Everything You Need to Know About The Shorkie

Cute and lovable yet feisty and fun, the Shorkie is a small dog with a big personality!

A cross between a Shih Tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier, he’s fluffy and adorable with bags of energy.

But when he’s not playing, be prepared to enjoy some serious cuddle time with this little bundle of fluff.

The Shorkie (or Shorki) is a hybrid breed and a new designer dog that has become popular in the US over the last few decades.

It’s recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club and was bred with the intention of creating an attractive yet lively lapdog. But don’t be fooled by their tiny stature, these little guys can have all the attitude and spunk of any large dog breed!

The Shorkie has a long silky coat which is sometimes slightly wavy and comes in a variety of colors including white, black, red and cream.

It’s also possible for the Shorkie to be a mixture of two colors depending on the color of its parent breeds.

The Shorki takes after the Shih-Tzu with its floppy ears but its general appearance is more like that of a Yorkshire Terrier, with a tiny nose, short legs, and a curled up tail.

In terms of personality, the Shorkie is a lively and playful little dog with bags of energy. Shorkies tend to form strong attachments to their owners and make for very faithful companions.

Shorkies are good-natured, intelligent, playful and lovable. They make for great watchdogs but are also perfectly at home cuddled up on your lap.

In general, they are quite adaptable and will get along well with children and other animals provided they are socialized from a young age.

These dogs can make great companions for kids but play should always be supervised by an adult since Shorkies are small can be easily hurt if handled too roughly.

Shorkies can sometimes suffer from separation anxiety so shouldn’t be left on their own for long periods of time.

To avoid destruction in your home and excessive barking, make sure your Shorkie has regular human contact or a secure yard it can run around in.

When you combine the fluffiness of a Shih Tzu with the small stature of a Yorkshire Terrier the result is one of the cutest dogs on the planet!

Shorkies have incredibly cute little teddy bear faces, shiny button eyes and just love to lavish you with kisses and cuddles.There’s no doubt that you’ll want to share your Shorkie puppy pictures all over social media!

Shorkie pups can be bred with other small dogs such as the Chihuahua to create variations of this irresistibly cute pooch.

With a variety of colors and coats from blond to brown and curly to straight the possibilities are endless!

Shorkie poos are a cross between a Shorkie and a toy poodle or a Yorkipoo (Yorkie/Poodle) and a Shih Tzu. They’re similar to Shorkies in terms of appearance but have curlier coats owing to the poodle genes.

Shorkie Poos are also easy to train and super kid-friendly.

The Shorkie is currently classed as a hybrid breed so isn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club.

However, some breeders are trying to create a new generation of Shorkies, called Shorkie Tzus which can then be breed with each other to create a pure breed.

Shorkie puppies are adorable and very affectionate but require a good deal of attention.

It’s important that Shorkies receive training from a young age as they can be quite stubborn with short attention spans.

The key is to limit training sessions to no more than 15 minutes, only teach one command at a time and provide lots of treats to reward good behavior.

Shorkies are non-shedding, mixed-breed dogs and are sometimes even deemed hypo-allergenic which makes them the perfect choice for allergy sufferers.

However, Shorkies still need to be brushed daily to keep their coats sleek and shiny.

To stop their fur from getting matted it’s also a good idea to make an appointment with a professional dog groomer every six weeks.

Shorkies have sensitive skin so only need to be bathed every other month. Cutting the hair at the corners of the eyes and inside the ears can also help to keep the Shorkie healthy by preventing a build-up of mucus.

Some owners prefer to keep their Shorkies neatly trimmed with a short coat that’s 2-3 inches long.

If left untended, the Shorkie’s fur can grow very long, even reaching the floor and such hairstyles are much harder to maintain.

However, it’s possible to get the best of both worlds by giving your Shorkie a neat haircut but letting some fur around the face and tail grow out for a more elegant look.

You can even experiment with bows, bandanas, and ribbons to give your Shorkie some individual canine style.

Shorkie puppies are teeny tiny and can weigh as little as 2 pounds even at 10 weeks old. Fully grown Shorkies have an average height of 6-14 inches and an average weight of 7-15 pounds.

The Shorkie Club of America warns against adverts which promote teacup Shorkies or ‘micro’ Shorkies since this is usually the sign of a disreputable breeder.

This mixed breed is already very small in size and to breed them any smaller would make them more susceptible to hereditary health problems including birth defects.

Tip #1 If you’re struggling with housetraining, using a crate indoors for your Shorkie puppy to toilet in can be a good temporary solution. Once you are aware of the signs your puppy makes when it’s about to go, you can start to gently coax it outside.

Tip #2 Feed your Shorkie a healthy diet of dry kibble to prevent oral health issues such as tooth decay and gum disease.

Tip #3 Take your Shorkie out for a couple of half-hour walks a day or if you live in an apartment make sure he has room to run around and play.

Tip #4 Shorkies are not only cute dogs. They also make good watchdogs and always alert their owners if someone is approaching.

Tip #5 Shorkies are generally healthy dogs but owners should be aware of potential health issues inherited from their parent breeds such as spinal problems and respiratory difficulties.

Did someone say Shorkie puppies for sale?

If you want to buy a Shorkie a good place to start is online at Puppyfind.com or Nextdaypets.com.

It’s also possible to find classified ads for Shorkies in newspapers or on Petsclassified.us. In addition to Shorkies, you will also find lots of other mixed-breed dogs for sale such as Morkies (Maltese/Yorkie cross) and Maltipoos (Maltese/Poodle cross).

Shorkieworld.com is a website run by husband and wife Tom and Cindy who breed Shorkies in Missouri.

The aim of their business to make the process of buying a healthy and happy Shorkie puppy that little bit easier. Their site also gives lots of good advice in general about breeders and how to look after your Shorkie.

Shorkie pups are generally priced between $375 to $1750.

In addition, it’s important to consider the yearly health costs including insurance and checkups which can be around $450. Other annual maintenance costs including food and grooming can be around $550.

When looking to buy a cute dog, aka the Shorkie breed, it’s important to find a reputable breeder who cares about the health of the dog and isn’t just in it for the money.

It’s always a good idea to request the health certificates of the parent breeds and ask lots of questions to make sure you’re dealing with a genuine breeder.

There are lots of Shorkies in rescue centers just patiently waiting to find their forever homes.

You can start the search online at Adoptapet.com or alternatively search on Yorkie sites that also have some Shorkies in the mix such as Yorkie911rescue.com and Saveayorkierescue.org.

Shorkies live longer than most other small dog breeds with an average lifespan of 10 to 15 years.

Shorkies are rambunctious little pups with a lot of love to give.

They’ll never leave your side and are always up for a cuddle or a game of squeaky ball.

With a cute little face and an incredibly sweet personality, the Shorkie is a great addition to any family.