Wolfdog vs Shorkie - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Wolfdog vs Shorkie - Breed ComparisonShorkie is originated from United States but Wolfdog is originated from Germany. Shorkie may grow 52 cm / 20 inches shorter than Wolfdog. Shorkie may weigh 38 kg / 83 pounds lesser than Wolfdog. Shorkie may live 3 years more than Wolfdog. Shorkie may have less litter size than Wolfdog. Both Shorkie and Wolfdog requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Miscellaneous dogs
Miscellaneous dogs
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United States
Germany
Height Male:
18 - 24 cm
7 - 10 inches
70 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
Height Female:
16 - 22 cm
6 - 9 inches
70 - 76 cm
27 - 30 inches
Weight Male:
5 - 7 kg
11 - 16 pounds
40 - 45 kg
88 - 100 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
40 - 45 kg
88 - 100 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 5
2 - 10
Size:
Small
Large
Other Names:
Shorki • Shorkie • Yorkie Tzu Shorkie Tzu
None
Colors Available:
Black and tan • Brown and white • Gold • Red • Gold, black, and white • Particolored
white, dark brown and black. , Grey, cream, red
Coat:
coat type soft and relatively long coats. They should be silky and never coarse
Medium length, thick
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Responsive, Stubborn
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Stubborn
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
No
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

History

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.

wolfdogThe Wolfdog was brought about when domestic dogs were mated with a variety of wolves so as to produce a hybrid.

People who want to own these hybrids have to be careful because they find that the unpredictable behavior of their pets makes it difficult for them to care for them.

Then they want to get rid of it. Every year, heaps of these hybrids are abandoned due to humans interfering with nature.

The wolfdog has been bred with a number of dogs but we think about it more in terms of wolf and German shepherd.

Description

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.

wolfdog puppy - descriptionPeople mesmerized by the wolf long to bring some of that wildness home, and the wolfdog is supposed to do this.

Their looks differ a lot, even those that come from the same litter. You can’t have a predictable looking wolf dog because it could be any domestic dog bred with a wolf so they display a large variety of appearances.

Most Wolfdogs seem to have smaller heads than pure wolves. The ears seem to be bigger and more pointy.

A popular wolfdog mix is a German Shepherd mixed with the wolf. These dogs can be between 70 to 76cm in height and weigh between 40 and 45kg.

Their coat is thick and can be in colors of grey, cream, red, white, dark brown and black.

Temperament:

While the wolfdog can be trained to become quite a friendly kind of dog, it is not suitable for the first time dog owner. It can show bouts of aggressiveness around strangers and be highly protective of its family.

However, this can be helped with early socialization and training. It is illegal to own the wolfdog in some states. You don’t want to leave a wolfdog alone with your children even though the dog is capable of love and loyalty towards his human family.

Characteristics

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.

wolfdog dog - characteristicsWhen you add the genes of a wild animal to the pool, you get a crossbreed and when its an animal from the wild, its nature is unpredictable.

Many people don’t think about the consequences of what they do when they interfere with nature and the wolfdog gets put down when it behaves like a wild animal and attacks or bites out of defense.

Yes, they can be loyal, loving pets but always you will have the shadow of the dog or wolf’s unpredictable behavior.

There is a reason why these dogs are banned in a number of states. This dog-type-wolf breed is not recommended as a pet at all – take a look at animal shelters and the number of wolf dogs there and ask yourself why.

Health Problems

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.

These dogs are generally healthy and aren’t prone to genetic related issues.

wolfdog puppies - health problemsThey will also be susceptible to common dog ailments such as parasites and hip dysplasia.

Like any other dog, these Wolf dogs will also possibly develop tumors. He will also need to be vaccinated against harmful diseases and you will need to have a reliable local vet who is interested in your wolf dog.

Caring The Pet

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.

wolfdog dogs - caringIf you own a wolfdog the same care procedures would need to be followed as you would with a regular dog.

A wolfdog, however, can’t be vaccinated against rabies. It seems that the reason for this is that it is due to current legislation, and vaccine manufacturers don’t want to support wolf dogs as pets because they are considered to be dangerous.

Provide your wolfdog with highly nutritional, protein-based food. You don’t want to feed your wolfdog any of the low quality, traditional store-bought food high in carbs and artificial additives. Instead, look for a diet rich in proteins and be sure to give this dog some raw meat occasionally.

Groom the thick coat to ensure it stays shiny and healthy.

The dog is active and you will need to provide heaps of exercise for him, both mental and physical activities.

The wolfdog will require training but it will require dedication, though it can be done as the dog is very intelligent.

Even with training, the wolfdog isn’t suited to life in the city but should be kept in the countryside.

Comparison with other breeds

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