Schnorkie vs Mioritic Sheepdog - Breed Comparison

This dog is a cross between the Miniature Schnauzer and the Yorkshire Terrier.

It’s not a purebred dog and is known as a designer dog. These dogs inherit characteristics from both of its purebred parents.

The origins and history of these breeds is often unknown with their being no records as to when or where breeders started developing them. This particular mixed breed dog originated in the United States.

This is a large dog coming from the Carpathian mountain area of Romania.

He has always been an excellent working dog, guarding and protecting sheep. Farmers always kept these dogs as working dogs, with no written records being kept about the development of the breed.

The breed is ancient, possibly dating back to ancient Roman times. It was in the 20th century that interest in the breed was ignited, and in 1981 the first official breed standard was recorded. The breed was also registered with the Federation Cynologique Internationale in 2005.

The Schnorkie is a small dog standing at between 12 to 30cm in height and weighing just 3 to 6kg.

Schnorkies have an athletic build but they are lean and you want to keep them that way.

Their double coat is mostly silky and straight, but can be wavy too. The double coat can be grey, silver, fawnish and have a mix of colors while also being available in solid colors.

The ears are half erect, half floppy and the tail tends to be medium length, plumed and held up.

Temperament:

Schnorkies are high spirited little dogs and they can also prove to stubborn. There is nothing that a bit of training and socialization won't do for stubborn dogs, making them obedient and responsive to their owners.

Because they are hybrid dogs, they can inherit temperaments or looks from either of the parent dogs.

The Mioritic Sheepdog looks very much like the Old English Sheepdog with his huge body covered with long hair.

His head is also large with a black nose and smallish to medium length floppy ears. The color of the double coat is usually white, cream or pale gray, and sometimes you will find patches of these colors.

The tail has always been traditionally docked, otherwise the tail is left long with a slight curl at the end. The height of the dog is 65 to 75cm and he weighs roughly 50–60kg. Below the thick coat is a muscular dog with strong, straight legs which can help him become quite agile and speedy when needed. Allowed to breed, they can produce anything from 3 to 9 of the most adorable looking puppies.

Temperament:

The Mioritic Sheepdog is a balanced dog, loving to be with his owners but being wary of strangers. He is a brave dog, willing to guard his human family with his life.

He is also a strong-willed and dominant so it will be to his benefit to be trained and socialized so that he becomes obedient and easy to have around.Training won’t be difficult as he is an intelligent breed and already naturally obedient.

He is an energetic dog too so he will need to have regular exercise and games. He therefore gets on well with children in the home, loving to join in with all their games. He will need to be supervised around small children just because of his cumbersome, large size.

Your Schnorkie is a jaunty little dog who is going to love playing games with you. Children will need to treat him with gentleness and respect simply because he is small.

He is social, friendly and loving with his human family, though sometimes, coming from the Schnauzer, he gets a bit moody.

He makes a great family pet though and and while he loves to be outside playing, he also loves to come indoors and be everybody’s lap dog for the evening.

The Mioritic Shepherd has always been used to guard and protect livestock, but even though he has always taken this role seriously, he is calm and loving around his human family, making a splendid family pet.

He also plays the role of guardian and protector of his human family seriously. He is a big strong dog and training and socialization will become necessary as he can become aggressive with certain people who he doesn’t trust.

Inviting one of these dogs into your home will ensure having a constant and loving companion at your side.

Your Schnorkie, as a hybrid breed, can inherit some health problems from either parent – the Schnauzer or the Yorkshire Terrier.

Then again, mixing pure bred dogs can eliminate some common dog ailments. Overall, the Schnorkie is a healthy dog and can live up to 15 years of age.

A couple of major health concerns with the Schnorkie are dental problems and pancreatitis.

Dental Problems:

If your dog has tooth problems he might be in terrible pain and that is why it is so important to look inside his mouth.

Dogs can break their teeth and they can also get gum disease. Dogs have a more alkaline mouth and this is what encourages plaque. Try and brush your pet’s teeth with special canine toothpaste and toothbrush because dental disease can cause lots of problems for your pet.

Pancreatitis:

The pancreas helps with the digestion of food and to regulate blood sugar. Pancreatitis is more common in Schnauzers, and then the pancreas is swollen and inflamed.

Dogs with this disease will lose their appetite, be lethargic, restless and have stomach pain. You may see your pet hunching his back. Pancreatitis can lead to organ damage and you will need to get your dog to the vet.

The Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog is a truly hardy dog breed and with good care such as good food and exercise can reach 14 years of age.

There are always some common dog illnesses to look out for and because he is a large dog, hip dysplasia can be a problem.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is a disease where there is abnormal growth of the hip joints. Smooth movement of the joint is hindered and this leads to inflammation and pain.

At first you may find your dog limping and then you may find that after lying down, he battles to get up again. The joint becomes thickened with less mobility and the dog is reluctant to play like he used to. He will certainly need to get to the vet for treatments to make him more comfortable.

Diet:

Puppies will need 4 small meals a day, but by 8 weeks your Schnorkie will be ready to move onto dry dog food. As he grows into an adult you will cut the meals down to two a day.

The best commercially manufactured dry dog food is able to meet your dogs nutritional needs and it’s super convenient too. It can be a good idea to feed your pet some home-made food too. Twice a week will be sufficient to add in this home-made food - boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach will be excellent for him and his digestion and be a tasty treat for him. You can simply chop it up and add it to the dry kibble. Some raw meat occasionally can help to ward off nasty skin ailments. Make sure that your Schnorkie has a constant supply of cool fresh water.

Grooming:

Schnauzers and Yorkies both have high maintenance coats and your Schnorkie will also require regular brushing, though he doesn’t shed much. Some people prefer to hand their dogs in and have them professionally groomed.

Exercise:

Just because a Schnorkie is a little dog, doesn’t mean he doesn’t need exercise. You don’t want a small dog like this getting obese and unfit. Take him for walks and give him some ball games.

The Mioritic Sheepdog’s long hair is coarse and will need to be regularly brushed to keep it free of tangles. It will certainly need to be brushed 2 or 3 times a week, while some owners of this dog will prefer to have the coat professionally clipped. Because of the long hair, while brushing him it is an excellent time to check for ticks and fleas.

Diet:

The food you give your pet plays such a critical role in his health and longevity. Always make sure that you’re giving your pet an uncomplicated diet to avoid stomach upsets.

Give him the best commercially manufactured kibble. To provide him with some variety, add in some boiled chicken, cooked vegetables such as potato, carrots and spinach to his kibble from time to time. He will also benefit greatly from having some raw meat added into the kibble occasionally.

Learn to know which human foods are totally toxic to him and avoid these. Make sure he is never without cool, fresh water.