Overview
Grooming the Yorkshire Terrier is rather easy in comparison to some dog breeds. The Yorkie only has 1 coat (Many dog breeds also have an undercoat).
Proper Grooming to keep your Yorkie looking nice and remain healthy will include:
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Baths
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Brushing and combing
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Nail Care (and possible dewclaw removal)
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Trimming
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Creating Top Knots (if the coat is kept long)
Bath Time
How often should a Yorkie get a bath? It is recommended to bathe your Yorkie 1 time per week. There are several elements to keep in mind to keep the coat looking beautiful:
- Do not use human shampoo. Human shampoo will dry the skin and coat of this dog breed., as it is not formulated with the correct ph balance. Gentle and hypoallergenic dog shampoo and conditioner should be used.
- Be sure to rinse out all shampoo and conditioner. Any remaining dog shampoo will affect your ability to properly brush the coat. Use luke warm water for bathing
- Use a soft wash cloth when you give your Yorkie a bath
- Male Yorkies should be wiped with a wet, soft wash cloth each day, to wipe off urine that usually collects onto the coat when they eliminate. Doing so right before bedtime and after their last "bathroom" trip of the day generally works best. In this way, your Yorkie will be able to retreat to his sleeping area perfectly clean and fresh.
- Each day, use a warm, soft cloth to wipe around your dog's eyes. Once the eye area is cleaned, use a 2nd dry cloth to pat this area dry. You will not want to allow the fur around the eyes to remain wet, as a yeast infection can quickly grow here. (this is one reason why some dogs have "red fur" in their eye area)
Brushing & Combing
- Trying to remove matted hair can take hours and can be very stressful for both owner and Yorkie. Therefore, it is highly recommended to brush and comb your Yorkie 1 time per day if the dog has a long "show coat" and every 2 days if the dog has a shorter "puppy dog cut".
- Brushing dry hair will cause breakage. You should always spritz your dog's hair with a combination of 1/2 water to 1/2 conditioner to dampen the dog's coat before brushing .
- Complete brushing and combing should also be done after each bath (1 time per week)
- Tangles should be worked out with your fingers. First, wet the tangle with water and conditioner.
- You will want to use a pin brush with a rubber backing. This type of dog brush will be able to reach through the coat of the Yorkie. Avoid dog brushes with balls on the ends of the pin, these often break the hair.
- The comb that you use should be made of metal and have long teeth to it.
- When you are done brushing your Yorkie, this should be finished off by running the comb through the dog's coat. Go slowly. It is common to find tangles when combing that were missed while brushing.
- A flea comb should be used to carefully comb under the dog's eyes (a very sensitive area).
Trimming
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There are a few areas that will need special attention in regard to trimming. There should be no hair that is growing out of the dog's paw and touching the floor. This should be trimmed to the level of the Yorkshire Terrier's paw.
- the top 1/3 of the ears should be trimmed. This also helps to keep the ears standing erect.
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The area around the dog's rectum should be trimmed short for hygiene purposes.
- Many owners choose to keep their Yorkie with the "puppy dog cut" as opposed to maintaining the long "show dog cut". If your Yorkie is a pet, it is very popular and acceptable to have the dog trimmed down to the "puppy dog cut". The "Schnauzer cut" is also becoming very popular.
- Maintaining a "show dog cut" requires quite a bit of work. This looks is one where the Yorkie's hair is one length and flows all the way to the floor. Constant grooming must be done to avoid tangles or matts which could destroy the entire look.
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Just as many owners choose to trim the Yorkie themselves as those who opt to have a professional dog groomer do the job. If you do choose to do this yourself, it is highly recommended to invest in quality clipping tools, as this will make grooming and trims on the Yorkie much easier.
- Remember that if you make a grooming mistake, the hair of the Yorkie will grow back; and it does so rather quickly.
- Never shave a Yorkie so low that skin shows. This can cause many skin irritation issues.
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Photos & step-by-step detailed directions on how to groom a Yorkie,
Click here to learn about our downloadable book
Nails
- Nail trimming should be done every 2 or 3 months. If not, nails can quickly become ingrown. An owner may do this themselves or opt for a dog groomer to do this. If doing this at home, it is important to use quality pet nail trimming tools. The cut should be fast and easy., as most dogs do not stray very still while having this done.
- If you begin this grooming at home when your Yorkie is a puppy, in time your dog will learn what they are expected to do at "nail trimming time".
- One of the biggest worries of those who try to trim their Yorkie's nails at home is the element of cutting to low and cutting the "quick" of the nail. The quick is a vein that runs down the center of each nail. If cut, there will be quite a bit of bleeding. There are solutions, such as a styptic pencil or silver nitrate that you can obtain, so that if a mistake is made, it will help to stop the dog's nail from bleeding. This is, however, very painfful for a dog when the quick is acciendently cut.
- Trimming is easier if done right after bath time, when the dog's nails are wet.
- To avoid cutting the "quick", cut very small pieces at a time. Each time you trim a piece, stop to take a look at your Yorkie's nail. As you slowly cut away small pieces, you will eventually see a gray or pinkish color oval of color in the nail. This is your sign to stop cutting.
Ears
Grooming the ears is important. Regularly check the ears, look for any redness, discharge or odor. If you do see these signs, a vet check for infections should be done. If there is hair in the channel, remove it by pulling it out with your fingers. Whether the hair is oily or not, using a plucking powder lightly will make it much easier to do.
You can find more information in our Yorkshire Terrier Ear Section
Dewclaws
What is a dewclaw? It is an extra claw very high on the paw of a dog. It is so high, that some describe it as being on the dog's leg as opposed to the paw.
A Yorkie may be born with dewclaws on the hind paws, front paws or both. Many Yorkie breeders will have the dewclaws removed before selling the puppy. Why are dewclaws removed on a Yorkie? Because they can easily catch on things, causing pain to the dog or grow out of place.
It is best to have the dewclaws removed when a Yorkie is very young. At a young age, the dewclaws are akin to fingernails and removal is easy. However, as the dog matures, they grow into something more akin to an extra toe and removal is much more complicated as the dog must have an entire "appendage" removed.
More Information
- Puppy Care
- Introduction to Home
- The Importance of your dog's name
- Training for: Socialization, Heeling, All Commands
- Controlling and Out-of-Control Yorkie
- 24 Odd Behavior
- 36 Yorkshire Terrier Health Issues (Including ones only Breeders know about)
- Direct, Personal Answers to any of your questions... Click Here to Learn More
