You’re probably familiar with the Yorkshire Terrier breed but have you heard of the Morkie?
The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the world’s most popular dog breeds despite their humble beginnings in Yorkshire.
The Yorkie is an affectionate, loyal and feisty dog that can make excellent companion pets.
Over the past couple of decades, Yorkshire Terriers have been combined with other breeds to create hybrid dogs.
One such cross breed is the Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier mix called the Morkie.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at the differences and similarities between the Morkie and the Yorkie.
We’ll hear from some owners of Morkies and Yorkies to get a firsthand insight into these miniature dogs.
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What Is A Yorkie?
The Yorkshire Terrier is a feisty dog that can trace its roots back to the Victorian era in England.
In the 21st century, the Yorkie is ranked as the tenth most popular dog in the United States. Commonly found in big cities across the UK, America and the world, Yorkshire Terrier are loved for their long lifespan and low-shedding coats.
Yorkies have been recognised by the Kennel Club in England since 1886.
What Is A Morkie?
The Morkie is a cross between a Maltese and a Yorkshire Terrier.
These small dogs have proven a big hit in the dog world over the past couple of decades following the advent of so-called designer breeds.
The Morkie isn’t recognised by the AKC but this cross breed have been granted status by the American Canine Hybrid Club, Designer Dogs Kennel Club, Dog Registry of America.
Are Morkies Smaller Than Yorkies?
Let’s take a look at Morkie vs Yorkie size.
Yorkshire Terriers are a member of the AKC’s Toy Group.
The Yorkie will usually be between 7 and 8 inches tall and weight around 7 pounds. These petite dogs have a life expectancy from 11 to 15 years.
Given the obesity crisis in the United States and the United Kingdom, some Yorkshire Terriers can weigh more than 7 pounds.
There are also tiny versions of the breed called Teacup Yorkies.
Morkies are the result of breeding between two small dog breeds – the Maltese and the Yorkshire Terrier.
These designer dogs can grow to be between 8 and 10 inches tall and can weigh between 4 and 8 pounds.
Mikko the Morkie (Photo: @mikkomorkie / Instagram)
Mikko (@mikkomorkie) is an example of a larger-sized Morkie.
Mikko is on the larger side of the spectrum. Weighing at 14lb at 1.5 years old. He came home at 9 1/2 weeks weighing only 3.5lbs. Standing about 1 foot high at his shoulders, he’s longer lengthwise than he is tall.
So in the answer to the question of whether a Morkie is small than a Yorkie, it would appear the designer dog breed tend to be ever so slightly bigger than the Yorkshire Terrier.
Yorkie Colors Vs Morkie Colors
When you picture a Yorkshire Terrier, you probably think of a small dog with a black and tan coat. However, the AKC write that a Yorkie’s coat should lose some of it’s black color and develop a blue steel appearance.
The American Kennel Club’s breed standard has the following to say on Yorkshire Terrier coat color.
Puppies are born black and tan and are normally darker in body color, showing an intermingling of black hair in the tan until they are matured.
The AKC go on to add that Yorkshire Terriers are required to have blue and tan coloring. The organization adds that there should be no sooty or black hair intermingled in the tan hair.
As a cross breed, the Morkie has a lot of coat color variations that aren’t dictated by a breed standard like the Yorkie. This Maltese Yorkshire Terrier mix can have coat color that includes black, white, blue, silver and fawn.
Hattie the Morkie (Photo: @hattiemaethemorkie / Instagram)
Hattie (@hattiemaethemorkie) is an example of a Morkie with a light-colored coat.
My little Morkie, Hattie Mae, is mostly white in appearance, with a few golden/blonde patches. Morkies come in all different colors and the coloring changes a lot while growing. Unless you’re really white (Maltese breed) like Hattie. Her coloring hasn’t changed that much.
Yorkie Temperament Vs Morkie Temperament
Yorkshire Terrier Zoe (Photo: @yorkie_zoe / Instagram)
The Yorkie is described by the AKC as an affectional, sprightly and tomboyish dog breed. Yorkshire Terriers may be a feisty dog breed but they’re extremely loyal to their pet owners.
Zoe (@yorkie_zoe) is described as a “restless” dog.
