Shorkie vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison

Shorkie vs Greater Swiss Mountain Dog - Breed ComparisonGreater Swiss Mountain Dog is originated from Switzerland but Shorkie is originated from United States. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may grow 48 cm / 19 inches higher than Shorkie. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may weigh 63 kg / 139 pounds more than Shorkie. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may live 3 years less than Shorkie. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may have more litter size than Shorkie. Both Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and Shorkie requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Miscellaneous dogs
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Switzerland
United States
Height Male:
65 - 72 cm
25 - 29 inches
18 - 24 cm
7 - 10 inches
Height Female:
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
16 - 22 cm
6 - 9 inches
Weight Male:
60 - 70 kg
132 - 155 pounds
5 - 7 kg
11 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
55 - 70 kg
121 - 155 pounds
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
5 - 10
1 - 5
Size:
Large
Small
Other Names:
GSMD, Swissy, Sennenhund
Shorki • Shorkie • Yorkie Tzu Shorkie Tzu
Colors Available:
Black, white and rust
Black and tan • Brown and white • Gold • Red • Gold, black, and white • Particolored
Coat:
Short and straight to medium length, coarse and wavy
coat type soft and relatively long coats. They should be silky and never coarse
Shedding:
Moderate, Seasonal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Responsive, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

greater swiss mountain dogHailing from Switzerland, and one of its oldest dog breeds, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has a dubious history in that there are a number of theories as to its origin. He is closely related to the Bernese Mountain Dog, Saint Bernard and Rottweiler.

Of all the theories, the one that says he is descended from large, mastiff-like dogs is a popular one. He used to be a herding- and guard dog, but also was used to pull carts of farm produce.

It was in the 1900s that the dog’s numbers started dwindling. In 1908, canine researcher, Albert Heim recognized the dogs as being large members of the Sennenhund type, a family of four breeds that includes the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

He wanted to see the dogs recognized as a separate breed and the Swiss Kennel Club listed the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog in 1909.

In 1968 they were brought to the United States and a club for them was formed. The dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 with the dog being recognized as a member of the Working group.

shorkieThe Shorkie is a mix between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Shih Tzu. This little dog actually thinks he’s quite big. He is a great watchdog and a barker, and he is a loyal and loving member of his family. He will let you know if he thinks something is going on that shouldn’t be.

This hybrid combines two breeds known for their good looks, cuteness and personalities. Shorkies get their watchdog instincts and their loyalty to their people from the Shih Tzu and their personalities and good looks from the Yorkie. This designer breed has no known standard and every puppy is different, but traits from its founding breeds will remain. Both breeds have great personalities.

Regardless of the differences within the litter, because the personalities and adorableness of the two founding breeds are equal, all of the puppies will have those characteristics. They will all be energetic, playful and think they are big dogs. They will all love people and especially kids – playing and watching over them.

The Shorkie is intelligent, trainable, and snuggly. They will also have the stubborn trait that the two founding breeds can show at times. Developed in the United States, this crossbreed is extremely popular even though they have been in existence for only ten years or so. Breeders in the U.S. began to mix these two breeds in order to develop a cute, friendly and intelligent little dog that will cuddle on your lap – perfect lap dog.

Even if we already have breeds similar to the Shorkie, its development allows breeders to diversify and improve the genetics of the dogs. It is important that these be responsible breeders whose intentions are not financial but to legitimately improve the positive traits of each breed while sorting out the undesirable or weak traits. This is the positive side of the new designer breeds.

Even though it is still being developed, at least the Shorkie seems to be a success story for designer breeds as a loving, popular little dog. It will take a lot more time and a lot more development before the Shorkie becomes an actual recognized breed. At the moment it remains a hybrid, a crossbreed, a so called designer dog.

It will be at least 7-10 generations of careful and quality breeding before the Shorkies are potentially recognized as its own pedigree breed. It is important to breed Shorkies to Shorkies in order to develop a standard that could be accepted for a new breed by the AKC and UKC. Over time the puppies must become more and more standardized in their conformity to that new breed standard. Their physical appearance and their temperament will be standardized. At this stage the second generation of Shorkies is rare. Their popularity is rising in the United Kingdom. Both Britain and Ireland have a growing interest in this hybrid.

Description

greater swiss mountain dog puppy - descriptionSwissies, as they are often referred to as, are large, robust dogs, standing at 65–72cm and weighing anything between 50 – 70kg, with the females being slightly smaller and weighing a little less.

He has big, rounded paws, medium length floppy ears, a broad chest and a long tail. This is a heavy-boned dog, strong while still being agile.

His dense, double coat is black, white and tan or rust, with black on top of the dog's back, ears, tail and legs. There are two rust dots above each eye. The coat can be short and straight to medium length, coarse and wavy. The dog sheds throughout the year with a major shedding a couple of times a year.

