 6 months, Shorkies feed on a total two meals a day. Avoid leaving a food bowl all-day long for the pet to graze on it since they are prone to obesity.
Shorkies may feed on dry food, wet food, home made, or a raw diet depending on the budget and time of the pet parent. Regardless of the food type, parents should ensure that the dog feeds on a balanced diet to maintain a good health eventually allowing it to develop cognitively and physically. If a Shorkie parent decides to feed the pet with the commercial dry or wet food, he or she should ensure the first three ingredients are proteins from a known source.
The commercial dog food should neither contain preservatives, chemicals, additives, meat by-products, generic meat products, nor fillers. The same goes to the snacks. Dry or wet food should also be formulated for toy-sized, puppies, adults, and senior depending on the age of your Shorkie. Check the physique of your pet to tell whether it is overweight or underweight.
If you can see the ribs, chances are the dog is underweight. However, if the ribs are not visible but can be felt without pressing hard, a Shorkie has an ideal weight. If the ribs can’t be felt, the dog is overweight and should be exercised. Pet owners who want to switch to another quality food should gradually do this over a period of four weeks by mixing both new food and old food. As the weeks progresses, the amount of old food reduces as the new food increases until the Shorkie is only feeding on new food during the fourth week.
Shorkie Names Female
- Adella.
- Lennie.
- Erica.
- Joyce.
- Becca.
- Lee.
- Karla.
- Della.
- Lee.
- Iggy.
- Jan.
- Faith.
- Eliza.
- Nell, etc.
Shorkie Black | Black And White | Colors | Black And Brown
A Shorkie may either have a solid color or a combination of brown, red, blue, white, black, or white color.
Shorkie Ears
A Shorkie has floppy ears just like a Shih Tzu.
Shorkie Tail
A Shorkie has a furred tail that curls over it back.
Are Shorkies Hypoallergenic
Yes. Shorkies have a long silky coat that produces less dander. The coat also sheds at low to non-levels all-year round which makes them allergy friendly. However, owners are urged to spend lots of time with a particular Shorkie before adopting to ensure it does not aggravate their allergies.
Are Shorkies Good Dogs
Yes. Shorkies are fiercely loyal, intelligent, outgoing, playful, sociable, affectionate, loving, and friendly dogs.
Do Shorkies Shed
Yes. Shorkies have a low to non-shedding coat.
Do Shorkies Bark A Lot
Yes. Shorkies are vocal dogs that bark at the slightest disturbance, unusual sounds, and approaching people.
Shorkies Quick Facts
- They are crossbreed dogs created by crossing a Shih Tzu with a Yorkie.
- Shorkies are hypoallergenic dogs due to their long silky coats that produce less dander and shed at low levels all-year round.
- They are alert and vocal dogs that make excellent watchdogs.
