How to Groom Yorkies With a Short Cut

Yorkshire Terriers, or Yorkies, have a naturally long, silky coat that requires extensive care, but if you opt to give your Yorkie a short haircut, its coat won̵7;t require the same level of micro-maintenance, and caring owners won̵7;t tie themselves into knots worrying about tangles and canine tantrums. However, Yorkies with short cuts still need a daily brush, a weekly bath and regular nail cuts. It̵7;s also important to regularly trim the dog̵7;s facial hair to keep hair away from its eyes.

Things You'll Need

  • Canine conditioner
  • Wire-pin brush
  • Fine-toothed dog comb
  • Cotton wool ball
  • Ear cleaning solution
  • Scissors or tweezers
  • Toothbrush for dogs
  • Toothpaste for dogs
  • Clean towel
  • Dog shampoo
  • Tear-free dog shampoo (for face)
  • Dog conditioner
  • Fluffy towel
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Dampen the dog̵7;s coat by lightly spraying it with a mixture of water and conditioner for dogs. Moistening the Yorkie̵7;s coat protects against breakage when you're brushing. Use 3 parts water to 1 part conditioner.

    • 2

      Brush the dog̵7;s coat with a wire-pin brush, available from pet stores. Starting at the ends, gently work through to the skin.

    • 3

      Untangle knots with your fingers after brushing, and using a fine-toothed comb, finish by gently combing through the mats.

    • 4

      Clean your dog̵7;s ears using a cotton wool ball or swab and an ear cleaning solution supplied by your veterinarian. Remove excess hair blocking the ear canals with scissors or tweezers. Wipe inside the dog̵7;s ears with the cotton ball but keep it away from the ear canals because this can puncture the ear drum.

    • 5

      Brush your Yorkie̵7;s teeth using a toothbrush and toothpaste formulated for dogs. Regular brushing helps to prevent gum disease. Squeeze a little toothpaste onto the brush, and using your fingers, work it into the bristles. Start at the gumline and brush the teeth in a rotating motion, not forgetting the base of the teeth and the areas between them. Focus on the surface enamel of the upper teeth because this is particularly susceptible to plaque formation.

    • 6

      Adopt a prebathing routine to reduce tangling and protect its eyes and ears from the soapy water. Gently untangle matted hair with your fingers, put cotton balls in the dog̵7;s ears and one drop of mineral water in each of its eyes, and to ensure that the dog doesn̵7;t slip and hurt itself, line a sink with a clean towel.

    • 7

      Run the water until it̵7;s the right temperature (warm, not hot) and place the dog in the sink. Wet its coat thoroughly.

    • 8

      Apply the shampoo. Start at the back of its head, moving down dog̵7;s back until you reach the tail. Gently massage the shampoo into the dog̵7;s coat and let it soak for a few minutes. Using a spray nozzle, rinse the shampoo, following the natural direction of the dog̵7;s coat. Remember to rinse the dog̵7;s tummy and under its tail.

    • 9

      Wash the Yorkie̵7;s face. Dab a small amount of tearless shampoo for dogs on your hands and rub them together to form a lather. Gently shampoo the hair around its ears and muzzle and rinse using a cup of clean, warm water.

    • 10

      Massage in conditioner formulated for dogs. Follow the manufacturer̵7;s instructions for applying the conditioner, then rinse thoroughly with warm water, making sure that you leave no traces of conditioner. Squeeze excess water from the coat and wrap the Yorkie in a fluffy towel--this absorbs most of the water.