Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Similarities and Differences

This Yorkie Poo vs Morkie blog post isn’t a material that showcases a dog breed that is more favorable than the other. This is simply written to provide an outline of the two breed’s similarities and differences in key areas as both are two of the most popular companion dogs out there.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Appearance

A Yorkie Poo which is also called Yorkapoo, Yoodle, Yorkerpoo, or Yorkiedoodle obviously resembles the look of its parent breeds Yorkshire Terrier and the Toy Puddle. This dog breed has a lot of variation in its appearance, but generally, it has floppy ears with black eyes and a short to medium-sized muzzle. Also, most Yorkie Poos have short legs and have their tails docked.

On the other hand, a Morkie clearly resembles the look of its parent breeds Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese. Their body frame can either be short and stocky or longer-legged and wiry. Moreover, their ears can either be like a Yorkshire Terrier’s which is pointed or be like a Maltese’s which is floppy.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Origin

The Yorkie Poo is a dog breed that has only been around for 10 years, meaning it’s indeed a new hybrid. It was developed by crossing two well-established breeds which is the Yorkshire Terrier and the Toy Puddle. The main purpose of the breeders was to create a toy-sized dog with a hypoallergenic coat and also doesn’t have the tendency to contract the genetic disorders of its parent breeds. Furthermore, it’s said that at the beginning, this dog was used as ratters in factories and mines until it was acquired by the noble people in England around the end of the 18^th century which certainly changed its image.

On the other hand, the Morkie is a dog breed that is the result of the crossing between a purebred Yorkshire Terrier and a purebred Maltese during the late 1990s. The main purpose of the breeders was to create a dog that is hypoallergenic and at the same time friendly.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Size

A Yorkie Poo can stand as tall as seven to 15 inches and can weigh from around three to 14 pounds. On the other hand, a Morkie can stand as tall as four to eight inches at the shoulder. Moreover, a male Morkie can weigh from around four to 15 pounds while a female Morkie can weigh from around four to 12 pounds.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Coat

The Yorkie Poo’s coat has a texture that is both soft and silky and can range from straight to curly. At the same time, its coat’s color can either be cream, black, white, red, sable, apricot, tan, chocolate, gray, or silver. Moreover, the reason why this dog breed is popular for being a hypoallergenic dog is because aside from producing just a little amount of dander or dried skin flakes, it’s also almost not shedding at all! Furthermore, its coat should be trimmed regularly and brushed daily too to avoid tangles. To protect its eyes, you can certainly trim the hair around it too or just brush them.

On the other hand, the Morkie’s coat color can range from black, brown, white, or a mix of such colors. Furthermore, note that the coat’s color can indeed change over time. It means that a Morkie puppy’s coat color may not be its final color. Also, this dog needs regular brushing to avoid hair knots. Lastly, this dog breed doesn’t shed that much which means it’s certainly perfect for pet owners with allergies.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Personality/ Temperament

A Yorkie Poo is indeed innately friendly to everyone, people or animal. On the other hand, it’s most affectionate and loyal towards its owners. It’s a small dog that can do well in apartments, but is also very energetic and playful. Moreover, this dog breed is intelligent as well as impeccably alert and instinctual. Also, take note that it really loves barking and jumping, like a lot!

On the other hand, a Morkie is certainly a happy-go-lucky kind of dog who loves playing a lot! At the same time, it’s also an excellent lap dog or cuddler since they are extremely loyal to their owners.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Health

Every dog breed is more prone to specific diseases or health condition than the other breeds.

For the Yorkie Poo which has a life expectancy of about 12 to 15 years, epilepsy, patellar luxation, portosystemic shunt (PSS), legg-calve-perthes disease, hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, and atopic dermatitis are the conditions that you should certainly look out for.

On the other hand, for a Morkie which has a life expectancy of about 10 to 16 years,collapsed trachea, reverse sneezing, hypoglycemia, portosystemic stunt, patellar luxation, as well as other eye, ear, and oral health problems are the conditions that you should certainly look out for.

• Epilepsy

This is a neurological disorder which is a heterogeneous disease. A dog with an epilepsy will have recurrent as well as unprovoked seizures because of an abnormality in the brain. Moreover, this can be inherited, resulting from structural problems in the brain, or can also be because of an unknown cause. There are anti-epileptic drugs which can help with this such as phenobarbital and potassium bromide.  

• Patellar Luxation

This is a health condition characterized by the dislocation of a kneecap. For Grades II-IV patellar luxations, surgery is highly recommended.

• Portosystemic Shunt

This is a health condition where there is a presence of an abnormal vessel which allows the blood from the dog’s intestine to bypass the liver. Consequently, the liver will deteriorate. The treatments available for this are medical management and surgical management. The medical management consists of low protein diet as well as oral administration of both antibiotics and laxatives.

• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

This is a health condition characterized by the spontaneous degeneration of the head on the femur bone which is located in the dog’s hind leg. It then results into the disintegration of the hip joint as well as bone and joint inflammation. Furthermore, mild cases can be managed with therapy using pain medications. On the other hand, for severe ones, surgery may be recommended.

• Hypothyroidism

This is a health condition where this a direct destruction of the thyroid gland. Moreover, rare cases of this condition can lead to cancer as well as congenital defects. On the other hand, this is treatable with medication like thyroxine which is a replacement hormone compound.

• Hyperadrenocorticism

This endocrine syndrome also known as the Cushing’s disease is caused by tumors of either the pituitary or the adrenal glands. Furthermore, this can either be treated through pharmaceutical therapy, radiation, or surgery.

• Atopic Dermatitis

This is a skin problem that is characterized by the tendency to have allergic symptoms after being exposed to things that are usually harmless. This can be prevented by practicing good hygiene in your pet dog, sanitizing the house, and always being observant when your dog is outside.

• Collapsed Trachea

This is a condition characterized by chronic coughing. The available medications for this condition are cough suppressants, anti-inflammatories, bronchodilators, sedatives, antibiotics, and anabolic steroids. If these as well as environmental management won’t work, surgery may be the option you should resort to.

• Reverse Sneezing

This condition happens when a dog stands, extends their head and neck, pull back their lips, and then inhale repeatedly and forcefully through their nose. Technically, this isn’t a problem, but is actually normal from time to time. On the other hand, you can softly blow on your dog’s face, massage its throat, as well as hold its nostrils closed for a few seconds to shorten its reverse sneezing episodes.

• Hypoglycemia

This is a condition where a dog suffers from low blood sugar. Take note that this isn’t the main problem, but rather the ones which cause it in the first place. Those are the ones which should be treated immediately. Oral as well as intravenous glucose supplements will be the first aid medication and then the underlying cause/s of the condition should be diagnosed as soon as possible afterwards.

For these reasons, you should certainly be in regular contact with your pet dog’s veterinarian in order to track your dog’s overall health as well as to detect any bad health condition in advance.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Care/ Grooming

To take care of a Yorkie Poo, the dog doesn’t need bathing that much, so you can make its own schedule if you want. For brushing the teeth, you can opt for either brushing for two to three times a week or do it daily. Lastly, for trimming the nails, you can do so for once or twice a month if your dog doesn’t naturally wear them down.

On the other hand, taking care of a Morkie includes bearing in your mind how fragile it is because of its small size. So that will entail you to always use a harness instead of a collar when you are walking them to avoid trachea collapse. You also need to make sure that everyone treats the dog gently. Now, for brushing its teeth, make sure to do it daily since small dogs are at high risk for dental problems. Also, trim its nails for once or twice a month.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Feeding

For a Yorkie Poo, it’s definitely best to serve it with high-quality dry food that is divided into two meals a day. On the other hand, a Morkie may be a small breed, but it certainly has a huge appetite! It’s best for you to buy commercially-manufactured dog food that is specifically made for small dogs. It’s also for the reason that there are available high-quality dry kibble that is appropriate for crossbreeds which are more prone to dental problems compared to their parent breeds.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Exercise

A Yorkie Poo is a small dog that truly has tons of energy. For this reason, it needs to have a daily exercise routine. Walking is good as well as playing with fun games in order for the dog to be physically as well as mentally stimulated. The key here is to plan activities for this dog that are not repetitive, so it won’t be bored. In addition to this, use positive reinforcements while doing its training such as treats and praises.

On the other hand, a Morkie doesn’t need too much exercise. Walking or strolling from time to time is enough. At the same time, throw in some games too because even though this breed is very low maintenance, they are highly energetic which means that they need to be physically and mentally stimulated.

Yorkie Poo vs Morkie: Behavior with Kids and Other Pets

A Yorkie is tolerable for older children, but for smaller ones, it may not be the best idea. It’s because the dog is too small that it can easily be trampled over. Moreover, it can behave well with other pets or animals since it’s innately a friendly dog.

On the other hand, a Morkie needs to be socialized at a very early age to be able to behave well with people and other animas in general. Once they do get a proper social foundation, they are good to go! They are good with older children, but with smaller ones, it’s a big no-no. It’s also the same with bigger dogs. Small children can absolutely carelessly handle them and the bigger dogs can easily trample over them which are scenarios that aren’t ideal for a very small dog like a Morkie.

Final Words

The Yorkie Poo and Morkie are two dog breeds that are related by being descendants of the Yorkshire Terrier breed. In addition to this, they are both bred to be a companion dog, most especially for people with allergies. On the other hand, each has their own unique characteristics which certainly make them stand out on their own.

If you are an aspiring pet owner and you are looking for a dog that will be the greatest companion of your life, pick the breed that you fancy more or the one which you know is complementary to your personality and lifestyle in general. Well, without a doubt, it’s easy if you can just pick both. But if you are only intending to live with one, you have to choose. Indeed, that is a hard task because both dogs are extremely lovable. But regardless of your choice, happy fur parenting!

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