Every Yorkie mix here has one Yorkshire Terrier parent, and the breed standard caps that parent at seven pounds with a fine, silky, straight coat. The second parent — Maltese, Shih Tzu, Miniature Schnauzer or Poodle — decides the rest. No breed standard exists for any of these crosses.
No registry publishes data on these crosses
There is no standard for a Morkie, Shorkie, Snorkie or Yorkipoo. Those are marketplace names, not recognised breeds. Some registries enrol mixed-breed dogs so they can compete in events, but enrolment is not the same as writing a standard for them. So every size, coat and temperament statement on this page is read off the two parent breed standards and nothing else.
The Yorkshire Terrier parent sets the floor. Its standard says weight “must not exceed seven pounds” and describes a coat “glossy, fine and silky in texture”, carried “moderately long and perfectly straight”, in dark steel-blue and tan, on a dog meant to show “vigor and self-importance”. That coat behaves like hair rather than fur: it keeps growing rather than reaching a set length. Each cross either softens that terrier temperament or changes that coat.
What each second parent changes
Morkie (Yorkshire Terrier × Maltese)
The Maltese standard asks for a dog “under 7 pounds, with from 4 to 6 pounds preferred”, with a coat that is “single, that is, without undercoat”. Two silky, single-coated parents means the coat type barely changes; colour usually lightens. Both parents capped under seven pounds normally make this the smallest cross on the page, and the Maltese side tends to soften the terrier edge.
Shorkie (Yorkshire Terrier × Shih Tzu)
The Shih Tzu standard gives 9 to 16 pounds and a coat that is “luxurious, double-coated, dense, long, and flowing”, with a muzzle “square, short”. A Shorkie is often the heavier dog, may carry an undercoat that mats differently from Yorkie hair, and may inherit the shorter muzzle. VCA lists the Shih Tzu among brachycephalic breeds, so ask your veterinarian to check your puppy’s airway. It is also the friendliest standard of the four: “outgoing, happy, affectionate, friendly and trusting towards all”.
Snorkie (Yorkshire Terrier × Miniature Schnauzer)
The Miniature Schnauzer standard gives height only, 12 to 14 inches. The 13 to 15 pound figure comes from VCA, a veterinary source, not from the standard, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise. The Schnauzer coat is “double, with hard, wiry, outer coat and close undercoat”, which changes a Yorkie coat more than any other cross here. It softens the terrier least, because both parents are terrier-group dogs. The standard wants a dog “alert and spirited, yet obedient to command… friendly, intelligent and willing to please”.
Yorkipoo (Yorkshire Terrier × Poodle)
The Poodle variety decides the size, so always ask which one the parent was. Toy is “10 inches or under”; Miniature is “15 inches or under, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches”. The Poodle coat is “curly: of naturally harsh texture, dense throughout”, turning the straight fall of Yorkie hair into something with texture, and the standard adds a dog “carrying himself proudly, very active, intelligent”. Other Poodle mixes raise the same question.
The honest tradeoffs
Adult size is an estimate. We can tell you the bracket the two parent standards allow and no more than that; if you want the Yorkie half in detail, our Yorkie size chart has it.
All four need grooming. A coat like that wants brushing several times a week and trims every four to six weeks, and where a cross brings an undercoat that is more work, not less. We do not describe any dog on this site as hypoallergenic, and no coat type makes a dog safe for someone with allergies.
VCA names Yorkshire Terriers, Shih Tzus and toy Poodles among breeds prone to tracheal collapse, and advises walking on a harness rather than a collar and keeping the dog lean. That is easier to set up in the first week than to fix later.
And these are alert dogs. They notice things, and they say so. For what is actually in Lawrenceville now, see available puppies by breed.
Common questions
Which Yorkie mix stays smallest?
Usually the Morkie, because both parent standards cap weight under seven pounds. That is arithmetic on two standards, not a promise about an individual puppy, and a Yorkipoo from a Miniature Poodle parent will normally be the largest.
Are Yorkie mixes low-shedding?
The Yorkie and Maltese standards both describe coats that keep growing rather than shedding out, so a Morkie usually sheds little. A Snorkie or Shorkie can inherit an undercoat, which behaves differently. We make no allergy claims about any dog.
Do registries recognise a Morkie or a Yorkipoo?
No. There is no standard and no registry data for any cross on this page. Sport enrolment programs let mixed-breed dogs enter events, but that is enrolment for sport, not breed recognition.
Which cross is calmest?
Reading the standards, the Shih Tzu brings the gentlest temperament wording and the Miniature Schnauzer the most terrier. Temperament still varies dog to dog, so meet the puppy rather than trusting the label.
Come and meet a Yorkie mix
Every puppy here is health-checked by our on-staff veterinarian, raised in our family home nursery, and waiting to say hello.
1848 Old Norcross Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Mon–Sat 12:00–7:00 PM • Sun 2:00–6:00 PM
