The Mi-Ki is intelligent, calm, sweet natured, affectionate and its activity level is low to moderate. Friendly and alert, making an excellent companion to the handicapped, it is laid back and seldom barks. Some also make a sound much like a yodel or a type of joyful twittering. This breed possesses a high degree of intelligence, making it a top candidate for the obedience ring. They love to be around people, and readily accept strangers. The Mi-Ki has a very even temperament, which makes it an ideal therapy dog. The Mi-Ki loves kids. The Mi-Ki enjoys sunning on a window sill and washing itself like a cat. In fact, one Mi-Ki raised an entire litter of abandoned kittens. The Mi-Ki is not aggressive, nor is it intimidated by dogs. This same female who raised the litter of kittens also raised a litter of five Lamalese puppies. By the time these pups were four weeks old they were almost as big as the Mi-Ki. The Mi-Ki is extremely social and catlike in its mannerisms. It is such an adaptable little dog that many people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to have a pet find they can indeed have a Mi-Ki. The Mi-Ki can climb much like one of its ancestors, the Japanese Chin, and act catlike as it pounces on, chases and swats at its toys or playmates. They are easy to train and seem eager to adapt to your lifestyle. Make sure you are this dogs firm, confident, consistent pack leader to avoid Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behavior problems. When dogs are allowed to be pack leader to humans they can develop many types of behavior issues, including, but not limited to, being suspicious of and barking at strangers, guarding, separation anxiety, destructiveness, snapping, and even biting. These are NOT Mi-Ki traits, but rather behaviors resulting from a lack of leadership on the humans’ part. Always remember, dogs are canines, not humans. Be sure to meet their natural instincts as animals. They need rules to follow, limits as to what they are and are not allowed to do and a firm, consistent, confident pack leader, along with daily mental and physical exercise.
States Kennel Club was the first registry to recognize the Mi-Ki, thru the Mi-Ki™ Club of America, Inc. Another registry is the International Mi-Ki Registry. The Mi-Ki Breeders USA is both a club and registry. They can also be shown with IABCA and the National Canine Association. At this time the IMR Mi-Ki is club-registered and its DNA is recorded with the United Kennel Club, Inc. The IMR is seeking breed recognition through the UKC. In 2002 the Mi-Ki™ Club of America, Inc. received full recognition of the dogs in its stud books through the RVD/UCI, which is based in Germany. The RVD/UCI recognition also makes these Mi-Ki eligible to be shown in 16 other countries throughout the world and only applies to the dogs in the Mi-Ki™ Club of Americas stud books, which were established in 1992. No other stud books are known to exist. The MCOA was founded in 1992, the IMR in 1999, the Continental Mi-Ki Association in 2002 and the Mi-Ki Breeders USA in 2003 as a recognized club and registry for the purebred Mi-Ki.
“This is Willie the Mi-ki at 7 months old, weighing just under 6 pounds. He doesnt walk, he prances and his feet barely touch the ground. People always stop to look and laugh. He is so smart, sweet and a tad bit shy with people, but loves other dogs especially Golden Retrievers. He is a real keeper.”
According to the Mi-Ki⢠Club of America, Inc., the Mi-Ki is thought to be Asian. The timeframe of when this tiny toy dog is said to have appeared in the U.S. is approximately during the 1980s. It shares common ancestors with the Papillon, the Maltese, and the Japanese Chin. Unfortunately the cloudy history of the Mi-Ki makes it impossible to tell the percentage of each breed in its makeup. The Mi-Ki was recognized by the States Kennel Club in 1995.
Mi-Kis with shorter muzzles, particularly older dogs, are in definite risk of respiratory problems. Mi-Ki teeth need frequent cleaning, particularly the short-muzzled type. Mi-Kis are also inclined to have excessive hair between their toes which traps dirt. Having the face and feet shaven allows for easier care in keeping them clean and healthy.
Are Mi-Ki Dogs easy to potty train?
There are special considerations when training a dog or puppy of small stature. Mi-kis are intuitive, smart, and eager to please, so you’ll find it surprisingly easy to train them. … Always throw a little party for your puppy when they use their potty pad or go where you want them to.
They are hypoallergenic and low to non shedding. Because they are single coated and have hair instead of fur, many people who are allergic to dog hair or dander experience no allergic reaction around Mi-Kis.
