When it comes to bringing a dog into your life, the sheer variety of breeds you can choose from can be daunting. Dogs come in all manner of shapes, sizes, personalities, and moods. Therefore, you want to find a dog that fits in perfectly with who you are. If you are someone who prefers a small dog, you might have looked at something like Yorkshire Terrier or even a Poodle. If that is the case, have you ever thought about getting a Yorkie Poo?
Now, the name above might make you snigger – and it is easy to see why. It sounds like a polite nickname given to someone on a high-brow British TV comedy from the 1950s. Yet the Yorkie Poo has become a very popular dog. It is, of course, a mixture between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Poodle. They are adorable little dogs, but is owning a Yorkie Poo the right choice for you?
Let’s break down the key details so that you understand what you are buying. If you want a dog in your life that is full of energy and love, keep on reading.
The Yorkie Poo: Quick Facts
So, the first thing to note about the Yorkie Poo is that they are small dogs. Usually topping out at around 7” to 15” at the absolute most, they are hardly giants. They also are lightweight dogs, who are lucky to hit 15lbs in weight.
Capable of living for at least a decade, you could maybe get fifteen years from a Yorkie Poo if they are looked after and have some luck on their side regarding health. You will find a Yorkie Poo is easy to tell apart from either of their ‘parent’ breeds. They come in various color schemes, ranging from the typical brown and tan options to more ambitious color schemes. This could include colors like chocolate, red, apricot, and even blue!
Black, grey, and silver colors are quite common as well, though the most common color schemes are by far brown, tan, and black.
This dog would typically be classed as a toy dog, so if you want something tiny and adorable this is the place to begin. We will look closer at their lifestyle and personality below, but they are typically playful and loyal little dogs who love running around.
What does a Yorkie Poo look like?
As noted above, they tend to have many of the visual characteristics of their parents. This makes them quite easy to tell apart from other breeds. They do, though, come in all styles. Some will have long or short nose styles. Some will have floppy ears, others perky. They might have a long tail or a small whip-style tail. In short, they tend to take after one of their parents more than the other, and this can lead to changes in everything from tail type to their nose style.
Their coats are also quite variable. Whilst almost always nice and silky, they are sometimes curly, sometimes not. That can be very interesting to note, and it can be quite an intriguing-looking little dog when you see it for the first time. Most of the time, too, they are a solid color, but some will have patterns. This can include some very interesting blends – black and tan, for example, is a rare but coveted color pattern.
As you can see, then, the humble Yorkie Poo has quite a lot of variability in their look. This can make them distinctive, yet hard to definitively tell apart from another breed.
How much does a Yorkie Poo cost to buy?
Now, here is the kicker. If you want a Yorkie Poo, you are not going to pick one up for anything less than $1,000. If someone is trying to sell you a Yorkie Poo for anything less than this, ignore the offer. It is likely they are trying to trick you. These dogs can be easily confused with their parent breed in some cases, so make sure you only buy your Yorkie Poo from a proven and reputable source.
The price can easily balloon way into the region of $3,000 or even more. Depending on where they have been bred and their color scheme, the price can become quite a headache to work out. The best way to make sure you get what you have paid for is to go for a proper breeder with a good national reputation. Avoid those backyard sellers and puppy mills – you are more than likely going to walk away disappointed.
Always be sure to get a full review of the Yorkie Poo’s medical history and ensure you get to meet the parents. If the parents aren’t with the puppies, at least the mother, the question should be ‘why?’ – always be sure to ask plenty of questions about what you are buying here, too.
How much does a Yorkie Poo cost to own?
Remember, too, that your Yorkie Poo will cost you more than just the price to buy the little puppy or dog. There are many things that you need to get for your Yorkie Poo that you might forget about. For example, think about the following costs:
- For one, you will need to make a budget for their food. Yorkie Poo’s come with pretty particular diets so you should find it easy to follow the information given by the breeder you buy from
- You also need to think about things like their living area. Yorkie Poo’s will need a comfortable little bedding area and also a crate, so make sure you invest in this for their training
- Toys and social activities are needed, too; entertainment, basically, for when you are not there to keep them busy
- Training, if you wish to make sure your Yorkie Poo gets into the habit of acting the way you want. This will include training tools, treats, and even training pads for toilet training
- Grooming costs, as Yorkie Poo’s can become quite unkempt if you do not get them through a regular level of care and grooming
- Microchipping and vaccinations, which are going to be essential if you and your Yorkie Poo are planning on going abroad anytime soon
As you can imagine, all of these kinds of considerations will soon add up in terms of the cost of ownership and whatnot. Throw in the cost of annual veterinarian visits, new toys, regular food and water, and even things like collars and harnesses, and you can find the price of ownership soon becomes extensive.
