Morkie Dog Breed

Below are the details and specs for the Morkie dog breed.

The Morkie is not called a Toy Terrier for nothing: once mature, their basic weight is 4 to 12 pounds, and they stand about 6 to 10 inches tall. They love attention, and it should not be difficult to carry them in a handbag, backpack or even a large pocket.

Their big attitude may come as a surprise to those who mistake the Morkie's small size for meekness, but they are still very playful, friendly and loyal dogs. Children should be taught to be gentle with them, however, and strangers will prompt a bevy of barking.

Morkies are not meant to be left alone, ungroomed or untended. They need lots of attention, daily brushings and frequent walks and play time. They don't shed much, and their hair grows constantly so they will need several annual trips to the groomer as well.

The Morkie is a somewhat new hybrid; because of this, there is no real detailed history — although it is believed that the first Morkie was conceived in the 1990s in the United States. Fortunately, there is quite a bit of history regarding the Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier breeds.

The lineage of the Maltese goes back approximately 2,000 years. This toy dog has been depicted in the ancient art of Egypt, Greece and Rome; even Aristotle described the breed as "perfectly proportioned." Just as the many other treasures that passed through this miniature Mediterranean archipelago — along with the many conquerors that laid claim to and thereafter lost the island — the Maltese may have first been noted on Malta. In any case, what is known is the dog was highly coveted, and even before Christianity was born, the dog was an ornament without which no noble woman was fully dressed.

With the fall of Rome came the Dark Ages, but not for the Maltese; the dog thrived as a currency in the Far East even as the West fell into murder, disease and despair, and dog-breeding was all but lost. With the Renaissance, dog-breeding was again brought to the fore, and it was during this rebirth that the Maltese gained one of its nicknames from being used in lieu of water-bottles to ease body pain: "comforter dog." The Maltese was said to have been initially imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s but didn't gain nationwide popularity in the U.S. until the 1950s. The Maltese was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1888, and these days it is one of the most popular show dogs in the nation.

The Yorkshire Terrier, on the other hand, is not even two centuries old — but the breed has a rich history replete with detailed records since shortly after its inception. They were raised as ratters, but quickly became popular as lap dogs. Ultimately named for the north England region from which they came, Yorkshire Terriers were conceived in the 1850s when various Terriers were cross-bred among people seeking work in the area during the early Industrial Revolution. The Terriers were taken along by the workers for one basic reason: as ratters to control the vermin population in the mines, factories and mills where the men were employed. The remarkably small dog could literally be carried in their pockets and could easily chase down rodents in the small spaces where they hid. Despite its humble beginnings, the Yorkshire Terrier quickly became a favorite of English Victorian royalty. These days, it remains one of the most popular toy-sized dogs in many countries including the U.S., UK and Australia. It was recognized by the AKC in 1885.

The Morkie is a cross-breed that will get its genetics from both parent breeds: the Maltese and the Yorkshire Terrier; some will get more Maltese and others will get more Yorkshire Terrier — and yet there will be those that get a balance of both breeds. Regardless of your Morkie's mix, she will be a small dog with long hair, soft coat and a big attitude! Perhaps the only real difference of whether your Morkie shows more Maltese or Yorkshire Terrier are the ears: if they flop over, they are like the former but if they are erect, that means they are more Yorkie.

Generally, Morkie variations are F1 (the direct offspring of a Maltese and a Yorkie), F1B (offspring of a Morkie and either a Maltese or Yorkie), or F2 (offspring of two Morkie parents). For the most part, professional breeders offer either F1 or F1B Morkie puppies for sale.

A Morkie's coat is usually long and silky, and is a combination of its Maltese and Yorkie parents' coat traits. If the parent Yorkie has a wiry coat (generally considered a rarity), its Morkie offspring may reflect that, and the Morkie hair may be wiry as well. Also, many Yorkies are genetically predisposed to changing colors as they age--a trait which a Yorkie parent may pass on to its Morkie offspring.

And Morkie size doesn't normally vary too much; most full-grown Morkies weigh 4-12 pounds and are 6-10 inches in height.

Expect your Morkie to be playful, loyal and full of moxie! It can't be told it's a small dog, and the stubbornness will belie size. This dog will be very social and highly energetic, and must be trained and socialized very early. Training must be done with a very gentle hand and plenty of patience; yelling and similarly harsh methods will not work.

Morkies tend to have eye and ear problems due to their long hair, but they also have respiratory concerns because breeding for the desirable small, short and pinched snouts. Overall, they don't have many health problems, and of the small handful that may affect them, some of them can be prevented along with the daily and weekly grooming.

Some interesting facts about this mixed breed:

• Morkies sleep a lot: For some reason, these dogs tend to sleep more than other toy-sized breeds. Morkies' sleep cycles tend to be like that of cats: they'll sleep for hours during the day, but are often wide awake at 2 a.m.
• "Ugly Morkie" Christmas apparel: Some clothing lines offer comically hideous holiday-themed sweaters and T-shirts with an "Ugly Morkie" logo, complete with an image of a Morkie on the front.
• Tiny puppies, tiny litters: A Morkie puppy generally weighs only 4-5 ounces at birth, and is smaller than the size of a tennis ball. A Morkie's litter size is small too, averaging only 2-4 puppies (as opposed to 6-8 puppies on average for other breeds).
• Celebrity Morkie owners: Well-known owners include pop star Miley Cyrus, actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, hip-hop star Drake, and actor Orlando Bloom.