Morkie Breed Information
Designer Morkie puppies are a mixed breed of a purebred Maltese crossed with a purebred Yorkshire Terrier. Morkies are adorable dogs. They take after their parents in both looks and personality and are one of the most loving designer dog breeds around. Hypoallergenic Morkie puppies make fantastic pets for owners who are sensitive to dog hair and dander. They are also an excellent breed for families with kids and single owners.
BREED TYPE / MIX
Hybrid / Yorkshire Terrier crossed with a Maltese
ENERGY
Moderate
SHEDDING
Minimum
TRAINING
Determined
TEMPERAMENT
Affectionate, Energetic, Loving, Loyal, Playful
ADULT WEIGHT
5-8 lbs
ADULT HEIGHT
6-10 in
LIFE SPAN
12-15 yrs
Characteristics
- The Morkie is a designer puppy, a cross between a Maltese and a Yorkshire Terrier
- Hypoallergenic Morkie with good coat qualities. Adult Morkies are a low-shedding breed that are not known to cause allergic reactions in humans
- Excellent health due to Morkie hybrid vigor. Due to crossbreeding, Morkie puppies enjoy better health than the purebred breeds used in the mix
- Morkie puppies are an easy dog breed to train. They are easygoing, responsive, and eager to learn
- Well-balanced Morkie temperament. Morkie puppies and adults alike and kind-hearted, warm, and very affectionate
- Adult Morkie weight is between 4 and 7 pounds
- Morkie colors include the same patterns and colors seen in their parents. They can be white, black, cream, and grey, with solid coloring or a combination of these and other colors that are common in their parent breeds
- Morkies make wonderful family dogs, great pets for children, an ideal choice for apartment living, and excellent companions for senior families
Appearance
Morkies are small, adorable dogs that come with the same lovely features as their Maltese and Yorkie parents. As a crossbreed between the two, they can appear with any number of features from their parents. The Morkie’s ears may be triangle-shaped and raised like the Yorkie’s or rounded and dropped near the face like the Maltese’s. Their coats can have the same color combinations and patterns as the Yorkshire Terrier or a solid, silky white color like the Maltese. Most common Morkie colors are combinations of white, black, and shades of light brown.
True to its parents, the Morkie comes in a small size and has a compact, well-proportioned body. The adult Morkie's weight can vary between 4 and 7 pounds, and they generally stop growing once they reach 7 to 9 inches tall.
Temperament
Morkies have wonderful temperaments, but they can also be a bit feisty at times thanks to their Yorkshire Terrier genes. Like their Yorkie parent, these dogs have a terrier’s spirit. They are energetic, spunky, and always on the lookout for things to discover and investigate. The Morkie mix also inherits a lot of good qualities from its Maltese parent. Like the Maltese, these dogs love to meet, greet, and hug everyone that says hello to them.
When it comes to their owners and children in the house, Morkies are on their best behavior. They are always looking for a fun game to play and a lap to relax on when it's time to nap.
Although they aren’t known to nip or yap, Morkies are part terrier and can lose patience and possibly leave a room or situation if they feel provoked. Being without their owners or human family is where things can get tricky. As a highly affectionate dog, the Morkie doesn’t like to be at home without its family. Although this is a behavior that can be changed with training, Morkies are likely to suffer from separation anxiety and become excessive barkers if they are left on their own for too long.
Care
Morkie Grooming
Although they are a low-to-non shedding dog breed, Morkies do have a few grooming needs. These include brushing their coats and teeth, trimming their nails, cleaning their tear stains and ears, and giving them a haircut occasionally. Morkies in particular need to be brushed a few times per week to prevent any loose hair from sticking or matting onto their coats.
Their teeth should be brushed daily if possible, or weekly at the latest, to keep them from developing dental or gum conditions. Trimming your Morkie’s nails is also an essential part of grooming, especially if your dog doesn’t file them down on its own. Morkie grooming also involves regular monthly baths with dog-friendly shampoo recommended by the veterinarian. Bathe your adult Morkie dog once every month or bi-monthly for a quick 10 minutes.
Morkie Exercise Needs
Morkies are very small, adventure-loving dogs. And although their active nature might point to a dog breed that needs hours of daily exercise, their small size and energy levels say otherwise. Morkies love their daily walks, especially if they get to meet a friend or two on their paths, but they are not a breed that needs to be walked for miles on end every day. Ideally, you should take your Morkie on one or two daily walks and provide a fun game or two indoors to burn off any excess energy.
Morkie Health
Thanks to hybrid vigor, which is developed as a result of crossbreeding, Morkies enjoy very good health. There are some conditions that the Maltese and Yorkie breeds are prone to, that might occur in the Morkie breed, but they are few and very unlikely. Among these are cataracts – that is a common occurrence in old age, dental problems that are usually a result of poor oral care, allergies, and ear infections that are also common among all dog breeds.
Morkie Lifespan
As a small dog breed, the Morkie has a long lifespan of up to 18 years. Because Morkies are a mixed breed, they benefit from hybrid vigor which ensures better health and a longer life expectancy. 14 to 18 years is the average Morkie lifespan. Meeting their exercise needs, following food portion recommendations, and raising them in a calm and loving environment will play a big part in the quality of your Morkie’s life and its expectancy.
Morkie Training
Morkie puppies are smart, but they do require plenty of patience and consistency, especially when they are between 8 and 12 weeks old. Like most young puppies, their attention span can be limited, and their focus can be anywhere else but on their trainer. To help with this, it’s always recommended to find a quiet room with low distractions as the first step in training. The next step is to teach your Morkie puppy to come when called and to respond to your voice when it hears it. Treat rewards are the best motivators for Morkie puppies, so have plenty on hand when you begin training.
Before you begin socialization training, make sure that your puppy’s vaccinations are up to date. You can start introducing your Morkie puppy to neighbors and family members first and move on from there with other pets and dogs. Unlike adult dogs that need to be on a neutral ground when introduced to other dogs, Morkie puppies need to meet new people and other pets in a place where they are comfortable.
A few things to avoid during the training process include using harsh tones, yelling, repeating a command multiple times before it is executed, and using punishment. Repeating a command word or an instruction multiple times when your Morkie puppy doesn’t respond to it the first time, will be counterproductive. If your puppy hears “sit, sit, sit” three times before he/she decides to sit, then that is how they will learn it, and will likely only sit after hearing the command three times.
History
Originally from the United States, Morkie puppies appeared between 1990 and 2000 when designer dogs were the most sought-after breeds. Like most designer breeds that came before them, Morkies were seen as a marvelous new breed. They had the same characteristics as the Maltese and the Yorkshire Terrier with additional qualities like better health due to hybrid vigor and more unique and defined looks.
Although the Morkie breeders who were first to have crossed a purebred Maltese with a purebred Yorkie are yet unknown, it is widely believed that the first litter of Morkie puppies was born in the United States. Morkie puppies were created to display the best of the two breeds that make up the designer dog. Both the Maltese and the Yorkshire terrier were selected for the Morkie mix for their hypoallergenic coat qualities, good temperaments, and toy size, among other desirable personality traits.
In recent years, breeders have also managed to diminish the breed’s size into an additional two varieties – Toy and Teacup Morkie.