Yorkiepoo

A Yorkshire Terrier-Poodle mix’s coat—and thus their grooming needs—can vary based on the specific genes a dog inherits. But in general, they’ll have a low-shedding coat that’s medium-length or long, which will need bathing and trimming by a professional groomer about every four to six weeks.

In between visits to the groomer, you’ll need to keep up with some at-home grooming tasks: 

• Brushing: Yorkies have a straight coat of fine hair, while Poodles have a curly coat. Your Yorkiepoo’s coat will likely fall somewhere in between. Daily brushing will be necessary to prevent tangles and mats, unless you keep your dog’s hair trimmed short.
• Bathing: A Yorkiepoo might not need a bath between grooming appointments. But if they do, use a dog-safe shampoo to keep their skin and fur healthy.
• Ear cleaning: During brushing sessions, lift up your dog’s ears and check for any signs of redness or foul smells, which can indicate a brewing ear infection. Ask your vet if regularly cleaning their ears with a solution like Epi-Otic can help with ear health.
• Nail trimming: Your Yorkiepoo’s nails need regular trimming. Some pet parents handle this task at home, but you can also have it done during your dog’s regular trips to the groomer. As a tip, if you can hear your dog’s nails clicking on the floor as they walk, they need to be trimmed.
• Dental care: Yorkie-Poodle mixes have a small mouth prone to plaque and tartar buildup. The best way to combat this is with regular toothbrushing. From an early age, get your Yorkiepoo puppy used to having their mouth touched and teeth brushed. This will help them be more comfortable as you use doggy toothpaste and a toothbrush to gently remove food debris and plaque from their teeth. Schedule a veterinary dental cleaning at your veterinarian’s recommendation, too.

Training your Yorkiepoo can be a fun bonding experience. These dogs have an inquisitive nature, so they’re eager to learn new things and are smart enough to catch on quickly. Those traits make a Yorkiepoo a good choice for a first-time dog parent, but things can go awry if these dogs aren’t given regular training and attention.

“They can learn unwanted behaviors quickly if their pet parents aren’t proactive about keeping up with structure, routine, and consistent training,” Limazati says.

Make training sessions fun and frequent, and correct unwanted behaviors quickly. Because Yorkiepoos are so small and cute, it can be easy to let things slide. But left unchecked, these dogs can become excessive barkers and develop other problematic behaviors. 

Along with teaching your dog what good behavior looks like, regular training activities will strengthen the bond between you and your Yorkiepoo. Practice basic obedience tasks, but also challenge your pup with activities like nose work training that will put their sniffer to the test.

There is no one “best” recommendation for feeding your Yorkiepoo, but the food you choose should meet AAFCO nutritional standards and be formulated for your dog’s life stage (puppy, adult, or senior).

Yorkiepoos can benefit from a small-breed dog food, says Erin Koballa, DVM, a veterinarian at Charlotte Companion Animal Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. She says small-breed food is a good choice because of its smaller kibble size and caloric density.

The Yorkiepoo’s small size also means you might need to tweak your pet’s meal routine. Yorkiepoo puppies under 16 weeks of age can be especially prone to hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Dr. Koballa suggests feeding them three or four small meals a day. Full-grown Yorkiepoos can do well with two meals per day.

If you have questions about feeding your Yorkiepoo, ask your veterinarian for advice. 

Yorkiepoo dogs may be small in size, but they’re full of energy, so you’ll need to commit to a daily exercise plan.

“As a behavioral trainer, I usually recommend one hour of both mental and physical exercise every day, broken into 15-minute increments throughout the day,” Limazati says. “Those 15-minute sessions can be a combination of enrichment games, play, and training indoors as well as training, play, and healthy walks outdoors.”

These exercise sessions will give your Yorkiepoo a much-needed outlet for their physical and mental energy. It’s also a great chance to bond with your pup. And if your Yorkiepoo’s family includes more people than just you, Limazati suggests rotating who leads the exercise session to build strong bonds between your Yorkiepoo and everyone in the home.

With a get-up-and-go attitude, Yorkiepoos are usually game to try just about any activity. This breed’s idea of a good time might involve playing fetch or tug-of-war, taking a walk around the block, or participating in nose work games. 

However, you have to keep the breed’s small stature in mind.

“I would avoid repetitive high-impact exercises,” Dr. Koballa says. “These guys can be high energy, but don’t typically have the athletic body figure of other breeds.” She says caution is especially important for dogs who’ve experienced issues with patellar luxation—a condition where the kneecap slips out of place. 

Because of their small size, Yorkiepoos do fine in apartments, and they can adapt to living in a large house just as easily. For a Yorkie-Poodle mix to thrive, a daily routine of mental enrichment and physical exercise is more important than square footage.

These dogs crave human interaction, so they’re not a good fit if you’ll be gone most days. Yorkiepoos can be a good dog for families with kids thanks to their playful and affectionate nature.

“However, as with every dog breed, success around kids very much depends on what the children are taught as well as what boundaries are put in place,” Limazati says.

She stresses the importance of teaching children how to interact respectfully and safely around a Yorkiepoo and suggests never leaving them together unsupervised. Keeping in mind the breed’s small size, make sure that children or other pets don’t play too rough with your Poodle-Yorkie mix.