Unlike many other dog breeds, the Yorkshire Terrier's silky hair also grows on the tops and the pads of its feet, making it important to trim them properly as a regular part of your grooming regimen. You should check your Yorkie's feet whenever you bathe it.
Keeping a Yorkie's nails clipped to an appropriate length is also an important part of grooming and should be done regularly.
Things You'll Need
- Rounded-end scissors
- Nail clipper or file
- Styptic pencil
Instructions
Use rounded-end scissors to trim the hair on top of the foot until it's too short to touch the floor. If left untrimmed, the hair will grow so long it will drag on the ground, catching dirt and potentially making the dog lose its footing on smooth surfaces.
Check to see if trimming the hair on the feet is needed every time you bathe your Yorkie, which should be every two to four weeks.
Examine the bottom of your Yorkie's feet whenever you bathe it. You'll see that the hair grows between each pad; if it gets too long it can gather dirt and moisture, opening the way to infection. There will also be less traction for your Yorkie as it walks.
Use the rounded-end scissors to carefully cut the hair between each pad so it's even with or shorter than the pads themselves.
Check your dog's nails every time you bathe it and be ready to clip or file them whenever necessary. This can be challenging because a Yorkie's nails are black, making it difficult to see where the "quick" is located. Trim only near the edge of the nail to avoid the quick, but if it's cut despite your best efforts, use a styptic pencil to stop the bleeding. Or, use a nail file to keep your Yorkie's nails trimmed. The best time to perform this task is right after the bath, when the nails are slightly softer.