Temperament:

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a sociable canine, thriving on being part of a loving human family. While he used to be a working farm dog, today he is essentially a family pet, though he loves to still be busy.

He is generally friendly with strangers, but just like with all other dog breeds, he will need to be trained and socialized to turn him into an even-tempered, obedient dog, capable of getting on well with children and pets in the the home.

shorkie puppy - descriptionThe Shorkie, being a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih Tzu, and as such has physical and temperament characteristics from both breeds. They could be 50-50 but most likely each puppy will be more like one of the founding parents than the other. Because there is a lot of similarity between the founding breeds there is a lot of similarity between the Shorkies.

Their hair is either wavy or straight, but it is soft. It can be a wide variety of colors and usually they have a darker mask on the face. Usually they have the eyes of the Shih Tzu – large -but not protruding. Their muzzle is short, and the skull is round with triangle ears. Their bodies are compact, small with plenty of muscle for their size. They also have fine bones and short legs, with a thin curled tail.

Characteristics

greater swiss mountain dog dog - characteristicsThe Swissy is an easy going dog and adapts easily into his human family’s lifestyle. He is big, but agile dog known for his gentle temperament.

While he loves the outdoors, he is a social dog and loves nothing more than coming indoors and being close to his human family.

He loves his family and won’t do well if left outside for days without human companionship. Treat him well and you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, loving 4-legged family member.

1.Children friendliness – yes, they are very child friendly.

2.Special talents – Loyal and loving.

3.Adaptability – The Shorkie could happen.

4.Learning ability – Highly intelligent, but they can be stubborn.

Health Problems

greater swiss mountain dog puppies - health problemsThe GSMD or Sennenhund, as his name is shortened to, is a fairly healthy dog breed, with very few health issues.

He has an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years, and although not likely, he can suffer from minor problems such as gastric torsion as well as female urinary incontinence. If your female dog is dribbling urine in her sleep, there are a number of reasons that can be causing it - bladder infections, a medical condition or a weakened bladder with spayed female dogs.

It is certainly time to get your pet to the vet who will recommend a urinalysis.

shorkie puppies - health problemsMany hybrids are in better health at least genetically than their parent breeds. Responsible breeders will breed any genetic issues out of their puppies. Still there are many health issues that the Shorkies are prone to. These include:

  • Tooth loss, tooth decay and gum disease caused by dental overcrowding.
  • Joint issues – can cause lameness.
  • Diabetes – high blood sugar.
  • Kidney stones.
  • Liver disease and potential shunt.
  • Progressive Retinal Apathy - visual imparity.
  • Patellar Luxation – can cause arthritis.
  • Hypoglycemia. – low blood sugar.
  • Collapsed Trachea.

• Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – “smashed face” causes problems with breathing, heat, flying and more.

• Glaucoma – Yorkshires have this, and it can be secondary to the lens Luxation.

Caring The Pet

Diet:

greater swiss mountain dog dogs - caringThe Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a robust dog and thrives on a diet of kibble to raw meat to some cooked home-made food such as chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

A serious issue with the GSMD is overfeeding, resulting in uncomfortable digestive problems and of course, obesity.

Exercise:

Your GSMD isn’t a dog that is going to require a lot of exercise like some of the other dog breeds there are, but still his working career of the past requires that he still be taken on daily walks, enjoys ball- and rope games and to go swimming.

Grooming:

Brush your dogs coat at least twice a week to remove loose hears. Other grooming aspects include cleaning the ears to avoid infection, clipping his nails and brushing his teeth at least twice a week.

If you’re not sure how to do all these things, there are useful accessories for dogs that allow you to do all this grooming on your own. Your vet can also show you how as these are all things that will require ongoing attention.

shorkie dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy - The Shorkies need a high-quality, well-balanced dry kibble. Make sure it is a formula for small, active dogs. It should have lean meat and essential minerals and vitamins. Make sure it is puppy food not adult. The puppy needs 300 -550 calories a day in 3 meals.

2.Feeding the adult – Obesity is a problem for the Shorkie as it is for many small dogs. Don’t overfeed your adult but give her the same kind of high quality small breed dog food, only for adults. They need about 200-300 calories a day in 2 meals.

3.Points for Good Health – Few genetic diseases.

4. Games and Exercises – These are very active little dogs and need exercise every day. They needs walks, games, and time with you. They also love to cuddle with you at the end of the day. They love squeaky toys and playing fetch outside or inside.

Comparison with other breeds

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  5. Shorkie vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Shorkie vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Shorkie vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Shorkie vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Shorkie vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Shorkie vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Shorkie vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Shorkie vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Shorkie vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Shorkie vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Shorkie vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
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  18. Shorkie vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
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  23. Shorkie vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Shorkie vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Shorkie vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison