Shorkie vs Koolie - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Shorkie vs Koolie - Breed ComparisonShorkie is originated from United States but Koolie is originated from Australia. Shorkie may grow 36 cm / 14 inches shorter than Koolie. Shorkie may weigh 17 kg / 37 pounds lesser than Koolie. Shorkie may live 3 years less than Koolie. Both Shorkie and Koolie has almost same litter size. Shorkie requires Moderate maintenance. But Koolie requires Low maintenance

History

shorkie - historyThe Shorkie is a mix between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Shih Tzu. This little dog actually thinks he’s quite big. He is a great watchdog and a barker, and he is a loyal and loving member of his family. He will let you know if he thinks something is going on that shouldn’t be.

This hybrid combines two breeds known for their good looks, cuteness and personalities. Shorkies get their watchdog instincts and their loyalty to their people from the Shih Tzu and their personalities and good looks from the Yorkie. This designer breed has no known standard and every puppy is different, but traits from its founding breeds will remain. Both breeds have great personalities.

Regardless of the differences within the litter, because the personalities and adorableness of the two founding breeds are equal, all of the puppies will have those characteristics. They will all be energetic, playful and think they are big dogs. They will all love people and especially kids – playing and watching over them.

The Shorkie is intelligent, trainable, and snuggly. They will also have the stubborn trait that the two founding breeds can show at times. Developed in the United States, this crossbreed is extremely popular even though they have been in existence for only ten years or so. Breeders in the U.S. began to mix these two breeds in order to develop a cute, friendly and intelligent little dog that will cuddle on your lap – perfect lap dog.

Even if we already have breeds similar to the Shorkie, its development allows breeders to diversify and improve the genetics of the dogs. It is important that these be responsible breeders whose intentions are not financial but to legitimately improve the positive traits of each breed while sorting out the undesirable or weak traits. This is the positive side of the new designer breeds.

Even though it is still being developed, at least the Shorkie seems to be a success story for designer breeds as a loving, popular little dog. It will take a lot more time and a lot more development before the Shorkie becomes an actual recognized breed. At the moment it remains a hybrid, a crossbreed, a so called designer dog.

It will be at least 7-10 generations of careful and quality breeding before the Shorkies are potentially recognized as its own pedigree breed. It is important to breed Shorkies to Shorkies in order to develop a standard that could be accepted for a new breed by the AKC and UKC. Over time the puppies must become more and more standardized in their conformity to that new breed standard. Their physical appearance and their temperament will be standardized. At this stage the second generation of Shorkies is rare. Their popularity is rising in the United Kingdom. Both Britain and Ireland have a growing interest in this hybrid.

koolie - historyThe Koolie's ancestors were both the smooth coated blue merle Collie as well as the Black and Tan Collie. The dog hails from Australia.

Looking much like the Heeler dog, the Koolie is thought to have got its name from German immigrants to Australia who couldn’t pronounce the name ‘collie’ properly, so the name came out as Koolie. The Koolie of today is a product of a cross between the German Koolie and the Australian Dingo.

The dog has been around for a long time and in 2000, the Koolie Club of Australia was formed. It was in 2004 that the Koolie was recognized by the Australian Sporting Registrar. In May 2006, the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America accepted the Koolie as a recognized and accepted herding breed.

Description

shorkie puppy - descriptionThe Shorkie, being a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih Tzu, and as such has physical and temperament characteristics from both breeds. They could be 50-50 but most likely each puppy will be more like one of the founding parents than the other. Because there is a lot of similarity between the founding breeds there is a lot of similarity between the Shorkies.

Their hair is either wavy or straight, but it is soft. It can be a wide variety of colors and usually they have a darker mask on the face. Usually they have the eyes of the Shih Tzu – large -but not protruding. Their muzzle is short, and the skull is round with triangle ears. Their bodies are compact, small with plenty of muscle for their size. They also have fine bones and short legs, with a thin curled tail.

koolie puppy - descriptionKnown also as the German Koolie or German Collie, the Koolie is a working- or herding dog standing at between 40 – 60cm in height and weighing up to 24kg.

