The Chorkie: no, it's not the latest celebrity couple portmanteau. The Chorkie dog is in fact an adorable little mixed breed and the canine love child of the Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier.
As if the name wasn’t inventive enough, this adorable little pup goes by a number of interesting nicknames: Yorkiechi, Chiyorkie, Yorkie-chi, Yorkchi, York-chi, Chiorkie, and York Chi. Phew!
If you're a prospective pet parent or even a pet sitter looking for a tiny, adorable, and loving canine companion, the Chorkie may just be the doggy of your dreams. Read on to find out more about this little cutie as we explore the Chorkie's breed characteristics, history, personality, and more.
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Chorkie characteristics
Origin: The Chorkie is a cross between the Chihuahua and the Yorkshire Terrier.
Size: A full grown Chorkie will normally weigh around 10 pounds, and stand between 6-9 inches tall.
Character: Friendly, outgoing, playful, and affectionate. These tiny dogs are the whole package!
Health needs: While generally healthy, this breed is prone to certain health issues. The most common health problems include patellar luxation, hypothyroidism, allergies, and obesity.
Grooming: These little cuties are pretty easy to groom - although long haired pups will likely need a bit more maintenance.
Training: They’re an intelligent breed, but can be stubborn which can make training trickier than with other breeds. Puppy training and socialisation classes are recommended for Chorkie puppies.
Energy levels: Despite their tiny stature, this small dog breed has a lot of energy. That said, 30 minutes of exercise is usually enough to tucker these tiny pooches out.
Intelligence: They are highly intelligent pooches that are quick to learn and eager to please!
Lifespan: 12 - 15 years.
Noise levels: They can be a vocal breed, especially to alert their pet parents of anything that looks a bit sus.
Chorkie looks & appearance
Fun fact: Chorkies come in lots of different sizes, shapes, and colours - it all depends on whether they've taken after their Chihuahua or Yorkie parent.
However, most still sport the small size head, big expressive eyes, and (adorable) teddy-bear exterior that is synonymous with the breed.
Likewise, their coats are often a mix of their two parent breeds - the Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier - and common colours include brown, white, silver, blue, and black. They can be one solid colour, or a mix of a few different shades - for example, those that take after the Yorkie side of the family can sport a black and tan coat, with markings on their paws and around their face.
Some Chorkie dogs will rock the silky, human-like locks of the Yorkie (particularly if they were bred from a line of show dogs), while others may inherit the Chihuahua’s course coat. Depending on which kind of Chihuahua Mama or Papa they had, Chorkies can be either long haired or short haired.
What did we tell you - pretty varied, right?
Chorkie personality
The Chorkie dog breed really took the best bits of his two parent breeds: they are loyal, loving, cuddly, affectionate, and playful. Plus, they simply adore being around (and being fussed over by) their humans. Basically, they're the doggy jackpot!
That said, they've definitely inherited their parent's spunky, sassy nature, which means training is a must. They can be nervous around new people, and they can be vocal - alerting their humans to visitors and anything they deem out of the ordinary - but, it doesn't usually take very long for them to warm up to strangers, and once you're in a Chorkie's good books, you're set.
Much like its parent breeds, this pooch is happiest surrounded by people, and can be prone to separation anxiety if left alone for long periods. So, pet parents to these adorable dogs would do well to scout out local dog sitters to keep their Chorkie chums company while on vacation or planning an extended trip away.
What's the ideal home for a Chorkie?
Good news for city dwellers: thanks to their itty bitty size, this tiny dog will do just fine with apartment living - as long as they get their daily walks and exercise.
Because of their tiny stature, Chorkies are best suited to homes without small, young children running around. Other than that, they make wonderful family dogs and will be endlessly loving and loyal to their pet parents.
Much like their parent breeds, the Chihuahua and the Yorkie, they adore attention from their humans. So, while they tend to get along with other pets, they are likely to prefer being in a single-pet household.
Finally, this breed doesn’t do well in the cold - so, be sure to dial up the heating during winter or invest in some warm blankets and bedding to keep your Chorkie chum cosy.
What's the ideal human for a Chorkie?
