When you have a Yorkshire Terrier, one of the first questions you’ll ask is, how do I give a Yorkshire Terrier a haircut? Yorkies are born with short coats, but the hairs will begin to grow out around the 12-month mark, or sooner in certain circumstances.
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How Do I Give a Yorkshire Terrier a Haircut?
If you want to shave your Yorkie in comfort, place a few old towels or newspapers on a table at a suitable height and put your dog on top. This will make it easy to reach all the dog’s body sections and clean up the chopped hairs later.
To calm your Yorkie and make them feel secure, pet them. Also, make no rapid movements while trimming its hair that can make them nervous or lead them to jump off the table.
Professional dog groomers are known to be faster with the clippers, although they are a bit more expensive. If you are bold enough you can trim your Yorkie without any professional intervention. Here are a few pointers on how to trim your puppy’s hair like an expert to cut costs.
- Begin with the body: Starting at the neck and working down to the tail, trim the Yorkie’s body. Trim the coat in the direction it usually develops for an equal cut. Repeat until the entire body has been shortened.
- Trim the neck: Trim the collar of your dog all the way around. To keep the Yorkie still when trimming the neck and head areas, firmly grab the Yorkie’s chin hair.
- Trim the belly and bottom area: You may trim your puppy’s belly by lifting its front paws with your forearm and bracing its back against your body. Trim the region around the bottom of your Yorkie’s tail while holding it up and out of the way. It’s crucial to maintain this area with short hair to keep it clean for health reasons.
- Trim the legs, feet, and tail: To trim the Yorkie’s legs and the pads of their feet, most people use shears or thinning shears. For a shorter length, you can use a 4 or 7 blade.
- Trim the face: Trim the fur above the eyes by combing it forward. With your comb, brush the hair forward and then hold the line of fluff with your fingertips. Cut across the forehead with your thinning shears at the line you’ve drawn with your fingers.
Make sure you’re chopping off enough to clear your puppy’s eyes as you go. This video from Dog’s tv enlightens me more on how to give your Yorkshire Terrier a trim.
Grooming Tools for a Yorkie
The first step in trimming your Yorkie’s hair is to gather all the necessary grooming supplies and set up a handy workspace. Having all of your equipment at hand and working in a comfortable environment for both you and your dog will make the process go more quickly.
The following is a list of some of the supplies you’ll need:
- Shampoo and Conditioner: I recommend bathing your Yorkie with a shampoo made exclusively for dogs before trimming their hair. While most dogs don’t require conditioner, the Yorkie is a long-haired dog breed that will benefit from using a dog-specific conditioner.
- Electric Clipper: Clippers are better for trimming hard-to-reach areas like your Yorkie’s footpads or giving your Yorkie a close cut. You will not accidentally harm your dog if you use a clipper.
- Scissors: Scissors are must-have gear in addition to an electric clipper. They’re convenient for shaping and trimming lengthier sections of the coat while maintaining a flawless finish.
- Comb or Brush: When it comes to brushing your Yorkie’s hair, choose a brush that best fits the length of your dog’s hair and that you will use frequently. While cutting or clipping the Yorkie’s hair, use a different comb.
- Hairdryer: You can use a hairdryer to swiftly get rid of any remaining wetness after you’ve cut the Yorkie’s hair or showered it.
Haircut Lengths of a Yorkshire Terrier
Before you start thinking about shaping your Yorkie’s coat, you should first decide how long you want it to be. You can do a lot of experimenting as long as the fur isn’t shaved. The coats of most Yorkshire Terriers grow relatively quickly, allowing you to experiment with different designs.
Let’s have a look at the five different levels of Yorkie haircuts.
Shaved
The body is shaved close, while the hairs on the head are long and sculpted in this haircut. If you want your Yorkie to have a shaved cut, you can go short wherever; it’s just a matter of personal choice.
Short (Puppy Cut)
This is the most common Yorkie hair length, and it’s ideal for active dogs. It keeps a dog’s appearance neat. The coat only needs to be brushed two to three times each week, and a leave-in solution that repels dirt and debris works well with this length.
Medium
The second most common length for a Yorkshire Terrier’s coat is this one. The coat appears smooth and fluffy with a medium cut, but it isn’t so long that upkeep and grooming are difficult.
Long
With such a long length, a Yorkie can show off its beautiful colors. The hair is free-flowing, and as long as you try to keep the coat healthy, this haircut will look great.
Since the coat will be prone to tangles at this length, you’ll want to comb and brush it almost every day, as well as use a leave-in conditioner.
Very Long, Floor-Length
This is the maximum length of a Yorkie’s coat. It is a lovely length, but it’s not for everyone; you’ll have to brush your Yorkie’s hair daily to avoid tangles, and this hairstyle necessitates a top knot.
Conclusion
If you decide to take your dog to the groomer, you can give specific cut instructions based on your tastes. Take caution if you choose to cut your Yorkies’ hair yourself. Make sure your dog is calm and that you have enough time to avoid injuring your dog.
