If your Morkie is a puppy, you might be wondering how much he’ll weigh when he’s full-grown. Or, if he’s already an adult, you might wonder if your Morkie weighs too much… or too little.
Since your Morkie is half Maltese dog and half Yorkshire Terrier, it make sense that he’ll be some combination of both breeds. And coincidentally, those two breeds are just about the same size.
“Breed standards” (those qualities that professional breeders and kennel clubs work to establish over years and years) say both Maltese and Yorkshire Terriers should be:
- roughly between 4 and 8 pounds
- (1.8 k to 3.6 kilograms)
The preference among professional judges and dog handlers, is a dog 5 to 6 pounds, although those closer to 8 pounds are very acceptable.
What judges and dog professionals in general don’t like however, is a dog that is too small.
Teacup or mini-Morkies are not a good idea
Full grown Yorkies, Morkies and Maltese that are less than 4 pounds have lots of problems right from birth. These include:
- More health problems. They are more sensitive to potential hazards around the house than ‘full size’ dogs of the same breed. A jump from the couch can break a leg and they can have chronic diarrhea.
- A super small dog faces high risks if an operation is needed, even common neutering.
- Very small dogs are harder to house train. Their bladders are that much smaller and owners say it takes at least 6 months to potty train a teacup.
- Teacups normally need a lot of attention and can’t be left alone for a long period of time. They need food more often – at least 3 or 4 meals a day, and can be very high-strung.
- Teacups usually have a much shorter lifespan. Most toy dogs have a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years but a teacup can live as short a life as just 5 or 6 years.
And the number one concern of very small (teacup) dogs is –
Teacups are prone to Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar shock.
This problem is a temporary one with any toy puppy until it grows to its full size, but with teacups that are under 5 pounds when full-grown — they always at risk of this common yet very serious problem.
Hypoglycemia is caused because the small dog is not able to store enough energy (food) in its tiny digestive system. Any kind of stress can cause a drastic drop in blood sugar levels which can actually be fatal!
The Morkie who’s more than 8 to 10 pounds
There’s certainly nothing wrong with a larger dog, provided he’s not overweight. How can you tell?
- Can you feel his ribs easily through a light cover of fat, or are they difficult to feel because of thick fat?
- From the side view, is there an abdominal tuck beginning from base of ribs?
- Is there thickening at the tail base?
- From the overhead view, does she have a marked hourglass shape? (underweight indicator)
- Or, from the overhead view, is the back slightly or markedly broadened at the waist? (overweight indicator)
- Is your dog slow to rise or move around?
- Is she reluctant to exercise, or does she tire easily with activity?
Besides breed-specific hereditary diseases that are made worse by too much weight, there are common problems that any breed can suffer. These include:
- Canine diabetes.
- Digestive problems including constipation, flatulence and diarrhea. Phew, who needs it!
- Serious damage to joints, bones, and ligaments are a direct result of too much weight being borne by the joints.
- Heart disease and high blood pressure.
- Difficulty breathing – fat pushes on the abdomen wall and there is less room in the for the lungs to fill properly. Overweight dogs often wheeze, unable to take a full, deep breath.
- Increased chance of cancer – could be another risk to your Morkie who’s overweight. The exact link between obesity and cancer isn’t known for sure, but why risk it!
A shorter life – just like people, dogs with all the burdens overweight causes, simply don’t live as long.
In conclusion, keep your Morkie fit and at a healthy weight and she’ll be a happy, lively companion for many years.
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