Wisconsin breeder Maureen van Wormer (also known as Mikki Mackin) wanted to create a small, long-haired breed with a calm, quiet temperament. She crossbred Shih Tzus with Papillion, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, and Japanese Chin to develop the Mi-Ki (pronounced Mee-Kee). Though the original breeding records were lost, extensive DNA analysis of 321 genetic markers found traces of Pekingese and Pomeranian, as well.
Feed Mi-Kis a high-quality dog food thats appropriate for their life stage (e.g., puppy, adult, senior). A diet created specifically for toy breed dogs is a great option to consider. Keep an eye on their food intake to prevent Mi-Kis from becoming overweight. Portion out their food with a measuring cup and limit treats to no more than 10% of their daily calories.
Mi-Kis are single-coated dogs with long, silky hair that covers their entire bodies. Their hair may have a slight wave and grows to its natural length. The breed often sports a “show cut” that features, in part, a shaved head and muzzle with the hair under the ears left natural, creating a ruff around the face. A beard and mustache are optional (and adorable).
[Miki Dog] How To Take Care of Miki Dog? How long does a Miki live?
Mi-Kis come in a variety of colors, textures, and two (and a half) coat types. The variety of Mi-Ki coat types and colors is one of the charming things about them. This collection of Mi-Ki puppy and adult photos will help you understand how their coat colors may change over time with factors such as the graying gene and coat type.
The two main coat types of Mi-Kis include the Long Coats (more common) and Smooth Faces, also known as smoothies. A more recent discovery is the F2 Long Coat which has sparse furnishings with a shorter beard, mustache, and ankle hair. The F2 Long Coat is sometimes referred to as a “Tweener.”
Long coats are considered to be more hypoallergenic as they do not shed. As non-shedding dogs, they do require skilled or professional grooming as the coat is like human hair that grows indefinitely.
Long-coat Mi-Kis can have a silky texture or more of a cottony coat. Silky coats may be easier to maintain. Cottony coats tend to mat easily and may be suited for a “puppy cut” for easier maintenance. Your Mi-Ki’s coat texture may change as they move from their puppy coat to their adult coat.
Smooth-Face Mi-Kis look similar to a long-haired Chihuahua or a Pomeranian when they have erect ears, and more like a Tibetan Spaniel if their ears are dropped.
Smooth-Face Mi-Kis have a demi-long coat and do not have furnishings. Furnishings are what we test when we’re determining a Mi-Ki coat type. Furnishings are the long hair growth of the mustache, beard, eyebrows, and feet.
Smooth-Face Mi-Kis are easier to groom. They do shed and maintain a consistent hair length. Because of their shedding, smoothies may not be the best choice for those with pet allergies.
As with long coats, smooth-face Mi-Kis can also vary in coat texture. Some smoothies have a very dense, thick coat that tends to shed more. Other smooth-face Mi-Kis have a sleeker coat that lies closer to the body. These are the smoothies that tend to be lighter shedders.
Mi-Ki breeders have recognized that some of their long-coat Mi-Kis may not have very long furnishings. Recently, Animal Genetics discovered another furnishings test, F2, that has given us another clue about why our puppies may look a little bit like long coats, and a little bit like smoothies. That is why we call them Tweeners.
Here are photos of our former pup Mickie, a parti-sable DNA-confirmed F2 long-coat provided by Diane.
Truthfully, the Tweener Mi-Ki is pretty ideal as a pet coat as it can be the best of both worlds in terms of ease of grooming and looks. They are less prone to matting and require fewer trips to the groomer. Their fresh-from-the-water-bowl kisses are a little less slobbery. Their shorter foot fur has them bringing in fewer dry leaves from the yard.
We’ve now figured out that Mickie’s mom Eden is an F2 long coat through a process of elimination. The F2 genetic test was developed after her DNA was processed as a puppy. Eden does shed minimally when brushed, but I don’t experience any allergic triggering with her coat. Her coat is one of the easiest to care for in the kennel. Now that she has matured, Eden’s beard, mustache, and foot hair have grown to be nearly indistinguishable from regular F1 long coats.
Here is a slideshow of Eden growing up to demonstrate what an F2 long-coat tweener might develop into over time.
We’ve found that the F2 gene isn’t entirely foolproof as we’ve had Mi-Kis that look like tweeners even if they don’t test for it. But genetics is a developing science, so we will see what we learn about furnishings, coat traits, and health in the coming years.