MyDogBreedsShorkie is originated from United States but Old English Terrier is originated from United Kingdom. Shorkie may grow 21 cm / 8 inches shorter than Old English Terrier. Shorkie may weigh 8 kg / 17 pounds lesser than Old English Terrier. Both Shorkie and Old English Terrier has almost same life span. Shorkie may have less litter size than Old English Terrier. Both Shorkie and Old English Terrier requires Moderate maintenance.
The Shorkie is a mix between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Shih Tzu. This little dog actually thinks he’s quite big. He is a great watchdog and a barker, and he is a loyal and loving member of his family. He will let you know if he thinks something is going on that shouldn’t be.
This hybrid combines two breeds known for their good looks, cuteness and personalities. Shorkies get their watchdog instincts and their loyalty to their people from the Shih Tzu and their personalities and good looks from the Yorkie. This designer breed has no known standard and every puppy is different, but traits from its founding breeds will remain. Both breeds have great personalities.
Regardless of the differences within the litter, because the personalities and adorableness of the two founding breeds are equal, all of the puppies will have those characteristics. They will all be energetic, playful and think they are big dogs. They will all love people and especially kids – playing and watching over them.
The Shorkie is intelligent, trainable, and snuggly. They will also have the stubborn trait that the two founding breeds can show at times. Developed in the United States, this crossbreed is extremely popular even though they have been in existence for only ten years or so. Breeders in the U.S. began to mix these two breeds in order to develop a cute, friendly and intelligent little dog that will cuddle on your lap – perfect lap dog.
Even if we already have breeds similar to the Shorkie, its development allows breeders to diversify and improve the genetics of the dogs. It is important that these be responsible breeders whose intentions are not financial but to legitimately improve the positive traits of each breed while sorting out the undesirable or weak traits. This is the positive side of the new designer breeds.
Even though it is still being developed, at least the Shorkie seems to be a success story for designer breeds as a loving, popular little dog. It will take a lot more time and a lot more development before the Shorkie becomes an actual recognized breed. At the moment it remains a hybrid, a crossbreed, a so called designer dog.
It will be at least 7-10 generations of careful and quality breeding before the Shorkies are potentially recognized as its own pedigree breed. It is important to breed Shorkies to Shorkies in order to develop a standard that could be accepted for a new breed by the AKC and UKC. Over time the puppies must become more and more standardized in their conformity to that new breed standard. Their physical appearance and their temperament will be standardized. At this stage the second generation of Shorkies is rare. Their popularity is rising in the United Kingdom. Both Britain and Ireland have a growing interest in this hybrid.
Known also as the Black Terrier, by the 18th century, the Old English Terrier was available as a rough-coated dog as well as a smooth-coated dog.
The dogs were established in England. The dog was developed to work and by the 19th century the Old English Terrier was to be found all over the world.
The dog was developed based on the work it was required to do, leading to variations in the coat texture, the body and size. The Old English Terrier is recognized today by the National Terriers Club LLC.
The Shorkie, being a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih Tzu, and as such has physical and temperament characteristics from both breeds. They could be 50-50 but most likely each puppy will be more like one of the founding parents than the other. Because there is a lot of similarity between the founding breeds there is a lot of similarity between the Shorkies.
Their hair is either wavy or straight, but it is soft. It can be a wide variety of colors and usually they have a darker mask on the face. Usually they have the eyes of the Shih Tzu – large -but not protruding. Their muzzle is short, and the skull is round with triangle ears. Their bodies are compact, small with plenty of muscle for their size. They also have fine bones and short legs, with a thin curled tail.
The Old English Terrier is a working dog, a sporting terrier known for his athleticism. This is a vibrant dog, both physically and mentally, and the dog will require plenty of physical exercise as well as mental stimulation.
If you go to a reputable pet shop, you will find many stimulating toys for such a clever dog. He is also social and friendly and makes a wonderful pet.
Your Old English Terrier stands at between 30 – 45cm and weighs between 6 and 15kg. The face of the dog is wedge-shaped and the eyes are set wide apart. The ears are erect and the tail has been docked but is left long these days.
The coat of the dog can be either rough or smooth and it is available in solid black or white or a black and tan mix.
The Old English Terrier is a working and sporting terrier. He makes a wonderful companion pet. He is an intelligent, boisterous type of dog and early training and socialization are necessary to make him obedient and more amicable around people and pets.
They are loving with their human family, but because they require such vigorous exercise, they are better suited to life in the countryside as opposed to living in a cramped space in the city.
Your Old English Terrier is a working dog and while he is known to be independent and sometimes quite stubborn, he is intelligent and trainable.
He should be trained and socialized and then he becomes a great family pet, being amicable with children and other pets. He is a good natured pet but he has lots of energy and will rely on you to provide him with walks and games, whether you live in the city or the countryside.
Give him the right upbringing and you can be assured of the most splendid pet and companion.
Many hybrids are in better health at least genetically than their parent breeds. Responsible breeders will breed any genetic issues out of their puppies. Still there are many health issues that the Shorkies are prone to. These include:
• Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – “smashed face” causes problems with breathing, heat, flying and more.
• Glaucoma – Yorkshires have this, and it can be secondary to the lens Luxation.
There are some health problems with a dog that can be inherited, but some illnesses develop because of bad lifestyle and bad diet along with lack of exercise.
Your Old English Terrier can live to anything from 10 to 14 years of age, but there are always some common dog diseases that you may want to be aware of.
Dental disease, skin allergies, hip dysplasia, cancer, epilepsy, bloat and eye diseases are just some of the diseases that are highly unlikely, but which can be worrisome for your pet.
1.Feeding the puppy - The Shorkies need a high-quality, well-balanced dry kibble. Make sure it is a formula for small, active dogs. It should have lean meat and essential minerals and vitamins. Make sure it is puppy food not adult. The puppy needs 300 -550 calories a day in 3 meals.
2.Feeding the adult – Obesity is a problem for the Shorkie as it is for many small dogs. Don’t overfeed your adult but give her the same kind of high quality small breed dog food, only for adults. They need about 200-300 calories a day in 2 meals.
4. Games and Exercises – These are very active little dogs and need exercise every day. They needs walks, games, and time with you. They also love to cuddle with you at the end of the day. They love squeaky toys and playing fetch outside or inside.
Looking after your Old English Terrier is easy, whether you choose the short- or long haired breed, requiring you to brush him twice a week to remove those loose hairs. Check in and outside the ears for ticks and fleas and check around the eyes for infections.
Always run your hands over your dog to make sure there are no unusual lumps which could be indicative of cancer.
Make sure your pet has a nice dry, warm place to sleep, and if he is outdoors, make sure he has a spot to lie down in that is out of the sun and rain.
He is an active dog and will require a walk each day as well as ball- and rope games.
Every dog will benefit from a high quality diet, both commercially manufactured food and home-made food. Dogs want their meals to be simple, tasty, consistent and delicious.
Dry kibble needs to be of a high quality and you can add in simple home-made food to his kibble and which is simple – boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. When you can afford it, some raw meat added into the kibble will be a welcome treat.
Such a simple diet will ensure you don’t battle with your dog’s digestion and it will keep him bright-eyed and healthy. Ensure a constant supply of fresh, cool water.