The Koolie's coat is a merle coat pattern in red or black and possibly with some tan and is mostly short and smooth, though it can be medium length too. Depending on the coat color – red or black – the nose and eyes can be either brown or black, although eye color can also be blue or yellowish.

Temperament:

The Koolie is such a wonderful pet who has some excellent characteristics to his name. He is active, energetic, fun, clever, friendly and playful, but if you have him trained and socialized he becomes even more of a great family pet. He is intelligent too and will require an owner who is steady, firm, fair and consistent. You wouldn't call him an aggressive dog

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness – yes, they are very child friendly.

2.Special talents – Loyal and loving.

3.Adaptability – The Shorkie could happen.

4.Learning ability – Highly intelligent, but they can be stubborn.

koolie dog - characteristicsMany people today like the idea of a ‘wild’ animal as a pet, and the Koolie, with his Dingo ancestry, can be a challenging dog breed to keep. People eventually blame these animals for having a poor temperament – meantime all they are essentially, are high-energy animals.

If you keep a Koolie, it will be better if you were a firm, kind, patient, consistent dog owner who understands the special needs of these kinds of dogs. They’re an energetic, care-free animals who will do better on a large property or farm as he is lively and will need a good deal of exercise.

He is quite capable of being a splendid pet with training and socialization and will settle down well to family life when he is loved and cared for.

Health Problems

shorkie puppies - health problemsMany hybrids are in better health at least genetically than their parent breeds. Responsible breeders will breed any genetic issues out of their puppies. Still there are many health issues that the Shorkies are prone to. These include:

  • Tooth loss, tooth decay and gum disease caused by dental overcrowding.
  • Joint issues – can cause lameness.
  • Diabetes – high blood sugar.
  • Kidney stones.
  • Liver disease and potential shunt.
  • Progressive Retinal Apathy - visual imparity.
  • Patellar Luxation – can cause arthritis.
  • Hypoglycemia. – low blood sugar.
  • Collapsed Trachea.

• Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – “smashed face” causes problems with breathing, heat, flying and more.

• Glaucoma – Yorkshires have this, and it can be secondary to the lens Luxation.

koolie puppies - health problemsThe Koolie is a long-lived dog and there are records of it being able to reach 18 years of age. Because they have a diverse gene pool, you won’t find many genetic problems with this dog.

It is always wise when you’re the owner of a dog, to look out for his health and wellbeing -

Vaccination:

This is to prevent your Koolie picking up fatal diseases such as distemper and parvo-virus. Dogs can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age for protection.

Parasites:

Working dogs like the Koolie are susceptible to parasites such as tapeworm. Worming of your dog can be included in your vet visit. Dogs with worms may show tell-tale signs such as being pot bellied, very pale gums, anemia and a dull, thinned coat.

A look at his droppings may reveal white segments or worms. Fleas are another kind of parasite and they breed quickly in warm months. Mange is a skin disease caused by small parasitic mites which can actually live inside the hair follicles of dogs. Veterinary treatment will be required.

Heat Stroke:

This is when your pet’s temperature rises out of control. Dogs pant to reduce their body temperature so a dog puffing heavily is putting in extra work to reduce his body temperature.

Never leave you pet in a boiling hot car as the body becomes weak and he has difficulty with breathing. Without immediate treatment, the dog will collapse and die.

Caring The Pet

shorkie dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy - The Shorkies need a high-quality, well-balanced dry kibble. Make sure it is a formula for small, active dogs. It should have lean meat and essential minerals and vitamins. Make sure it is puppy food not adult. The puppy needs 300 -550 calories a day in 3 meals.

2.Feeding the adult – Obesity is a problem for the Shorkie as it is for many small dogs. Don’t overfeed your adult but give her the same kind of high quality small breed dog food, only for adults. They need about 200-300 calories a day in 2 meals.

3.Points for Good Health – Few genetic diseases.

