Morkie:
Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier Mix

Characteristics of the Morkie

If you buy a Morkie puppy from a breeder or adopt an adult Morkie, you have chosen a dog with many good character traits. Morkies are able to create a strong bond with their owners. They are extremely social. Like all dogs involving Terrier breeds, the little Morkies can be a bit stubborn and are also very attentive and observant. They are intelligent and need a lot of work, otherwise they will get bored. Morkies need to be given enough attention. Morkies usually get along well with other dogs and other pets. It is a good idea though to get them used to other animals living in the household right from the start.

You should not leave your Morkie home alone for too long, because it can end up getting bored and destroying things or starting to bark a lot out of boredom. If you have enough time, a Morkie is very well suited as an apartment dog.

A Morkie is a good choice for people suffering from allergies too. They are said to be hypoallergenic breeds and therefore considered allergy-friendly dogs.

A particular advantage of the Morkies is that they do not shed and dog allergy sufferers usually have no problems with these dogs.

Health and breeding of Morkies

Morkies can also be at risk for suffering certain breed-specific diseases. They occasionally experience health problems which their parent breeds also suffer from. This refers to

• Kidney failure,
• Glaucoma,
• Patellar luxation,
• Tracheal collapse,
• Hydrocephalus,
• chronic heart valve disease or the
• Cataract.

Of course, dogs which suffer from either of these diseases should no longer be used for further breeding. 

A healthy diet for the Morkie

The best way to feed a Morkie is with high quality dog food. If it is fed dry food, the individual chunks should not be too big for this small dog. Morkies often have problems with colouring and preservatives in their food. This is inherited by their Yorkshire Terrier parent and often prevails. Since Morkies are prone to gaining weight easily, it is advisable to look for dog food that does not contain too many carbohydrates.