Yorkie Poo
Quick Facts
- Not AKC Recognized
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
- Size: small
- Energy: medium to high
- Recommended Crate Size: 24” dog crate*
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Who could resist those eyes...and that silky (or curly) hair? The Yorkie Poo is a bundle of bubbly personality wrapped in a fabulous fur-ball package. He’s full of spunk, in complete denial of his tiny size. He’s a love, extremely affectionate and loyal.
The Yorkie Poo is a designer dog that aced the challenge of combining two beloved breeds into one little gift for dog lovers. This Yorkshire Terrier and Poodle product bring you the best of both breeds.
Who doesn’t want a pint-sized marvel they can fit right into their pocket? But if you are thinking of opening your home and heart up to one, you might want to know what the whole package entails.
Breed
The Yorkie Poo is a designer breed between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Toy Poodle. The breed can also be an offspring of Yorkie Poo to Yorkie Poo or can be Yorkshire Terrier to a Miniature Poodle. “Yorkipoo” is another spelling of the name. Other names include Yorkiepoopoo, Yorkerpoo, Yoodle, Yorkapoo, and Yorkiedoodle.
The Yorkie Poo was first bred in the United States with the intention of taking the best traits from each parent in order to create the ultimate little lap dog who was also intelligent and personable. The mission was complete and for the most part, the results were astounding.
As with any crossbreed, there is never a guarantee as to which parent the pup will favor or if he will inherit the best of the best characteristics and not get any of the bad genes in his pool.
Hybrids are crossed between two or more breeds that are popular and there is always the hope that they will shine even brighter than their individual parents’ breeds.
There is a downside which is often times, they get some of the negative traits which can be manifest in temperament or even in medical problems since they become open to risks that both parents were vulnerable to.
Since this dog is a crossbred hybrid, he is not eligible for the American Kennel Club (AKC) or another pure breed club. He is a member, however, of the Certified Pet Registration Club.
Although Yorkie Poos are the newest additions to the designer dog breeds, with only a decade in existence, they are wildly popular. It seems that everyone wants this perky pocket personality. Plus, they are hypoallergenic for the most part which makes them all the more coveted.
The Poodle is a much sought after breed to mix with many other breeds. Once highly intelligent German fowl and water working dogs, they were brought into the family through the years due to their affectionate natures.
They retained their intelligence and working attributes and now are ready to stand guard against intruders which usually turn out to be a mailman or a friend knocking at the door. Yes, they bark unless they are trained not to. And, they can be as stubborn as mules and jealous too.
Still, they are loyal beyond measure and would gladly give their life for their beloved family. Poodles come in variations of Standard, Miniature, and Toy sizes. The parent of a Yorkie Poo is a Toy version of Poodle.
The Yorkshire Terrier was an easy choice when it came to choosing a gorgeous, small, personality packed breed to mix with the Poodle to create a house dog that was very adaptive and family oriented. With long, sleek and silky hair, the Yorkshire Terrier is the picture of grace. He oozes with personality too and not all of it is positive.
The Yorkshire Terrier can be independent and stubborn but loving and gentle at the same time. It was hoped the Yorkie Poo would not inherit the Yorkshire willfulness but, when it comes from the Poodle side too, many do. But, they are so darn charming and cute, many owners find it really doesn’t matter if they are a little headstrong and don’t know how small they really are.
Appearance
This teensy pup weighs in between 4 and 14 pounds and stands about 6-15 inches. Much of their size depends upon their parents’ size and whether they were bred from a Toy or Miniature Poodle or two Yorkie Poos.
Yorkie Poos tend to have very stunning hair that is silky, wavy and long. Gold, white, blue, and parti-color are the typical coat colors but they can also be apricot, cream, red, and sable. The colors combination can vary. Their coat is hypoallergenic for the most part, some more than others.
Yorkie Poos are built like Toy breeds with tiny, slim, yet slightly muscular bodies and small bones. Surprisingly, they can be a little leggy. They usually have floppy ears. Most Yorkie Poos have a slender little head and a muzzle that tapers in and is dark. Their eyes are dark and very expressive.
