MyDogBreedsBoth Snorkie and American Pit Bull Terrier are originated from United States. Snorkie may grow 26 cm / 10 inches shorter than American Pit Bull Terrier. Snorkie may weigh 24 kg / 52 pounds lesser than American Pit Bull Terrier. Both Snorkie and American Pit Bull Terrier has same life span. Both Snorkie and American Pit Bull Terrier has almost same litter size. Snorkie requires Moderate maintenance. But American Pit Bull Terrier requires Low maintenance
The Snorkie is not a purebred dog. It is a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer.
The exact origins of this dog are unknown, but it is believed that it is a designer dog from the United States. Known also as the Schnerrier, this toy breed is a popular pet as he can slot into life in the city or the countryside, in small homes or large.
The Snorkie’s history is short and unknown but both the parent breeds each have a long history.
The history of the American Pit Bull Terrier might be a confusing one to some dog lovers and certainly to the general public that tends to lump all the “bully” breeds into a category called “pit bull”. This is because of the negative reputation this group of breeds has acquired over the past 30-50 years due to misuse and mis-breeding by the dog fighting industry. This categorization includes the American Pit Bull Terrier, The American Staffordshire Terrier, the Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
There is major confusion and disagreement on the difference between the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. The AKC does not recognize the American Pit Bull Terrier as a separate breed, but its founder and the UKC, ADBA do so. In the 1930’s the American Pit Bull Terrier was a recognized breed and in response to the negativity of pit-fighting, they renamed it as the American Staffordshire Terrier.
The American Pit Bull Terrier was developed to be a little larger in size than the Staffordshire in both height and weight. This breed comes from crossing various Bull and Terrier breed to get a working dog. The Amstaff for the most part is bred to be a show dog and is not usually a “street dog” used in dog fighting rings. The direct ancestors of the APBT are the Old English Bulldogs and the Old English Terriers. These dogs are great family dogs, gentle beyond comparison unless raised to fight. They make great therapy dogs as well as police dogs. They are not by nature cruel, aggressive or attack dogs.
Both professional confirmation breeders and street fight breeds have developed new strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier. A few are worth mentioning here.
One of the oldest strains of the American Pit Bull Terrier they are red in color and that red is a very unique tone. They have a copper colored coat and nose with red nails, red lips and amber or red eyes. These dogs were originally from Ireland and when they came to America they had the red nose. Originally bred for gameness, it is the red color that is sought after now.
These are another old breed, but they have black noses and were initially bred by John P. Colby in the late 1800s. These dogs were known to be indominable fighting dogs and were bred into almost every line of American Pit Bull Terriers that exist today. The line is still maintained by the Colby family.
Coming from two small dog breeds, the Snorkie will be small too, and will measure anything from 14 to 30cm and weigh anything from 3 to 6kg.
The Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer are fairly similar to look at and you will no doubt get high set erect ears, a small, compact body and a medium length tail which will be thickly furred.
The coat of the dog will be longish and could end up being the silky hair of the Yorkie or being the crisp coat of the Schnauzer. Colors of the coat can be grey, tan, silver, black. Shedding will be minimal.
When you get two purebred dog breeds being used to bring about a new dog breed, you cant really say what the temperament of the dog will be – because it could actually be a mix of characteristics from either breed. Either way your little pet will be social, playful, loving, loyal and companionable and make a great little watchdog.
True to their reputation as fighters, the American Pit Bull Terrier looks like one – powerful, strong and well built. This belies their gentle disposition but too often they are judged by their looks. With a broad, brick shaped head, thick neck and deep chest, they are stocky, muscular and agile. They usually have cropped ears, but the tails are not docked. Their legs are strong and hindquarters especially muscular. These dogs are much stronger than they look. Round soulful eyes are one of the traits that people who keep these dogs as companion animals love about them. They have a scissor bite and one of the strongest jaws of all domesticated canines.
Your Snorkie will be a sociable little dog who loves hanging out with his human family. He is loyal and loving towards them. He gets on well with children in the home as well as with other pets.
Small he may be, but he makes a great watchdog and will alert you to suspect behavior with his constant yapping.
