Shorkie

The shorkie is a small companion dog label for crosses between the Shih Tzu and the Yorkshire Terrier, sometimes written Shorkie Tzu. Because it is a hybrid rather than a long-established pure breed, size, coat, muzzle length, and temperament vary from litter to litter. Many are toy-sized dogs with a silky or soft coat, dark eyes, and a lively, people-focused nature that reflects both parent breeds.

Care expectations should be based on the individual dog and its parents, not on designer-breed promises. Most shorkies need regular brushing and clipping, careful dental care, and early training to prevent nuisance barking or small-dog defensiveness. Lines with shorter Shih Tzu-type faces may be less tolerant of heat and hard exercise, while Yorkie influence can bring terrier boldness and prey interest. Anyone breeding first-generation or multigeneration shorkies should still provide parent health information, including knees, eyes, teeth, and airway considerations.

Colors: Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Merle, Mottled, Parti, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, Yellow