Carkies are terriers through and through. In fact, they’re a cross of two terrier breeds: the Cairn Terrier and the Yorkshire Terrier. While both popular pooches, the Yorkie is a top-20 favorite in America, according to the AKC. Luckily, the Carkie inherits most of the Yorkie’s great traits that help propel them to such popularity, along with a few desirable traits from the Cairn Terrier side of the family.

Breed Overview

Carkies exhibit all of the true terrier traits that make them so beloved. They’re incredibly loyal little dogs that want to curl up on your lap and take all of your affection. At the same time, these are sturdy, resilient canines with a hunting background, cunning intellect, and impressive athleticism that you might not expect based on appearances.

Highly social and just as smart, Carkies get along with just about everyone, though they are a bit wary of strangers. Thankfully, the Cairn Terrier inside the Carkie tempers the yappiness that Yorkies are known for, though you still might hear it vocalize when strangers are present. Grooming needs are considerable with the Carkie, but their sweet demeanor makes up for the extra maintenance requirements.

Carkie Puppies

The problem with newer designer breeds like the Carkie is that there aren’t any breed standards defined yet. Similarly, there are no set prices, so the cost of a Carkie can range dramatically. There also aren’t many reputable breeders currently putting their time into the breed, which can make it harder to find a safe source to purchase your Carkie from.

If you work from home or your lifestyle means you spend a lot of time at home, this tiny pup may be the dog for you if you can find one.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Carkie

There’s little doubt that the Carkie’s cute appearance earns them a lot of fans, but it is really the breed’s temperament that makes them special. These are the ultimate companion dogs. They have endless amounts of love to give, and they want all the affection their owners can muster. In fact, your Carkie will never want to leave your side, and when you leave them home alone, they’re likely to experience separation anxiety.

Carkies are incredibly social dogs, and though they’re sometimes a bit wary of strangers, they get along with practically everyone. Sometimes, they get too excited and can’t contain themselves, which is why proper training and socialization from a young age is so important with a Carkie.

Are These Dogs Good for Families? 👪

Since they’re such friendly dogs, Carkies are a perfect fit for family life. They want to be near someone all the time, preferably even getting affection. For individuals, this can be difficult, especially if you’re gone at work a lot. Your Carkie would be home alone, which isn’t a good mix for this breed. With a family, there are more people present, so someone is likely home more of the time, which means your Carkie won’t be alone and subject to problems like separation anxiety.

Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets? 🐶 😽 

For the most part, the Carkie’s friendliness spreads to other animals. They can get along well with bigger dogs without much problem, though smaller dogs can sometimes be an issue. Remember, the Carkie comes from two terriers that were bred to hunt and kill rats, foxes, badgers, and other small, furry mammals. Even though they’re far removed from the time when terriers were employed at such work, hunting is still in their genes today. As such, many Carkies will exhibit a noticeable prey drive that might be excited when smaller dogs are around. Regular socialization from a young age can mitigate the issue, but you should be aware that Carkies do have a natural instinct to hunt.

Things to Know When Owning a Carkie:

Food & Diet Requirements 🦴

With an average weight of just 8–15 pounds, Carkies are pretty small pups. As such, they don’t require too much food. It is easy to overfeed such a small dog, so you’ll want to pay close attention to how much food you’re offering your Carkie. They do best on a high-quality dry kibble that’s specifically formulated for small-breed dogs. Since Carkies are resilient and healthy dogs, they don’t have any specific nutritional requirements that you’ll have to meet.

Exercise 🐕

These dogs love to play, and they have enough energy to spend hours playing at a time. They’re also very adventurous pups, loving to explore and ever-curious about the world around them. With so much energy stored inside, your Carkie will need a good bit of exercise and engagement. Thankfully, they’re pretty small dogs, so you won’t have to devote hours to their exercise each day like you have to with certain larger breeds. Your Carkie will do well with a few short walks throughout the day and a couple of high-intensity play sessions to help alleviate that excess energy.

Training 🎾

When it comes to training, Carkies are generally a joy. Highly intelligent and eager to please, Carkies are easier to train than many breeds. They genuinely want to make their owners happy, so as long as you use plenty of positive reinforcement, training your Carkie shouldn’t be too difficult, even for a newbie dog trainer.

