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Grooming the Yorkshire Terrier
Grooming a Yorkie involves not
only taking care of the coat, but taking care of
the whole Yorkie. We're
going to start with the coat and then go into other areas.
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Any hair type grows best when
the Yorkie is in good health and being fed a correct
diet. Everyone hears
about the Yorkie's silk coat. What is meant by that is that
it has one layer and no undercoat
making it very similar to human hair strands.
The correct coat will have a
deep shine in the sunlight that will reflect like metal.
Unfortunately, not every Yorkie
will inherit the correct coat and you will find
them cotton, woolly or double
coated at times.
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The cotton coat is fine, will
mat easily and is not an easy coat to grow out.
The usual cotton coat will be
lighter in shade and you will get two colors but
the called for shaded tans will
instead be an almost pale blonde and the called
for dark blue will be lighter
gray but with a blue shade many times to it. A
daily brushing will help this
coat as will using a conditioner with a slight oil base.
Many people find the easiest
is to cut this coat into one of the many clipped
coat styles.
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The woolly coat is thick, full
and typically very dark, many times never
turning the correct Yorkie colors.
The head and legs will usually have dark
hairs intertwined with the shaded
tan. Sometimes the dog will lighten to
a gray but it too will never
reflect the metallic sheen of the correct coats.
This coat must be brushed once
or twice a day to prevent matting and is highly
recommended that it be kept
in one of the numerous trims for Yorkies for ease
of handling.
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Cleanliness is very important
as dirty hair cannot grow well. The Yorkie should
be bathed once every week or
two. Some need a bath more often than others.
Any good dog shampoo is recommended
along with a good conditioner.
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First make sure you have all
the tangles out of the coat. A wide tooth metal
comb is good for this along
with a good brush. Don't pull mats out, gently work
them out with your fingers first
and then the comb. Always work from the ends
of the hair to the part closest
to the body. A little detangler on the mat will make
it easier to get out and also
save coat. A good brushing every day keeps the
tangles away.
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When all the tangles are out,
then shampoo and rinse. After you have rinsed,
rinse again to make sure every
bit of soap is out of the coat. Left in, it will dull
the coat and might cause itching.
Then use a good conditioner. A small sponge
works really well for rinsing
the face so as not to get water in their nose and
mouth.
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While your Yorkie is in the
bath, this is the time to check the anal glands.
There are two of them, one on
each side of the anus. They only need to be
expressed if they are full.
You might need your vet to show you how. Clip
the hair right around the edge
of the anus for a cleaner Yorkie and to keep
him from getting stopped up.
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The corners of the eyes should
be cleaned every day if your Yorkie tears a lot.
Some Yorkies tear more than
others and cleaning this area will help prevent
staining around the eyes.
Tears will also cause the whisker hair to rot.
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The ears of most Yorkies are
considered prick, which means they stand up
on their own. Always use
care with your Yorkies ears and do not use cotton
swabs etc. If need be,
use a good ear flush or powder. A dog's ear canal curves
into the head which is why using
q-tips or swabs are not recommended. Any
unusual smell about the ear
or continued scratching should be checked by a
qualified veterinarian.
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The hair on the Yorkies ears
are shaved 1/3 down from the tip. The hair on the
pads of his feet should be kept
clipped so he does not slip on slippery floors.
Trim around his feet and coat
as needed.
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For clean, white teeth and sweet
smelling breath, clean your Yorkie's teeth
every day. It can be handled
in numerous ways from the pet toothbrushes and
tooth pastes on the market,
to pretreated pads, to using a gauze pad wrapped
around the finger. Gently
wipe or brush the teeth front and back. Done daily
you will find that the teeth
stay much cleaner and healthier for years. Your
veterinarian can recommend the
best toothpaste to use. If the teeth get too
dirty, you will need to have
them cleaned by your veterinarian.
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Toenails should be cut regularly,
at least every two weeks. If cut at the curve
they should not bleed and if
cut on an angle like the natural wear of the nail, it
will help keep the cuticle back.
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Keep your Yorkie flea free.
One flea can ruin a Yorkie's coat. Make sure you
check for fleas, and ticks as
well, since these and other bugs can cause skin
irritation and extreme scratching
which can inflame and infect the skin. Check
the ears, under the legs and
around the neck and chest area when grooming.