The Morkie dog: everything you need to know

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Morkies originate from an unknown land named Morkshire - they are sometimes called Morkshire Terriers, afterall (they’re also called Teacup Morkies, but let’s not go there). The truth is, the shaggy-haired, beady-eyed and slightly yappy Morkie is a mix of Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier parent breeds. 

And even with their designer dog reputation, these cuties are down-to-Earth, fluffy bundles of energy that just want to be snuggled, cuddled and ruffled in their forever home - just like any other pooch. 

So, whether you’re a dog sitter or simply a dog lover yearning for learning, dive into this guide to this adorable toy breed and find out about their history, health, temperament and more.

Morkie breed characteristics

• Origin: The Morkie originates from Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier parent breeds.
• Size: A fully-grown Morkie can grow up to 9 inches tall (yes they are that tiny), and will weigh up to 7 pounds.
• Character: Affectionate, energetic, friendly and sometimes anxious.
• Health needs and grooming: Despite not being hypoallergenic dogs, Morkies are long-haired as they have hair that grows rather than fur that malts. Regularly groom your Morkie to prevent knotting and matting. To learn about the health issues your Morkie may encounter, scroll down to the section on Morkie health.
• Training: Like with any dog, Morkies will need regular, consistent training - especially when they’re puppies. Reward that good behaviour with positive reinforcement and you should be onto a winner.
• Energy levels: They’re high-energy fluffballs but only need moderate amounts of exercise because they’re such small dogs.
• Intelligence: These cuties are of around medium intelligence and certainly know their own minds.
• Lifespan: Most Morkies will live up to around 11 years, but some lucky few have been known to live up to the grand old age of 15 years.
• Barking/howling: They’re pretty conscious of new sounds, so can be rather barky. But, like with any so-called yappy pooch, Morkies can be trained so that they’re not constantly chewing yours (and your neighbours’) ears off!

Morkie breed appearance

As you can tell by the name, the Morkie is a mixed breed dog and so takes some seriously cute characteristics from their parent breeds - take a look at that shaggy coat, fluffy ears, adorable moustache, mixed coat and beady eyes - just to name a few. 

They aren’t currently recognised by the American Kennel Club, so a pooch breed from a Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier can be found in a variety of seriously cute colours and patterns. One thing you can rely on with this breed though, is that they’ll always be a small dog, with fully-grown Morkies weighing in at only 7 pounds max.

So, what colour does their shiny yet shaggy coat come in? Find Morkies in black and tan, liver and tan, blue and tan, black, grey, blue, cream, white, fawn, gold, brown, chocolate and liver. And sometimes they’re found with a mix of these shades, with some Morkies growing a cute bicolour and sometimes even tricolour coats. And what’s even cooler than their broad range of possible coat colours? Well it can change over time - so a Morkie puppy you adopt may develop new shades over the years! 

Like their Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier parents, Morkies have somewhat dainty faces, with short snouts topped with a shiny, rounded button nose and dark, beady yet thoughtful eyes (great for posing, may we add). They’re held up by a dainty stature that’s bulked out pretty significantly by their shaggy coat. If they’re not taken to the groomers on the regular, find them with adorable eyebrows, seriously fluffy ears and even a moustache. To be honest, it wouldn’t be a stretch to mistake them for a very small old man who could do with a haircut, from a distance!

Morkie temperament and personality

Morkies are spunky little pups and despite their small stature, they’ve got a big personality to make up for the lack of space they take up. To give you a bit of context on these cuties, let’s explore their parent breeds’ temperaments and personalities first. Maltese dogs are known for their affectionate and gentle nature alongside their liveliness and playful energy. Yorkshire Terriers on the other hand are a little further along the spectrum when it comes to spunkiness - they’re known for being bold, confident, independent and intelligent. 

So, it’s no surprise that the Morkie temperament isn’t much different - and their bold personality might sometimes seem as though they’ve got something to prove! Their Terrier ancestry means they can sometimes have a mind of their own, i.e. can have a bit of a stubborn streak at times. That’s why consistent training and positive reinforcement from a young age is so important. We’d advise socialising your Morkie puppy from a young age so they’re used to different dogs, pets, smells and situations. It’ll also help to calm any anxiousness if they’re exposed to a spectrum of situations throughout their lifetime, from day dot. Also, get your Morkie used to their own company and hanging out alone every so often to avoid the dreaded separation anxiety once they’re fully grown.

Alongside all that boldness, Morkies simply love to be around their Sapien sidekicks and will seriously appreciate a good game of fetch to burn off all that energy. After a good trot around your local dog park and a sniff around the bushes, trees and other pooches, your Morkie will love nothing more than a cuddle at home. It’s true, they’re the perfect lap dog and simply adore comfort from their loving pack of humans at home.

What’s the ideal home for a Morkie?

A Morkie who is trained and socialised properly from a young age will happily get on with other pets and family members. With that said though, there is a chance that even fully-grown Morkies will demand a lot of attention from whoever they’re around. And there’s no guarantee that the Morkie you adopt will have been socialised or trained properly from a young age. So, bear that in mind when you’re considering whether or not a Morkie dog is the best choice for you, the people and other pets you live with. This toy breed is even prone to picking a favourite family member, so if you live in a couple or with a larger family, be prepared to be picked as your new cutie’s favourite person to demand attention from.

On a practical note, Morkie dogs are tiny. So if you have small children who can accidentally be a little heavy handed, knock things over or fall without warning, a Morkie might not be best for your clan right now. Families with older children who know how to play gently (and will be less likely to drop something on these tiny dogs) are better suited to these easily-injured balls of fluff. With that said though, if small children come to visit or you have a larger dog in your friendship circle, it can work. Just make sure you’re supervising them the whole time to make sure your iddy Morke doesn’t get hurt.

