Morkie vs American Hairless Terrier - Breed Comparison

These cute little dogs originated in the United States. As a cross between a Maltese Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier, the idea of breeders was to bring out a gorgeous looking little dog that would be low shedding.

The Morkie Poo inherits this low shedding characteristic from the poodle side of things. It is not precisely clear as to when the first Morkie was born, but these days he is as popular as ever.

Certainly, both the parent breeds are recognized with kennel clubs but the Morkie isn’t.

Derived from the Rat Terrier, the American Hairless Terrier was born in a litter of Rat Terriers in 1972.

The evolution of this breed is very different from other hairless breeds. The American Hairless Terrier was independently developed when a hairless pup was produced in a litter of normal Rat Terriers. The owners of this pup, Edwin and Willie Scott attempted to breed her to other Rat terriers but were not successful in having another hairless pup until years later. Then they had a litter with one male and one female hairless puppy.

From that point on they worked with a veterinarian and a geneticist to develop the breed until it was accepted as a separate breed from the Rat Terrier in 2004 and accepted into the AKC in 2016.

The breed is very rare and with hairless dogs breeding only produces about two thirds of the litter as hairless and one third as coated. If a hairless is bred to a coated terrier, the chances of getting hairless puppies are 50% hairless and 50% coated. It is very rare to get a hairless when breed two coated terriers. The difference between the American Hairless Terrier and other hairless breeds is that the hairless gene in most breed is a lethal dominant gene, but in the AHT it is a recessive gene.

The small Morkie is a crossbreed, and this means you can’t be 100% guaranteed of the dog’s looks. They usually stand at about 24 – 30cm in height and weigh between 4 and 6kg.

You also get the Teacup Morkie which is even smaller. The coat of the Morkie can become fairly long and is black, brown and tan.

Temperament:

This is a little crossbreed dog who simply loves spending time with his human family. He is loving and gentle and will get along well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

Some people are inclined to think that these little balls of fluff are a total walkover, but don’t be mistaken, as these cheeky, feisty dogs have attitude. They’re social and playful and love to be involved in games with the kids. Just make sure your children have been taught how to be gentle with a small dog like this.

He becomes very attached to his family and doesn’t want to be left alone for too long.

The American Hairless Terrier is similar to it’s breed of origin, the Rat Terrier, and the coated AHT looks very much like a Rat Terrier. They are small to medium in size, very muscular and have more refined features than the Rat Terrier. Their round eyes can be a variety of colors including amber, brown, grey, turquoise and blue. The tail is not docked but rather long and thin.

The AHT might have eyebrows and whiskers or they might only have whiskers. Their head is broad, and wedge shaped with upright ears. They are an energetic, social and intelligent dog.

Your Morkie is such a sweet dog, and that’s to be expected, coming from such sweet parent breeds.

He just loves his human family and is friendly and social as well as being loyal. He has quite a bit of attitude, and if you allow it, he’ll develop some horrible small dog syndrome characteristics, such as being snappy, whiny and barking.

Small though he is, training and socialization will do him the world of good and he then lives up to everything wonderful that Morkie dog owners have got to tell you about– playful, friendly fun-loving, jaunty, loving and the cutest little thing there is.

This is a curious, intelligent, little dog. They are terrific family dogs with a note to say they are better with older children than with younger. If they are raised with small children, then they are terrific with them. They are territorial, and the children become part of their territory. They will guard and protect them.

They need to play, and this is the biggest requirement for owners. Be sure you have time for them. This is not a couch potato dog. They have a lot of energy and can be destructive and “barky” if that energy is not dissipated. They are terriers through and through and love to “go to ground” whether going in holes they find or digging the holes themselves. They will go after small rodents like chipmunks. They need to be protected in these activities since their skin is vulnerable to scratches and cuts from brush. Their prey drive is strong, so it is important to protect them from themselves in this respect.

They are curious and feisty and every inch the terrier. Affectionate, friendly, and social it is also important to remember they can be scared easily, hurt if play is too rough, and this will trigger barking. They make very good watch dogs.

As a responsible dog owner it is to your benefit to be aware of some of the common dog illnesses that your Morkie can succumb too. Not that he is likely too, as with good care, these robust little dogs can live to be 15 years of age or so.

A dog's lifespan can certainly be impacted by the lifestyle they lead. Some of the common dog illnesses to look out for -

Parvo:

Parvo can be a killer, and that’s why your 8 week old puppy needs to have his parvo vaccination. You’ll find puppies in shelters and puppy mills that get parvo. Dogs contact parvo by coming into contact with an infected dog.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss. Quick medical treatment can save your dog but it is better to ensure he doesn't get it in the first place. Other diseases that require vaccinations are hepatitis, distemper and rabies.

Lyme Disease:

This is a tick-borne illness brought on by bacteria transmitted by deer ticks that attach to the dog. One of the symptoms is lameness in limbs and a loss of appetite. Without treatment, lyme disease can lead to kidney problems.

Bloat:

Prevent your dog getting bloat by ensuring he doesn’t get ravenous with one meal a day. He then wants to wolf his food down. Rather give him smaller meals that he eats slower to avoid bloat. The stomach swells and can actually twist. If your dog has an enlarged stomach, is restless, salivating and wanting to vomit, get him to the vet immediately.

There are not many health problems bothering this sturdy little dog.

The American Hairless Terrier has limited breeding stock and it is still a rare breed. Its health problems are mostly related to its hairless state. The breed is highly susceptible to sunburn, rashes, pimples, and allergies. They often need clothing in all seasons to protect them from the heat of the sun or from the cold. The skin must be cleaned regularly often daily with soap and water. This is especially true if sunscreen is used as they are open to skin infections.

Hip dysplasia is also a common issue for this small breed.

The Morkie is such a small dog so it won’t require much effort to brush him. Because the hair is thin and fine, you may want to brush him every day just to keep the silky hair from matting.

Many Morkie owners opt to have their Morkie’s trimmed at a professional dog parlor. Check around his eyes and check inside his ears to make sure both are clean and free from infection.

Little dogs always have trouble with their teeth, so make sure to check these regularly. Keep his nails trimmed too as if they grow long they can hook onto things and can cause injury.

Exercise:

The Morkie is an energetic little dog, but because he is small he isn’t going to require too much exercise. A walk now and then will delight him and some ball games indoors or outside. He is a dog that will settle happily into city- or country life, so long as he is with his beloved owner.

Diet:

Morkies love their food and they can tend to gobble it up. Rather give your Morkie smaller meals than one main meal as he wolfs it down, causing digestive problems.

If you feed him kibble, make sure the packaging is marked for little dogs and make sure its the best there is to ensure he gets the right amount of minerals and vitamins in.

As a treat boil some chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables and chop it up very finely and add it into his kibble from time to time.

Make sure your Morkie can easily reach his bowl of fresh, cool water.

The American Hairless Terrier has some food needs that might be different from other breeds. They should not be given food that contains soy, wheat or corn. They need to be fed at least 3-4 times a day in small amounts as puppies and twice a day as adult. Be sure to avoid overeating and obesity. Puppies need about 400 calories a day whether you feed four times or two times. The adult American Hairless Terrier needs about 500-600 calories per day. This might be half a cup to a cup per day.

Health issues

As previously mentioned the American Hairless Terrier has skin health issues and is also prone to hip dysplasia.

Exercise and games

This is a great breed for games if you make them small to match his size. He is energetic, athletic and playful. He loves agility, lure chasing and barn hunt activities. They need a good half hour of vigorous exercise per day.