Morkie vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Sometimes referred to as the king of sheepdogs, the Beauceron is a French dog breed that happens to be an extraordinary herding dog too. He instinctively rounds up livestock without even being trained to do so. The dog is also known as Berger de Beauce, originating from the Beauce region in France and is closely related to the Briard or Berger de Brie.

This French breed’s origin goes back to the late 16th century, and the Beauceron was divided into two working types way back in 1863 - the dog with the long coat was known as Berger de Brie or Briard while the short-coated dog became known as Beauceron. It was in 1922 that a club for this dog breed was established, and the Beauceron Club of America was established in 1980, only recently receiving recognition by the American Kennel Club.

These cute little dogs originated in the United States. As a cross between a Maltese Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier, the idea of breeders was to bring out a gorgeous looking little dog that would be low shedding.

The Morkie Poo inherits this low shedding characteristic from the poodle side of things. It is not precisely clear as to when the first Morkie was born, but these days he is as popular as ever.

Certainly, both the parent breeds are recognized with kennel clubs but the Morkie isn’t.

Intelligent and Alert

The Beauceron is an intelligent dog, just by looking at the alert, bright face. He is a muscular, large dog breed, standing up to 71cm in height and weighing in at up to 50kg. You’ll recognize him with his dark black coat with red markings, particularly around the feet, which interestingly gives this breed the French nickname Bas Rouge. It means red stockings. Harlequin, tri-coloured grey, black and tan is also recognized as a color.

A Foreboding Look but Tolerant Nature

The coat is rough, short and dense, the alert eyes dark brown and the ears are set high and can be cropped or natural. The natural ears are half pricked or drop ears and are fairly short. Looking similar to the Doberman and Rottweiler but with a long tail, this French Shepherd dog is somewhat slimmer but with a foreboding appearance. He is solid, well proportioned and well muscled and gives the impression of strength. He has a tolerant nature and will fit in well with a family when trained and socialized.

The small Morkie is a crossbreed, and this means you can’t be 100% guaranteed of the dog’s looks. They usually stand at about 24 – 30cm in height and weigh between 4 and 6kg.

You also get the Teacup Morkie which is even smaller. The coat of the Morkie can become fairly long and is black, brown and tan.

Temperament:

This is a little crossbreed dog who simply loves spending time with his human family. He is loving and gentle and will get along well with other pets in the home as well as with children.

Some people are inclined to think that these little balls of fluff are a total walkover, but don’t be mistaken, as these cheeky, feisty dogs have attitude. They’re social and playful and love to be involved in games with the kids. Just make sure your children have been taught how to be gentle with a small dog like this.

He becomes very attached to his family and doesn’t want to be left alone for too long.

Strong, big, confident and good-looking the Beauceron makes an excellent watchdog, guarding the human family that he is so devoted too. He is a good friend and companion and is tolerant with children and other pets.

He is such a clever breed too, and its small wonder that he has always been sought after for hard work – herding, shepherding and even rescue work. When he’s not involved in working, at home, he’s just your big, devoted friend.

Your Morkie is such a sweet dog, and that’s to be expected, coming from such sweet parent breeds.

He just loves his human family and is friendly and social as well as being loyal. He has quite a bit of attitude, and if you allow it, he’ll develop some horrible small dog syndrome characteristics, such as being snappy, whiny and barking.

Small though he is, training and socialization will do him the world of good and he then lives up to everything wonderful that Morkie dog owners have got to tell you about– playful, friendly fun-loving, jaunty, loving and the cutest little thing there is.

It’s such a nice strong, good-looking dog this, you can’t think of anything going wrong with him. His lifespan is anything from 10 to 14 years and the dog is pretty robust. Being a large breed and a pedigree, he is prone to some common ailments. When you suspect your beloved pet has any health issue, don’t hesitate to get him to the vet.

Some common illnesses

Hip Dysplasia

A painful disorder that affects larger dogs and brought about by an abnormal development in the joints.

Bloat

Also a painful condition where the stomach twists so that the blood supply is cut off. Large breeds with deep chests are more prone to developing the condition. Rapid breathing and signs of pain can be indicative of this ailment.

As a responsible dog owner it is to your benefit to be aware of some of the common dog illnesses that your Morkie can succumb too. Not that he is likely too, as with good care, these robust little dogs can live to be 15 years of age or so.

A dog's lifespan can certainly be impacted by the lifestyle they lead. Some of the common dog illnesses to look out for -

Parvo:

Parvo can be a killer, and that’s why your 8 week old puppy needs to have his parvo vaccination. You’ll find puppies in shelters and puppy mills that get parvo. Dogs contact parvo by coming into contact with an infected dog.

Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and weight loss. Quick medical treatment can save your dog but it is better to ensure he doesn't get it in the first place. Other diseases that require vaccinations are hepatitis, distemper and rabies.

Lyme Disease:

This is a tick-borne illness brought on by bacteria transmitted by deer ticks that attach to the dog. One of the symptoms is lameness in limbs and a loss of appetite. Without treatment, lyme disease can lead to kidney problems.

Bloat:

Prevent your dog getting bloat by ensuring he doesn’t get ravenous with one meal a day. He then wants to wolf his food down. Rather give him smaller meals that he eats slower to avoid bloat. The stomach swells and can actually twist. If your dog has an enlarged stomach, is restless, salivating and wanting to vomit, get him to the vet immediately.

Diet – Meeting his Energy Needs

This is a large, hard-working, energetic dog and he will need high-quality food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared. The best commercially manufactured dog foods produce foods with the right balance of minerals and vitamins in keeping with your dog’s age, his activities and his stage of life (illness, senior, puppy). If you’re unsure about what to feed your Beauceron, speak to your vet to be 100% that you are meeting his nutritional demands, and always ensure a bowl of cool, clean water is constantly available.

Grooming

You’re lucky with the Beauceron as he is a low shedding, low maintenance dog with his short coat. He doesn’t require any trimming but will need a good brush twice a week to rid him of loose hairs. Clean his teeth with a special dog toothbrush and toothpaste to avoid plaque buildup. Never use human toothpaste. Clip his nails if he doesn’t wear them down naturally.

Exercise

This is a big, strong, energetic dog, and you owe it to him to ensure he gets lots of exercise – runs, walks and ball games. If you can’t be a responsible dog owner, don’t own a breed like this as he can become destructive if not kept active.

The Morkie is such a small dog so it won’t require much effort to brush him. Because the hair is thin and fine, you may want to brush him every day just to keep the silky hair from matting.

Many Morkie owners opt to have their Morkie’s trimmed at a professional dog parlor. Check around his eyes and check inside his ears to make sure both are clean and free from infection.

Little dogs always have trouble with their teeth, so make sure to check these regularly. Keep his nails trimmed too as if they grow long they can hook onto things and can cause injury.

Exercise:

The Morkie is an energetic little dog, but because he is small he isn’t going to require too much exercise. A walk now and then will delight him and some ball games indoors or outside. He is a dog that will settle happily into city- or country life, so long as he is with his beloved owner.

Diet:

Morkies love their food and they can tend to gobble it up. Rather give your Morkie smaller meals than one main meal as he wolfs it down, causing digestive problems.

If you feed him kibble, make sure the packaging is marked for little dogs and make sure its the best there is to ensure he gets the right amount of minerals and vitamins in.

As a treat boil some chicken, brown rice, pasta and vegetables and chop it up very finely and add it into his kibble from time to time.

Make sure your Morkie can easily reach his bowl of fresh, cool water.