Morkie Dog: Complete Guide to Maltese Yorkie Mix

Morkie Puppy

The Morkie is a small, intelligent and adaptable crossbreed of a Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese.

This Maltese Yorkie Mix is a happy and loyal lap dog which is best suited to an individual or couple in a smaller home or apartment.

Whilst playful and friendly, this little toy dog has a large appetite for attention and very quickly becomes emotionally dependent upon their owner.

This adaptable dog loves to get along with other canines and pets and requires minimal exercise due to their small size.

Despite their infamous tea cup size, and ability to easily fit into most bags, these dogs come full of life, confidence and attitude.

Despite the fact that most could comfortably hitch a ride in a handbag, these little dogs can be brash and full of confidence.

Read more to learn about their characteristics, hypoallergenic coat and temperament.

Fact Table and Summary
Breed TypeToy
PurposeLap Dog / Designer Dog
Suitable For Individuals or Couples
Weight6 to 12 pounds (male) or 4 to 8 pounds (female)
Size7 to 10” (male) and 6 to 8” (female)
Lifespan Up to 15 years
Color VariationsBlack, Brown, Black & Tan, Tan and White
TemperamentCurious, independent, excitable and fearless
Daily Exercise Low – A short 20 to 30 minutes walk each day
Activity LevelsModerate – Low physical activity and high mental activity
Daily Food ConsumptionBetween 200 and 300 calories each day for a fully matured dog and 300–500 for the first 18 months
Known Health issuesTear stains, tracheal collapse, cataracts, glaucoma and reverse sneezing

What is a Morkie? Breed Overview

Morkie Puppy
Your crossbred puppy will weigh just a small four to six ounces once born!

This pooch is a crossbreed between two purebreds:

  1. Yorkshire Terrier
  2. Maltese

Because of their similar physical size, either breed can be the sire or dam.

By breeding these two popular breeds, Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese, breeders look to get the best characteristics of both:

Yorkshire Terrier Best Characteristics
Maltese Best Characteristics
Independence, Intelligence and ConfidenceHypoallergenic, Affection and Trust

As both parents are tiny (typically less than 10lbs) their offspring will be too.

First generation puppies are typically born into litters or three and four, however, sometimes litters have just two pups.

Because of the smaller litter sizes and their toy/designer categorization; they can cost from between $1,500 to $3,000.

Whilst both parents are officially recognized by prestigious kennel clubs globally (e.g. AKC, UKC), their crossbreed offspring is not.

This is due to the unreliable breeding of characteristics, appearance and temperament of first-generation mixes.

With each successful breeding you are not sure what you will get!

This spans from appearance (e.g. Black and Tan or White), size (e.g. 4lbs or 10lbs) and temperament.

Your puppy may even inherit health issues; instead of removing the faults.

Second generation Yorkie Maltese Mixes bred together can result in more predictable appearances.

History and Origin

Morkie Dog Breed
Their origin dates back to the late 1990s when their silky black and tan coats took the US by storm.

This lapdog originated from the United States in the late 1990s.

They have since established themselves as one of the most popular designer crossbreeds in the US.

Hardly surprising, as their parents both rank favorably in the purebred categories on American Kennel Club:

  • Yorkshire Terrier Ranks 9 out of 194 breeds for popularity
  • Likewise, the Maltese Ranks 33 out of 194 breeds.

Despite only being in existence for 20 years, in 2008 this dog’s popularity peaked, thanks in part to Britney Spears buying Yorkies throughout 2007 and 2008.

The Morkie was bred to become the ultimate designer lap dog being bred from two toy dogs.

The goal was to create an affectionate, confident and low-shedding dog.

This dog was originally called a Yorktese, however, it is also known by:

  • Morkshire Terrier
  • Maltese Yorkie Mix

Morkie Temperament, Breed Personality and Behavior

Despite their small size, this dog packs a lot of personality, character and playfulness into their life.

Like many terriers, this small lap dog has a feisty spirit with little understanding of their small fragile body.

This dog is a bundle of energy with a friendly and loving personality.

She will love to play and run around, especially indoors. Playing fetch and ball are some of their favorite games to play!

She will have a strong temperament (i.e. confidence) which ensures she will get along perfectly well with other family pets (e.g. similar sized dogs and cats).

