Nothing says luxury lapdog like the Pomeranian Yorkie mix. These little fluffballs make loyal companions and have been especially popular among city-dwelling dog lovers.
But is the Yorkie Pom the right dog for you? Find out more about this designer dog’s appearance, personality, and more in this article.
What is a Pomeranian Yorkie Mix?
A Yorkie Pomeranian mix is a designer breed that is created by crossing a purebred Pomeranian with a Yorkshire Terrier. It is one of the designer dog breeds recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club, the International Designer Canine Registry, the Designer Breed Registry, and the Designer Dogs Kennel Club.
Yorkie Poms are indoor dogs and should not be kept outdoors. The tiny size of this mixed breed dog makes them vulnerable to predators.
A product of two breeds known for their portable size, the Yorkie Pomeranian mix stays puppy-sized for life. Because of their compact size, they make the perfect pets for people with limited space.
Aside from their size, the parents of the Yorkie Pom have other qualities in common. Both have larger-than-life personalities and have the capability to be the boss of the house. The feisty pups can also be pretty vocal about it.
Pedigree: Mixed breed Parent Breed: Pomeranian; Yorkshire Terrier Breed Group: Toy/ Terrier group Breed size: Toy/ Small breed Height: 6 to 8 inches Weight: 3 to 7 lbs Energy level: Moderate to high Life expectancy: 12 to 16 years
Guaranteed to be cute as a button, the Yorkie Pom has the appearance of a little puppy for all of its life. These pint-sized hybrid dogs’ parents may have some traits in common, however, their general appearance is quite distinct and very different from one another.
Due to these differences in physical traits, it can be quite interesting to see what Yorkie Pom puppies would look like. As with any designer dog breed, there are no guarantees. They can look more like their Pomeranian parent, their Yorkie parent, or even a combination of both.
Size
Both tiny dogs, the offspring of a Yorkshire Terrier and a Pomeranian will be small dogs. Standing only around 6 to 8 inches, the Yorkie Pomeranian mix is truly a toy-sized dog. They are so small that they could easily fit inside a handbag!
A purebred Pomeranian weighs between 3 to 7 lbs., while Yorkies weigh approximately 7 lbs on average. A fully grown Yorkie Pom will likely weigh somewhere between 3 to 7 lbs. Both dog breeds are quite short-backed and have well-proportioned bodies.
Despite their compact sizes, many breeders like to breed even smaller dogs called teacup dogs. These teacup puppies are so small that they could easily fit inside a teacup, hence the term. They weigh only around 5 lbs or even less.
Head
Purebred dogs Yorkshire Terriers and Pomeranians have small heads that are in proportion with their bodies. The Yorkie’s head is flat at the top, while the Pomeranian has more of a wedge-shaped head. Both have intelligent facial expressions, with the Pomeranian’s face being described as fox-like – a feature common in Spitz dog breeds.
The Pomeranian has a short muzzle. According to the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) official breed standard, the ratio of the length of muzzle to skull should be between ⅓ to ⅔. On the other hand, the Yorkie has a muzzle that is not too long and not too short.
The Pomeranian’s nose is black, or self-colored in the case of chocolate, beaver, and blue Pomeranians. The Yorkie always has a black nose.
Ears
The Yorkie Pom has little ears that are erect and set high on the head. This is due to the parents both having erect ears.
Eyes
The Yorkie Pom has bright and intelligent dark eyes. If they take after their Pomeranian parent, their eyes could be almond-shaped. Yorkies have medium-sized eyes that are also dark-colored and bright.
Tail
Pomeranians have cute fluffy tails that are set high on their backs. Their tails lie flat and straight on their backs.
Yorkies naturally have long tails. However, the AKC breed standard dictates docking them at a medium length for show dogs. If a pet owner has no intention of entering their Yorkie into a competition that requires docked tails, then there is no reason to have the procedure done.
Tail docking is done solely to achieve a certain look. It serves no purpose to the health and well-being of the Yorkie. That said, many Yorkie puppies are released by breeders with tails already docked.
Coat
The coat is one of the traits of the Yorkie Pom that could be a challenge to predict. The Yorkie and the Pomeranian have coats that are very different from each other.
Known for looking like fluffy little pom-poms, the Pomeranian has a thick double coat that includes a dense undercoat and a long outer coat that stands off from the body. The AKC’s breed standard states that their coat should form “a ruff around the neck, framing the head, extending over the shoulders and chest.”
Pomeranians also have feathers or long fur on their legs. The thick coat on their hind legs forms a skirt. Pomeranian puppies have dense but shorter coats. The outer guard hairs start growing upon reaching maturity.
Yorkies on the other hand have coats of a very different texture. Unlike Pomeranians, they have hair instead of fur. A purebred Yorkshire Terrier should have fine, silky straight hair. Once they’ve reached adult age, their hair can grow very long, as seen in show dogs that have floor-length hair.
Coat Color
While Yorkies pretty much come in the same family of coat colors with varying shades, Pomeranians come in a multitude of coat colors and patterns. Depending on the parent dogs’ genes, Yorkie Poms or Yorkie Pomeranian mixes can come in a variety of color combinations and coat markings.
Like most mixed breed or designer dogs, the history of the Yorkie Pom is not clear. However, the history of its parent breeds dates back more than a hundred years.
Both favored by pup-toting fashionistas, city-dwellers, and families with children, the Pomeranian and Yorkshire Terrier played very different roles in the pages of history. One of them was a lapdog beloved by the European nobility, and the other worked alongside textile workers and miners.
To help us understand the physical and behavioral characteristics of the Yorkie Pom more, let’s dive deep into the histories of the Yorkie and the Pomeranian.
History of the Pomeranian
A member of the Spitz breeds, the Pomeranian is descended from Arctic sled dogs. While the breed is named after Pomerania – a place located in northern Poland and Germany, it is not the place of origin of the breed. However, the dog breed is named after Pomerania as it is credited with perfecting the original Pomeranian type of dog.
Known as the Zwergspitz in many European countries, the fluffy little dogs caught the eye of British royals. In 1967, Queen Charlotte of Great Britain brought two Pomeranians to England. They were named Phoebe and Mercury.
The original Pomeranians were not as small as today’s modern Pomeranians. Queen Victoria, who is the granddaughter of Queen Charlotte, is credited with boosting the popularity of the breed tenfold as well as reducing its size from small to toy size.
Queen Victoria became a breeder and exhibitor of Pomeranians. One of her dogs named Windsor Marco won first place in the breed’s category at the 1891 Crufts Dog Show. His win cemented the popularity of the much smaller Pomeranians.
Not long after, Queen Victoria imported smaller Pomeranians of various coat colors from all over Europe in her quest to improve and promote the breed through her breeding program.
History of the Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier’s history dates back to the mid-1800s. The breed was developed in Yorkshire and Lancashire in England. Workers from Scotland brought with them different varieties of terriers. These terriers worked as ratters to chase away rodents from cotton and wool mills and in the mines.
It is believed that the miners wanted to develop a small ratting terrier and went on to breed Black-and-Tan Terriers with Paisley and Clydesdale Terriers.
There were no official breed standards set at the time, and any small dogs that shared several attributes with the Yorkie were classified as Yorkshire Terriers. However, in the 1860s, a Paisley-type of Yorkie named Huddersfield Ben set the standard for the modern-day Yorkie.
Huddersfield Ben was a show dog who was said to be the best stud dog of his breed at the time. He and his offspring helped define the Yorkie as we know the breed today, hence he is often called the “father of the breed”.
In 1886, the Yorkshire Terrier was officially recognized as a breed by the Kennel Club of England. This catapulted the breed to newfound fame. Not long after, Yorkshire Terriers went from ratters of the mines and textile factories to lap dogs of the rich and fashionable.
The Pomeranian Yorkie Mix’s Temperament/ Personality
The Yorkie Pom is a chockful of personality packed into a pint-sized pup. This dog has the same big personality shared by both of its parents. Many Yorkie Poms can be velcro dogs who just want to be by their pet parent’s side at all times.
Because of their very compact size, Yorkie Pomeranians or Yorkie Poms can be easily carried around anywhere. Being accustomed to having their owners or family members present almost all the time, they can develop separation anxiety if not trained well.
The Yorkie is a breed that is eager to please and intelligent, thus making them highly trainable. While the Pomeranian is also a smart dog, potty training can be challenging.
Pomeranians are lively and love to be the center of attention. However, if not properly trained, some of them can be quite protective of their family members in the presence of someone unfamiliar. In such instances, the dog may start barking. They can also be aggressive toward other dogs to assert dominance. These can be signs of small dog syndrome.
Because of their small size, toy breeds like Yorkie Pomeranians can easily get away with many bad behaviors that would land a big dog in hot water. As such, they are prone to develop small dog syndrome – a group of behaviors observed in small breeds that are often ignored by owners.
Both the Yorkshire Terrier and Pomeranian are quite vocal and can be very yappy. While their small size makes them suitable for apartment life, a yappy dog can cause problems with one’s neighbors.
Obedience training and socialization at a young age can help with such issues. Some owners say that when Yorkies are content, they tend to be chill and quiet. Positive reinforcement is key to training these pups.