What does a Yorkie Poo act like?
So, first things first – these dogs love to bark. They are happy to bark at everything – you, the TV, the neighbors, birds in the trees, anything. If you live in an apartment block, expect a few chaps at the door or notes from neighbors about your noisy dog. Sorry, but this is just how these dogs are – they are noisy at the best of times!
However, they are energetic and charismatic in the extreme. If they spend enough time around you and the rest of the family, they should easily settle into life at home without any problems. They love to be central to the entertainment and will happily pick up tricks and whatnot if it means you pay them more attention. They also, for their size, are very protective of their families – just make sure they do not bite off more than they can chew.
Is the Yorkie Poo a good family dog?
They are among the very best, in our opinion. They make spectacular dogs to hang around with; loyal, endearing, and highly friendly. They make stunning companions and friends. However, if you have really young children, their snappy and tempestuous nature can make them an awkward fit with toddlers who will push and pull on everything they see. Your children could accidentally hurt the Yorkie Poo, which can lead to defensive reactions. If you do have toddlers, make it very clear that your little Yorkie Poo is not a fan of having their ears or their tails pulled on as they run about the place.
If you have other pets, make sure you keep an eye on how they interact with one another. They tend to chase around smaller animals like rodents, which is part of their hereditary prey drive from the Yorkshire Terrier side of things. So long as you keep them away from smaller animals, though, they can easily make good friends with other dogs and the like.
Care requirements for a Yorkie Poo
Eating and diet
These small dogs need to be fed a lot of food, and you would be better off buying them quality brands of food. It might cost you more, but it will benefit your dog in the long run. We recommend you speak to the breeder and then, on your initial visit to the vet, speak to the vet and find out more about what they think of the matter.
This is very important we believe, and it can be good for making sure you can keep a close eye on their weight one way or another. Avoid feeding them scraps of human food, though, as most of the time it will not play well with the stomach of a Yorkie Poo. They can also be prone to negative reactions from many of our foods, which can have a pretty serious impact on their health.
Exercising and training
The Yorkie Poo needs lots of walks per day, but they are small dogs so they should be able to enjoy several shorter walks as opposed to one or two large, exhausting walks. They need to use up their energy, but their dainty nature means that it should be easy to use up most of their energy stocks. Get them some toys or activities they can enjoy for around 30 minutes per day, too, and you should have no problem whatsoever in making sure that your dog can use up most of the energy that it is carrying around.
Exercising then is regular and consistent, but it should never involve having to do too much in terms of exercise amounts. Training is important, too, but they are very smart little canines so they should take to training like a duck to water. Since they want to please you, if you bring enough treats for training they will adapt very quickly. Their stubborn nature at first can make them a touch resistant to training, but it should not take you too long to get them to calm down.
If they have a Yorkshire Terrier dominant personality, then training can become a bit more challenging. Overall, though, they should be very easy for you to train and work with.
Is the Yorkie Poo a healthy dog?
Generally, yes, but they can have problems with some pretty major conditions as most Yorkshire Terriers and/or Poodles. As such, you should be looking out for conditions as minor as periodontal disease and inflammatory bowel disease. More serious illnesses can include portosystemic shunts, epilepsy, hypothyroidism, and damaged hip joints from a young age.
You need to keep a close eye on your Yorkie Poo, and get them to a vet if you notice anything that seems a bit peculiar or out of sync with how they would usually act.
Making your choice
As you can see, then, the Yorkie Poo is a dog that comes with many pros and cons to its attitude and behavior. For the most part, they are wonderfully intelligent and active canines who can be great around older children. Younger children can be too rough for them, so it takes the training of both kids and canines to make sure they do not get roughhoused around the place.
In general, though, the Yorkie Poo is easily among the most popular dogs of their style. They are engaging companions, they are fun to be around, and, while expensive, they make brilliant friends for the duration of their life. If you want a dog that is a happy blend between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Poodle, then the Yorkie Poo fits that description perfectly.