Crossbreeds, mixed breeds, or even designer dogs, whatever you want to call them, continue to be popular among discerning canine lovers. If you are on the search for a unique and small family dog, that has the energy and exuberance of a larger dog, one mix you may not have considered is the curious and ever so charming Shorkie Poo.
But, before you decide to invest in one, you probably have several pertinent questions, like what size will an adult Shorkie Poo grow to? and what’s it’s temperament like? In the following post we are going to look at both of those questions but before we dig a little deeper, let’s just clear up what a Shorkie Poo actually is.
What is a Shorkie Poo?
A Shorkie Poo is a hybrid dog breed that is the result of cross-breeding a Shorkie (which itself is a mixed breed of a Shih Tzu and a Yorkshire Terrier) and a Toy Poodle. That is at least one way you can end up with a Shorkie Poo. Alternatives, as it is not a pure breed, the breed standard is a little flexible, and a Shorkie Poo can be bred from a Shih Tzu with a Yorkipoo (a mix of Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle) or from a Shorkie and a Yorkipoo.
Confused, don’t be. Remember, you are interested in a Shorkie Poo and if you are curious what they look like, we are sure you will be smitten once you see pics of their cute and cuddly selves.
Now that we’ve established, they are cute, and where the name comes from, you need a little more before you can proceed with choosing a Shorkie Poo as your new dog.
Height and Weight
One of the first things you will undoubtedly be interested in is how big or small a Shorkie Poo can be. This is where it can be something of a lottery because it is not a firmly established breed and a mixed breed, there is some degree of flexibility with what you might get based on the parents.
In general, most adult Shorkie Poos measure between 7 and 9-inches in height and have a weight of roughly 10 to 16-pounds.
Temperament and Behavior
The next thing you will be interested in is the temperament and behavioral qualities of a Shorkie poo. The good news is that for the most part, Shorkie poo’s can be described as being loving, friendly, and active. However, it’s important to note that because it is a mixed breed, it can have characteristics that are more like one of its parent breeds than the others. So, while some Shorkie poos are very Shih Tzu in nature, others are more like poodles or even Yorkies.
One thing you can be sure of, though, is that Shorkie poos, regardless of which of their parent breeds they are more like, will get along well with other animals and humans. They love all forms of human interaction and play. Although from a socializing point of view, they will get on well with other dogs, as they require a lot of attention, they are a lot better suited to households where they are the only animal or dog at the very least.
Training
Last, but not least, you will obviously need to know how trainable a breed the Shorkie poo is. Like its parents, the Shih Tzu, Yorkshire terrier, and toy poodle, the Shorkie poo is very easy to train and very intelligent. According to Dog Academy, a platform offering various online dog training courses – as long as you are diligent, rely on positive re-enforcement, and start as early as you can, you will have no problem training your Shorkie poo to be a well-behaved boy or girl.