How to Groom a Yorkie for the Summer

Grooming Your Yorkie

• 1

  Bathe your Yorkie at least once a week. These baths should be given at the same time each week, if possible, as this will train your terrier to expect the bath. Before bathing, remove any bows, barrettes or collars.

• 2

  Brush the fur as it naturally lays to remove any tangles. Wet the coat completely before applying the shampoo. Work the shampoo through the hair manually, then pour water down the middle of the back to rinse. Work the water through the hair until the shampoo is completely gone. Dry your Yorkie gently, but not completely, as the hair should be damp for brushing.

• 3

  Wash your Yorkie around the rear area to prevent fecal mats and tangles. The hair around this area should also be delicately trimmed to further reduce matting. If left undone, the matting can cause the area to become sore and infected, thus causing potentially serious health problems.

• 4

  Trim your Yorkie's toenails. This is more easily done after bathing, when the nails are softer. If you use dog nail clippers, then place them flat against the nail's upper part and clip the parts that curve down into the clippers. Yorkies' nails grow fast, so this should be a standard part of the bathing routine.

• 5

  Clean your pet's ears by using cotton balls instead of a cotton-tipped applicator such as a Q-Tip, which can possibly injure the dog's inner ear. Use a good ear-cleaning solution to help loosen any dirt within the ear. Trim the hair in your Yorkie's ears to reduce the possibility of ear infection.

• 6

  Brush your Yorkie's coat at least twice a week to prevent tangling and matting. If your pet has a long coat, you may consider daily brushing. Use a mixture of water and conditioner to wet the coat lightly before brushing. Brush in the direction which the fur lays rather than against it to prevent tangling. The best brush to begin with is a pin brush, followed by a slicker brush to find and untangle any mats that might have been missed.