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Scorkie (Scottish Terrier Yorkie Mix): Pictures, Care Guide, Temperament & Traits

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By Misty Layne

Parent Breeds of Scorkie

The Scorkie is one of the cutest pups around, but it’s a breed you might not have heard of before. Right now, the breed is a bit of a rarity, but they’re plenty of fun to have as a pet if you find one. They have a bit of an “old-man” temperament, but they enjoy playing, can be quite friendly, and are incredibly loyal canine pals.

Want to learn more about the Scorkie? Keep reading because we’ve got you covered.

Breed Overview

Height: 8–9 inches
Weight: 15–19 pounds
Lifespan: 12–15 years
Colors: Gray, brown, red, black
Suitable for: Families with older children, seniors, singles, experienced dog owners
Temperament: Affectionate, loyal, independent, friendly

What exactly is a Scorkie? It’s a designer dog breed that comes from the Scottish Terrier and the Yorkie! As you can imagine, the mix of these two breeds makes this one adorable canine. It also gives the Scorkie a blend of personality traits, from affectionate to a bit of strong-willed independence. Every day will be an adventure with one of these dogs!

Scorkie Characteristics

Energy
Trainability
Health
Lifespan
Sociability

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Scorkie Puppies

You might have trouble locating a Scorkie puppy, as they don’t appear to be all that common. Chances are good you’ll need to find a reputable breeder if you want one of these pups. You might come across one on an online pet adoption site, but more likely, you’ll need to go the breeder route.

How a Scorkie puppy behaves depends on which parent breed it takes after more. While some designer dogs are a 50/50 mix of their parent breeds, others will consist of different percentages and may take after one parent breed far more than the other. This applies to how your Scorkie will look as well. Whichever breed your Scorkie takes after more, you’ll need to start with socialization as soon as you get your puppy, particularly if you have children, as this breed can be a bit short on patience at times.

Parent Breeds of the Scorkie
Image Credit: (L) Ondrej Prosicky, Shutterstock | (R) Ramiro Piananosa, Unsplash

Temperament & Intelligence of the Scorkie

Scorkies are Terriers with an “old-man” temperament. This doesn’t mean they won’t be playful and fun, because they certainly will, but the breed does inherit the independent streak of the Scottish Terrier that makes them very set in doing things how they prefer to do them. So, be prepared for some willfulness! The Scorkie is quite intelligent, too, so it will require plenty of mental stimulation to prevent it from becoming bored and engaging in negative behaviors like chewing on your shoes or digging.

The breed has also inherited the scrappiness and spirit of the Yorkie. While not the most energetic dogs around, Scorkies will be eager to play and quite devoted. You’ll also find them to be a tenacious breed; there’s nothing these pups think they can’t do!

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Scorkies can be a good fit for families with older children. Unfortunately, they likely won’t have the patience to deal with tiny humans, as Scorkies aren’t always the most patient, which could cause some problems. If you begin socialization as soon as you get your puppy, they could get along with smaller children, but older children would be best. These dogs will probably still prefer that older children be on the quiet side, though!

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?

The Scorkie should get along okay with other dogs and possibly cats, but you might have issues with any other kind of pet. As a terrier, this breed has a high prey drive, so these pups will absolutely chase after any animals smaller than them. So, if you have mice, birds, hamsters, or anything like that, you’ll probably want to avoid the Scorkie!

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Things to Know When Owning a Scorkie

Of course, you’ll need to know much more about the Scorkie besides whether it will do well in your home and what personality it might have! You’ll also need to know what kind of diet these pups require, how much exercise they’ll need, how often they’ll need to be groomed, and more.

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

Like all canines, your Scorkie will need to be fed high-quality dog food that meets their nutritional needs. You’ll most likely want to find food specifically designed for a dog of this size. As for how much you’ll need to feed your dog, it’s advisable to speak with your vet to find out the best amount of food to be given in a day. Keep in mind that as a smaller dog, the Scorkie won’t need as much food as a larger dog breed would.

Exercise 🐕

Scorkies may only be moderately energetic, but that doesn’t mean you can get away with not exercising them! This breed will still need daily exercise, but it doesn’t have to be intense. A couple of quick 15-minute walks each day, as well as some time spent playing, should suffice. You will need to be sure you’re providing plenty of mental stimulation for your Scorkie, though. If this dog gets bored, it may turn to negative behaviors, particularly digging.

Training 🎾

You might find training a Scorkie a bit of a challenge, especially if you’ve never had to train a dog before. While these pups are smart, their independent streak can sometimes make them stubborn. So, the Scorkie might not be the best option for a first-time dog owner. This is one dog you’ll definitely need time and patience to train.

But, train them you must, because otherwise, behavioral problems may crop up further down the road, such as your Scorkie not getting along with children. If you find that your dog is a bit too much of a handful, invest in a professional trainer to get the job done.

Grooming ✂️

Scorkies are considered “hypoallergenic” as they are low shedders, so grooming for these pups doesn’t require a lot. Brushing your dog’s hair twice weekly to rid the coat of any mats, tangles, dirt, and debris should suffice. A bristle or pin brush is great for the Scorkie, as these brushes help spread around natural oils already found on the skin.

You’ll want to only bathe your dog rarely, though. Scorkies can have sensitive skin, so overbathing them can result in the natural oils being stripped, which can lead to allergic dermatitis.

Finally, you’ll want to keep your pet’s ears clean, clip toenails regularly, and brush your Scorkie’s teeth a few times a week.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Scorkies are generally healthy, but they do have a few health issues they’re prone to that have been inherited from their parent breeds. Take a look below to find out what these conditions are!

Minor Conditions

Male vs Female

There really isn’t much difference between the male and the female Scorkie. Both sexes are of similar size and weight and will have similar temperaments. Whether a male or female is right for you will depend upon what you prefer and whether you’d rather pay for a dog to be spayed or neutered (neutering is typically less expensive than spaying).

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3 Little-Known Facts About the Scorkie

Ready to learn just a bit more about the Scorkie? Here are three facts about this breed and its parent breeds you might not have known!

1. The Scorkie breed is recognized by only three breed registries.

One of these is the Dog Registry of America. The other two are the International Designer Canine Registry, which recognizes the Scorkie as the Scorkie Terrier, and the American Canine Hybrid Club.


2. People in the United Kingdom in the 1800s disagreed on what a Scottish Terrier was.

Though the Scottish Terrier had been around for quite a while before the 1800s, this was the century when people couldn’t seem to agree on what a Scottish Terrier was and what a terrier that was Scottish was.


3. The hair on a Yorkie is quite similar to our own.

If you’ve ever seen a show Yorkie, you know that these pups have long, lovely locks of hair, but did you know that their hair is very similar to human hair? That’s one of the reasons this breed is less likely to trigger allergies in people!

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Final Thoughts

The Scorkie is an adorable mix between the Scottish Terrier and the Yorkie, but finding one may prove a bit of a challenge. If you do manage to locate a Scorkie, though, you’ll have an excellent new friend and pet. Scorkies might not be the highest energy breed around, but they do enjoy playing with their humans, and they can be incredibly loyal to their families, too. However, the breed doesn’t always get along well with small children and has an independent streak that might make training difficult, so be sure this is the right pup for your family before adopting one!

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Featured Image Credit: (L) Natallia Yaumenenka, Shutterstock | (R) Giorgio Trovato, Unsplash

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