Cheap Ways to Take Care of a Yorkie's Hair

If you are the owner of a Yorkie, it is essential to learn how to properly manage dog hair. A Yorkie (short for Yorkshire terrier) is a small, single-coated and long-haired dog breeds that call for frequent and regular grooming and maintenance. Without proper care, Yorkie hair can become matted and out of control. Professional grooming services can also get really pricey, so cut costs by learning how to manage your Yorkie's hair on your own.

Yorkie coats call for regular bathing. Try to bathe your Yorkie approximately once a month. Start putting your Yorkie in baths when he is just a few months old to get him used to the water. Place your Yorkie either in the bathtub or the kitchen or bathroom sink. Do not exceed six inches when filling the tub or sink up with water, and make sure that the water is comfortably warm for your dog. Stay close to your Yorkie while bathing him in cases he squirms or gets restless. Wet your Yorkie and then shampoo his coat. Start at his head and then travel toward his hind legs. Keep shampoo out of his eyes. Use only shampoos that are intended for dogs. Human shampoos are unsuitable for Yorkies as dogs and humans have very different chemical balances.

Once your Yorkie's bath is over, thoroughly dry him off with a towel. Do this by patting him down instead of rubbing him, as rubbing could lead to the development of more knots and tangles of the coat. Use a wide-tooth metal comb to groom your dog, along with a standard brush. Instead of pulling out matted areas of the coat, softly work them out with the use of your fingers, and then using the comb. Begin at the ends of your Yorkie's hair going to the parts nearest the body. Do this on a daily basis to prevent the formation of stubborn knots.

After dogs bathe, they have a tendency to get cold and to run around the house in a hyper and often manic fashion. To avoid this, blow dry your Yorkie's hair after bathing and combing it. Depending on outdoor temperatures, set your blow dryer on low or medium. Be sure to exercise caution when blow drying your Yorkie; you don't want the hot dryer to make contact with her body. Excess heat also burns the dog's skin and lead to coat damage.

Yorkies have very long hair, so for hygiene purposes, it can be beneficial to regularly trim the hair located in the mouth area. This allows your dog to eat his meals without accidentally chewing on his own hair while doing so. It also prevents food and grime from sticking in his hair, making for a much cleaner and fresher-smelling Yorkie.

For optimal Yorkie grooming, regularly trim the ears' latter third portion. Doing this eliminates hair that can otherwise weigh down the ears and make them feel heavy to your Yorkie.