Their tiny stature also means that Morkies are pretty well-suited to apartment living. So, if you’re without a garden, just make sure your Morkie is getting the daily exercise, stimulation and socialisation they need, and they should be happy in a smaller living space.

What’s the ideal human for a Morkie?

Despite their stubborn nature, Morkie dogs are actually pretty flexible when it comes to the sort of pet parents they prefer. When it comes to activity levels, as long as you’re able to take them out for walkies every day, your Morkie will be happy. That means they’re well-suited to active seniors who can give them all the attention they need, remote workers or students who can be around in the middle of the day for a cuddle, a game of fetch and a trot around the local dog park. 

Morkies are also super social pups - something they need to maintain positive behaviour. While giving your pooch the attention they crave is great, there are a few things you can do while they’re puppies. To avoid separation anxiety, leave your pup to their own devices for a few hours a day so that they can get used to enjoying time to themselves. With that said though, if you’re going to be around all of the time at the start of their lives, just make sure you’ll be able to sustain that going forward as if you don’t, there’ll probably be social anxiety on the horizon.

They’re ideal canine companions for people who enjoy a little light exercise each day, lots of cuddles, strokes, and time with their four-legged family members. So, if you’re looking for a furry jogging partner, we’re sorry to say that you’ll have to think again about getting a Morkie. As much as these little cuties love to run, their short legs and tiny frame means they’re pretty badly suited to it and are prone to injury if they exercise for too long.

And one more thing - Morkies make great watch dogs (not guard dogs though - that’s an important distinction here!). They’ll easily bark at the post, any new sounds or a knock at the door. This can get pretty annoying if it’s not what you’re after, but it can be a super handy trait if you need a fluffy hand with listening out for deliveries!

Tips for training Morkies

Let’s start by talking about separation anxiety in Morkies. We’ve already mentioned this briefly, but we really can’t stress it enough - these are highly social pups who can’t get enough time with their favourite Sapien sidekick. So, if you adopt a Morkie and you know you’ll have to be out for work a lot once they’re older, get them used to your routine from puppy age, easing more time away into their daily lives while they’re still young. That way, they’ll expect your absence and get pretty comfortable in their own company. With that said though, even if you do successfully get your Morkie happy being left alone, they’ll still be happier in households where someone is around most of the time.

Now for the million dollar question: are Morkies easy to train? The short answer is no. They’re half terrier, so it would be wrong for us to tell you that training your Morkie will be as  simple as a walk in the park. The Yorkie in them is also the stubborn in them which can make these pups a little challenging when it comes to training. So, get on the puppy training as soon as you can and be consistent. Despite their size, Morkies need showing who’s boss! Stick to your house rules and reward your fluffy cutie when they’re doing the right thing. Puppy training classes can also be a great way to get your Morkie on side - not only will it help them learn the basics, but they’ll also meet lots of new humans and fluffy friends, too.

Tips for grooming Morkies

This small breed also needs a little grooming from time to time. Like their parent breeds, Morkies have hair rather than fur. This means that instead of malting, Morkie dog fur actually grows and needs to be cut, rather than malting and needing a good brush before the turn of the season. One of the benefits to this sort of dog hair is that it’s low-malting, so great if you’re not into following your pooch around with a vacuum over summer. 

It’s not completely maintenance-free though, of course. The Morkie dog coat needs to be trimmed every so often, just like human hair does. Head to the groomer’s from a young age to get your Morkie used to being handled, washed and pruned. Trust us, it’ll make your life so much easier in the long run.

If you decide to keep your Morkie’s locks long and luscious, just know that (like with us humans), it’ll take a lot more upkeep. Brush your pup’s hair daily to avoid matting and knots, and to get rid of any debris from the day. If you’re due for a trip to the groomer’s, make sure you clip their fringe back to avoid eye irritation (which is also a fab chance to jazz up your Morkie with a cute accessory!). And on that note, if you’re not into daily grooming or simply don’t have the time, not to worry too much. Just ask your groomer for a puppy cut - it’s a short trim all over that’ll make it a bit more difficult for knots to form and dirt to clog up. 

And no matter the length of your pup’s coat, you’ll need to give them a gentle bath around once a week. Their fur mats easily and clumps of dirt just love to lodge themselves in. Also keep their nails trimmed short (the groomer can help with this), and give their ears a once over to check there’s not a huge build-up lurking in there.

Morkie dog breed history

Mixed breed dogs have been rising in popularity recently, and the Teacup Morkie is part of the hybrid wave. While they haven’t been recognised by the American Kennel Club yet, Morkies have been bred since around the 1990s. Due to their adorable size and fun, loving nature, they’ve become somewhat of a popular designer breed. But their parent breeds have been popular for much longer, with Maltese dogs dating way back to ancient Europe, and Yorkshire Terriers bred in (you guessed it) Yorkshire much later in the 1880s.

Morkie health issues

Like any of our four-legged friends, there are a few health issues that Morkies can encounter, but as with many small breeds, Morkies are pretty healthy dogs. So, here are the health problems that during the Morkie lifespan of up to 15 years, these cuties might face.

• Collapsed trachea
• Glaucoma
• Reverse sneezing
• Hernia
• Dental disease

Getting a Morkie

So, thinking about welcoming one of these spunky, sociable cuties into your home? Ask the rescue centres in your surrounding area if any Morkies or Morkie puppies are available. While it can be tempting to find a breeder, there are so many four-legged friends in need of a forever home already. Plus, not all breeders are reputable and it can be quite difficult to know for sure whether they’re practising ethically or not.

Interested in learning about the Morkie ancestors?

Check out this Yorkshire Terrier breed guide to find out about the pup that gave the Morkie its stubborn, spunky nature.