MyDogBreeds
Both Toy Australian Shepherd and Shorkie are originated from United States. Toy Australian Shepherd may grow 12 cm / 5 inches higher than Shorkie. Both Toy Australian Shepherd and Shorkie are having almost same weight. Both Toy Australian Shepherd and Shorkie has almost same life span. Both Toy Australian Shepherd and Shorkie has almost same litter size. Both Toy Australian Shepherd and Shorkie requires Moderate maintenance.
These beautiful little dogs interestingly don’t originate in Australia. They were originally bred in the western U.S. as herding dogs.
Today they are mainly companion dogs. Their lineage goes back to a pair of sibling dogs - the Wildhagen Dutchman and Fieldmaster of Flintridge and these two dogs began the lineage to which the Miniature Australian Shepherd belongs.
Known also as ‘Aussie’, there are different stories to its exact origins. It is thought that some Basque farmers brought dogs with them when they came to Australia, taking them to the United States during the 1849 California gold rush.
The dog has been crossed with a number of breeds to bring about a dog that could cope with harsh temperatures.
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.
The Toy Australian Shepherd, also referred to as the Mini- or Miniature Australian Shepherd is a small dog standing at between 26 - 36 cm in height and weighing between 3 to 9kg.
He has a medium-length, weather-resistant coat which is white with tan, black, red or blue merle. The coat is long, and slightly wavy with feathering around the legs and neck.
They eyes can be blue or brown or he can have two differently colored eyes.The tail of these dogs can be a natural bobtail or it is docked. They do shed but they don’t require that much grooming.
These playful little dogs may be small, but they are brave and full of courage. They’re also easy going, and love nothing more than to be around their human family.
They love the games that children play and are always ready to join in, making excellent playmates for children. Lively and alert, they also make good watchdogs and because they are so intelligent, they are easy to train and socialize.
Their intelligence means they need to be physically and mentally stimulated otherwise they can become destructive from sheer boredom. They’re full of energy and will require regular exercise every day.
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 Toy Australian Shepherd is such a clever little dog and eager to learn too. You won’t have trouble getting him trained and socialized as he is eager to learn.
He bonds closely with his human family, becoming a loyal, devoted pet. They are also great playmates for children. They’re the kind of dogs that will require mental and physical stimulation if they are to to be prevented from becoming bored and frustrated.
They need social interaction with their human family and will be devastated if they were to be stuck in the backyard and all but forgotten.
They have a lifespan of 12 – 14 years and you want to make sure they’re happy, contented years, because he is wiling to play his part and make you a wonderful pet and companion.
Make sure your Toy Australian Shepherd sees the vet as a puppy to be dewormed and to get his first puppy injections.
Dental disease is far more serious than you think. It can affect other areas of your dog’s body. Plaque and inflamed gums lead to bone- and tooth loss.
Bad breath is a sign of periodontal disease. Find out from your vet what to do to guard against periodontitis. It’s important because ignoring bad teeth can lead to heart disease, with bacteria constantly entering the blood stream.
Fleas and ticks are your pet’s enemy as well as heartworm. Dogs can die from heartworm infestations. Heartworm is linked to mosquito bites, so if you live in warm areas, check with your vet for preventative measures.
This is another common dog illness to watch out for. This is a painful condition where the hip joint isn’t formed properly and it can lead to terrible pain and lameness.
Just like people endure endless misery with eczema, dogs too can develop skin allergies. They can create endless frustration and misery for any pet because of the terrible itch and pain. All the licking and scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections too.
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.
Your puppy will need 4 small bowls of food a day. If you’re wondering just how much, either speak to your vet or follow the portion-guide on the packaging of the puppy dog food.
As your puppy grows older, you feed less frequently so that he is getting two meals a day as an adult. For feeding an adult, there are excellent commercial dog foods available - remember to choose a good brand for your dogs age, size and energy levels.
Try and give him some tasty home-made food too from time to time – nothing exotic and spicy – just plain foods such as boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. Dogs thrive on simple, healthy food like this. Make sure he always has a bowl of cool, fresh water to drink.
These energetic little bundles of fur will need regular exercise – every day in fact. He’s a smart little dog too, so you need to provide him with stimulating games that will keep his mind and his body physically fit.
Reduce shedding and loose hair by brushing the long hair a least twice a week. This will also help to get rid of matting. Trim nails and check for fleas and ticks.
Provide your Toy Australian with a warm, dry, peaceful place to sleep. If he is outside often, make sure he has both sun and shade to lie in as well as a sheltered spot for when it rains.
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.