She’s crazy. There’s no way to put it differently. Restless, alway happy, playful and extremely friendly. We always joke that if a thief get into our house she would greet them and lay down for a good belly rub.
The AKC describe the Yorkshire Terrier as a “personality breed” that can provide lots of special moments.
The Morkie will combine the characteristics of both Maltese and Yorkie dogs. As a result, there’s no guarantee that a Morkie will inherit desired traits.
Like Yorkies, Morkies can make excellent family pets given their affectionate and devoted nature. They’ll enjoy some downtime with their pet owners but have a lot of energy when it comes to some playtime in the garden or yard.
Mikko the Morkie (Photo: @mikkomorkie / Instagram)
Mikko (@mikkomorkie) is a smart and playful Morkie.
They’re very intelligent, playful, easy to train and adaptable. Depending on the person, he tends to match their energy level.
Yorkie Price Vs Morkie Price
If you’re thinking about getting a Yorkshire Terrier to your family, you may want to check out your local rescue shelter or dedicated Yorkie rescue organization to see if you can give a member of this breed a new forever home.
There’s no shortage of Yorkie breeders worldwide but you’ll need to ensure you work with a responsible breeder when looking for a Yorkshire Terrier puppy. Based upon our research, a Yorkie puppy can cost between $800 and $1,000.
The price of a Yorkie puppy can vary from breeder to breeder.
Morkie price is rather less certain given this hybrid dog is still relatively new. Therefore you’ll need to exact caution when looking for a Morkie to avoid falling for a scam.
It appears Morkie can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000.
Otis (@otis.the.morkie) is an example of a Morkie that is closer to the top of the price range.
With the increased interest in “designer breeds” in recent years, Morkies have seen a significant increase in value. They vary in price, ranging from $900 to as much as $5,000 or more. In my experience, the more a particular puppy resembles one breed (either the Maltese or Yorkshire Terrier), the higher the price. For example, my Morkie, Otis, heavily resembles a Yorkshire Terrier and was priced on the higher end of the range I provided when I purchased him last year.
Yorkie Vs Morkie Shedding
Yorkshire Terriers are recongised as a dog with hypoallergenic qualities. While there’s no guarantee that dog owners won’t experiene some allergies given Yorkies do produce salvia and can bring in allergens from outside, these small dogs have a low-shedding coat. The AKC include the Yorkie in their list of dog breeds with hypoallergenic qualities.
Morkies are also considered hypoallergenic thanks in part to the influence of the Yorkie genes. Furthermore, the Maltese is rated as a dog breed that is hypoallergenic according to the American Kennel Club.
However, hypoallergenic means an allergic reaction is less likely to occur but there’s no guarantee that some sort of reaction won’t happen. Jess explained that this was the case with her Morkie Otis (@otis.the.morkie).
To my knowledge, the Morkie is considered hypoallergenic, as both the Maltese and Yorkie are as well. That being said, my boyfriend is allergic to dogs (and cats) and had/has minor reactions (i.e., congestions, watery eyes, scratchy throat) to both my Morkies.
Which Is Better: Morkie or Yorkie?
The question of which dog breed is better is down to personal preference.
Seeing as Morkies are part Yorkie, they’re likely to share some characteristics. But the influence of the Maltese genes will ensure there are some subtle differences.
Yorkie And Morkie To Follow On Instagram
If you’re looking to learn more about Morkies or Yorkies, you could check out some examples of these dogs on social media. You can get a daily insight into the quirks of breeds and cross breeds by checking out Morkies and Yorkies.
Here are some Morkie and Yorkie accounts to check out.
• Zoe (@yorkie_zoe)
• Hattie (@hattiemaethemorkie)
• Mikko (@mikkomorkie)
• Otis (@otis.the.morkie)
In Conclusion – Wrapping Up
We’ve reached the end of our look at the differences between Morkies and Yorkies.
Perhaps the biggest difference between these two companion-sized dogs is the Yorkshire Terrier is a recognised breed by the American Kennel Club but the Morkie hasn’t been granted status by the organization.
Otherwise, Morkies and Yorkies are a similar size with lots of characteristics in common.
They’re low shedding dogs with hypoallergenic qualities.