In the case of the Yorkie Pomeranian mix, any of the above-mentioned traits can be inherited by your dog. That said, any dog can benefit from obedience training at an early age. This resolves or reduces negative behaviors and makes for a happy and content Yorkie Pom.
The Yorkie Pom is a high-energy dog that requires light to moderate levels of exercise to keep them fit and mentally stimulated. They enjoy walking, running on agility courses, and playing fetch.
Pomeranians are known to be escape artists who take advantage of their deceivingly fluffy yet small size to get through holes and gaps in fences. Due to their small size, owners or family members should keep an eye on their Yorkie Pom whenever outdoors, as some wild animals such as birds of prey could very easily mistake them for rabbits and other small animals.
The dominant personality of the Pomeranian can cause trouble in dog parks if they are not well-trained. Getting into a fight with a bigger dog can cause any small dog to get seriously hurt. As such, it is ideal to keep a Yorkie Pom leashed as much as possible whenever in a dog park. Positive reinforcement can also help them remember their training.
While they do love agility courses, Yorkie Poms should not be jumping from high places like tables or other house fixtures to prevent injuries on such delicate pups.
The Yorkie Pomeranian Mix’s Health
It is said that mixed-breed dogs have a lower risk of developing genetic diseases compared to purebred dogs. Looking at health conditions that commonly affect their parent breeds can give us an insight into what issues owners may need to look out for when caring for a Yorkie Pom.
The Yorkie Pom may be prone to eye health issues, as well as trachea collapse. Trachea collapse is common in dogs who are walked with a collar around their neck. Feel free to consult your vet on how you can prevent certain health issues that can affect your Yorkie Pom.
Parent breed Yorkie is a generally healthy breed that has a long average lifespan. The same is true for the Pomeranian. However, the Pomeranian is quite prone to a lot of eye issues.
Getting dogs from puppy mills is never a good thing as the dogs are always unhealthy and have a variety of genetic diseases.
Here are lists of health issues that are commonly observed in the Pomeranian and Yorkie.
Grooming Requirements of the Yorkie Pomeranian Mix
With the Pomeranian’s thick double-coat and the Yorkie’s silky long hair, it can be hard to predict the coat texture and length of a Yorkie Pom.
Yorkie Poms need to be brushed at least 3 times a week to keep their coats shiny and healthy. If the coat of your Yorkie Pomeranian mix resembles a Pomeranian’s more than a Yorkie’s, you will need a pin brush and a slicker brush to prevent matting.
A Yorkie’s coat is made of hair that is very much like human hair. They need daily brushings to keep them shiny and free from tangles. A comb or pin brush can be used on this type of hair.
Weekly baths are recommended for the Yorkie Pom. A full groom done by a professional groomer every 4 to 6 weeks is also recommended for Poms and Pomeranian mixes.
Teeth and eye care are important parts of the health of a Yorkie Pom. Brush their teeth daily to prevent tooth decay or other dental problems in your baby girl or boy.
You can clean around their eyes with an eye wash for dogs and a cotton ball. Gently wipe away debris stuck in the eye area. Consult your vet if you observe any squinting, inflammation, or yellow eye discharge in your Yorkie Poms.
Conclusion
While it can be hard to predict what a Yorkie Pomeranian mix would look like once fully grown, one thing is sure, you will have an incredibly cute little dog that is guaranteed to brighten your day.
The Yorkie Pom stays puppy-sized its whole life, making them not just adorable but also much easier to handle. They travel well and can be easily included in family trips or even when running errands during the day.
These little dogs are quite vocal and can be very yappy. Living in an apartment building with a mouthy Yorkie Pom can spell trouble for you and your neighbors.
Such issues can be addressed by getting your little pup trained and socialized at an early age. This can also help prevent separation anxiety, which can be very stressful for you and your Yorkie Pom.
Any dog can benefit from high-quality wet food or dry food. With proper nutrition and enough exercise, you can help keep your dog’s life healthy and happy for many years.
Regular check-ups can detect conditions such as liver disease, kidney problems, high blood sugar, respiratory infections, and other health problems at their early stages.
All in all, the tiny but mighty Porkie is indeed a delight to have in one’s home. It is no surprise that both royalty and the working class take pride in having the Pomeranian and the Yorkie as their pets.
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For an impressive duration of four years, Elaine has been embarked on a voyage as a freelance writer within the domain of dog care. The profound fondness she nurtured for animals, ignited by the cherished companionship of her family's treasured pets during her developmental years, has flourished into a genuinely satisfying vocation focused on everything related to dogs.
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