Top 15 Things You Should Know Before Buying a Morkie

Even though the name Morkie sounds like that of a cartoon character right off the famed animation dubbed the secret life of pets, morkies are as adorable as they look. They boast a great personality and are the dream of every small dog lover so if you are planning to keep one that wouldn’t come as a surprise as they have an irresistible charm. If this will be your first time to own one, then there are things you should brace yourself for which is why we compiled a list of top fifteen things you should know before buying a Morkie.

Top Fifteen Things you Should Know Before Buying a Morkie

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   What are a Morkie And its Origin?

Don’t just buy a Morkie because it’s adorable and cute; take time to understand what it is and its initial origin. Anyway, to cut out the bluff, a morkie is a tiny, charming toy mix breed dog that came to be as a result of cross-breeding between Yorkshire terrier and Maltese. It originates from the United States and the main agenda for those who initially bred the two mutts was to come up with an even smaller non-shedding dog, and the morkie did not disappoint as it helped them achieve this goal.

2. Types of Morkie

Even though they’ve been around for quite a while, Morkies are still relatively new, and thus we cannot pinpoint the type. Additionally, Morkies tend to take on the looks of their parent breeds. For instance, you can find one that looks like a tinier version of a Maltese or one that’s more like a Yorkshire terrier. Nevertheless, you can categorize them according to colors. Some of the most common colors for Morkies are white, black &tan, black, and the teacup morkie which is tinier than them all.

3. Morkie’s Puppies

If the reason you’re holding back from getting a female morkie is because you don’t want it giving birth to big litters now and then, then we assure you that there is nothing to fret about. Owing to their tiny size the highest number of puppies you can expect from the litter is five. The most common number of puppies in most Morkie litters is two. Usually, the first generation may have varying characteristics as there is no telling whether they’ll take up the genes of Papa or Mama Morkie. Nevertheless, the second litter is often more uniform.

4. Temperament

Despite their tiny size, Morkies are full of life and will get you panting within a few minutes thanks to their incredibly playful character. To keep them engaged play games like fetch with them and you’ll be glad you did. They are also very stubborn and love having their way thus you need to be strict on commands. Additionally, common to most toy breeds, Morkies tend to be overly dependent and easily suffer separation anxiety if you leave them alone for long periods of time. Nonetheless, this can be tamed through training.

5. Life Expectancy

Even though it is a toy breed, if well taken care of, a Morkie can outlive most bigger dogs as it has a life expectancy of between ten and sixteen years. Therefore if you are not in for long-term commitments, then it would only be wise for you to stay away from this adorable fluff ball because it’s not fair that you take in a dog to dump it at a shelter a few years later.

6. Morkie’s Barking Behavior and Solution

If you reside in an apartment or you have a young kid who often naps then you should get ready live out loud and have grumpy neighbors as morkies are quite yippy. They will bark at any knock on your door, every car or person that walks down your street and even the tiniest things will get them barking. They are like young kids who want to make up for their age by being vocal and in respect to that they’ll try to talk to you whenever you are playing with them or when you are not giving them your attention.

It’s like they try to make up for their small size through barking. Fortunately, constant training on the right treats will help tame this behavior even though it sometimes serves as an advantage as you can use them as apartment guard dogs.

7. Health Issues and the Remedies

As mutts, Morkies are prone to oral, eye and ear problems. Their puppies also tend to suffer low blood sugar if their diet is not put into consideration. Below are some of the most common health issues.

• Tracheal collapse
• Cataracts
• Kidney failure
• Glaucoma
• Patella luxation
• Portosystemic Shunt

However, most of these health issues are hereditary thus the ideal solution is always to do your research on the breeder to avoid irresponsible breeders as poorly bred Morkies tend to be more prone to genetic-based health issues. Besides that, ensuring that you give your Morkie healthy food, engage it in daily exercises, and regular vet visits will help keep these issues at bay.

8. Eating Habits

A morkie is tiny until you place a bowl of dog food in front of it. These cute fluff balls have an appetite of big dogs and if allowed can eat themselves to a stupor. That is why you should never leave a bag of treats lying around because you’ll find it empty with your Morkie lying beside it unable to move due to fullness. A Morkie will eat at any time and anything that comes its way.

It is your work to ensure that they don’t. Also, morkies are prone to weight gains which are why you should avoid foods with high carb contents as this increases their risk of weight-related illnesses such as hypoglycemia.