Larger dogs should be avoided. Not because of hierarchy, but, due to the size difference. It’s possible for them to injure your little pooch during play.

The Maltese Yorkie Mix will become attached to a single person; normally their master.

This forms a strong bond very quickly.

Whilst heartwarming to see such a strong bond, between canine and human, this can create problems.

Underneath that playful independent personality is a true designer lap dog.

This lap dog often wants nothing more than to be by their master’s side or sat on their lap.

The fine line between affection and attention is a well-taken path by many Morkie owners.

If the balance isn’t set appropriately by the master, you will have an overly dependent dog with behavior issues, anxiety and separation problems.

Separation anxiety can pose large problems.

For this reason, this yorkshire terrier maltese cross breed are best suited to individuals or partners who have plenty of time and have previously owned dogs.

Do They Bark a Lot?
Yes.

They love to bark.

Their love for baking is always a cry for attention (remember we warned you above!).

If not given enough attention, love and affection this dog will turn to barking and checking to create chaos and destruction.

How to Care for the Breed

Morkie Lying Down
This dog is a lapdog to its very core; remember its lapdog and designer parents

Food and Diet Requirements

This tiny dog can have a huge appetite.

They are more than able to consume their own weight in Kibble with little effort.

That doesn’t mean you should allow them to though.

Their huge appetite must be controlled by their owner.

You should always make sure you follow the recommended serving suggestions for a dog, each feed will be slightly different.

Smaller dogs typically require 40 calories per pound of body weight.

Typically, this dog should weigh between 4 to 8 pounds with outliers between 4 to 15lbs:

  • 6 to 15 pounds (male)
  • 4 to 10 pounds (female)

Ideally, he should eat between 200 and 300 calories each day.

Adult
Puppy
Male320 calories550 calories
Female160 calories275 calories

This includes all of his snacks too!

Start your puppy on four meals each day and over the first six months reduce this down to two meals daily.

You can monitor his weight and progress using the chart below.

Week
Weight (oz)
424
839
1253
1670
2081
2490

Typical feed for this dog is a high-quality dry kibble. A dry-kibble also aids your dog’s dental hygiene.

Exercise Requirements

These dogs certainly don’t require huge amounts of physical exercise.

They are not an ideal canine for running, exercise or hiking partners.

A casual slow paced 20-minute stroll around the local park is more than sufficient exercise for their tiny paws and will have many benefits for your health too.

Because of their tiny size, it’s best to walk them on a leash rather than risk injury.

They are more of an active indoor pooch, than high energy outdoor dog. Whilst indoor they are happy to run and chase for 10 minutes at a time.

This Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese cross should not be over-walked due to the common injuries associated with over-walking toy breeds.

They are best thought of as an energetic rather than athletic!

Training Requirements

Intelligent but stubborn. Here are some puppy training tips to help.

Two words to perfectly describe training your little pooch.

Like any dog breed, negative, high repetition or force-based training won’t have lasting results.

Instead, it will create negative results and be counterproductive.

Training should take place as soon as you get your Morkie puppy and should revolve around positive reinforcement and play.

Because of their high attention requirements, make sure each member of the household trains your dog.

You can use play, food and praise reward based positive training techniques with this cute little Yorkie Maltese crossbreed.

Previous experience of small dog training can be helpful, but, first time dog owners can train this little pooch perfectly well providing they invest their attention, patience and time.

Any training plan for a dog must consider the dog’s intelligence, ability, temperament and behavior.

Socializing Your Lapdog

It can be very easy to treat your pup as a lapdog. Don’t. Nothing will delight her more than spending time sat on her owner’s lap.

However, you must make a deliberate effort to socialize your pooch with different people, noises, places, smells and animals.

Especially people and animals.

Especially within the first 14 weeks.

They are known for getting on very well with other family dogs and pets.

Socializing during their formative months is important to prevent them from becoming overly attached to you.

It will also help to build puppy skills resulting in a healthy, happy and confident pup.

If you can’t socialize your puppy; use a Puppy Kindergarten class.

Training and socializing a Morkie is especially important to control their barking and separation anxiety.

Grooming Requirements

Grooming Requirements of a Maltese Yorkie Mix
This breeds parent; a Yorkie – was adopted by Victorian house wives for their superb long coats.

