Is a Chorkie the right dog for you?

A Chorkie is a dog produced from the crossing of a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire terrier, or subsequent generations of the same crossing. There are a lot of different hybrid dog types in the UK today, and many of them are really popular – and whilst the Chorkie isn’t among the top five hybrid dog types, they are still the UK’s 60th most popular dog type overall, out of a total of 241 individual breeds and types.

There are a lot of potential advantages to choosing a hybrid dog rather than a specific pedigree breed – but there are also potential drawbacks too, because when you cross two unrelated breeds of dog, you can never tell for sure what you will be getting. However, if you can’t choose between a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire terrier, want something a little different, or are hoping for the best of both worlds, a Chorkie is certainly worthy of consideration.

In this article we will look at the Chorkie dog in more detail, covering their core traits, plus and minus sides, and what is required of their care and management. Read on to learn more.

Is a Chorkie a pedigree dog?

Chorkies aren’t pedigree dogs, because they are cross breeds or hybrid dog breeds. This means that there is no breed standard in place for them, and they aren’t eligible for formal Kennel Club registration.

How much do Chorkies cost to buy?

The average sale price of Chorkies can be quite variable, as is the case for every other dog breed and type. However, across the board the average advertised price for Chorkie puppies is around the £387 mark, which makes them fairly inexpensive compared to both other hybrid dog types and of course, pedigrees.

What do Chorkies look like?

When you choose a hybrid dog, the exact traits that they will possess is something of a lottery, and individual Chorkies may well look rather different from each other. Some will look more like a Yorkshire terrier and others more like a Chihuahua, or they might be fairly evenly matched between the two. Some will have specific traits that can clearly be recognised in one of their two parent breeds, and when you factor in the different coat types and colours that can be found in the Yorkshire terrier and Chihuahua respectively in terms of length and texture as well as shade and pattern, there is a lot of variety.

Chorkies are, however, always small dogs – averaging between 15.2-22.9cm tall at the withers and weighing between 3.6-4.5kg. This makes them a tiny breed, as you would expect given their Chihuahua origins, and some Chorkies may be no larger than the average Chihuahua themselves.

The Chorkie temperament

A Yorkshire terrier/Chihuahua mix can again produce a temperament that has a lot more in common with one of their parent breeds than the other, but they all tend to be affectionate little dogs that bond strongly with their owner and are very loyal.

However, they can be vocal and quite excitable thanks to their Yorkshire terrier heritage, and/or may be rather nervous and shy like some Chihuahuas can be. They require a lot of attention and company, and don’t tend to tolerate being left on their own for very long at a time.

Chorkie care and management

Many first-time dog owners make the mistake of thinking that the smaller the dog, the easier they will be to train and manage – but this is not necessarily the case. The Chorkie is intelligent and often excitable, which means that it can be hard to catch and hold their attention and teach them commands, as well as achieving reliable execution of those commands.

They also need to be carefully socialised with other dogs and people from an early age, in order to ensure that they don’t become nervous and afraid of other dogs or on the flipside, pushy and dominant.

If you have young children, a Chorkie may not be a good choice – because they like to be the centre of attention and also, may be snappy with children that don’t respect the dog’s boundaries. On the plus side, their exercise requirements are not onerous due to their small size, and a couple of short walks a day along with some periods of play usually suffices.

All dogs can benefit from regular brushing and grooming, but if your Chorkie has a very long coat then you will need to make time to brush and groom them regularly to avoid tangles and knots. However, even Chorkies with long coats don’t tend to be heavy shedders, so they aren’t too messy within the home.

Their small size and non-pedigree status also makes them reasonably inexpensive to insure, and the cost of providing everything they need falls towards the low end of the scale too, because you can get everything in miniature!

If you have a lot of time to dedicate to your dog, don’t intend to leave them home alone for long periods of time and are looking for a small, very loving dog that will be happy cuddling up in your lap, the Chorkie might be the right choice of dog for you.