Home → Dog Breeds → Designer & Mixed Breeds → Yorkipoo

Yorkipoo: Profile, Temperament, Health, and Care Guide

A Yorkipoo is a designer cross between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Toy or Miniature Poodle, bred to combine the Yorkie’s bold, confident personality with the Poodle’s low-shedding coat and sharp intelligence.

Because it’s a mixed breed rather than an AKC-recognized breed with a fixed standard, a Yorkipoo’s exact traits vary depending on its specific parentage and generation, though certain patterns show up consistently enough to plan around. This guide covers where the cross originated, its temperament, how big Yorkipoos get, how long they live, the health problems they are prone to, grooming, how much exercise they need, how easy they are to train, what to feed them, the pros and cons of owning one, and what else people ask.

What Is a Yorkipoo and Where Did the Cross Originate?

A Yorkipoo is a cross between a Yorkshire Terrier and a Toy or Miniature Poodle, developed in the United States in the 1990s as part of the broader designer-dog movement that followed the Labradoodle. Breeders paired the two specifically to combine the Yorkshire Terrier’s feisty, confident personality with the Poodle’s low-shedding coat and genuine trainability, aiming for a small companion suited to apartment living and allergy-sensitive owners alike. Yorkipoos are not recognized by the AKC as an official breed, and like most designer crosses, a dog’s exact mix of traits depends on its generation and which parent genetics come through strongest.

The American Kennel Club does not register the Yorkipoo as a breed, so there is no official Yorkipoo standard; its parent breeds are each described in their own AKC breed standards for the Yorkshire Terrier and the Poodle.

What Is a Yorkipoo’s Temperament Like?

A Yorkipoo’s temperament is confident, affectionate, and alert, drawing on the Yorkshire Terrier’s bold personality tempered by the Poodle’s genuine eagerness to please. Yorkipoos are commonly described as adaptable to apartment living, and the breed generally bonds closely with its family, though early socialization matters to prevent the wariness toward strangers that shows up in some lines. This mix is genuinely people-oriented and doesn’t do well left alone for long stretches, so consistent companionship matters for this cross.

How Big Do Yorkipoos Get?

A Yorkipoo typically stands 7 to 15 inches at the shoulder and weighs 3 to 14 pounds as an adult, with size depending heavily on whether a Toy or Miniature Poodle was used in the cross. Dogs from a Toy Poodle pairing tend to stay smaller and closer to the Yorkshire Terrier’s size, while a Miniature Poodle pairing can produce a noticeably larger dog. Coat color varies widely too, commonly producing black and tan, apricot, cream, or parti-colored dogs depending on which parent genetics dominate.

How Long Do Yorkipoos Live?

Yorkipoos live 10 to 15 years, a lifespan typical of small designer crosses between two generally healthy toy and small breeds. Regular veterinary care, including the health screening covered below, supports a full lifespan for this cross.

What Health Problems Are Yorkipoos Prone To?

Because a Yorkipoo inherits traits from both parent breeds, it can be prone to health conditions documented in either the Yorkshire Terrier or the Poodle.

• Patellar luxation. A kneecap condition common in small breeds, present in both parent lines.
• Progressive retinal atrophy. An inherited eye condition documented in the Poodle side of this cross.
• Collapsing trachea. A structural windpipe weakness common in small toy breeds, including the Yorkshire Terrier.
• Dental disease. A tendency toward crowded teeth and plaque buildup common in small-breed mouths.
• Hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar risk in very small individuals, particularly as puppies.

How Do You Groom a Yorkipoo?

A Yorkipoo’s coat needs regular brushing several times a week to prevent mats and tangles, and the exact texture depends on the individual dog’s parentage, ranging from the Yorkshire Terrier’s silky, straight hair to the Poodle’s tight curl. Dogs with a higher percentage of Poodle genetics tend to shed less and may be better suited to allergy-sensitive households, though no dog is completely allergen-free.

How Much Exercise Does a Yorkipoo Need?

A Yorkipoo needs roughly 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise, a modest amount reflecting its small size, though the cross still benefits from mental stimulation given the intelligence it inherits from both parent breeds. Without enough physical and mental engagement, a Yorkipoo can become bored and develop unwanted habits like excessive barking, a trait that shows up more often in Yorkshire Terrier-heavy individuals.

Are Yorkipoos Easy to Train?

Yes, Yorkipoos are generally easy to train, inheriting genuine intelligence from the Poodle side and a confident willingness to engage from the Yorkshire Terrier side of their parentage. Positive reinforcement training works well, and early socialization and consistent obedience work in puppyhood help set up a well-mannered adult.

What Should You Feed a Yorkipoo?

A Yorkipoo does well on a high-quality small-breed formula suited to its size and activity level, with portions based on the individual dog’s actual weight and body condition rather than a one-size-fits-all guideline. A veterinarian can help set an appropriate feeding plan, particularly for very small individuals prone to hypoglycemia.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Owning a Yorkipoo?

Here are the main advantages of owning a Yorkipoo.

• Confident, affectionate, highly trainable temperament
• Lower-shedding coat than the Yorkshire Terrier parent alone
• Well suited to apartment living given its small size
• Genuinely intelligent and alert

Here are the main drawbacks of owning a Yorkipoo.

• Size, coat, and temperament can vary meaningfully between individual dogs and generations
• Can inherit health risks from either parent breed, including dental and joint issues
• Doesn’t tolerate being left alone for long stretches
• Not officially recognized by the AKC, so no fixed breed standard exists

Yorkipoo-specific rescue organizations and general shelters both place adult dogs regularly, worth a look for anyone drawn to this cross but not set on a breeder search.

What Else Do People Ask About the Yorkipoo?

The questions below cover how much a Yorkipoo costs, whether Yorkipoos are hypoallergenic, the difference between the Yorkipoo and the Shorkie, and whether Yorkipoos bark a lot.

How much does a Yorkipoo cost?

Yorkipoo prices vary widely by breeder, region, and generation, and a puppy from a breeder who performs health testing on the parents typically costs more than one from a breeder who skips that testing. Adopting an adult Yorkipoo through a rescue is usually a lower-cost alternative.

Are Yorkipoos hypoallergenic?

Yorkipoos are often described as hypoallergenic because they shed relatively little compared to many breeds, but no dog is completely allergen-free. Dogs with a higher percentage of Poodle genetics tend to have curlier, lower-shedding coats that work better for allergy-sensitive owners.

What is the difference between the Yorkipoo and the Shorkie?

A Yorkipoo crosses a Yorkshire Terrier with a Poodle, giving it a lower-shedding coat and sharper trainability, while a Shorkie crosses a Yorkshire Terrier with a Shih Tzu and tends to shed more and train a little less predictably. Both crosses share the Yorkshire Terrier’s confident, alert personality as a base temperament.

Do Yorkipoos bark a lot?

Yes, Yorkipoos can bark more than some other toy crosses, a trait inherited from the Yorkshire Terrier’s history as a working ratter bred to be alert and vocal. Early socialization and consistent training reduce excessive barking considerably in most individuals.

Related Guides

More guides on The Dogs Wiki cover behavior, grooming, training, nutrition, and adoption.

Guide
Behavior
Grooming
Training
Nutrition
Adoption