St. Bernard vs Shorkie - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

St. Bernard vs Shorkie - Breed ComparisonShorkie is originated from United States but St. Bernard is originated from Switzerland. Shorkie may grow 47 cm / 18 inches shorter than St. Bernard. Shorkie may weigh 83 kg / 182 pounds lesser than St. Bernard. Shorkie may live 5 years more than St. Bernard. Shorkie may have less litter size than St. Bernard. Shorkie requires Moderate Maintenance. But St. Bernard requires High Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Miscellaneous dogs
Working dog
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United States
Switzerland
Height Male:
18 - 24 cm
7 - 10 inches
63 - 71 cm
24 - 28 inches
Height Female:
16 - 22 cm
6 - 9 inches
60 - 69 cm
23 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
5 - 7 kg
11 - 16 pounds
54 - 90 kg
119 - 199 pounds
Weight Female:
4 - 7 kg
8 - 16 pounds
52 - 85 kg
114 - 188 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
8 - 10 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 5
4 - 9
Size:
Small
Giant
Other Names:
Shorki • Shorkie • Yorkie Tzu Shorkie Tzu
St. Bernhardshund Bernhardiner Alpine Mastiff (archaic)
Colors Available:
Black and tan • Brown and white • Gold • Red • Gold, black, and white • Particolored
redish- Brown and white with a black mask to blond and white with black mask
Coat:
coat type soft and relatively long coats. They should be silky and never coarse
rough or smooth
Shedding:
Minimal
Constant
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Responsive, Stubborn
Affectionate, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Protective, Social, Stubborn, Sweet
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
High Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

shorkieThe Shorkie is a mix between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Shih Tzu. This little dog actually thinks he’s quite big. He is a great watchdog and a barker, and he is a loyal and loving member of his family. He will let you know if he thinks something is going on that shouldn’t be.

This hybrid combines two breeds known for their good looks, cuteness and personalities. Shorkies get their watchdog instincts and their loyalty to their people from the Shih Tzu and their personalities and good looks from the Yorkie. This designer breed has no known standard and every puppy is different, but traits from its founding breeds will remain. Both breeds have great personalities.

Regardless of the differences within the litter, because the personalities and adorableness of the two founding breeds are equal, all of the puppies will have those characteristics. They will all be energetic, playful and think they are big dogs. They will all love people and especially kids – playing and watching over them.

The Shorkie is intelligent, trainable, and snuggly. They will also have the stubborn trait that the two founding breeds can show at times. Developed in the United States, this crossbreed is extremely popular even though they have been in existence for only ten years or so. Breeders in the U.S. began to mix these two breeds in order to develop a cute, friendly and intelligent little dog that will cuddle on your lap – perfect lap dog.

Even if we already have breeds similar to the Shorkie, its development allows breeders to diversify and improve the genetics of the dogs. It is important that these be responsible breeders whose intentions are not financial but to legitimately improve the positive traits of each breed while sorting out the undesirable or weak traits. This is the positive side of the new designer breeds.

Even though it is still being developed, at least the Shorkie seems to be a success story for designer breeds as a loving, popular little dog. It will take a lot more time and a lot more development before the Shorkie becomes an actual recognized breed. At the moment it remains a hybrid, a crossbreed, a so called designer dog.

It will be at least 7-10 generations of careful and quality breeding before the Shorkies are potentially recognized as its own pedigree breed. It is important to breed Shorkies to Shorkies in order to develop a standard that could be accepted for a new breed by the AKC and UKC. Over time the puppies must become more and more standardized in their conformity to that new breed standard. Their physical appearance and their temperament will be standardized. At this stage the second generation of Shorkies is rare. Their popularity is rising in the United Kingdom. Both Britain and Ireland have a growing interest in this hybrid.

st bernardThe St Bernard breed was once called the Alpine Cattle Dogs or the Alpine Mountain Dogs. They have always been farm dogs and mountain dogs in the French and Swiss Alps. They come from the border land of Switzerland and France. They were herding dogs, hunting, search and rescue, watchdogs and draft dogs.

Their ancestors are considered to include the Sennenhunds and molosser breeds that came to the Alps with the ancient Romans. There are four Sennenhund breeds that are believed to have contributed to the original St. Bernard. These included the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund), the Appenzeller (Appenzeller Sennenhund), the Bernese Mountain Dog (Berner Sennenhund) and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog (Entlebucher Sennenhund) Today the St. Bernard is considered a Molossoid breed.

The first we know of the St. Bernard in any written records was in 1707 at the Great St. Bernard Pass and Great St. Bernard Hospice run by monks. There were found paintings of the dogs dating back into the late 1600’s. It is told that Barry saved upward of 100 people in the St. Bernard pass, and it is from these stories that the dogs gained their snow rescue reputation.

The St. Bernard of that time did not look like the St. Bernard does today as there was much crossbreeding. Many dogs dies during rescues in the avalanches of the mid 1800’s and so they Saint was crossed with the Newfoundland to preserve the breed. You can today see the resemblance in the build and looks of the two breeds. This cross brought about the long haired St. Bernard whose fur was too heavy for rescues.

The St. Bernards of mountain rescue fame were only about the size of a German Shepherd dog and were short haired. After crossing with the Newfoundland and moving into clubs and dogs shows, they have been bred to be much larger. Before the stud book was closed, it is thought that many larger breeds such as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the English Mastiff, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Rottweiler, the Great Pyrenees, the English Bulldog, the Great Dane, the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Boxer and the Caucasian Oycharka all contributed to today’s St. Bernard.

In 1884 The Swiss St. Bernard Club was founded and the breed entered the Swiss Stud book as its first entry in 1884. It was 1888 when the standard was approved and the breed became the national dog of Switzerland. Before the name St. Bernard came to be common, these dogs might be called, Barry Dogs, Alepnmastiff, Noble Steeds or Saint Dogs.

The dogs came to England in the early 1800s and to the United States soon after. They were recognized by the European kennel clubs first and by the early 1900’s they were the most popular breed in the AKC.

Description

shorkie puppy - descriptionThe Shorkie, being a cross between the Yorkshire Terrier and the Shih Tzu, and as such has physical and temperament characteristics from both breeds. They could be 50-50 but most likely each puppy will be more like one of the founding parents than the other. Because there is a lot of similarity between the founding breeds there is a lot of similarity between the Shorkies.

Their hair is either wavy or straight, but it is soft. It can be a wide variety of colors and usually they have a darker mask on the face. Usually they have the eyes of the Shih Tzu – large -but not protruding. Their muzzle is short, and the skull is round with triangle ears. Their bodies are compact, small with plenty of muscle for their size. They also have fine bones and short legs, with a thin curled tail.

st bernard puppy - descriptionToday’s St. Bernard is not a large dog, he is a giant dog. Weighing in at 140-200 pounds and standing 28 to 35 inches tall, he is a lot of dog. Bred with mastiffs and large mountain dogs, they have proportional and powerful build. They are strong, sturdy and well muscled. They have either a smooth or rough (short or long) coat. Their eyes are brown or occasionally blue. They have tight lids, and square heads and muzzles.

There are two coat types called smooth and rough, or short and long. The smooth shorter coat is tough, flat and close against the body and the long, rough coat is dense, wavy and heavy around the legs, neck and ruff. Both types have long tails that hang low and are heavy. Saints are known to slobber, drool and snore.

Characteristics

1.Children friendliness – yes, they are very child friendly.

2.Special talents – Loyal and loving.

3.Adaptability – The Shorkie could happen.

4.Learning ability – Highly intelligent, but they can be stubborn.

1Children friendliness excellent

2.Special talents tracking

st bernard dog - characteristics3.Adaptability no - these are giant dogs that need a lot of room. A large fenced yard or farm is best. They won’t do well in an apartment. They need exercise every day and loping around a yard is very good for them. They love to play in the snow, carry a backpack or pull a cart. They love to have a “job”

4.Learning ability – They are smart and highly trainable if motivated. They may appear lazy but they are just laid back and need a motivation.

Health Problems

shorkie puppies - health problemsMany hybrids are in better health at least genetically than their parent breeds. Responsible breeders will breed any genetic issues out of their puppies. Still there are many health issues that the Shorkies are prone to. These include:

  • Tooth loss, tooth decay and gum disease caused by dental overcrowding.
  • Joint issues – can cause lameness.
  • Diabetes – high blood sugar.
  • Kidney stones.
  • Liver disease and potential shunt.
  • Progressive Retinal Apathy - visual imparity.
  • Patellar Luxation – can cause arthritis.
  • Hypoglycemia. – low blood sugar.
  • Collapsed Trachea.

• Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – “smashed face” causes problems with breathing, heat, flying and more.

• Glaucoma – Yorkshires have this, and it can be secondary to the lens Luxation.

st bernard puppies - health problemsThe first problem this breed faces is how fast they grow and gain weight. This can lead to serious health issues if not controlled. Their bones can be damaged by this excessively fast rate of growth. Other issues facing the breed include:

  • Hip and elbow dysplasia – can cause arthritis and lameness.
  • Bloat – can be fatal if not treated immediately.
  • Bone Cancer or Osteosarcoma – tends to be fatal.
  • Entropion and Ectropion – eyelids turn in or out and can be corrected.
  • Epilepsy – controlled by medication
  • Dilated Cardiomyopathy – can be fatal.
  • Eczema – skin disease can be treated.
  • Be careful of extreme heat.

Caring The Pet

shorkie dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy - The Shorkies need a high-quality, well-balanced dry kibble. Make sure it is a formula for small, active dogs. It should have lean meat and essential minerals and vitamins. Make sure it is puppy food not adult. The puppy needs 300 -550 calories a day in 3 meals.

2.Feeding the adult – Obesity is a problem for the Shorkie as it is for many small dogs. Don’t overfeed your adult but give her the same kind of high quality small breed dog food, only for adults. They need about 200-300 calories a day in 2 meals.

3.Points for Good Health – Few genetic diseases.

4. Games and Exercises – These are very active little dogs and need exercise every day. They needs walks, games, and time with you. They also love to cuddle with you at the end of the day. They love squeaky toys and playing fetch outside or inside.

st bernard dogs - caring1.Feeding the puppy – You want to control their growth. Do not overfeed, and make sure they exercise but not too much. Feed a high quality large breed puppy food 3-4 X a day in small amounts.

2.Feeding the adult – The problem you face with he adult St. Bernard is the potential for Bloat. Don’t over feed. Don’t feed before or after strenuous exercise. Feed 2-3 X a day in smaller amounts to prevent Bloat. Feed a high quality breed specific food if possible or an extra large breed formula.

3.Points for Good Health stamina and strength in cooler weather.

4. Games and Exercises They need exercise but not as much as you might think. The St. Bernard is a laid back lumbering character so don’t over exercise her. They enjoy weight and cart pulling but they are not athletes who enjoy frisbee or agility. Search and rescue trials and tracking trials are perfect athletic endeavors for them.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Shorkie vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  5. Shorkie vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Shorkie vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Shorkie vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Shorkie vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Shorkie vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Shorkie vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Shorkie vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Shorkie vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Shorkie vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
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  26. St. Bernard vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. St. Bernard vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. St. Bernard vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. St. Bernard vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. St. Bernard vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. St. Bernard vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. St. Bernard vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. St. Bernard vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. St. Bernard vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. St. Bernard vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. St. Bernard vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. St. Bernard vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. St. Bernard vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. St. Bernard vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. St. Bernard vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. St. Bernard vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. St. Bernard vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. St. Bernard vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. St. Bernard vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. St. Bernard vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. St. Bernard vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. St. Bernard vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. St. Bernard vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. St. Bernard vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. St. Bernard vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison