Breeds / Small
Yorkipoo puppies
The Yorkipoo is playful, affectionate and vocal, with a large personality for its size. It needs 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day, much of which can be indoor play, and it can be stubborn to train.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle
- Adult weight 1.8 to 6.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 4 to 15 lb
- Adult height 18 to 38 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming High
- Typical lifespan 10 to 15 years
A cross, not a breed. The Yorkipoo is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, coat and temperament vary and can favour either parent, and a first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable than a later generation bred back to a Poodle. The weight and height ranges are wide because both Toy and Miniature Poodles are used.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Yorkipoo 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 high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. 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, suspected when the dog holds up a hind leg or bunny hops, and graded on orthopaedic examination
- Collapsing trachea, recognised by a dry honking cough and confirmed on radiographs or fluoroscopy
- Periodontal disease, found at annual veterinary dental examination
- Portosystemic liver shunt from the Yorkshire Terrier side, screened with a serum bile acids test
- Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, detectable by DNA test and annual eye examination
- Hypothyroidism, diagnosed on a thyroid function blood test
From Yorkipoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/yorkiepoo. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Yorkipoo 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 Yorkipoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 1.8 to 6.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other small breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.