Like their purebred parent (i.e. Maltese), this hybrid is considered a non-shedder.

Their long thin hair will require brushing daily.

This will prevent knots, matting and tangled hair.

Brushing daily is an absolute must to keep this superb coat in top condition.

Your dog will also require bathing monthly to keep their skin and coat healthy.

Remember

Use dog shampoo and not human shampoo.

Finally, a monthly trip to a dog groomer is required for your little pooch.

Top – Tip
Whilst grooming your lapdog, make sure to pay attention to hair around the eyes, feet and legs to remove dirt buildup. Keep their eyes clean and prevent debris buildup.

Finally, brushing their teeth a couple of times each week will help to prevent tooth decay and gum (i.e. Periodontal) disease whilst maintaining good dental hygiene.

Breed Appearance: Coat, Color and Grooming

Unlike a purebred dog, especially one with pedigree, the appearance of a Morkie is not predictable.

This is perpetuated because of inconsistent breeding standards and no formally recognized association to agree upon a breed standard.

Luckily, this dog is the offspring of two purebred dogs (Yorkie and Maltese) which are world renowned for their famous coats:

  • Victorian women adopted the Yorkie for its superb long hair
  • The Maltese is famous for its white fur and hypoallergenic coat

The appearance of each canine is heavily influenced by their parents.

With both parents having a long, soft, single coat it’s not surprising your dog will have long hair too.

However, he will typically have a long and soft single-coat made from hair not fur.

Do Morkies Shed a Lot?

They are a low-shedding dog, which coupled with their long-hair (not fur), makes them a hypoallergenic dog.

This makes this breed a potential dog for humans which require allergy free dogs.

You will not find dog hair on your bed or sofa!

Top-Tip

The coat will not be short, wavy or wiry, instead it will be soft, flowing and long.

Remember
This beautiful coat requires a lot of hard work to maintain it – read the care guide above!

The color of this dog can range between the following variations:

  • Black
  • Black & Tan (from the Yorkshire Terrier)
  • Brown
  • Tan
  • Solid White (from the Maltese)

The most common coloration is black and tan from a Yorkshire Terrier.

As your dog ages most of the coloration becomes a silver gray.

The appearance is therefore mostly a low shedding, long soft coat in black and tan.

The variety in appearance is what makes this toy designer dog so appealing as each litter is very unique.

Some puppies look more like a Maltese, however, mostly they have more of a resemblance to a Yorkshire Terrier.

Teacup Morkie

Miniature, or Toy Yorkies, are known as teacup Yorkshire Terriers.

Morkies are bred from Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese purebreds, not miniature or teacup variations.

However, it is true, at birth, this dog can fit inside a teacup as they can weigh a tiny 4 ounces.

Like any dog, designer and toy breeds included, they don’t stay small forever.

Known Health Problems

Like any considerate and loving dog owner, you are bound by conscience to understand the general health of your breed.

They have the excellent genetics of their Yorkshire Terrier parent.

This means their lifespan can be up to 15 years; there are reports of some living to 17!

Their lifespan can be impacted by diet, exercise and mental health.

Whilst there are known health conditions, due to the tiny size of this lap dog, a bigger concern is their fragility.

You must be careful and play very gently with your Morkie; another reason for recommending families to search for another dog as small children can often hurt fragile dogs without meaning to.

In general, this hybrid breed is a healthy dog, however, there are some health issues you should be aware of and some health issues which might pass down from their parents.

Common health issues mainly relate to their eyes, ears or mouth (i.e. oral).

The most frequent will be tear stains, dark brown or black marks, around your dog’s eyes inherited from their Maltese parent.

Less frequent, but reported illnesses in this breed are: tracheal collapse, cataracts, glaucoma and reverse sneezing:

  • Tracheal collapse, is a progressive disease of your dog’s trachea which typically occurs in smaller dogs and causes respiratory issues, frequent coughing and difficulty eating.
  • Your dog may develop Cataracts. This starts as an imperfection in the lens and progresses into cloudiness causing vision impairments.
  • Glaucoma affects over 40% of dogs and is a condition of the eyes. There is a buildup of pressure in the eye preventing fluids from draining which can cause damage to optic nerves of the eye.
  • Reverse sneezing whilst not harmful can be distressing for your puppy as it causes gagging and forced rapid breathing.

