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Yorkie Poo

Yorkie Poo (Yorkipoo)

Affectionate, intelligent and with a lot of things to bark about, the Yorkipoo is one of the smaller designer crossbreeds that will feel at home even in the smallest apartment. While still not common in the UK, this crossbreed is growing in popularity due to their fun-loving personality and cute looks. The breeds that make up the Yorkipoo are the Yorkshire Terrier and the Poodle (Toy or sometimes Miniature).

The Yorkipoo can be a first cross (with one Yorkshire Terrier and one Poodle parent), they can be bred back to one of the original breeds - either size of Poodle - or be two Yorkipoos bred together. This means there are varieties in size, shape, colours and coat types, but in all cases this is a small companion dog.

 

The need-to-know
  • Dog suitable for non-experienced owners
  • Basic training required
  • Enjoys gentle walks
  • Enjoys walking an hour a day
  • Little toy dog
  • Minimum drool
  • Requires grooming daily
  • Non hypoallergenic breed
  • Chatty and vocal dog
  • Not a guard dog
  • May require training to live with other pets
  • May require training to live with kids

Key Facts

Height: The height of a Yorkipoo depends on the size of the Poodle used so it can vary widely from 20cm to 38cm; Yorkshire Terrier - 18-20cm; Poodle - Toy under 28cm; Miniature between 28-38cm
Colours: The colours of a Yorkipoo can be any of the solid colours of their parents, with or without white markings. Yorkshire Terrier: Steel blue and tan; Poodle: All solid colours
UK Kennel Club Groups: Toy (Yorkshire Terrier) and Utility (Poodle)

Ratings

Family-friendly: 5/5
Exercise needs: 3/5
Easy to train: 4/5
Tolerates being alone: 3/5
Likes other pets: 3/5
Energy level: 5/5
Grooming needs: 4/5
Shedding: 1/5

Personality

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.

History and Origins

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.

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