Chorkie Dog Breed Information, Pictures and Care Guide

Chorkies are a mix of a Yorkshire Terrier and a Chihuahua.

First bred around twenty years ago, these petite pooches have continued to grow in popularity. Thanks to their larger-than-life personalities, they have become a well-loved companion breed for many owners.

This dog is best described as energetic, playful, loving, feisty, and confident.

They are not the quietest of dogs and are not afraid to use their voices. They may also be rather difficult to train as they like to think they are in charge. They make up for some of these pitfalls with their outright cuteness and their willingness to offer unconditional love.

What is a Chorkie?

Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier

The Chorkie is a designer dog breed that is a cross between a purebred Yorkshire Terrier and a purebred Chihuahua. There were likely some accidental breeding of these dogs many times over the years but it was first popularized in the USA around twenty years ago.

Thanks to the lucky dip that is cross breeds, there is no breed standard for these pups.

Their appearance and temperament will depend on their parents. Whether the Chihuahua parent is deer or apple headed will affect their look. We recommend avoiding teacup varieties, as they have some serious health concerns.

They are a toy dog breed that is most at home when being doted on by you.

This little dog is full of energy and will keep you on your feet. Their small size allows them to live happily in apartment blocks and city living is not an issue for them. Their fondness for barking however may not make you overly popular with the neighbors.

How Much Does A Chorkie Cost?

A Chorkie will cost around $400 to $600.

Chorkie Appearance

Yorkshire Terrier and a Chihuahua

The Chorkie may inherit any mix of characteristics from its parents – this makes predicting its appearance extremely difficult. Their coat might be long and sleek like the Yorkshire Terrier or it might be short and smooth like a typical Chihuahua.

They could have the classic Yorkshire Terrier colors of black and tan. If they take after the Chihuahua parent, the range of coat colors is much broader.

The good news is that both parent breeds are low shedding dogs.

With this pup the usual look is thin legs with a rounded skull. They may either have ears that stand up or drop down. They have the Yorkshire Terriers eyes that sit in the skull rather than pop out like the Chihuahuas. With such an adorable look it’s hard not to love these guys.

Height and Weight

The Chorkie has two tiny parents, so it’s not unsurprising that they are also tiny. When fully grown, they are around 8-10 lb. They tend to grow around 6 to 9 inches tall.

This makes them the perfect size for apartments as they don’t necessarily need a garden. Although of course, they wouldn’t turn their nose up at one.

Colors

Chorkies have a wide variety of coat colors. If they take after the Yorkshire Terrier parent, they are most likely to be black and tan. This is the classic Yorkie look that most people know.

Whereas Chihuahuas have many different colors and patterns. It would not be unusual to see white, cream, fawn, chocolate or gold.

Therefore the Chorkie can also have a large array of colors. A good way to guess the possible colors of puppies is to look at the parents’ coat colors.

Coat

The Chorkies coat might be long or short, sleek or smooth, straight or wavy. It’s almost impossible to say what combination your puppy might have. Long haired versions will require daily brushing and trips to the groomers every two months. Short haired versions will only need brushing a couple times a week and won’t need to be groomed as often.

Chorkie Temperament

The Chorkie is a little dog bursting at the seams with personality. They are super outgoing and bubbly and will suit an owner who has a similar personality.

Both the Chihuahua and Yorkie are confident little dogs who know what they want. This trait makes them lots of fun to play with as they will show you exactly what they want you to do. It may make them slightly stubborn in training sessions though.

Small dog syndrome is a serious issue with these little guys. You have to remember that, although they are small, you should hold them to the same standards of behavior as you might a larger dog.

The Yorkshire Terrier in them might lead to some protective behavior traits. This could be combated by showing them that new people are good. When they meet new people, give them treats and praise – early socialization is a must!

They are high energy dogs that love a runaround. They will release much of their energy just speeding around the home. It’s still important that you take them out on walks (at least once a day).

Thanks to the alert and loyal nature of both the Chihuahua and the Yorkie, the Chorkie makes an excellent watchdog. They will bark at anything strange going on. Unfortunately, they will also bark at almost everything else. This can be an issue if you live in the close confinement of an apartment block.

One of the benefits of these pups is that they don’t mind being left alone too much, especially if they have a friend. Socializing them with plenty of dogs and people from a young age will mean they develop into polite and well-mannered adults.

They love their family and are extremely affectionate. They are happy to sit and cuddle up to you for hours on end. They should play nicely with children but keep your eye on them at all times as they may be nippy if a child does something they don’t like.

Is A Chorkie A Good Family Dog?

The Chorkie is not a good dog if you have young children. Children often don’t understand how to behave around small dogs, and this could lead to them getting hurt and nipping at the children.

How to Train a Chorkie

Yorkshire Terrier and Chihuahua Mix

The Chorkie is not the easiest dog to train. This comes from both its parents having a bit of a stubborn streak. When dogs have a stubborn nature, the best method for dog training is positive reinforcement, consistency and repetition.

