Grooming Hairstyles for Yorkies

Yorkshire Terriers, also known as Yorkies, are small dogs originally bred in Yorkshire, England for the purpose of catching rats. Adult Yorkies have silky, straight hair that is a dark-gray color running from the back of the neck to the base of the tail. They are brown on the face, chest and legs. Several common haircuts are generally favored by Yorkie owners because they accentuate the dog's features.

  1. Schnauzer Cut

    • A Schnauzer cut is one that trims down or removes the dark, blackish areas of a Yorkie's coat while leaving the tan areas that are present on the face, chest and legs of the dog. The length of the tan fur is left to the preference of the owner. A modified Schnauzer cut is one where the back, or "saddle" area, of the dog is cut close to the skin, from neck to tail, while leaving the stomach, sides and chest area untrimmed.

    Westie Cut

    • A Westie cut is a full-body shave, excluding the face which remains long. The depth of the cut is based in the preference of the owner. The fur can be either completely shaved or allowed to remain a few inches in length. A popular modification to the Westie cut, called the Puppy cut, is one where the whole body is trimmed to a short length but not shaved. This allows for a shaggier, softer looking coat.

    Chinese Crested Cut

    • A Chinese Crested cut is similar to a Schnauzer cut with the exception that the hair on the dog's tail is left at full length. The back and torso areas are shaved very close to the skin while the face, ears, tail and legs are untouched. The addition of a top knot with a head bow is popular with this cut. Multiple variations of this cut are commonly created to suit the tastes of the owner.

    Full-Length Coat

    • One of the most popular -- and most attractive -- hairstyles for Yorkies is the long-coat style. This style allows the fur of the Yorkie to grow to its full length; only the hair around the dog's feet, tips of the ears and foot pads is trimmed on a regular basis. Also, it is common to trim the tips of the torso hair once it grows beyond floor length.