Whilst common in lots of small dogs, these health concerns are not certain to happen.

The best guarantee to mitigate against a puppy with genetic health issues is to research the breeder properly:

  • Make sure they are reputable and are members of a safe breeding association.
  • Physically inspect the parents for overbreeding and health issues by understanding a general health check.

Did You Know? Fun Facts

  1. They are not a crossbreed of a Maltese and Biewer, but a Maltese and Yorkshire Terrier.
  2. First bred in the United States in the late 1990s and made popular by famous celebrities owning the Yorkshire Terrier parent purebred.
  3. As a puppy they weigh just four ounces; this is less than the weight of a glass of water.
  4. They have an exceptionally long lifespan, with some living past 15 years old; that’s over 76 years old in human years.
  5. They are a low-shedding hypoallergenic dog with long-hair.

Summary

The Morkie is definitely a fun dog!

An energetic, healthy and confident lapdog which is best suited to individuals or couples with smaller homes or apartments.

Provide them with attention, some more attention and love and you won’t find a happier dog.

They are not keen at all on being left alone and this will result in destructive behaviors.

Whilst the temperament of each hybrid won’t be known until they have matured you will be sure to get a healthy and small lap dog from the Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese parents. Let us know your experiences with a Morkie in the comments below.

About John Woods 300 Articles
John Woods is the founder of All Things Dogs, member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, graduate in Animal Behavior & Welfare and recognized author by the Dog Writers Association of America.

51 Comments

  1. My Morkie is 7 years old, and I have to say he is the love of my life.
    He is the best dog that has ever owned me. He is the most intelligent and friendly little guy. Every where we take him people are drawn to him and he eats the attention as if it’s his last meal.
    Everything your article states is right on point about this little breed,

  2. Does Morkie outgrow the biting ? Mine is almost 4 months old and loves pull type toys,but he bites me in playing with his toys..and also eats his poop if I don’t catch it right away..thanks for your help.

    • Hi Nell,

      At four months old, your Morkie will certainly love to play. In terms of biting you during play, this is something I wouldn’t allow. A quick solution, is to withdraw play/attention whenever your Morkie’s teeth make contact with your skin. You can read more about this technique here.

    • Mine is 5 and has definitely stopped chewing and biting things. When she was 1-2 she would chew socks, legos and anything small enough to fit in her mouth. All of that has gone away now and only chews her toys.

    • My 6 month old is still biting during play, when I’m grooming her and to get my attention on the rare occasion she doesn’t have it. She’s very intelligent and ingenious with her play, but isn’t understanding yet that it’s not ok to bite me. Saying ‘ouch!’ And removal from my bed helped one time. Then it didn’t. She occasionally eats her poop too, I clean her mouth out with water or oral care pads and clean her face and beard every time. She’s gone from every day to every 4 or 5 days. I give her a probiotic supplement daily that claims to help, and tried For-bid and Coproban. The latter seemed to help but not all the time.

    • Hi Rick, you should make sure your dog is lots of rest and you can try a making a chicken soup (instead of kibble for a meal) – don’t use onions and other dangerous foods for dogs whilst making the soup.

  3. My female Morkie is approximately 8” tall at the withers and she weighs 7.2 pounds. She has such short legs and looks “wide” to me. I have tried several low cal foods and limited her intake, sometimes along with chicken in her food. Still, she gains weight or stays the same. I call her “stocky”. She can eat and eat but I limit it to about 1/2-3/4 cup per day. Any suggestions for feeding?

      • Give the dog 1/4 cup two times a day. It seems like not enough when you dish up, but that is all mine needs.

      • cut her food down to two 1/4 cup servings and add green beans to fill her up. The green beans have little caloric count but fiber to help her feel full.

    • Hi Sharon,
      I have two female Morkies from the same litter that are now 6 years old. As very young puppies they were nearly identical. As adults they have different personalities and body types. M takes after the Yorkie dad (she is more slender and finer boned and has the Yorkie temperament). CC is very much like her mom the Maltese (She is softer featured and more gentle in nature). They are both about 7 lb. I feed them 3 times per day of Fresh Pet refrigerated food. They get 1.3 oz for breakfast and lunch and 1.6 oz for dinner. There are times that they would love to have more food, I have found these amounts work to keep them at their present weight with moderate exercise.