Grooming ✂️

Unfortunately, Carkies do require quite a bit of upkeep and maintenance. Their coats are usually medium in length and a bit shaggy. The hair will tangle and mat very easily, so daily brushing is required. You’ll want to use both a firm bristle brush and a Greyhound comb to keep the coat looking lively. On the bright side, Carkies don’t really drool, and even though their coat needs a lot of grooming, they hardly shed at all.

Bathing should occur no more than once every 6–8 weeks. The Carkie’s skin produces natural oils that can be overproduced if the dog is bathed too much. Additionally, basic trimming of the nails and cleaning of the ears will be required.

Health and Conditions ❤️

It is commonly believed that crossing two pure breeds will help reduce the susceptibility of the offspring to health conditions that either parent is particularly vulnerable to. That seems to be the case with the Carkie, as these dogs are incredibly resilient, healthy, and not susceptible to many health concerns. There are just two main conditions that you should keep an eye out for when raising a Carkie.

Minor Conditions:

Reverse Sneezing: Paroxysmal respiration, more commonly known as reverse sneezing, is actually pretty common in canines. It’s essentially the opposite of a sneeze. Instead of air rapidly being expelled through the nose, air is rapidly inhaled, creating a loud snort, as if your dog is inhaling and sneezing simultaneously.

Serious Conditions:

Hypothyroidism: The thyroid is a hormone-producing gland that regulates metabolism. When the thyroid is malfunctioning, metabolic processes will be thrown out of whack. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid is under-producing hormones, causing the metabolism to slow down.

Male vs. Female

The most obvious differences between male and female Carkies are physical. Males tend to be larger and heavier. But there are also temperamental differences between the sexes. For example, females tend to let their owners know when they want affection and when they’re done with it, while males will just wait patiently for whatever attention is thrown their way. Males are also more likely to exhibit dominating behaviors. Of course, the biggest differences are individual, so there’s no guarantee that your dog will conform to the behaviors most often displayed by other members of their sex.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Carkie

1. Hunting Is in Their Genes

Terriers are small, spunky little dogs with lots of personality. The Carkie comes from two sets of terriers, both of which were originally bred for hunting purposes. Today, the Yorkie might be strictly a companion pet that spends their time getting expensive hairdos and cuddling with urbanites, but long ago, Yorkshire Terriers spent their lives slinking around the mines and mills of northern England. They were useful animals, killing rats and even burrowing underground to chase foxes and badgers.

Cairn Terriers were originally bred for similar purposes, though they were working in the Scottish countryside, hunting foxes and similar small, furry prey. Naturally, the Carkie, being the offspring of two fearless hunters, has the same propensity for chasing down and catching small creatures, and it’s part of where they get their spunky personalities that are so much bigger than their little bodies.

2. The Breed’s Origins Are Unknown

Carkies haven’t been around long, only for a few decades. Most breeds with such recent beginnings are well documented. We know how they were created, who did the work, who the first specimens were, where they were bred, and more. But none of that is the case with Carkies. The breed’s origins are unknown, despite their recent creation.

3. They’re Great Dogs for Germaphobes

Carkies require quite a bit of care and upkeep, but they’re incredibly clean and hygienic dogs that are a great fit for someone who’s concerned with the germs that a dog might bring. While most dogs emit odors of some kind, Carkies don’t. They also don’t drool and they hardly shed at all. Moreover, Carkies are considered to be hypoallergenic dogs, so they’ll even have less of an effect.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for a dog with undying loyalty, plenty of energy, and a spunky personality, then the Carkie might be a good fit. They’re loving and affectionate dogs that want all of your attention and don’t do well being left alone for long periods, which is why they’re a great fit for families. Even though Carkies are very active and energetic dogs, they won’t need outrageous amounts of exercise or space due to their small size. Grooming needs for a Carkie are excessive. However, they make up for this by being resilient, healthy pooches with very few health concerns for you to worry about.

• Looking for more crossbreeds? We have a full suite of both Cairn Terrier Mixes and Yorkshire Terrier Mixes!

Featured Image Credit: Jason Brubacher, Shutterstock