Chorkie — breed guide
Chihuahua crossed with a Yorkshire Terrier — a very small dog with a very large opinion, and real dental and windpipe risks.
At a glance
- Group
- mixed
- Size
- Toy
- Weight
- 2–5 kg (4–11 lb)
- Life span
- 10–15 years
- Coat
- Long and silky, or short; varies
Living with a Chorkie
- Moderate energy — a proper walk every day.
- Heavy grooming — frequent brushing and regular trims.
- Light shedding.
- Trainable with consistency.
- Very vocal.
- Can do well with children, with care — easier with older kids than toddlers.
- Usually fine with a familiar dog; strange dogs need managing.
- Can live with a cat, with a slow introduction and an escape route for the cat.
- Suits apartment living, given its daily walks.
- A reasonable choice for a first-time owner.
- Average heat tolerance.
- Feels the cold.
Temperament
Feisty · Devoted · Alert · Loud
Health to watch
- Patellar luxation
- Tracheal collapse
- Dental disease
- Portosystemic shunt
Owner-logged information shared via Leash Life is not veterinary advice; ask your vet about screening for these.
Questions people ask
Is a Chorkie good with kids?
With care. Chorkies generally do well with older children who already know how to behave around a dog; with toddlers, supervise every interaction and give the animal somewhere it can retreat to.
Is a Chorkie good with cats?
It can work, with management. Introduce them gradually, feed them apart, and make sure the cat has vertical space the dog cannot reach. Plan to manage it rather than assume it.
How much exercise does a Chorkie need?
A real walk every day, around 30–60 minutes.
Can a Chorkie handle hot weather?
About average — use normal hot-day sense.
Leash Life keeps a Chorkie's day — walks, meals, meds, weight — in one shared feed for the whole household, and warns on the walk weather this breed can't take. Free to start.