The Morkie: All About this Breed

The Morkie is a hybrid breed that comes from the cross between the Yorkshire terrier and the Bichon Maltese. It’s a small-sized dog, although it has a toy version that is just as charming. Read on to discover the characteristics of this beautiful dog and don’t be afraid of feeling a craving to adopt one.

Morkie characteristics

The Morkie was born as a result of a breeder crossing a Yorkshire terrier with a Bichon Maltese in the 1980s. Despite being a well-known breed all over the world, it still isn’t recognized by any cynological entity.

These beautiful dogs were first bred in the United States, but are now being bred in other countries. Morkies are small, between 15 and 31 centimeters tall (6 to 12 inches), weigh between 2.5 and 5 kilograms (5.5 to 11 pounds), and have a life expectancy that varies between 10 and 13 years.

We’ll now delve into other characteristics. Don’t miss them!

Body and head

The Morkie has a proportionate and compact body, its limbs are short and muscular, although slightly longer than those of the Maltese. The head is medium-sized with a long, rounded muzzle and a black nose. The eyes are dark and round, and the ears fall on the sides of the head.

Coat and color

One of the most outstanding characteristics of the Morkie has to do with its coat, as it’s considered hypoallergenic as it has no shedding. On the other hand, their coat is long and dense, as well as soft, as they have a woolly undercoat that allows them to insulate themselves from low temperatures.

As for colors, this breed comes in a variety of silver, white, beige, cinnamon brown and black tones. In turn, there are specimens that combine all these colors.

The Toy Morkie

As mentioned before, there’s also a toy version of the Morkie. Obviously, they’re smaller in size and reach a maximum weight of 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds). However, these individuals have the same characteristics as the medium-sized ones in terms of the shape of their head and body, as well as in their coat type and colors.

The character of the Morkie

Despite having a cute appearance, the Morkie’s character is strong and determined, but it’s also very dependent on its owners. For this reason, it requires constant attention from the owner, although you should always be careful not to overprotect it.

In fact, this dependent characteristic can lead to problems of coexistence with other dogs, if they aren’t socialized correctly in their first months of life. Not socializing correctly can even lead to problems with other people or even with their own owners.

It should be noted that this hybrid breed is also distrustful, so it’ll always be suspicious of unfamiliar people and animals. However, once they gain confidence with them, they’ll be very loving towards them.

Training

Morkies are easy to train, as long as you start the training at an early stage and combine it with a good socialization process. However, keep in mind that these dogs have a strong character, so it’ll be necessary to repeat the instructions several times and make use of positive reinforcement constantly.

Under no circumstances should the dog be punished if it doesn’t obey or learn the tricks you want it to learn. Neither should you overload the pet with long training sessions, as you also need to leave time and space for play and cuddles.

Care and health conditions of the morkie

The Morkie requires the basic care that every dog needs. In addition, attention must be paid to its dependent nature. The owner should try to avoid the appearance of behavioral problems such as separation anxiety or going to the toilet where they shouldn’t, among other things.

In addition, the coat needs to be brushed every day to keep it tangle-free, clean, and soft. It should be bathed every 30 to 45 days to avoid bad odors and food control to avoid becoming overweight.

Regarding its health, the Morkie stands out because it’s much healthier than the breeds that it came from. However, they are susceptible to ear, mouth, and eye problems such as cataracts, otitis, and glaucoma.

In some cases, conditions such as tracheal collapse, chronic valvular heart failure, and patellar luxations can also occur. All this could be controlled or treated preventively through constant check-ups with the veterinarian, a quality diet, and good care at home.

Did you know all this about the Morkie?

As you can see, the Morkie is a unique dog, physically very striking, and with a strong character that means you must think carefully before making the decision to adopt.

If you’re out of the house a lot due to work or study, then you may not be the ideal type of owner for this dog, unless you seek professional advice to teach your puppy to stay calm while you’re away from home.