  4. I would like to have one of them but in the future I could have children and I worried because maybe it isn’t a good dog for that.. do you recommend me it? Or maybe another dog? Thanks

    • Hi Ana,

      As discussed in the temperament section, we would recommend, if you have young children, then to search for a different breed as younger children can often rough-house small fragile dogs.

  5. I just had my first litter of 4 little morkies do you get their tails docked? And what about the ears ?

    • Hi Connie,

      I would speak with other Morkie breeders with experience. My advice is, for purely cosmetic tail docking, this is an unnecessary procedure and will impact the welfare of your dog – the same for their ears. A Morkie isn’t a working dog.

  6. My wife and I have a Morkie his name is Meeko he is the most amazing companion everything in your article describes his personality he is friendly and loves to play and it does not matter where we go or what we are doing he is happy just being with us what an amazing breed

  7. Thank for all informational. I have been living with a little morkie for a long time now, his name is Citir , a male and 17 years old!
    He has cataracts and leg junction problems. Really it is always very friendly and loyal, and a very patient dog. We have spent a lot of great time with him, I wish it can be alive for a long time more.

  8. My baby is now 5 months old and she is the light in my world…this is a playful, loving companion… she loves people, but, I’m having a hard time finding dog food she will eat. I love love love her – my adult kids say gee mom… I wish I was the dog!!

    • I have a Morkie too and he’s a picky eater. I feed him Science Diet from the can because it’s the only dog food he will eat. He hates peanut butter which is rare for a dog but I usually eat a lettuce salad everyday and have to share it with him! Go figure.

      • Hi Jody,

        My little Morkie was the same and I could not find ANYTHING that he would eat. I tried 90% of the different pet foods. Anyway, I am SO GRATEFUL that a really kind sales person at Petsmart suggested a natural fresh from Freshpet. I also add sliced mini carrots, cut up baby broccoli, 1/2 a hard boiled egg, 1/2 a babybell cheese. He absolutely loves his food now and does a little dance for me before he eats.

    • Try Fresh Pet refrigerated dog food. It’s real food for dogs; you can actually see the carrots and blueberries in the food. You can buy it at Target. Our dog gobbles it up every time and she’s no longer itching and has a very shiny coat!

  9. My Morkie Ernie is 2.5 years old and weighs 22#. The vet assured me that he’s not overweight but shouldn’t gain any weight either. I just found out that he has hip dysplasia and that makes me sad. Also, he was pure black at birth and turned completely gray within a few months of bringing him home! His hair is also wavy but soft. I’m wondering if I paid for a Teddy Beat (Maltese/Yorkie) instead of a Morkie. I love him to death but he’s almost too attached to me. Just curious if anyone else has experienced anything similar to this.

    • Mine is too attatched to me, too. She barks and barks if she thinks Im even looking at my car keys. I cant really leave her because my condo ass. Wont allow the constant barking while Im gone.

      • Hi Denise,

        Morkies are incredibly loyal dogs, they certainly like spending time with their owners. Does she demonstrate any other separation anxiety whilst you are gone? Destruction? Inappropriate toileting?

        Separation anxiety is not an easy thing to tackle. It is often the most challenging for owners because it is such a long process. You cannot tackle SA whilst she is suffering with it, so in the first instance she cannot be left alone. This means if you aren’t able to be with her, ask family members, friends or a dog walker to spend time with her.

        You’ve mentioned that she starts barking if you even look at your keys – she’s figured out that if you pick them up, you leave, so she wants to stop you from doing so. This is her first threshold and where the time needs to be spent initially. We need to desensitise her and counter condition. Figure out how far away you need to be from your keys before she reacts. You need to stay within that threshold. Slowly, inch towards that distance over a couple of sessions. Each time, just wandering back away from your keys and staying within the home. We want her to learn that you can walk by your keys and stay home. Providing she is remaining calm, get closer and closer to your keys. This may take days, weeks or even months. Eventually, you will get to the stage that you can pick up your keys and she remains calm.

        Whilst you have tackled this trigger, providing she hasn’t been left home alone during this time, her stress levels will have hopefully reduced. You can now think about tackling the separation anxiety further in a hope that she will eventually cope being left alone.

        Think about your Morkie’s typical day. There will be things that happen which raise her stress levels (good or bad) and those which help her calm down. For example, a romp in the park will raise her stress levels, but providing she enjoys it, in a good way. Meeting that dog she hates on the corner of the block will raise her stress levels, but in a bad way. Chilling on the sofa with you will calm her down as will a chilled walk sniffing the verge.

        Try to remove those things that stress her out. If you can’t remove them for whatever reason (you have to walk past that dog she hates to get home), then sandwich them between calming activities. You’ve got more of a chance tacking the separation anxiety issue if the rest of her life is as stress-free as possible.

        You will then start separating her from you in the home. We’re talking seconds worth of separation in a different room. Slowly increasing the time. Baby gates can be brilliant here, you can separate but she can still see you. You would then slowly move towards her not being able to see you.

        Some people choose to use toys or puzzle games to help with separation anxiety. The only time these work is when it’s not a true case of separation anxiety. These work if a dog is bored. Toys and puzzles distract. For a dog with SA, they’ll soon finish the game or puzzle and remember you’ve left.

        If it’s true SA, it is a long process to tackle and sometimes best supported by a professional trainer or behaviourist. So if you are struggling, please seek further advice.

  10. When does a Morkie normally get her heat she’s one and she still hasn’t had it yet and we are very concerned

    • Hi Kaylea, for a breed of her size, you would expect your Morkie to come into season anywhere between 6 and 8 months old. You would be best placed making an appointment with your veterinarian to establish if there is anything to be concerned about. We hope all is well, in the meantime, you can read our article on dogs in heat for more information.

      • Hi my 9 lb Morkie came into her first heat at 13 months. Second heat 11 months later. Third heat 9 months later. She’s perfectly healthy. Just small and late bloomer. Her 4 sisters came into heat at 6-8 months.

  11. I have a morkie that looks almost like a pure breed Yorkie. Her brothers in the litter were bigger and mostly white she was the runt and looks like the yorkie. She is exactly how you describe above. Is fine with our older yorkie but not very friendly with other dogs. She is more timid but not as bad as the yorkie. The most attention seeking puppy I have ever had but the best personality! Love her

  12. I make my Morkie food:
    2-3 pounds ground pork or poultry or beef
    1-2 lbs frozen mixed veggies (no onion) thawed
    (Do not cook the veggies!)
    1 doz boiled eggs with shells
    2 – 3 cups raw brown rice
    1/2 cup oil, TBS salt.
    1 lb liver, any type
    Cook/chop the meat
    Pour raw rice on top, add required amount of water or salt-free broth
    Put raw liver in food processor to liquify, pour over meat/rice.
    Cook until rice is soft.
    I put boiled eggs and shells in VitAMix with a little water to process. blend until shells are tiny tiny pieces.
    Stir everything together thoroughly.

  13. I love my Morkie joey. He is 4 months old. Potty training has not been easy! 1 step forward 2 steps back. Has anyone else had this challenge. He is so sweet and cuddly and playful. More protective of me than my last dog and has a hard time warming up to other dogs.

  14. Melissa, I had the same problem with my morkie too about potty training. But then I crate trained him and it worked great, he is doing great now. Take him outside about every hour to start with, after each potty, put him in his crate or like I did in one room instead, then take him out when the two hour would be up. Keep repeating this, upping the time in between taking him out, eventually you won’t have to put him in the crate after his nap. I hope this helps.

  15. Hi I really am in need of help. I have a Morkie who is almost a year, she started out as a family dog but my 13 year old daughter began sleeping with her and she seemed to latch onto her more. She started growling and snapping at my two year old recently when she plays too rough which we expected but this morning my oldest went into the room where our pup was sleeping with my 13 year old and she started to attack her. the 13 year old restrainded her. We thought since our oldest didn’t care for the dog much maybe she didn’t recognize her initially since it was in the morning. I went into the room a little later and snapped at my daughter who was sleeping with our dog to wake up and that triggered the dog somehow and she started to try to attack me as well. I approached her and commanded her to stop which just seemed to make her more angry. My daughter woke up and was holding her and finally got her to stop but this was not a growl or just a bark, This dog was going to attack for whatever reason. As soon as we left the room our dog instantly became timid again and rolled over on her back like she always does becoming docile and I picked her up like nothing. Is this behavior normal and how do I correct it?

    • Hi Brooke,

      Aggressive behaviour in dogs is a response to a situation which stresses them out. You may notice warnings before an attack, for example: lip licking, yawning, growling, eyes widening etc. These are all signs your dog isn’t happy about something.

      From what you’ve said it sounds like the issue is primarily in that room. Has your dog got anywhere else to sleep in the house? I wonder if you disallowed the dog to sleep in the room whether you could potentially avoid an altercation (for the safety of your children).

      Is your dog crate trained? It can help to give them a sense “this is my space, it’s my safe haven.” In busy homes, life can get a bit overwhelming for some dogs. If they have a space they can retreat to and they know no one will disturb them, it can help them settle. If not, could you create a den space somewhere that is all theirs? The kids don’t encroach?

      It’s not so much correcting the behaviour, it’s more understanding why your dog feels the need to respond in that way. It can help to keep a diary and write down what everyone was doing at the time. This way you can see if there’s a pattern and you can figure out what is causing your dog to get stressed.

      If you are concerned about your dog’s behaviour, please seek the advice of a qualified behaviourist or speak with your vet. Your vet can help rule out any underlying health issue which may be contributing to her behaviour.

  16. Our female Morkie is 10 years old and weighs 12 lb. We run her on our golf course every afternoon with no leash. She loves retrieving sticks from the small creek. Needs lots of exercise or she shreds her stuffed toys. At the beach she chases tennis balls out into the surf. Fearless. Amazes on lookers. Smartest dog I’ve owned. Hope she lives a long life.

  17. I have a 17 month old rescue Morkie! She is a sweet little girl! She loves to walk but she will not play at all!! I have tried to hide treats in her toys but she just finds them and eats them! She does not play with me or wit any toys and stays by me with other little dogs! Help me please!!! I have had her almost a month!!

    • Hi Dann,

      It can be very difficult with rescue dogs as often we don’t know their history. It can be common for puppies who didn’t really experience play to subsequently not play as adults. They just don’t know how to do it. The same with dog socialisation – if they’ve not been around other dogs, they have no clue how to interact!

      It’s still early days with your time together. If she’s good at sniffing out her treats, try a treasure hunt around the house and yard. Or place them under cups or pots that she has to knock over to get to them. It’s figuring out what she currently does with ease and using that to introduce new ways to play.

      The longer she is with you, the more confident she will get.

      Also, don’t worry about the lack of interactions with other dogs, sometimes we push our ideas of needing friends on to our dogs, when in fact, they don’t have the same concept of friendship that we do. Some dogs love playing and chasing with other dogs, others just aren’t that bothered. You may find that she’s happier co-existing with a chilled-out pooch, you may be able to go on walks together, but they’d rather just walk next to each other.

      The important thing is that your dog is happy and content, however that looks.

  18. I have a question. I have two Yorkies, sisters. One is 7yrs old and the other one is almost 9 yrs old. I have been thinking about a Morkie puppy or another Yorkie Puppy. The reason for doing this in case I should lose one of the Yorkies, there would be another dog for company. My two I have now sleep together, eat together, and play together. Do you think that is a good idea?

    • Hello,

      Thanks for your question. Whilst your reasoning for bringing another puppy into your home is totally understandable, you must consider whether your two existing dogs will happily accept another dog coming into their home. Puppies can be hard work. They want to play, hang off ears and can be quite annoying to older pets.

      Also, do you have the extra time to spend socializing and training your new puppy whilst still keeping the routine the same for your other dogs? Is it financially viable to bring another dog into the home? If you are able to commit to the needs of the new puppy whilst still maintaining the care of your other dogs, there is nothing stopping you bringing them home.

      Just be mindful of how the dynamics may change and consider how accepting your two current dogs will be. If you have any more questions please feel free to get in touch again.

