Yorkie Grooming

The Yorkshire Terrier is a small yet feisty dog, which has captured the hearts of many for is diminutive size but lovable nature.

Yorkies as they are commonly referred to, make great house pets; with those living in apartments find them the perfect pet for living in small spaces, which is why they remain as popular as ever.

Health Dynamics

They are known for their flowing coats, which if cared for well enough, look gorgeous. That’s not the only reason to ensure your Yorkie grooming is up to scratch, as if they are left unkempt, it can actually lead to health ailments, which is never what anyone wants for their pet. Skin problems are notable, including the likes of lumps and or other conditions related to their skin.

Yorkie Grooming Cost

The cost for Yorkie grooming will really depend on how much you choose to do yourself. Most of the care can be done by the owners, so the costs in this case will be far lower, but your workload and maintenance for the dog will be significantly higher.


One of purchases such as clippers and nail trimmers shouldn’t be too expensive, with both available for around $10-$30 depending on the brands and such.

You will need to buy shampoo, conditioner, and other additional things such as ear cleaning solutions. These will never break the bank, and can be found at most pet stores for ales than $10 each. Of course these will need to be bought semi regularly, yet you will be lucky if your grooming bill accumulates to more than $100 for the year.

Comparing this to professional grooming prices, you will be saving a fair amount of money. For those who don’t have the time or patience to perform every aspect of grooming, taking the Yorkie for an all-round grooming once every month or 6 weeks will get most of the problems done for you.

Prices will vary from where you go and the condition of the Yorkie, but starting prices are usually around $50 depending on what you are needing done, with full treatments cost as much as $100.

Getting hair trim will be the most regular thing you will need, and this won’t cost as much as these, starting at around $30-$40. To get any of these treatments all year round will hike your grooming bill up past several hundred dollars.
Yorkie Grooming

Coat Type

The more you know about your dog’s coat type, the better you can prepare yourself to care for it.

  • A Yorkie’s have single coats, which shed very lightly, meaning there is little amounts of hair for them to shed.

Speaking of their hair, it is very well known for how grandiose it is in appearance. Yorkie coats are straight and silky and can grow to impressive lengths. Show dog Yorkie’s hair tends to be left to grow all the way down and styled, which can still be done for non-show Yorkie’s, but requires a fair amount of upkeep.

Maintenance

Grooming a Yorkie will lead to a fair amount of effort on the owners part. How much so depends on a few different things, including how long you want it to be, and whether it is soft or silky. The longer it is, the more you will need to brush and comb it – even with shorter haired one expect a daily brush to be needed to ensure no knots or tangles form. Also, due to the nature of their hair expect to need to get it trimmer every month or so, you can obviously try it yourself or take it to a professional.

Dental Care

 Another aspect of Yorkie grooming that you will need to do frequently is dental care.

  • All small breeds of dogs are more susceptible to dental issues, and Yorkie’s fit into this category.

Daily brushing is recommended by most these days, though you can get away with doing this every other day depending on how well they are maintained. If not, their teeth could end up falling out in their old age, which is something everyone wants to avoid.

Ears will need to be cleaned and checked once a week for infections and hairs growing in the ear canal.

  • Similarly, bathing your Yorkie once a week is recommended to help maintain their coats to a high standard, allowing them to appear silky and smooth – which is one of their key attractions after all.

Grooming

Brushing

Yorkie grooming won’t be the easiest tasks to do, yet is necessary for the well being and appearance of the dog. Daily bushings are needed, and to do this you will need to use a spray to help with the process otherwise the hair can end up breaking or splitting. A water and coat conditioner mix is the best combination, although a water less shampoo can be bought to achieve the same outcome.

A pin brush and comb will be needed, starting with the ear featherings, which should be gently brushed. You will then want to get your Yorkie to lay down on its back so you can work the chest, armpits and the legs, working the featherings around the thighs, tail, neck and back after this. Simply repeat this process using the comb after starting the brush, working out tangles and matting when you come across –remember to be gentle!

Nails

Maintaining the nail length is another important part of Yorkie grooming. Look to do this once a week, preferably after their bath.

  • Be careful never to cut too short, as this can cut blood vessels found in the nails and lead to bleeding. Many are uncomfortable trying this, so you can leave it for a groomer if this is the case.

Ears

Cleaning the ears should be done too, as well as plucking any hairs found inside, as this can lead to infections. Wipes work easily enough to clean the inside of the ears, and always be sure not to go too far into the ear canal otherwise it will hurt your dog. Also wipe away the tears that may build up around the eyes, and keep the hair trimmed short around the eyes or conversely tie up the hair when doings these tasks.