Without a doubt, you will be surprised when you discover the dog breed that we are going to present next: the morkies, some peculiar puppies that arise from the cross between a yorkshire terrier and a bichon M altese These dogs have some very special characteristics, for example, did you know that Morkies are one of the dog breeds considered to be the most loyal and daring? So that's it!
Do you want to know more about Morkie dogs? In this article on our site we tell you all the characteristics of the morkie, its character and care. Keep reading!
Origin of the morkie
The Morkie breed emerged in the 1980s, when a breeder decided to cross a Yorkshire terrier with a M altese bichon. As a result of that crossing, the first Morkie puppies were born. Like other breeds that arise from the cross between well-known dog breeds, Morkies have not been registered as an independent breed by any of the international cynological organizations.
These puppies are extremely popular, and it is common for them to become the pets of personalities from the world of cinema, music or sports.
Morkie Features
A morkie is a small dog, whose weight is normally between 2, 5 and 5 kilograms. Its height at the withers is usually between 15 and 31 centimeters and its average lifespan is between 10 and 13 years.
The body of a morkie dog is compact, with short and muscular limbs, although they are usually considerably longer than those of a m altese bichonThe tail is of medium length and thickness. The head is medium in size with a long, round snout, finished in a very dark colored nose, usually black. Its ears are drooping and hang to the sides of its head, set high and covered by a dense coat of hair. The eyes are rounded, dark in color and have an affable and lively look.
The fur of a morkie is long and thick. Its softness stands out, also presenting a woolly sublayer that promotes the thermal insulation of these little ones. It does not shed its hair, which is why it is considered one of the hypoallergenic dogs.
Morkie puppy
Puppy morkies are really adorable, as they are tiny balls of fur who just want to play and be cuddled. As in other small dog breeds, puppies are usually more delicate and need to be monitored to avoid risks and dangers, being able to detect signs of illness or discomfort as soon as possible, such as apathy, excessive crying or unjustified aggressiveness.
Morkie Colors
The highest valued, and most frequent, colors in morkies are: silver, cinnamon brown, white, beige and black, as well as all combinations thereof.
Morkie teacup or toy
There is a variety of morkie that is smaller in size, not exceeding 3, 5 kilograms in weight, so it is considered as the toy variant of the breed. Except for the smaller size, there are no differences between a standard morkie and a toy morkie, being equal in character and morphology.
Morkie character
A standard specimen of Morkie is characterized by having a strong temperament, highlighting its stubbornness and determination. However, although due to his great self-confidence he can give the image of not needing anything from anyone, he is a very dependent dog This makes it necessary to lend him a lot of attention and affection if we do not want him to feel sad and alone.
On the other hand, continuing with the characteristics of the Morkie referring to his character, this dog can present problems when relating to others if he is not thoroughly socialized. These problems can arise with other pets as well as with people. This happens because of his great mistrust of everything and everyone and his reluctance to deal with strangers, something that disappears as soon as they gain confidence in others.
Morkie care
The most important morkie care is intended to treat the dependency on it. In this way, if we have a Morkie in our home, we must take into account the typical needs of the breed. One of the most important is to make our Morkie feel loved and cared for, since most of the problems they may suffer from are separation anxiety and feeling abandonment.
Another fundamental issue is that referring to his feeding. We have to pay close attention to its nutrition, since it is a greedy breed, whose adorable face can lead us to overfeed it based on trinkets and treats of all kinds. It is strongly recommended not to overdo it by giving them treats, because being overweight does them a lot of damage and they are dogs that tend to suffer from it.
You have to brush the fur of morkie dogs every day, otherwise it will get dirty and tangles will form and become impossible to undo. Baths are not essential, approximately one every month or month and a half is recommended.
Morkie education
Regarding the education of Morkies, it should be noted that to train a dog of this breed it is best to do so at an early age, otherwise training can be seriously hindered. Likewise, one of the most relevant aspects in the training of a morkie is socialization of it. So that this is correct and adequate, and can be done as easily as possible, we recommend the following article: "How to properly socialize a puppy?"
Morkies are not exactly easy dogs to train due to their strong character and stubbornness. It will take several repetitions, patience, and lots of positive reinforcement. If punishment is not recommended in any breed, it is even less so because the development of problems derived from fear, stress or anxiety could be promoted more strongly. Of course, it is essential to be clear that it is not advisable to overload dogs with training sessions that are too long or heavy. It is best to establish a routine in which short sessions are scheduled and distributed throughout the day.
Morkie He alth
Morkies are much he althier dogs than the breeds that originate them, this being considered a common advantage of adopting a mongrel dog. Even so, there are a number of diseases that can affect the morkie. Some of the most frequent are those that refer to the ears, mouth and eyes. These include cataracts, glaucoma or otitis You can also inherit diseases typical of Yorkshires and Bichons, such as patellar dislocations, tracheal collapse or tracheal insufficiency. Chronic valvular heart disease.
To guarantee that the Morkie enjoys good he alth, it is essential to carry out good preventive medicine through periodic visits to the veterinarian, deworming and vaccinations. In addition, offering the basic morkie dog care exposed in the previous sections is another key that will allow us to live with a happy and balanced dog.
Adopt a morkie
To know if we are ready to adopt a dog of the Morkie breed, we have to consider all their needs, which appear in this article. If after taking into account all these needs you are still clear that you can face the possible difficulties and take full responsibility for the care of a morkie, we will give you some advice on adopting it.
The best thing is, in all cases, to resort to associations, protectors or shelters, because in this way we avoid animal abandonment and we offer a new opportunity to an abandoned animal. We recommend looking for information about which shelters and shelters are in the vicinity, as this way you can go to their facilities and meet all the animals that need a home.
