How to Brush a Yorkshire Terrier

Yorkshire Terriers, or "yorkies" as people commonly refer to them, are beautiful little dogs blessed with boundless energy. But unlike other toy dogs, there are certain ways they should be brushed. This is because they only have a single coat of hair. Here's how to brush your Yorkshire terrier.

Things You'll Need

  • Puppy shampoo
  • Spray bottle with water
  • Bath towel
  • Puppy brush or dog comb (without balls on the ends of the teeth)
  • Flea comb
  • Doggie treats
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Bathe your Yorkshire terrier using shampoo made specifically for puppies. Human shampoo can make the skin dry and flaky. Also, because of the single layer of hair, yorkies must never be brushed dry. So if you don't have time to bathe the yorkie, or you don't want to over-bathe the cute one, have a spray bottle by your side and gently mist the coat of the yorkie.

    • 2

      Rinse the yorkie thoroughly as this will be sure to remove any residual soap.

    • 3

      Pat the yorkie dry using a bath towel. Keep the coat moist; but you don't want it soaking, as the coat might start to snarl as you brush through it.

    • 4

      Brush the Yorkshire terrier starting at their spine and moving outward. Because yorkie hair is like human hair, brush it as you would brush your own hair. Use long languid strokes out to the side.

    • 5

      Remove eye mucous with the flea comb. Have a treat at the ready for the Yorkshire terrier to munch on, as many become skittish when you bring the comb near their eyes. Yorkies are one of only a few breeds that have mucous build-up around the eye. It must be removed otherwise the hair around the eye can rot, causing it to fall out, or infect the eyes.

    • 6

      Trim the hair around your Yorkshire terrier's rectum. This should be done every week when you brush out your yorkie. Otherwise, feces will get stuck in the surrounding hairs making it unhygienic for you and your pup.

    • 7

      Gently wipe a male yorkie's underside with a warm damp cloth, as they tend to dribble on themselves when they urinate. This will keep the area clean.