Ensure you check on the kibble size to prevent choking hazards while at the same time steer away from refined foods such as chocolates and human biscuits as they contain preservatives and additives which are not healthy for your pooch’s tummy.

If possible stick to fortified packed treats and homemade dog food. Also, they have sensitive stomachs so avoid changing their diet plan too often if you don’t want your Morkie to vomit and diarrhea all over.

9. The Cost of Keeping a Morkie

Being a designer dog, a morkie is quite expensive and will have you parting with approximately $850 to $3000 which is the initial price range. Besides that, there are other costs associated with keeping it such as general care items for instance crate, bowls, collar and leash, carrier bags and the likes. Additionally, you’ll have to spend on shots, blood tests, neutering and microchipping.

When you put this into account all this, you will need approximately $400 during the first month that you get your Morkie. Besides this, your Morkie requires food, regular vet visits and constant grooming in the long run. Therefore on average a Morkie will cost you approximately $800 to $1000 annually minus the initial price of purchasing it.

10. Where Should You Buy One?

As mentioned earlier, Morkies are designer dogs, and as such, they are quite rare. In fact, you will rarely find one in a shelter which is why you have to purchase it. Thereby always ensure that you buy one from an experienced breeder. We’ve already highlighted the dangers of buying from regular vendors so ensure you do your research thoroughly.

You can even request to see the parents of your morkie or ask questions such as how old are the parents, how many times have they bred before, what health checks and tests were done on the Morkies parents and grandparents, the vaccines given to the morkie and lastly ask the vendor to complete the Animal Welfare foundation puppy contract.

Stay away from online breeders and sellers and also the teacup morkie even though it is incredibly cute and adorable, it is often prone to too many illnesses due to its tiny size.

11. How to Train Morkie

Due to their small size, it is easy to assume that they are easy to train. Well, you are in for a rude surprise. Morkies can be incredibly stubborn, and as shown earlier they like doing things their way. Therefore if you think you’ll order a morkie to roll over for the first time and have it roll over you need a wake up call.

Doing as they are told is often not their best characteristic, and as such, you’ll need to up your training game. In respect to that make good use of treats because the more and the better the treats, the more this pooch will be willing to listen to you.

12. What Kinds of Exercises are Perfect for Morkies?

Because they are prone to weight gain, exercises are of the essence. Nevertheless, they are not Pit Bulls, or German Shepherds hence do not require robust activities. They are apartment dogs thus you playing fetch and taking them for short walks will do.

13. Grooming

If you’re going to keep a morkie, you’ll need to be aware of how to groom it. They are very playful and will roll over anywhere whenever the opportunity arises thus easily attracting fleas and other pests.

Their hair also tends to tangle if left unattended while the hair around the eyes can have stubborn tear stains and dirt which is incredibly difficult to clean. Their nails also need regular clipping and while at it be sure to pay attention to the hair on the legs, feet, and tail.

Also, don’t forget their oral health as they are prone to tooth decay and tartar buildups and pay close attention to the ears to prevent infections. Use quality mild shampoo and a good conditioner to prevent the hair from tangling.

Ensure that you groom or send your Morkie pooch to a groomer at least once or twice a week so that all these factors can be kept in check.

14. Morkies and Other Family Members

Morkies are good apartment dogs, but if you have kids, then it is best for you not to keep one until they are a little bit older. Kids are quite playful and morkies being delicate can easily get hurt by an innocent Child’s play. Nevertheless, you can always keep one with young kids around as long as you ensure that they are aware of pet safety measures.

15. How is Morkies Like with Other Animals?

When it comes to other animals, a morkie will gladly get along with another cat or dog that it has grown with, but other than that, it is quite competitive. It will not resist the urge of chasing your neighbor’s cat, the squirrel nearby or any other thing that moves. That is why it is vital that you always keep an eye on it to prevent it from getting into confrontations with big dogs as the script might read differently at the end.

Decision Making

At a glance, a morkie might seem like an investment but one which is worth all that you spend on it. It is a beautiful addition to the family and one that you will never regret bringing into your life. However as mentioned earlier do not keep one if you’re not in for commitments because that will be so unfair to it. Even though he is needy and loyal if trained well a morkie can bear being left alone during the day when you are at work.