Yorkie Poo (Yorkipoo)

Like most crossbreeds, the personality of a Yorkipoo depends on the parents and how they have been bred and reared.
 

The Yorkshire Terrier is an intelligent, lively terrier who can sometimes forget they are a small dog! They are fearless, tenacious and protective, but they won’t say “no” to a good game of fetch or an afternoon full of brain puzzles. Constantly on the go, they will want to be a part of everything their owner does.

The Poodle is a lively, sociable, outgoing and affectionate dog who is both intelligent and amusing, and makes a wonderful and fun companion. They love to be included in all family pursuits and can be good watch dogs, announcing visitors loudly!

Both the Toy and the Miniature Poodles are very clever, trainable dogs and enjoy learning new skills, games and tricks.

The resulting Yorkipoo will usually inherit these traits. So you can expect a small companion dog who will enjoy training and games, especially terrier-type tugging, ripping and possibly digging games.

The personality of a Yorkipoo seems to be more consistent when they are first crosses (F1). As a line is successively bred, they can be either bred back to one of the original breeds (and so strengthen either the terrier or the Poodle personalities) or be bred to another Yorkipoo - in which case there is less predictability in temperament (and in-breeding becomes more of a potential issue).

Responsible breeders should be prioritising behaviour as highly as health and so it is important to find a good breeder. A well-bred Yorkipoo should be outgoing and confident, not nervous, shy or aggressive.

Like many of the designer crossbreeds, the Yorkipoo originated in the United States in a quest to find a small companion dog that didn’t shed and that would fit into any family’s lifestyle no matter how small their home and garden.

To understand more about the origin of the breed requires an understanding of the two breeds that go into the formation of the Yorkipoo.

Yorkshire Terrier

Country of Origin: England and Scotland

The origin of this breed isn’t perfectly clear, but it is sometimes tracked down all the way to the 1850s when Scottish weavers brought a small terrier with them to Yorkshire and Lancashire. These 'Broken-Haired Scotch Terriers,' interbred with local small terriers to provide a Northern ratter working dog who quickly become popular as a very effective factory and mining vermin-killer.

After further breeds were used to perfect this terrier such as the Manchester Terrier or the Maltese, it was first shown as the Scotch Terrier in 1861, before it became known as Yorkshire Terrier and recognised by the Kennel Club in 1886.

While the breed was a working ratter, the Yorkshire Terrier soon became popular with wealthy ladies as a companion and this popularity led to selective breeding to make them even smaller. Interestingly while the dog got smaller, their coat length stayed virtually the same - hence the long coats that can still be seen on show dogs.

Poodle

Country of origin: Germany

The original Poodle is the Standard Poodle, a water retrieving dog. Owners wanting to make sure their dogs didn’t get waterlogged gave these dogs their unusual haircuts. The Miniature and Toy Poodles were created purely as smaller versions of the original Poodle for owners who didn’t want such a large dog but enjoyed this breed’s personality. These smaller Poodles quickly became popular and many found work in circuses thanks to their ability to learn new tricks.

The Yorkipoo can have any combination of the two breeds in their appearance, behaviour and temperament.

One of the characteristics of toy dog breeds is their fast metabolism. Because they burn energy at a high rate, they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion. Your dog's diet needs to have the right balance of all the main nutrient groups including a constant supply of fresh water. It's important to conduct regular body condition scores to ensure you keep your dog in ideal shape and remember to feed him at least twice daily and in accordance with the dog feeding guidelines of his particular food.

While this is a surprisingly active small dog, the Yorkipoo will be happy with half an hour to an hour’s walking each day and plenty of games and owner interaction. Without this exercise they can get bored, noisy and possibly destructive.

The Yorkipoo would suit an owner or a family with older sensible children. They will feel right at home in smaller properties with an owner looking for a fun companion who doesn’t need great deal of exercise. They can be noisy dogs as both Poodles and Yorkies have a lot to say for themselves. They do not like to be left alone and so would need an owner who is either at home most of the time or can take their dog with them wherever they go.

Health and common issues

Crossbreeds aim to dilute or eliminate any inherited health issues that may exist within one or other of the breeds. This dilution or elimination is likely in two cases: if only one parent is the carrier of any particular condition and where this is a first cross (F1). As this can’t always be guaranteed, all parents should be health tested prior to breeding: Yorkshire Terriers - this is a fairly healthy long-lived breeds but like many small dogs can have issues with luxating patella and there are other health issues that require owners to ensure they get puppies form a reputable source. Poodle - eye tests and hip scoring should be done. Information on health tests for both breeds can be found on the Kennel Club’s website. Separation related behaviour problems are common in the Yorkipoo, but thankfully they are small enough to pretty much go anywhere with their owner. The Yorkipoo can be a bit of a barker - especially if bored or if left alone. Toilet training can be slow in this breed, so make sure you approach this task with patience and consistency and you’ll soon see results.

Space requirements

This is a small dog who can live in a flat or a smaller property as long as they have access to the outdoors for toileting and walks.

Training the Yorkipoo

The Yorkipoo is far cleverer than many people think as both breeds that make up this cross have a working ancestry. Make sure you include plenty of dog tricks and games to their daily routine and you’ll have a happy dog. They should also be trained to walk on a lead and harness, as well as come back when called. While this may look like a cute fluffy dog, don’t forget the Yorkshire Terrier’s past as they can and will chase (and given half a chance, catch) rodents, squirrels and even pursue the neighbour’s cat! Early and ongoing dog socialisation is recommended so they can gain confidence with people, dogs and cats if necessary. Teaching the Yorkipoo to enjoy gentle handling is important as this is a small dog who can easily feel overwhelmed and resort to using their teeth.

Family friendly dog breeds

The Yorkipoo makes a fun family companion who can be surprisingly game and feisty but as they are small and rather delicate, they suit families with older sensible children.