  19. I have recognized some concerning behaviours of my morkie. He is 7 years old and each time someone is about to leave the house or each time someone has arrived or is in the driveway or walking outside he almost freaks out. He starts barking and running up and down the stairs and it almost sounds like he is whining too. My dog has become attached to my mom and refuses to interact with anybody other than her. If we try to get him to sleep in a different room from my mom, he will sit outside the door and bark and whine. We tried taking him to lessons at pet smart in fact he even graduated the lessons there but even there he was a handful. He would bark so much that the instructor would make us stand outside. I don’t really know what to do i want to help him and make sure he is loved. I know we probably shouldn’t have allowed this issue to progress this far but we have tried over and over again to be patient and reward him when he is good. Is their anything you could advise us to do?

    • Hi Jas,

      I wonder if your Morkie is demonstrating separation anxiety? It is possible to address the issues, but you would need the guidance of a qualified, force-free behaviorist. In the first instance it’s important to not let him experience the anxiety, so if he is settled with your Mom, let him be with your Mom. Log his behavior; what is happening in the environment, how he behaves, and then what happens afterwards. This will be helpful to the behaviorist. You can also desensitize the arriving/leaving behavior. For the leaving behavior, figure out when his behavior starts to change, is it grabbing your keys, getting a jacket, purse or finding your shoes. If he starts freaking out when you reach for your keys, as you move your hand towards them, throw some treats on the floor. The idea is to slowly progress, so you can get closer and closer to your keys without him freaking out. Then you would move on to the other items/triggers. It’s not an easy process, or particularly quick, but it is achievable. But whilst you’re working on it, he can’t be left to experience the things that stress him out. Good luck sourcing a local behaviorist to help.

  20. I have a Morkie – Bob – that was a rescue. When we got him home he was very sick and almost died. He had parvo, low white blood cell count, dehydrated, and so much more. At home we have two cats – both bigger than Bob. He loves to chase the Abyssinian around the house and I secretly think she likes it too. My only problem is his is very reactive to other dogs when we’re walking. People – no problem. My son said he’s going to get him a Walmart greeter’s vest.

  21. My Morkie is 1yr old she is my best friend. I couldn’t ask for better but she dose not like to be left alone. I am at my wits end. Maybe someone can give me some good advice

  22. My morkie (Obie) is almost 6 mos and weighs 13.8 lbs. He is not through growing, so I’m not sure how heavy he will be. He is so precious and my husband and I enjoy him so much. We have to crate him when we leave the house, because he chews up everything (wooden tables, books, pee pads and more). He also hates to be left alone.

  23. My beautiful Morkie passed away two days ago she was 14 years old. I can’t even begin to express the sorrow of her loss. A perfect friend loving as the day is long and always I mean always next to me. She would wake up just to follow me into the kitchen for me to get ice. If she could go out to the garage with me she would wait by the door she was perfect in every way.

    • Hi Ellen I also lost my precious Lucky a 15 year old morkie whom I loved more than life itself
      He was my best friend I took him everywhere,he loved to go in my car, loved to walk at the park loved to go shopping with me
      I can’t accept my life without him such a big void I can’t stop crying even after5 weeks I miss him like crazy
      I had pictures enlarged on canvas and have them all over my house. Thinking of getting another but scared because when I look online I am looking for one just like him. Thanks for listening I needed to vent to someone who would understand

  24. My Mordor refuses to let me brush her. She senses when I just reach for a comb or brush. I have tried different kinds of brushes and also soft bristle brushes after being groomed just to get her used to it, still no cooperation on her part. Any suggestions?

  25. My Morkie,Sadie, is 19 months old. She is a rescue and I don’t know much about her. She is a little over 7 lb. We are working on her house training. We have learned that she barks to signal that she needs to go out. We got her in March so we are still getting to know each other. Her former owner had health problems and could not take care of her. She loves to travel and loves children. We do have to watch them not to be too rough. We love, love her.

  26. Hi,I have a Female Morkie very smart and wants everything her way.
    very lovable, aggressive overall everything you have said but this child does not want to eat dog food. When she was younger she ate vegetables,red meat,chicken and turkey ground meat
    My child does not want to eat much and I have tried everything. I just received a bag of Just Right smelled it and walked away. Don’t know what else to do.

  27. My little girl, Malia Grace has all 3 colors, black, tan, and white. Is this odd, because I never see any others with all 3?

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