MyDogBreeds
Shorkie is originated from United States but Sapsali is originated from North Korea. Shorkie may grow 36 cm / 14 inches shorter than Sapsali. Shorkie may weigh 20 kg / 44 pounds lesser than Sapsali. Shorkie may live 3 years more than Sapsali. Both Shorkie and Sapsali has almost same litter size. Both Shorkie and Sapsali 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.
Early documentation of this dog tells us that it has been around for centuries and is therefore an ancient breed.
The Sapsali is a dog that comes from Korea and is also known as the Lion Dog, Sapsaree and Sapsal Gae. It is believed that these dogs were used to dispel evil spirits or ghosts.
The dog was given the status as National Treasure by the Korean Government in 1992 and is recognized by a number of local Korean dog societies. The dog isn’t however recognized by any of the major kennel clubs, but is affiliated with the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
When Korea was under Japanese rule, the dogs were slaughtered to make coats for its military and almost became extinct. Kennels were set up and the dog was revived again in the 1980s.
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 Sapsali is a medium sized sheepdog standing at between 48 and 60cm in height and weighing between 16 and 27kg. He is a strong looking dog with the coat being long and dense and coming in quite a few color varieties. The coat can be solid in color but it can also be a mixture of blonde, reddish, brown and black. The hair of the dog also falls over the eyes.
The dog has large eyes, the ears are also fairly large and the tail is long and held straight or down.
The dog is friendly, social and playful and also loving and loyal towards his human family. He is protective too and makes a good watchdog, but is never aggressive.
He gets on well with children as well as with other dogs. Training and socialization ensure obedience and good behavior and with a desire to please.
They’re intelligent dogs and training is easy. They’re gentle dogs too and this has made them a popular choice for therapy dogs. Their loving natures have been welcomed by patients suffering with trauma and the dog connects strongly with these people.
When back home he wants to be included in all the family activities. He is quite energetic and will require exercise every day – walks, hikes, frisbee, ball and rope games as well as more hectic hikes. He makes a good choice for the first time dog owner but is better suited to life in the suburbs or the countryside as opposed to being on a small property in the city.
The beautiful Sapsali is a friendly, loving dog breed who is just a little bit wary around strangers.
If he senses his master is alright around strangers, he will accept them too.
He is both protector and guard dog and gets on well with all members of the household. Apart from the long coat which can be a bit of a handful, this dog ticks all the right boxes in terms of being a most splendid family pet.
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.
The Sapsali can live to be between 10 and 12 years of age, being a healthy breed. Like all purebreds, the dog will experience some health concerns, among which are heart disease, obesity, bloat, hip dysplasia and skin problems among others.
Dogs get heart disease just like human beings. The most common form of heart disease in dogs is valvular disease. Essentially it affects small breed dogs. Heartworm disease and dilated cardiomyopathy are also common forms of heart disease.
Sometimes there are symptoms and sometimes there aren’t, but as heart disease progresses it turns to congestive heart failure – the heart not being able to meet the body’s demands. Signs of this can be fatigue, difficulty with breathing, loss of appetite and weight loss, coughing and a distended abdomen.
If you see these signs, your pet will need to get to the vet. There is no cure for congestive heart failure but there are medications which can help the heart work better.
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.
The Sapsali is covered in thick, long hair and the coat is going to require a lot of attention. It will be better to give the coat a brush every day as the coat can become very matted and tangled. The dog is also a heavy shedder so a regular brush will help to get rid of all that loose hair.
The Sapsali will need to have his ears, eyes and teeth regularly checked to ensure they are clear of any infection and to prevent any illnesses. A bad tooth can create many health issues throughout the dog’s body.
You can enhance your dog’s health by giving him good food. Commercially manufactured dog foods can be a good, convenient choice, more so if you choose the high quality ones known for their natural, quality ingredients.
To provide your dog with just a bit of variety in his diet, some home-made food added into the dry kibble from time to time will delight your pet. No need to make preparing the food a huge issue either. Boil brown rice and chicken in a pot and add in sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach.
Chop all this up and as a treat, add smaller portions of it into the dry kibble when you want to treat your dog. To avoid skin infections, try to include some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Never leave your pet without a constant source of fresh, cool water