4. Games and Exercises – These are very active little dogs and need exercise every day. They needs walks, games, and time with you. They also love to cuddle with you at the end of the day. They love squeaky toys and playing fetch outside or inside.

Training:

koolie dogs - caringThe Koolie is an intelligent dog that will benefit from training and socialization to make him obedient and able to cope in diverse situations.

Exercise:

These dogs show an untiring enthusiasm for exercise and work and wherever you live, you will need to ensure that he gets regular exercise.

Diet:

Only the very best - both home-made and commercially manufactured food - will be good enough for this energetic dog. Good quality food ensures health and longevity. Always see that there is a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Relaxing Time:

Make sure that your dog has a warm, dry place to sleep inside and that when outside, he has a cool, sheltered spot from the sun.

Basic Information

Group:
Miscellaneous dogs
Working dog
Origin:
United States
Australia
Height Male:
18 - 24 cm
7 - 10 inches
40 - 60 cm
15 - 24 inches
Height Female:
16 - 22 cm
6 - 9 inches
40 - 60 cm
15 - 24 inches
Weight Male:
5 - 7 kg
11 - 16 pounds
15 - 24 kg
33 - 53 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
15 - 24 kg
33 - 53 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
12 - 18 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 5
4 - 6
Size:
Small dog
Medium dog
Other Names:
Shorki • Shorkie • Yorkie Tzu Shorkie Tzu
German Koolie
Colors Available:
Black and tan • Brown and white • Gold • Red • Gold, black, and white • Particolored
merle pattern, Red, black
Coat:
coat type soft and relatively long coats. They should be silky and never coarse
Shortish to medium
Shedding:
Minimal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Responsive, Stubborn
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Low maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Sakhalin Husky vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  2. Portuguese Water Dog vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  3. Puli vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  4. McNab vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  5. Porcelaine vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  6. Hokkaido vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  7. Petit Bleu de Gascogne vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  8. Pumi vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  9. Osterreichischer Kurzhaariger Pinscher vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  10. Russo-European Laika vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  11. Ryukyu Inu vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  12. Seppala Siberian Sleddog vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  13. Serbian Mountain Hound vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  14. Shiba Inu vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  15. Sulimov vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  16. Swiss Shorthaired Pinscher vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  17. Tahltan Bear Dog vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  18. Standard Schnauzer vs Koolie - Breed Comparison
  19. Koolie vs American Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  20. Koolie vs Border Collie - Breed Comparison
  21. Koolie vs Alaskan Husky - Breed Comparison
  22. Koolie vs Catahoula Leopard - Breed Comparison
  23. Koolie vs German Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  24. Koolie vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  25. Koolie vs Griffon Bleu de Gascogne - Breed Comparison
  26. Shorkie vs Alopekis - Breed Comparison
  27. Shorkie vs Brug - Breed Comparison
  28. Shorkie vs Pomeranian - Breed Comparison
  29. Shorkie vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  30. Shorkie vs Pug - Breed Comparison
  31. Shorkie vs Boston Terrier - Breed Comparison
  32. Shorkie vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Shorkie vs Maltipoo - Breed Comparison
  34. Shorkie vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  35. Shorkie vs Bichon Frise - Breed Comparison
  36. Shorkie vs Dachshund - Breed Comparison
  37. Shorkie vs Jack Russell Terrier - Breed Comparison
  38. Shorkie vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison
  39. Shorkie vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  40. Shorkie vs Cavapoo - Breed Comparison
  41. Shorkie vs Corgi - Breed Comparison
  42. Shorkie vs Miniature Schnauzer - Breed Comparison
  43. Shorkie vs Cavachon - Breed Comparison
  44. Shorkie vs Mal-Shi - Breed Comparison
  45. Shorkie vs American Eskimo Dog - Breed Comparison
  46. Shorkie vs Papillon - Breed Comparison
  47. Shorkie vs Miniature Australian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  48. Shorkie vs Japanese Chin - Breed Comparison
  49. Shorkie vs Miniature English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  50. Shorkie vs Miniature Dachshund - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds