Yorkie Pom Dog Breed

As the parent breeds — the Yorkshire Terrier and the Pomeranian — are in the Toy Group, so too is the Yorkie-Pom a Toy . Unlike the parent breeds' historical purposes, however, the Yorkie-Pom was not bred for rat-catching and sled-pulling but for companionship and, some say, showing off. These mixed breeds usually don't get very big at all, prefer to be close-at-hand to their loved ones and can occupy themselves so long as they and you are home together. Having lots of toys on hand and at home will go a long way to keeping your Yorkie-Pom mentally stimulated.

While Yorkie-Poms are great dogs for people (whether alone or as families) seeking their first canine companion, you should consider all the ups and possible downs as well as the responsibilities that both factors bring:

PROS

• Very playful
• Excellent family pet
• Relatively easy to train
• Great for apartment-dwellers
• Loves to accompany you everywhere
• Extremely fond of its family members
• Wonderful pet for first-time families
• Can tolerate somewhat cold weather if it has a Pomeranian coat
• Those with a Yorkshire Terrier coat will be relatively hypoallergenic

CONS

• Can be a barker
• Highly protective of property
• Not very tolerant of hot weather
• Can be very jealous of other dogs
• Grooming needs are moderate to high
• Can inherit a fair amount of ailments
• Will confront dogs far larger than itself
• Left alone, can quickly develop separation anxiety
• Needs a great amount of socialization with other pets
• Those with a Pomeranian coat will not be hypoallergenic
• Potential for destructive behavior if either not exercised or not given toys

The Yorkie-Pom is a great little hybrid dog for first-time families with middle-aged children (8 or older). They do well in apartment settings if necessary. Both the Yorkie and the Pomeranian are accustomed to being pampered but were previously significantly larger and rather respected working dogs. These somewhat parallel backgrounds may be why crossing these two breeds produces a very popular and rather stable hybrid, the Yorkie-Pom.

While they are notably intelligent, they are not difficult to train so long as you start on day one and remain calm and consistent. (Don't be afraid to patiently take command despite those adorable eyes!) Doing so is one of the requirements to help prevent your Yorkie-Pom from becoming bored, destructive and uncontrollable — which they can become regardless of their small size.

These little mixed-breed dogs usually have an intriguing mix of fearlessness, curiosity and aloofness. Another requirement to maintain a manageable Yorkie-Pom is socialization. This will help prevent them from challenging larger dogs, not being aloof to strangers who approach your residence, and / or trying too hard to wander off as if they own everything they see. Perhaps the most difficult part of rearing one of these cute little dogs is the house-training.

As previously stated, the small size belies this hybrid dog's energy and stamina. Both parents have histories of hard working environments in which they respectively excelled; while you most likely don't have a rat infestation in your cotton mill or need to sled through the snow of some middle-European mountains, you must set aside a few hours every day to play with and walk (or run) with your Yorkie-Pom. You should also have a lot of toys for when you don't have the time to play or exercise or are not home.

Yorkie-Poms are small, toy dogs and there are some breeders who attempt to make already small dogs even smaller. While Yorkshire Terriers may have the genetic potential to be down-bred, Pomeranians are former sled dogs have already been bred down for size over the last century or so, and it may not be possible to get them any smaller without further and terrible health problems.

As with any hybrid dogs, the first generations should be AKC-registered purebreds, and they will produce F1 Yorkie Poms which also known as Yoranians. Two F1 Yorkie-Poms will have litters of F2 Yorkie-Pom puppies, two F2s will beget F3 puppies, and so on.

If an F1 Yorkie-Pom is bred back to either a Pomeranian or a Yorkshire Terrier, then they would produce F1B puppies. If an F1B Yorkie-Pom is bred back to an F1 Yorkie-Pom, then the result is a litter of F2B puppies.

As both parent breeds have long fur or hair coats, Yorkie-Poms are sure to also have a long coat. Poms have a fur coat with a double layer whereas Yorkies have hair and a single coat. The one big difference that can occur with Yorkie-Poms is that they may have either a double- or single-layer coat. The double-coat will be like the Pom: a huge fur ball. If your Yorkie-Pom gets a Yorkie coat, however, the hybrid puppy will have wiry, long hair.

The Yorkie-Pom temperament can vary a bit as, like Yorkies, Poms are playful and energetic but unlike a Yorkie's desire to be a lapdog, Poms prefer to be seemingly perpetually active. Despite these seeming differences, the puppies produced from these two breeds usually have a wonderful temperament around mature people. Training and socialization is easy, so be sure to start early with both to help your Yorkie-Pom bark only when needed, not bite when merely aggravated, and be manageable around other dogs.

Yorkie-Poms can be more than a bit headstrong due to the Pomeranian side. This particular parent was originally much larger, drew sleds in central Europe and may not understand how tiny they have become over the last century or so. Yorkie-Poms will often try to chase dogs much larger than them. While they are great guard dogs, they are prone to barking a lot and facing off with threats significantly bigger than them. Separation anxiety is a distinct possibility too, as they are excellent companions but don't like to be left alone for long.

While they like to play, they don't like to play roughly; children who don't play gently with Yorkie-Poms risk being bitten. They are highly desirous of companionship, and you do have to take care to not step on or otherwise injure them since they can and often do get underfoot. Above all, they are remarkably energetic so they should have long walks every day as well as get to the dog park a few times weekly for exercise, socialization and fun!

Although most mixed breeds typically have fewer health issues, smaller hybrids remain far more susceptible to inheriting a fair amount of both parent breeds' health complications due to size. You should look out for significant eye ailments, allergies, dental dilemmas and severe joint problems.

With proper grooming, regular vet visits and a daily exercise regimen, your Yorkie-Pom should live to be 12 to 17 years old.