Shorkie puppies
A Shih Tzu crossed with a Yorkshire Terrier, the Shorkie is one of the smaller companions Precious Pups places with Panhandle families. Most are affectionate, confident little dogs with a soft, low-shedding coat that needs regular attention. Because they're a cross, individual puppies can lean toward either parent breed.
What draws families to the Shorkie
Three things families mention most when they ask about this breed.
Small enough for apartments and smaller homes, with exercise needs most families can meet on foot.
Leaves comparatively little loose hair around the home, though the trade-off is regular brushing.
Most Shorkies attach strongly to their people and are happiest included in daily life.
Is a Shorkie right for your household?
Shorkies are typically small, sturdy-feeling dogs that carry themselves with more confidence than their size suggests. Many are openly affectionate with their own family and a little reserved with visitors until they have had a moment to decide. Energy levels are usually moderate: a short walk and some indoor play satisfies most adults, and they're generally content to spend the rest of the day near whoever is home.
The coat is long, soft and low-shedding, which suits households sensitive to loose hair but does mean real grooming work. Adult weight commonly lands between seven and sixteen pounds, and because this is a cross rather than a fixed breed, size and coat can vary noticeably from one puppy to the next.
Temperament & fit
Most Shorkies bond closely with their household and like being included in whatever is happening. They can be a little stubborn about training, which usually responds better to short, consistent sessions than to repetition. Many are alert enough to announce arrivals at the door.
Grooming & care
Plan on brushing most days to keep the long coat free of mats, particularly behind the ears and under the legs. A trim every six to eight weeks keeps things manageable, and many families choose a shorter cut to reduce the daily work. Small mouths make dental care worth building into the routine early.
What to expect once your puppy is home
The first weeks are mostly about routine. A predictable pattern for meals, short walks, bed time and quiet periods helps a Shorkie puppy settle faster than a busy schedule does. Coat care is easier to establish now than later, so brief daily handling of the coat, feet and ears while your puppy is young pays off for years.
House training tends to go more smoothly with frequent scheduled trips outside than with waiting for a signal. Expect some testing of boundaries around the three-to-six-month mark; short training sessions and consistent responses from everyone in the household usually settle it. If anything about your puppy's eating, energy or comfort concerns you, your own veterinarian is the right first call.
A predictable pattern for meals, short walks, bedtime and quiet periods helps a Shorkie settle faster than a busy schedule does.
House training goes more smoothly with frequent scheduled trips outside than with waiting for a signal.
Brief daily handling of the coat, feet and ears while your puppy is young pays off for years.
Rehoming a Shorkie, step by step
Never rushed. Most families spend a few weeks between the first conversation and welcoming a puppy home, and that is the pace we plan for.
Ask about the Shorkie
Tell us the breed you have in mind, or describe what you are looking for. There is no cost to a conversation.
Discuss household fit
Children, other pets, the hours the house is empty, and the grooming you can realistically keep up with.
Review availability
If a suitable puppy is ready we say so. If not, the free rehoming waitlist holds your place at no cost.
Meet the puppy
Every family meets their puppy at the PCB Market stall before anything is decided.
Welcome your puppy home
A placement fee applies once a specific puppy is confirmed for your family, and we stay reachable after.
The full process is set out step by step, and the placement policy covers fees and paperwork.
Where families meet a Shorkie
Every family meets their puppy in person before a placement goes ahead, at our weekend stall at the PCB Market. Walk-ins are welcome during market hours, and an appointment is worth arranging for a longer conversation about a particular breed.
We cannot promise a specific breed or puppy will be at the stall on a given weekend. Availability can change from week to week. Contact Precious Pups for current availability.
PCB Market
7157 US-98
Panama City Beach, FL 32407
What travels home with your puppy
Veterinary records and documentation shared by the puppy's care provider, passed on as they are. We tell you what is and is not included before you commit.
General guidance on feeding, routine and the first weeks at home, plus a recommendation to book an appointment with your own veterinarian soon after.
Puppies meet ordinary household sounds and gentle handling before placement, and we stay reachable for general questions while yours settles in.
Shorkie questions families ask
Still weighing breeds? Our guide to choosing a small breed for your family works through the questions that decide it. More general answers are on the FAQ page.
Often, yes - particularly families with older children who have learned to handle a small dog calmly. At seven to sixteen pounds an adult Shorkie is easy to injure by accident, so households with toddlers should be realistic about supervision.
More than most people expect. Brushing most days prevents matting in the long coat, and a professional trim every six to eight weeks keeps it manageable. A shorter clip reduces the daily work considerably if that suits you better.
Moderately. A daily walk and some indoor play usually covers it for an adult. They're not a breed that needs a yard or long runs, which is part of why they suit smaller homes.
Commonly seven to sixteen pounds fully grown. Because the Shorkie is a cross, adult size varies more than it would in a fixed breed - a puppy can favor either the Shih Tzu or the Yorkshire Terrier side.
Yes. Meeting a puppy in person is part of how we work. Families visit the PCB Market stall in Panama City Beach on weekends, and we'd sooner you took the time to be sure than moved quickly.
Join the free rehoming waitlist and tell us what you're looking for. Availability changes from week to week, and the waitlist is how we reach families when a matching puppy is placement-ready.
Generally yes - the coat is low-shedding rather than non-shedding. No dog is genuinely free of allergens, so if someone in the household reacts to dogs, spend time around the breed before deciding.
Related breeds families also consider
Each page covers adult size, coat care and the households the breed tends to suit.
Interested in a Shorkie?
Ask about current availability or join the free rehoming waitlist. We reply within two business days.