The Chorkie is your typical lap-loving companion, as such, their ideal pet parent is somebody who will be around to give them all the time and attention they require (and deserve, if you ask us).
While small children are generally a no-no when it comes to this breed, the Chorkie dog will fit in fine with families with older children, couples, or even a single pet parent household. As long as they're getting their lap time, they'll be happy!
Chorkies require little more than around 30 minutes of exercise, either inside or outside the home. So, if 4-hour hikes aren't quite your thing, this breed should fit in just fine within your lifestyle. They’re also great for first-time owners dipping their toes into the world of pet parenthood. Result!
Tips for training Chorkies
Much like their two parent breeds, the Chorkie is a clever little canine that is eager to please. That said, they do have a stubborn streak, which can make training them a little tricker compared to other breeds.
Chorkies respond best to positive reinforcement - so treats and praise will be your key to training success. Much like their Chihuahua parent, they will try their darndest to give you a run for your money and, should you let them, they’ll happily rule your house with an iron paw.
So, it's important to curb this behavior early on in puppyhood to rule out any unwanted behaviour later on in life. Puppy training classes will help with this.
Grooming Chorkies
The grooming needs of your Chorkie chum will depend on whether they have a long haired or a short haired coat. In either case, both will require semi-regular maintenance, but luckily, they are fairly easy to groom.
Twice-weekly brushing will help keep their luscious locks free of knots and tangles. Long haired Chorkies will need a bit more grooming - be prepared to schedule in the occasional trip to the groomers for a trim and tidy-up.
One half of the Chorkie parent breed: the Chihuahua.
Chorkie history
So, the Chihuahua hails from Mexico, while Yorkie orginated in the United Kingdom. So, where does the cute, Chihuahua Yorkie mix fit into all of this?
While the jury's still out on exactly where and when the Chorkie originated, it's likely that they emerged in the United States in the early 1990s, when the demand for designer breeds was at an all-time high.
As a mixed breed, they aren’t officially recognised by the UK Kennel Club or the American Kennel Club (AKC), but they are recognised by The International Designer Canine Registry, among other mixed breed registries.
And the other half: the Yorkshire Terrier!
Getting a Chorkie
Getting a Chorkie puppy from a breeder can be costly - easily setting you back $700 - $1200 per pup - and it can be difficult to know whether or not you’ll be buying from an ethical, reputable breeder.
The good news is, despite its reputation as a designer dog, there are often Chorkies to be found in rescue and adoption shelters around the country. With so many pups in need of a forever home, choosing to adopt is a great choice - and better for your pocket, too, as you’ll often only need to pay the adoption fees to cover important things like vaccinations and health checks.
Chorkie FAQs
The average Chorkie lifespan is between 12 - 15 years.
Good news for black trousers everywhere: the Chorkie has a relatively low-shed coat, and neither the long haired nor the short haired variety tend to shed very often.
Chorkies are a low-shed breed, but that doesn't mean they are hypoallergenic - it actually very much depends on which parent breed they've taken after the most. While Yorkies do tend to be hypoallergenic, Chihuahuas are not. So, if your pup has inherited more of its Chihuahua parent’s genes, they are unlikely to be suitable around those with allergies.
While they are endlessly loyal and loving to their pet parent families, like many other small breeds, Chorkies are best suited to families without small, young children.
Likewise, while they tend to get along just fine with other pets, they are more likely to prefer being in a single-pet household - so they can soak up all of their pet parent's attention, of course.
Chorkies can be a vocal breed prone to barking (we can thank their Chihuahua parents for that). Usually, they will bark to alert their pet parents of something they deem suspicious: visitors, the postman, you get the picture. So, despite their size, they may be quite a useful watchdog!
Most Chorkies will weigh around 10 pounds (although, some can weigh as little as a tiny 5 pounds). Most fully grown pups will stand between 6-9 inches tall.
While they are a low-shed breed, Chorkie haircuts - as well as regular brushing - are a must to keep your canine pal well-groomed and looking his best.
Ready to discover the Chorkie family tree?
Explore our complete guide to Yorkshire Terriers, and learn more about one-half of the doggy duo that we have to thank for the Chorkie dog.