Suitable for life in the city or the countryside and also a great choice for first time dog owners, the Snorkie promises to make you an awesome family pet.
For those who live with the American Pit Bull Terrier there is no better dog. The APBT loves people and loves children. They think they are lap dogs, and they certainly are watch dogs. They love their people but their barks at strangers at home are not because they are protecting their people but rather they are greeting the strangers into their home. Unfortunately, they will not greet another dog in the same way. However, when their people are seriously threatened they will give their lives to defend them.
These are strong, confident dogs who want to please their people. They love children and make great family dogs but require a strong owner and a strong pack leader. The need to be under control around other dogs and because of their strength, need a strong owner. It is their aggression towards other animals that must be controlled.
Because a Snorkie is a mixed breed, they can inherit any one of the health issues from each of the parent breeds – the Yorkshire Terrier and the Miniature Schnauzer.
Because this is a small dog, you can probably expect dental problems - overcrowded teeth and pancreatitis. The idea is to make sure you feed your little pet excellent food to minimize health issues.
The pancreas has many functions, one of which is the production of digestive enzymes which are critical for food digestion.
Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and then digestive enzymes, normally inactive until they reach the small intestine, become active in the pancreas instead. This brings about swelling and pain. Obesity, medications, high-fat diets and a disease such as hypothyroidism can cause pancreatitis.
Your dog will lose his appetite, be lethargic and restless and be vomiting too. He will have to get to the vet.
Though the American Pit Bull Terrier is healthier than most large dogs, they do have an issue with hip dysplasia. Breeders have been working to breed this out of the APBT and their work in this area has helped with the other issues with the patella, heart and thyroid. The APBT can have skin allergies and Demodex Mange. This condition can be either deadly or just a localized skin issue. Immunizations and testing is essential for this breed. When not immunized, American Pit Bull Terrier puppies have a greater incidence of parvovirus than other breeds. They also might have cataracts and congenital heart disease.
Being a small dog, the Snorkie will be fairly easy to care for, and for anyone on a low budget who badly wants to own a dog, he won’t cost you a whole lot of money in food.
◆Brush the coat twice a week to rid the coat of loose hairs. The Snorkie isn’t a heavy shedder but he loves the grooming session. His coat may need to be professionally trimmed.
◆When you brush him, check for fleas and ticks. Check inside the ears for redness and make sure the eyes are bright and alert.
◆The Snorkie is small but will be a handful if left untrained. He is intelligent and will make a superb pet if he is trained and socialized.
◆Keep his vaccines up to date to eliminate killer canine diseases and get him to the vet if he appears to be ill.
◆Feed your Snorkie the best food there is. The commercially manufactured dog foods can be a good, convenient choice. Read the labels and buy the food appropriate to your pets size, age and energy levels.
Try and give him some home-made food. You can add a little bit of home-made food to the dry kibble to enhance it. You can do this twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots are a tasty healthy choice for your little pet. Just chop it all up for him.
How you feed your American Pit Bull Terrier puppy is important to her health as an adult and long life. The adult dog should be fed one and a half to two and a half cups of high quality food twice a day. Puppies should be fed more often as they grow. DO not feed your APBT soft or canned dog food. Their food should be dry. Be careful not to feed too much as you do not want an obese American Pit Bull Terrier.
As previously mentioned this is a healthy breed with problems with:
These are usually inherited, and the pup may show signs early, or they could be developed later in life. They can be removed.
Hip dysplasia as in many larger, stronger breeds this can be a major problem. Breeds should test for it and APBT breeders are attempting to breed it out of the APBT.
This is a congenital issue that breeders are also breeding against and if they have it your American Bit Bull Terrier was likely born with it.
Many APBT are allergic to grasses or out outside allergens. Shots or medication can deal with these.
This is an athletic, joyful breed that loves to play, love sports and loves any activity that bonds it with its family. Some of the many sports the American Pit Bull Terrier likes to participate in include: agility, obedience competition, weight pulling, lure coursing and fly ball. He also needs backyard exercise and daily walks.
When walking your American Pit Bull Terrier, make sure she is on a leash as the breed has a tendency to be aggressive with other dogs coming into their space. The APBT loves to work. They are good therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs, even service dogs.