Chorkies are a pocket-sized - but - mighty cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a Chihuahua . Like their parent stock , Chorkies may be tiny , but they do n’t dissemble like it ! With bluff personalities and mass of heart always at the ready for their humans , they make great comrade animals for just about everyone — individual professionals or families with Kyd , flat - dwellersor those know in sprawl homes , first - time pup parents , orexperienced dog owners . These happy , adaptable hot dog will fain accompany their owners wherever they go .
" Chorkies are often described as cheerful , extroverted , and affectionate dogs , " say Annette Louviere , DVM . " They ’re eager to spend fourth dimension with their families and tend to bind with their human companions . "
Appearance
Because Chorkies are a hybrid breed ofYorkshire terriersandChihuahuas , these dogs can have an raiment of wide-ranging coming into court . Like their parent breed , full - mature Chorkies — sometimes spell " Chorky " or " Chorki"—tend to besmall in stature , count in around 10 pounds and standing 6–9 inch tall .
A Chorkie can inherit the long flowing locks of a Yorkie , the smooth , bright coating of a Chihuahua , or , more potential , some combination of the two . Their eyes and nose tend to be pitch-dark or dark brown , and their pinna are often expressive triangle .
" Due to mixing of their ancestry , it ’s difficult to predict what a specific pup will be like — in both show and disposition , " Louviere tell . " And this can become even more varying if we ’re babble out beyond first - generation Yorkie and Chihuahua crosses . However , these pup are more often than not small in size , with cute round eyes and erect ears , although even this can vary ! "
Because of theirmixed breedlineage , Chorkies also do in a reach of colors and patterns . Yorkies run to be smutty and tan , black and gold , gloomy and tan , and disconsolate and gold , while Chihuahuas may be a compass of shades and patterns in black , white , fawn , umber , gray , or silver . Chorkies can inherit some — or a mix — of these colors and combinations . Whether you hope to adopt a burn Chorkie or a black Chorkie , you ’re certain to rule whelp in every color jazz band out there .
Temperament
Chorkies aresmart , sassy , and cuddly companion animals who have a go at it nothing more than spending time with their human being .
These pup are energetic , but because they ’re so small , they ’re well-chosen toplay a game of fetchor tower of war in the living room before snuggling in for a pile . They ’ll gladlygo on walksorhikes , but because of their little legs , they may need to be picked up and carried after a while .
" All wienerwurst need exercise and genial input to be the best well - rounded pup they can be , " Louviere says . " The great thing about little dogs like Chorkies is that this can often be satisfied through daily walk and playacting , either indoors or out of doors . "
Chorkies makegreat frankfurter for first - sentence best-loved parents . That being tell , they can be independent creative thinker and do good with a confident human parent who can guide them in the right directionduring training , offering uploads of positive reinforcementin the shape ofpraise and treats .
Taking Chorkies topuppy training classeswhen they are untested — or , at the very least , teach thembasic obedience skillsat home — can help typeset this smart and game breed on the path to success . It ’s always a good idea to beginsocializing your Chorkie puppyat a young years because they can be a picayune disbelieving when fulfil raw people and pet .
These pup can be quite vocal , especially when they hope to alarm the household to a likely menace , like the bad , scary mail immune carrier . But as with all chatty andiron , Chorkiebarking issues can be managedwith consistent training .
Ian McGlasham / Shutterstock
Living Needs
This midget whelp is fantastically versatile , which gain the Chorkie dog breed perfect for apartments or condos , as well as larger home withfenced - in yard . As with many breeds , if you ’re going to let your Chorkie roam gratuitous in the yard , double - check that your fence is completely dependable in case he gets curious about the outdoor world .
Chorkies dowell with kidsbut , as with all breeds , parents should take special precaution whenintroducing them to children . Remind children — especially youthful kiddos — torespect dog-iron ' personal infinite and boundaries , as well as to determine where they step when a Chorkie is underfoot . Children may unintentionally neglect or toss a frail Chorkie — or your whelp may leap from a child ’s hands — so it ’s important to always supervise interactions between the two .
Chorkies are typically aristocratic with ( or , honestly , will just brush aside ) thefamily cats they survive with . They get along well with other pawl , particularly those in their household , but may accidentally get hurt while playing .
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" While pocket-size height can have benefits , there are concern when mixing Chorkies with small kid or large dogs , " Louviere allege . " These whelp can be frail and get hurt , even when the other political party has the best of intentions . "
Chorkies aremodel move around companionswho will happily tuck into a pet carrierat your feet on an airplaneor keep you companyon a long route trip(and because theydon’t like being left alonefor long periods of time , they ’ll be happy you convey them along ! ) .
Care
Chorkies incline to be relatively low - maintenance dogs , though it really depend on the feature they inherit from their two parent breeds . Many Chorkie preferred parents take their dog to the groomer , who can give them the belated haircut dash and a little indulging , but all they really necessitate isregular brushingandoccasional baths . Another perk : Chorkiesdon’t shed much .
Be certain to mark apart time tobrush your whelp ’s teethevery day ( or whenever you’re able to ! ) , and think back tokeep their nails cut down and tidy . To aid stave in off infections , clean house your Chorkie ’s ears — as well as the whisker in and around his ear — on a regular basis . Your Chorkie may get tear stains , so cautiously wipe his optic to remove discharge and debris .
While Chorkies can stomach warm weather fairly well , they ’re not so comfortable in the common cold . Stock up onsweaters and coatsfor him to wear when the temperatures start to sink , and she ’ll be eternally thankful ( and stylish ) .
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Chorkies caneasily become fleshy . Talk to your vet about proper aliment and always read the recording label on yourhigh - caliber bounder foodto ensure you are providing your dog with the appropriate amount of food for his long time and sizing . Remember to admit kickshaw you fertilise your Chorkie into his overall calorie intake for the Clarence Day .
Health
Cross - breed dogs tend to inherit the same health outlet and risks as their parent breed . In the Chorkie ’s lawsuit , that mean it ’s authoritative to understand the health and longevity of Yorkshire terrier and Chihuahuas .
Yorkshire terriers be given tolive long , happy livesbetween 11–15 year , though they can front sure wellness military issue . This breed is at risk of exposure of conditions includingpatella luxation , hypothyroidism , collapse tracheas , Legg - Calve - Perthes disease , andportosystemic shunts . Like other small breeds , they also stick out from dental yield that can have tooth loss , decay , anddental disease , which is why daily tooth brush and regular health check andcleanings at the vetare so of import .
His other parent breed , the Chihuahua , has an expect lifetime of 10–18 years . Chihuahuas are generally healthy , but these petite pups can develop sealed health progeny too . Like Yorkies , Chihuahuas are also susceptible to patellar luxation . In improver , they may suffer fromheart disease , epilepsy , folic loony toons deficiency , andhypoglycemia .
Responsible breeders of Yorkies and Chihuahuas , as well as Chorkie breeder , will riddle parent whelp for lie with genetic conditions before breeding . If you ’re on the Richard Morris Hunt for Chorkie puppies , be sure to do your homework and only work with reputable breeders . With a clean bill of health as a puppy , regular visits to the vet , in force nutrition , andplenty of exercise , you could expect your pup ’s lifespan to be upwards of 15 years .
History
Though no one knows exactly who first decided to cross - breed a Chihuahua with a Yorkshire terrier — or when — this breed is believe to have become pop in the United States in the 1990s , when more favorite owners were search for little frank to call their own .
The Chorkie ’s parent strain have long been beloved pets . Yorkies date back to the mid-1800s , when breeder in the northerly England counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire began queer variousScottish terrierswith English terriers , allot to the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America . They were develop as ratters , or Canis familiaris who could chase and flush out rodents and other modest mammals in textile Mill and coal mines , and later became pop lap dogs for Victorian women .
Chihuahuas also have a passably murky backstory , though there are two wide accepted theories about their origin story , they may have evolved asdescendants of the techichi , a modest South and Central American dog breed . Chihuahuas were first realise by the American Kennel Club in 1904 and rose in popularity during the 1930s , ' 40s , and ' 50s .
Fun Facts
History of the Yorkshire Terrier . Yorkshire Terrier Club of America .