Nutrition
It is recommended to provide feed formulated to Yorkie Poo very small breeds, or, as the case may be - tiny to small vast variance in size associated with them. Do be sure to give him a good quality dog food product that correlates with his nutritional needs. Since he is so tiny, he won’t eat that much and you want every bite to count.
Speaking with your dog’s veterinarian can help you know what nutrient requirements he needs. The frequency of meals is another thing to consider when consulting with your vet.
Small Toy and Mini breeds may need to be fed small meals more often due to blood sugar issues and the fact that they just don’t hold that much food in their tummies. Yorkie Poos burn off lots of energy, especially when they are young.
As your puppy grows, his feeding routine and amounts may vary. As with any pet, be sure to keep plenty of fresh water readily available to him at all times.
Grooming
Just because Yorkie Poos don’t shed and are fairly low maintenance, grooming-wise, doesn’t mean they don’t need some attention. Their hair, whether curly or straight, will need to be brushed regularly, at least twice per week. This will help prevent it from matting and tangling and will keep his coat looking nice and neat.
He will need to be trimmed up as needed, usually not further apart than 2-3 months. He will also require a bath every month or so. Failure to properly groom this designer dog is not good for his health nor his mental state. When he’s all styled up, he knows it and when he’s not, he knows that too.
If a pup takes after the Poodle side, they are likely to have tear stairs. Cleaning their eye area with a warm wet rag will help cut down on staining though.
Pay close attention to his nails. He most likely will not be outdoors enough to wear them down naturally so he will need them cut more often. Keep his ears clean and dry. You’ll also want to brush his teeth with a doggie toothbrush and doggie toothpaste.
Like Poodles, some pet parents like to doll their Yorkie Poos up by having their nails painted and bows put in their hair or bandanas for the gentlemen pooches. Some also love to dress them up in cute little doggie designer duds. If your pup doesn’t mind, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a little fun with your fur-baby.
Exercise
Yorkie Poos are tiny and energetic so they get a lot of exercise romping around the yard or house or during their times of self-entertainment. But, all dogs need walking. Walking forms a bond that is priceless and it also establishes to your pup that you are the leader, no matter what he may have in mind. Do be sure that...you lead.
A round of 30 minutes or less is plenty for a Yorkie Poo. It may be best divided into two intervals. Pay close attention when you are walking him. Big or aggressive dogs may come along and you can bet, your Yorkie Poo grows ten feet tall, in his mind anyway. Also, keep a close eye on him if you dare to take him to a dog park. If he admitted to himself how small he was, he would be much safer.
Mental stimulation and exercise is a must for a Yorkie Poo. He has plenty of smarts and will get bored very easily if you don’t help him out. Playing brain games with him is an excellent thing to do.
Physical games are good for this hybrid too. He is quite agile and energetic so...let him rip! Encourage him to let his steam off in safe places where you are watching him good lest he does otherwise in unsafe places like darting into the street. Oh, he’s fast too!
Pet Crate Size
Pet Crates Direct recommends a small dog crate that is anywhere from a 24” dog crate* for most adult Yorkie Poos but due to variances in lineage, a smaller or even larger size may be required.
More Information
Personality
Yorkie Poos are active dogs. While they adore being in your lap, it is simply not going to last all day. They have other things to attend to like keeping other pets in the household in line or guarding the front door.
They may play with their toys or engage in a barking match with the dog next door. They are whimsical and at times, they are comical too and love attention.
Yorkie Poos, like their parents, are confident and make excellent companion dogs. They take after their Yorkshire Terrier side as far as playfulness and can entertain themselves for hours on end. You’ll find yourself buying tons of toys because it’s entertaining for pet parents to watch them play too.
Quite the social fellows, Yorkie Poos love people and expect people to love them too. They do tire of being constantly petted, however. They have lots of energy that comes in spurts.
While Yorkie Poos are good with children and other dogs, it may not be advisable to have them together. Yorkie Poos don’t realize, or... don’t care, how small they are.
