Styles for a Yorkie's Coat

Yorkshire terriers have smooth, silky hair that grows continuously, and it requires cutting to keep it from getting too long and dragging on the ground. You can use a popular style, or you can get creative with your Yorkie's coat. Many common Yorkie styles are named for the breed of dog the cut imitates.

  1. Schnauzer Cut

    • A Schnauzer cut shows off a Yorkshire terrier's legs and face. The hair on the torso and tail is cut short, while the hair on the legs and face is left long, with the face trimmed in imitation of a traditional Schnauzer beard. A Schnauzer cut will leave flowing hair on your Yorkie.

    Chinese-Crested Cut

    • A Chinese crested dog is mostly hairless on its body, but the "powderpuff" variety has long, wispy hair on its face, legs and tail. When this style is imitated on a Yorkie, it has dashing results. The Chinese-crested cut is similar to the Schnauzer cut in that the hair on the torso is cut short. However, in this cut, the hair on the tail is left to grow long.

    Puppy Cut

    • The puppy cut is one of the simplest styles for a Yorkshire terrier. It gets its name from Yorkie puppies, which are born with short hair that later grows out. With a puppy cut, all the hair is trimmed, but not shaved, to a uniform length. It is layered around the face. Groomers usually use a 7 or 7F clipper blade for the puppy cut, then trim the face with scissors.

    Westie Cut

    • The Westie cut is named after the West Highland white terrier, which has medium-length hair with longer hair on its face. This style is related to the puppy cut in that most of the hair is cut short. Unlike the puppy cut, though, the hair on the face is left long. The hair on the body and tail can be left at a medium length (about 1 inch), or you can shave it shorter.