How to Take Care of a Chorkie

Feed your Chorkie three times a day at regularly scheduled mealtimes and offer a food designed specifically for small dogs. Standard dog food may contain too many calories for a smaller dog, so a food specially formulated for small dogs is preferable.The amount your dog needs will be described on the dog food packaging; if the packaging recommends one amount for the whole day, divide this by three.

House-train your Chorkie. On the first day of training, take him outside hourly. Immediately give your dog plenty of praise and even treats when he eliminates outside. Slowly increase the amount of time between trips to two hours, then move on to longer intervals. Reward your dog for going toward the door and telling you when he needs to go outside. If your dog has an accident in the house, offer no praise or attention, and take him outside immediately.

Crate-train your puppy. Purchase a crate that will be big enough for your dog as an adult. It should be sufficiently roomy for two adult dogs so that your pet has plenty of space to move around, stand up and lie down. Fill the crate with towels and blankets to make it comfortable and hide some treats around the crate. Allow your dog to sniff and explore the crate and praise her when she ventures inside. Do not shut the door at this point. Over time, as the dog becomes more comfortable being inside the crate, close the door for a few seconds but stay within range of her eyesight. Once your dog becomes comfortable with the door being closed, step out of her viewing range for a few minutes. Again, wait until your dog seems calm and at ease, turn the lights off and leave for 10 minutes. When the time is up, turn the lights back on and give her lots of praise.

Brush your dog daily or, if possible, twice a day. Chorkies have long Yorkie coats which need regular brushing to avoid tangles and knots. Removing knots and tangles can be time-consuming and painful for the Chorkie, and, if the knots cannot be brushed out, they will need to be cut out with scissors.

Exercise your dog regularly. Chorkies are very energetic and will need plenty of activity to burn off energy. Take him on regular walks and engage him with games, such as catching a ball or a stick. You can also offer games designed to stimulate your dog's mind, such as toys which release treats when a certain action - kicking a ball, for example - is carried out. These games will keep your Chorkie busy while you are away from home or while he is inside.

Take your Chorkie to socialization classes. Chorkies may pick up traits from their Yorkie genes, such as a tendency to act bigger than they are, which means they can be unfriendly to other dogs. Early socialization can combat this behavior and help them to get along better with their fellow canines.