They will pick an argument with another dog or even the family cat (usually verbal) and won’t back down. They can easily get hurt if they do so. They are good around kids but young children who are rowdy are not ideal for them.
At an early age, you will want to socialize them with humans and with animals. They are still likely to sound their bark alarm when people come over but that will die down and they will soon be in their lap. You should train them to hush their barking early on lest your neighbors get annoyed.
The Yorkie Poo may seem aloof as far as your attention goes. When you pet them and beckon them to your lap, you may get the feeling they could care less. But, if you go a time without loving on them, you are sure to be told about it. They do love playing hard to get.
Yorkie Poos are awesome and adorable creatures. They do have their qualms but their good traits more than make up for them.
Training
Yorkie Poos are fairly easy to train. That is something the breeders had in mind when they created the Yorkie Poo. He is actually easier to train than his parents in many ways. He is more able to focus than the Maltese and may be less independent and stubborn than his Poodle parent.
One thing that will hinder training is if you pamper him excessively and spoil him rotten. It’s hard not to do with this adorable breed but you might create a monster if you do so. Monsters are difficult to train. A Yorkie Poo is not a doll, no matter how much it may seem so.
Nip aggressive and dominant behavior in the bed as a pup or as soon as you get your Yorkie Poo. His nature to lead the pack will bite him otherwise. He will need to know that you are the alpha in no uncertain terms. If he is an excessive barker, nip that in the bud as well.
Most likely both you and your Yorkie Poo will enjoy his training time. Potty training and training for obedience is a biggie but then there are training classes that are more fun like teaching him tricks and even training him for a pint-size agility course.
Health
Because Yorkie Poos are hybrids, they carry the risks that both parents’ breeds entail. They are generally healthy and live long lives but there are the exceptions to the rule. You will want to keep a close eye out for any of the medical conditions he may be subject to due to heredity.
Hypothyroidism is a culprit among Yorkie Poos. His blood sugar may drop drastically in between meals. If you notice him getting lethargic or irritable mid-way between meals, you might want to mention it to his veterinarian. She may have you feed him small meals more often and may also put him on special dog food.
Diseases of the joints are not uncommon with the Yorkie Poo. Hip Dysplasia, Elbow Dysplasia, and other hip and joint problems may occur at some point during his life. To help avoid the problem, be careful where you allow him to jump down from. If you notice him limping or favoring a leg, consult a dog care professional.
Von Willebrand’s disease is another illness that plagues the Yorkie Poo. The failure for the blood to clot can cause him to bleed out. If you notice he doesn’t stop bleeding soon after being cut or scratched, get in touch with his vet right away. She can run a test to determine if he has Von Willebrand’s disease. Thrombopathia is another blood-related illness to screen for.
Atopic Dermatitis is common in Yorkie Poos. He may be allergic to his dog soap or shampoo, to certain foods or treats, and even to the environment. Keep watch for any undue scratching or licking.
Patellar Luxation, Portosystemic Shunts, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, Epilepsy, and hyperadrenocorticism are other medical conditions Yorkie Poos are prone to so be vigilant and have him checked at the first clue that something might be ailing him.
Is a Yorkie Poo Right for Me?
Are you ready for a pint-size designer pup who can fit right into your pocket? If you want a dog who can just about go with you anywhere you go, the Yorkie Poo might just be for you.
If you have small rambunctious children or other dogs in the house that are anything but laid back (like an older, docile dog), you may need to reconsider. Yorkie Poos don’t realize it, but they are quite fragile. Be sure you have the right setting for him. You’ll be doing him a big favor not to take him if you don’t.
But...in the event that your situation is right for the loveable fur-bucket, he will adore all the affection you lavish on him although he’ll never let you know so. He will return your love with his whole heart and will even do cute antics for you, like toss his kibbles into the air or chase his tail with full speed.
Your home will never be the same when you open it up to all this tiny Yorkie Poo has to offer and...your heart will never be the same either.
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