Yorkshire Terrier Grooming

Taking your dog to the groomer regularly will keep him looking and feeling great. You can also learn Yorkie grooming techniques at home. Remember, practice makes perfect and you will notice that with each grooming it becomes easier for both you and your Yorkie.

Grooming is a great time to bond for both your Yorkie and yourself.

Grooming basics

Conditioning shampoo:

· Use a high-quality shampoo and conditioner formulated specifically for dogs. I use Coat Handler or Pure Paws products.

Yorkshire Terriers have only one coat of hair, while many breeds have both an outer and inner coat. In this sense, the coat of a Yorkie is similar to the hair of a human. Despite this, don’t use human shampoo on your Yorkie. Human shampoo can result in dry, flaky skin that creates dandruff on your Yorkie.

I never brush my Yorkie’s coat when it is completely dry unless it is clean like after a bath as it could damage it. Keep a spray bottle with a mixture of water and conditioner on hand and lightly mist the coat before brushing or styling.

Toilets:

Bathing twice a week will prevent odor and preserve the coat. Make sure to resolve tangles as they can and will get worse with each passing day. Dampen the hair tangle with warm water and work with your fingers as you bathe. Putting a small amount of conditioner on the tangle of hair will help loosen the tangle.

I bathe my Yorkie in the kitchen sink. Be careful when bathing in the sink. If they don’t feel safe and secure, they can try jumping out of the sink. You can also use a bathtub.

· Make sure to thoroughly rinse your Yorkie’s hair after shampooing and conditioning. Male Yorkies can drip urine on themselves in the course of their activities. You can wash this area every day with a damp cloth and warm water, or use an unscented baby wipe. Depending on the length of your Yorkie’s coat, you may want to blow dry it. If so, be sure to keep an eye on the heat, as you can easily burn your Yorkie with the hot air. Make sure all tangles are out of the coat.

Comb the fur after drying and brushing it with the metal comb. This will remove most tangles, knots, and mats.

A flea comb can be used daily.

It is recommended to wash your face and ears daily, brush your teeth, trim your nails, and bathe every two weeks.

Hair trimming:

Trim the hair under the foot pads. It is traditional to trim the upper third of the ear; shaving for a cleaner ear, and it will also make them look smaller. The hair around the anus should be cut very short regularly for cleaning. Brushing the coat will vary depending on the texture and length of the coat.

Many people choose to keep their Yorkie’s coat trimmed in a short puppy cut all year long. This can be done with scissors or a set of electric razors.

Necessities:

Hair comb – Metal comb with long teeth.

Brush – There are many options, but we recommend a pin brush with a rubber back. Natural bristle brushes are less likely to damage the coat than synthetic ones like nylon.

Pair of scissors – Basic hair cutting scissors

Ear trimmer – Wahl’s mustache trimmer; it is cordless and rechargeable (available at Wal-Mart).

Nail trimmer – Human nail clipper while it is a puppy. As they get older, use the dog nail clippers; Sometimes it will be necessary to use a nail file to file the sharp edges of the nail after cutting. Stop Bleed is a must. If you cut too much, the nail will bleed. Apply Stop Bleed to the affected area immediately.

Stop bleeding – Available at most pet stores.

Ear cleaner – There are many options. I use NutraVet ear cleaner with tea oil and swabs.