The Shih Tzu and the Yorkshire Terrier mixed breed, also known as the Shorkie, is a small and feisty guy who has a lot of character squeezed into his small body. He is a very stubborn dog who needs a consistent master who is not going to give up on his training, because if he is not reigned in he can become problematic.
The Shorkie has become an extremely popular mixed breed over the last several years, specifically because of their fiesty nature. But if you can handle him, then he is a lovely canine companion, who has the loyalty of a lion!
A designer dog is a new label that the media have created, and whilst it sounds a bit posh, it is a practice that has been around for centuries, if not longer. A designer dog is simply a puppy who has two different purebred parents, and in this case the Shorkie’s parents are the Shih Tzu and the Yorkshire Terrier.
Just like most small dogs, the Shorkie has a big personality trapped inside that small body of his. He is full of beans and whilst he does make a great lap dog he is known for his small outbursts of energy, so prepare some room in your home for the zoomies to take place. On top of that, he is quite the spoilt little guy who is very stubborn. With his big personality comes big doggy tantrums if he doesn’t get his own way!
His loyalty means that he is always alert to what danger could be around his master, so you should expect a small little watchdog who barks a lot! If it is a small guard dog that you are after then the Shorkie makes an excellent choice, but if you aren’t a fan of noisy dogs, then you should consider another dog breed altogether. His barking is a sign of distrust for others, and he can be quite aloof with strangers. It may take some time for him to warm up to strangers, but once he does he is a little sweetheart really!
The male Shorkie will measure between 6 to 9 inches from paw to shoulder, and the female Shorkie will measure 5 to 8 inches. The male Shorkie will weigh between 5 to 11 pounds, and the female Shorkie will weigh between 4 to 8 pounds. So, this small toy dog will slip straight into your purse with no issues!
Both the Shih Tzu and the Yorkshire Terrier are considered hypoallergenic and minimal shedding that many call nonshedding.
The Shorkie does not require a huge amount of exercise, but he still needs slightly more than the average toy dog breed. Around 30 minutes of exercise a day outside the home will suffice as he will likely have several energy outbursts throughout the day that we described earlier, and these will also help to wear him out. He might try to persuade you that he doesn’t need any exercise, and that he would rather stay in the comfort of your lap, but he still needs to be exercised regardless, so you need to be more stubborn than him here.
Because of his compact size he is mostbsuited to families with older children, simply because these pups are so delicate and there is a chance that a child may accidently hurt him. He should only be placed with children who understand how to handle a dog of this size.
The Shorkie is fine with other pets, so long as he grows up with them as a puppy. However, it is unlikely that he will take kindly to pets being introduced to the family home if he is used to being the only family pet. He is also intolerant of annoying playmates, so whilst he may be okay in a multi-pet household, he isn’t a certain contender for this role, so you might want to consider another dog breed if this is really important to you.
