MyDogBreedsSnorkie is originated from United States but West Highland White Terrier is originated from United Kingdom. Both Snorkie and West Highland White Terrier are of same height. Both Snorkie and West Highland White Terrier are having almost same weight. Both Snorkie and West Highland White Terrier has almost same life span. Both Snorkie and West Highland White Terrier has almost same litter size. Snorkie requires Moderate maintenance. But West Highland White Terrier requires High maintenance
The Snorkie is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer.
The exact origins of this dog are unknown, but it is believed that it is a designer dog from the United States. Known also as the Schnerrier, this toy breed is a popular pet as he can slot into life in the city or the countryside, in small homes or large.
The Snorkie’s history is short and unknown but both the parent breeds each have a long history.
The West highland white terrier originated from Poltalloch in Scotland. So they were initially called as Poltalloch terrier and after that they were called as Roseneath terrier. They were initially used for hunting fox, badger, otter and in killing the vermin like rats.
The breed history says that Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch was the reason for the Westie's white colour. This is because in 19th centuryhe went for hunting with his dogs and accidentally he shot his dog as its colour was as fox. So he decided to breed only white colour dogs.
Coming from two small dog breeds, the Snorkie will be small too, and will measure anything from 14 to 30cm and weigh anything from 3 to 6kg.
The Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer are fairly similar to look at and you will no doubt get high set erect ears, a small, compact body and a medium length tail which will be thickly furred.
The coat of the dog will be longish and could end up being the silky hair of the Yorkie or being the crisp coat of the Schnauzer. Colors of the coat can be grey, tan, silver, black. Shedding will be minimal.
When you get two purebred dog breeds being used to bring about a new dog breed, you cant really say what the temperament of the dog will be – because it could actually be a mix of characteristics from either breed. Either way your little pet will be social, playful, loving, loyal and companionable and make a great little watchdog.
The Westie can be said as that a small dog having the talents of the big dog. They are very popular for their obedience. They are also working as therapy dogs and also some in search and rescue teams. The home having Westie will have fun always and be enthusiastic. They will suit them for country or city living, but they like to live with their family. They are well suitable for apartment living, but some training should be given to them for not barking. They can stay in home when you are at work. Westie can be taken to travel, whether it may be long vacation or a short visit.
They are quick learners and so training them is not difficult. Mistakes of them can be corrected patiently since they don't like harsh activities against them. Westie will definitely bark when he sees something or hear different sounds. He will bark on seeing visitors or even other dogs. Sometimes they will bark for very silly things but when given appropriate training in their young stage, they can bark only for alerts.
Your Snorkie will be a sociable little dog who loves hanging out with his human family. He is loyal and loving towards them. He gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets.
Small he may be, but he makes a great watchdog and will alert you to suspect behavior with his constant yapping.
Suitable for life in the city or the countryside and also a great choice for first time dog owners, the Snorkie promises to make you an awesome family pet.
The Westie is friendly with children but not all the time. So some care should be taken while they are near children.
They like to chase rodents like rabbits as they are interested in hunting.
They are suitable for apartment living unless they are left alone for a very long time. They love cold weather more than hot.
They can be trained by giving some extra efforts.
Because a Snorkie is a mixed breed, they can inherit any one of the health issues from each of the parent breeds – the Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer.
Because this is a small dog, you can probably expect dental problems - overcrowded teeth and pancreatitis. The idea is to make sure you feed your little pet excellent food to minimize health issues.
The pancreas has many functions, one of which is the production of digestive enzymes which are critical for food digestion.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and then digestive enzymes, normally inactive until they reach the small intestine, become active in the pancreas instead. This brings about swelling and pain. Obesity, medications, high-fat diets and a disease such as hypothyroidism can cause pancreatitis.
Your dog will lose his appetite, be lethargic and restless and be vomiting too. He will have to get to the vet.
Itchy skin and pyoderma are common in terriers. Skin diseases such as Seborrhea and epidermal dysplasia are also found in them.
Westies have possibilities of getting yeast infections in skin[Malassezia Dermatitis] and due to that hair loss will be more.
Being a small dog, the Snorkie will be fairly easy to care for, and for anyone on a low budget who badly wants to own a dog, he won’t cost you a whole lot of money in food.
◆Brush the coat twice a week to rid the coat of loose hairs. The Snorkie isn’t a heavy shedder but he loves the grooming session. His coat may need to be professionally trimmed.
◆When you brush him, check for fleas and ticks. Check inside the ears for redness and make sure the eyes are bright and alert.
◆The Snorkie is small but will be a handful if left untrained. He is intelligent and will make a superb pet if he is trained and socialized.
◆Keep his vaccines up to date to eliminate killer canine diseases and get him to the vet if he appears to be ill.
◆Feed your Snorkie the best food there is. The commercially manufactured dog foods can be a good, convenient choice. Read the labels and buy the food appropriate to your pets size, age and energy levels.
Try and give him some home-made food. You can add a little bit of home-made food to the dry kibble to enhance it. You can do this twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a tasty healthy choice for your little pet. Just chop it all up for him.
The puppy should be fed 3 to 4 times per day as it requires a considerable amount for their growth. Cooked chicken breast and turkey are best for them and also vegetables should be given to them. Beef and chicken should be kept a limit as it will lead to itchy skin and allergies.
The preferable food for the Westie is home cooked. The home food will only contain all the essential nutrients for the Westie.
Eventhough the Westie is suitable for apartment living it is recommended to have a daily walk for him to be active and refreshing.
They should be made to play for atleast 30 minutes per day for their health as to not gain overweight. Grown up children can play with them as they like it.