Dorkie

The Dorkie is a small house dog that is a hybrid mixture of a Dachshund and a Yorkshire Terrier. In the dog breeding world, a hybrid is considered to be a designer dog. Designer dogs are not purebred but simply a mixture that a particular breeder finds appealing. The characteristics of a designer dogs are not set in stone, as an offspring will have a mixture of its parent’s genes.
When a breeder is breeding a Dorkie, they will select pure-breed dogs as the parents.
The name “Dorkie” is not scientific in any manner; it is simply a blending of the nicknames of its parent breeds “Doxie” and “Yorkie.”
Genealogy
The Dachshund and the Yorkshire Terrier are similar dogs in terms of size and temperament. A full grown Dachshund weighs in between 15-28 pounds while a Yorkshire Terrier will be about 7 pounds as an adult. Dorkies find their weight range to be between 5 and 15 pounds.
Despite their small sizes, the Dachshund and the Yorkshire Terrier were originally bred to be hunters. With their streamlined bodies, Dachshunds could enter the underground lairs of animals such as badgers to flush them out. The terriers were used to chase down and kill small rodents. The modern Dorkie is untested in the hunting field, though like many other dog types they will diligently chase and harass animals they view as intruders.
Appearance
The Dachshund is characterized by its long body, stubby legs, short hair, floppy ears and an elongated nose. The Yorkshire Terrier has long hair, erect ears, stubby face, and proportioned body and legs. When these two dogs breed they produce an animal that has moderately predictable characteristics. The body of a Dorkie is longer than a Yorkshire Terriers but still maintains the barrel-chested appearance of a Dachshund. The legs of the Dorkie will be longer than the Dachshunds. Many Dorkies are noted to possess medium to short hair lengths. The snout is shorter than that of a Dachshund, and ears may be either erect or floppy. The size of adult Dorkies will fluctuate based upon the genes of their parents, they can be anywhere between 5 and 15 pounds. The coloration of the Dorkie is often black and tan or brown, but depending upon the coloration its parents this fact can fluctuate. In the case of hybrid dogs, different offspring receive different genetic combinations and as such the appearance of one Dorkie may differ so much from another that they scarcely appear to belong to the same "species".
Temperament
Dorkies have been observed as having small dog syndrome. This is where a dog feels threatened by a larger dog and reacts in a hostile manner in order to compensate for its small stature. Small dog syndrome is a treatable character trait, familiarity with larger breeds will result in a decline in this hostile behavior. While initially wary of other dogs, Dorkies are proven to be affectionate to humans. Their small size and normally non- aggressive mentality makes them safe to be near small children.
The Dachshund is a loyal companion while a Yorkshire Terrier is an energetic and sometimes “yappy” creature. The temperament of a Dorkie leans more towards the Dachshunds submissive attitude. Although, a Dorkie will bark incessantly at any foreign organism in their perceived territory. Despite their outward aggression, they are not known to attack humans or other dogs.
Dorkies are a notably inquisitive animal, reacting quickly to unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smell. They may form obsessive connections to certain objects and have been known to chew or destroy property that is within their reach. The destruction of household items is a symptom of loneliness or a result of an abundance of excess energy.
These animals sleep an average of eighteen hours per day and require little exercise in order to keep them relatively calm. When the dogs are awake they are quite energetic, and they will chew, bark, and cry if they do not receive the attention they feel they deserve.
When Dorkies are walked they will often pull on the leash but will tire easily. The leash pulling is merely a result of their innate curiosity, as the animal attempts to sniff out every new scent within reach. It is not an attempt to control or dominate the situation, as the dog will often walk close to its master when it is not frantically pursuing the unknown. They are actually considered to be a lapdog and enjoy sleeping near their masters. As a pet, the Dorkie is dependent upon other pets or humans to be happy. They do not enjoy being left alone, and suffer mild anxiety when taken to a Veterinarian. After being alone for more than an hour, the Dorkie will react to the renewed presence of humans or familiar animals with an abundance of excitement.
Dorkies have been noted to diffuse situations with other dogs by rolling onto their back. This gesture is one of submissiveness and contradicts with other reports of small dog syndrome. The behavior of hybrid dogs is difficult to predict.
Care
Dorkies are small and easily tire, but they do enjoy expending their energy. A short daily walk or a backyard playmate is suitable to keep the dog from becoming too hyper.
As with any other pet, the Dorkie is prone to find a way out of pens, enclosures, or fences. The short body height of the Dorkie is able to squeeze through surprisingly small spaces. Coupled with their natural curiosity, a Dorkie is prone to exit its designated area and wander around a neighborhood or apartment complex.
Their small size ensures that waste clean up is kept to a minimum.
Shedding is not much of an issue where most Dorkies are concerned, the small size and often short hair keeps climate changes from causing intense shedding. Regardless, every dog will shed during the year. A weekly brushing session will keep the majority of hair off of the carpet.
Controversy
A hybrid or designer dog is very similar to a “mutt.” The primary difference is that the lineage of the hybrid animal is known, whereas a mutt's parents are often unknown.
Overcrowding
When a breeder chooses to create one of these animals, they are essentially experimenting with different gene types. Experiments often fail, and in the case of dog breeding these failed experiments cause many problems. If a market for a particular dog does not exist, they are likely to spend their lives inside of a pound. This trend leads to an overcrowding of these facilities and may to contribute to animal cruelty.
In the case of the Dorkie, this problem has not surfaced as of yet. These dogs are still quite new and are a currently sought after pet.
Hybrid Genes
Another concern for hybrid animals is the unpredictability that can occur in their behavior. Scientists can accurately classify the behavioral traits of purebred dogs, but hybrids have a tendency to vary subtly from animal to animal. Dogs such as this often have the reputation for being unhealthy and developing a wide range of problems. The inability to concretely classify an animal may cause hesitancy on the part of potential pet owners.
Health Concerns
The Dorkie is still a relatively unstudied animal in terms of medical compilations and scientific studies. As such it is difficult to accurately predict which aliments they will suffer from. It is possible from them to suffer from any of the aliments that afflict both the Dachshund or the Yorkshire Terrier
: Portosystemic shunt, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, Tracheal collapse, Luxating patella, Periodontal Disease, Degenerative disc disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Adrenal Gland Malfunction and Progressive Retinal Atrophy.

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