Positive reinforcement is when you treat them for the correct behaviors with food or praise.

It ensures that they do not become discouraged and bored when training. Constancy and repetition are important for keeping the information they have learned fresh in their minds. Dogs thrive on routine and having a training session every day is your best chance of having a well behaved Chorkie.

As they might sometimes be uninterested in training, using high-quality treats is important. However don’t be too treat happy! Overfeeding with treats will lead to obesity in small dogs.

Crate training is a good idea for these guys. This should help with keeping them calm and allowing to feel safe. It may also help with toilet training. They might sometimes struggle with this and again, routine is extremely important. Taking your pup out at similar times every day will help to housebreak them.

Socialization is always important and a Chorkie is no different. You should allow them to meet all kinds of people but be sure to keep an eye on them around small children. They love other dogs and do well in multiple dog homes. Having playmates helps to keep them calm and entertained.

Caring for a Chorkie

The Chorkie is an easy breed to care for and because of this, they fit into many different lifestyles.

They are happy in an apartment and don’t mind being alone. They only need around 30 minutes of exercise a day. If they have long hair, grooming is a little more demanding but it’s worth it.

The will need their nails clipped every few months as it’s difficult for them to wear them down. Flea and worming should always be carried out on time.

You should brush their teeth with a doggy toothbrush from a young age and clean their ears. They are prone to ear infections because of the long hairs around their ears.

Chorkie

Exercise Requirements

The Chorkie is an energetic dog but, thanks to their size, it will use most of its energy just running around your home. They do still like to go for walks but should only be out for around 30 minutes each day.

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With a small dog, it’s easy to over walk them. They don’t need as much exercise as a bigger dog would. It’s still important you take them out.

Small dogs are prone to obesity because it’s easy to overfeed them – this daily exercise will help keep you and them healthy.

We would recommend keeping these dogs on a leash as they may struggle with recall unless you’re in a safe, enclosed space. They enjoy playing with other dogs but be careful with bigger dogs as they are easily injured.

Grooming and Shedding

The grooming requirements for this dog depend on the kind of fur they inherit. For short-haired varieties, they should be brushed once or twice a week and be taken to the groomers at least twice a year.

Long haired varieties require a bit more care. They need brushing every day to ensure they don’t become matted. Brushing your dog is a really great bonding time for you and them. They will also need to be groomed every two months to have their coat trimmed.

Feeding and Diet

It’s easy to over-feed small dogs so it is important that you have a clear idea of what they need for a balanced doggy diet. As a puppy, they need around 3 to 4 meals a day of high-quality puppy food. Usually, the best option is to keep them on the same dog food the breeder has been using as this reduces the chances of upsetting their stomachs.

As they grow older you should move them to 2 meals a day.

They should be consuming around 40 calories per lb of body weight. For an adult Chorkie, this means between 200 and 300 calories a day. Most of this should be protein and fats with carbohydrates making up the lowest percentage of their food.

It’s good to incorporate healthy treats into your dog’s diet but make sure to take this off their overall daily calorie intake. This way you can be sure you are not overfeeding them.

How Long Does A Chorkie Live?

A Chorkie is expected to live for around 10 to 15 years.

Quick Breed Summary Table

Breed Characteristics
Size:6-9 inches
Weight:8-10 lb
Lifespan:10 to 15 years
Coat:Short or long. Smooth or sleek/Straight or wavy
Color:Black and tan if they take after Yorkie parent but if they take after the Chihuahua will be a larger range
Do They Shed:Low shedding
Temperament:Confident, energetic, playful, loving, alert and feisty
Intelligence:Intelligent dog but sometimes stubborn
Socialization:Enjoys socialization with people and especially with other dogs
Destructive Behavior:Extremely likely to bark
People Skills:Great with people as long as socialized from a young age
Good with Children:Not good with young children
Activity Levels:Low activity levels

Summary

The Chorkie is an outgoing, confident little dog with lots of love to give.

They are best suited to a home without children that will be consistent with their training. They don’t need much exercise but may require some attention when it comes to grooming.

These dogs work really well in apartments and enjoy having canine companions. They do have a tendency to bark at everything and you should attempt to train this out of them as young as possible.

If you have fallen in love with this breed, be sure to do your research to find a high quality breeder. We are sure this little dog will make a wonderful addition to your family.

More Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier Mixes

Want a Chihuahua mix or Yorkshire Terrier mix but aren’t keen on the Chorkie? Check out these other hybrid dog breeds:

Chihuahua Mixes

Yorkshire Terrie Mixes

About Thomas Woods 224 Articles
Thomas has been a dog lover since he was 6 years old when his parents got him a rescue Labrador. Since then his love for dogs has lead him to study Animal Behavior & Welfare. He now keeps a six year old English Bullmastiff and educates pet parents through his online publication Perfect Dog Breeds.

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