Chorkie puppies

About the Chorkie

The Chorkie is a Chihuahua crossed with a Yorkshire Terrier, first bred in the United States in the early 1990s. Adults are tiny, roughly 3.5 to 6.5 kg and 15 to 23 cm, and the coat can be long and silky or short and scruffy depending on which Chihuahua parent stands behind it. The character is terrier and toy dog combined: bold, busy, loyal to its own people and quick to announce anything unfamiliar at the door.

Exercise is easily met with short walks and indoor games, so the real work goes into training and socialisation. Left to its own devices a Chorkie becomes a barker that distrusts visitors. Grooming ranges from daily combing to a weekly brush depending on the coat, but teeth need constant attention in a jaw this small. A dog under 6.5 kg is fragile, so supervise children and larger dogs closely.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Chorkie puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
• Collapsing trachea, recognised by a goose honk cough and confirmed on radiographs or fluoroscopy
• Patent ductus arteriosus, heard as a continuous murmur on auscultation and confirmed by echocardiogram
• Portosystemic liver shunt from the Yorkshire Terrier side, screened with a serum bile acids test
• Periodontal disease and early tooth loss, found at annual dental examination
• Hydrocephalus in domed headed puppies, diagnosed by ultrasound through the fontanelle or by MRI
• Hypoglycaemia in young puppies, confirmed by a blood glucose test
• Eye disease including cataracts, dry eye and glaucoma, found on veterinary eye examination

From Chorkie breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/chorkie. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Chorkie puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Chorkie.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.5 to 6.5 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other small breeds

Previous: Chiweenie · Next: Chow Chow