| I use Pet Silk products on my dogs but trust me as a breeder we have to buy many different coat and skin care products. I have added links to the bottom of page to website who sell dog products. |
| Yorkshires should also have special attention paid to their eyes, teeth, ears and nails... The long hair should be prevented from falling into their eyes, thus preventing any irritation and infections. As with most Toy breeds, Yorkshires can have a tendency to have tartar build up on the teeth, but if regular attention is given to the teeth this should not be a serious problem. Toy breeds can take up to six months before they have their adult teeth. They may retain some baby teeth and if so would have to have them pulled. Only use tooth paste that is for dogs. Never use human tooth paste it could kill them. Keep their nails trimmed and the hair trimmed around the pads of their feet. Long nails can be painful and cause problems when they walk. As with keeping the hair trimmed off the tip of their ears you will want to pull the hairs out of the inner ear as well. Please ask your vet to show how to do this. He should be more then happy to show you this. Or let your groomer or vet do it. Use an ear wax remover to keep the ear clean and healthy. You want to keep the ears dry so pay special attention when you dry after a bath. Make sure to dry the hair inside and around the ears. Use a wipe to small Q-tip to clean the outer ear. Rub the ear wax remover into the ear canal, let your dog shake his head to help remove any moisture. Then wipe the ear out with a dry clean cloth. Start them out young learning these habits and they will perform better for you. |
| Show bows can be ordered over the internet or at dogs shows. You will find show bows are costly but a must to have if you plan on showing your little one. These I only use for shows. |
| When your dog goes outside and his or her hair drags the ground it will cause damage which will travel up the hair shaft. Use infant hair clips to clip up the hair. As you see I have done to Fable above. After they comes back in remove the clips and brush the hair. Also do the long hair on the legs as well. If you teach them these things early they tend to leave them alone as they get older and you can then keep them clipped up more. The coat should be cut even with the floor to ensure good movement but will grow much longer. Making sure your dog can walk without stepping on his coat is a must for their comfort. |
| It is best to have someone skilled teach you to do the show wraps as well as putting in the top knot. This takes a bit of skill to do it right as to not damage the coat of cause discomfort to your dog.... This chart will help you a great deal. Be sure not to make the wraps too tight against the skin. Wraps have to be taking down everyday, brushed out and redone if you are keeping them in a wrap to protect the coat. |
| Here you see Molly in her moisture wraps. As there many products out there you should do your home work on the and learn what they contain and what benefits your dogs get from them. Be careful of their contents such as alcohol which can bleach the coat and make it brittle. I find it easy to just wrap my show coat for one day. I use either an oil or cream. Adding warmth from the blow dryer or sun lets the product penetrate the hair shaft so it gets a better conditioning treatment. Around five that day I will give them a good warm bath to remove the oil. I use mink oil on my dogs between deep conditioning treatments. Using a natural bore hair brush is very healthy for the skin and coat which pulls the oils down the hair shaft to the ends. Using the brush a lot will aid more the you would think. It really does not take long to get a tangle, and then they turn into a knot. Take your time brushing out a tangle and always start brushing from the bottom of the coat up to top. Removing tangles start from the outer edges working toward the center. Below you see the quality of the coat the breeding of my dogs have. This is Star with a beautiful full coat that grows like mad. You will some photos of her in the site with extremely long coats. |
| The coat really depends on your and what you want. Many Yorkshires sport short cuts called a Puppy Cut. Some like a bit longer coat and others the full show coat. The genetics and age of the dog will determine what type of texture the coat has. This breeds coat is fully mature at age two. Texture, color, quantity and quality of the coat a dog will have is due to genetics. Some work on your behalf and quality products for your dogs coat will keep him looking good. Quality is in the benefit your dog gets from the product and not the price of the product. Olive oil has been used for ages as well as mink oil. Do some research and you will find some old and new ideas of conditioning the coat. |
| Care to keep the perfect coat..... |
| Most people think they have to go to a groomer and pay large amounts of money. You can care for your Yorkies coat yourself. Pets that have problem hair should be done by a professional to ensure that it is cared for properly. A Yorkshire Terrier that has a quality bloodline should have a good quality coat. A healthy coat does not tangle has much and is easier to manage. A quality coat gives you the ability to keep a show coat that is beautiful and well maintained. A healthier coat can be managed by the owner, with just a little homework on the art of pet grooming. Brushing being an everyday must. Keeping the hair out the eyes and trimmed on the tips of the ears. Keep all the dead ends cut with a good pair of shears. It is best to train the hair around the eyes to lay down rather than cut them. For show you must not cut around the eyes. I am a cosmetologist and I tell you never use human shampoo or conditioner on you pets! Most people use the wrong shampoo and wonder why their dogs have dry hair and skin. Yes they have a hair like coat but it is not human hair. Would you wash your hair with dog shampoo? No, because it is not formulated for your hair. Shampoo works two ways. First the head breaks up the dirt and oil, then the tails removes the waste as you rinse. Conditioners work two ways. First they condition the strains of hair and provide moisture and conditioning agents to the damage parts of the hair shaft, then in the rinsing they leave some traces of the conditioner attached to the hair shaft to protect it against loss of more moisture. For this type of breed it is helpful to mix a small amount of conditioner in a mist bottle with water. Dilute one part conditioner to 15 parts of distilled water. Mist just the hair and not the skin. Blow dry hair all the way dry. Do not leave your Yorkie partly moist. If you keep your dog brushed during each day you will find bathing him is very easy. I do not rush a bath. I make it an enjoyable act so they at least have some parts of they like. My dogs get a bath once or twice a week. Start with the head and lather up the face, working back down the neck and legs to the rump. Make sure you are washing down to the skin. Wash down each leg being careful to clean the toes and between the pads on the feet. Wash the rear very good making sure to clean under the tail. I repeat this twice. Rinse well each time. I put on the conditioner and let it set a few moments while I comb out the coat with a wide toothed plastic comb. I do this once and rinse well. Wrap your dog in thick towels and let them draw out most of the water. Gently towel dry, mist with the conditioning rinse and blow dry. If you put warm water in the tub to cover their feet their nails are much easier to cut. Kind of like a manicure soak. They have a hair like coat, not fur. They do not shed, brushing and bathing helps remove any loose hairs that need to come out. Yorkies are desirable for some people with allergies, and those who do not want a breed that has a messy molt. Just know there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Yorkshire Terriers do not have an undercoat, and even with a long coat, they feel the cold very easily, and like most Toy breeds prefer the comfort of cosines and warmth. They enjoy being pampered. Yorkshire Terriers are definitely not a breed to keep outside in a kennel. They are house dogs and can not deal with the cold as other dogs can. When going out in cold or wet weather they will appreciate a warm dog coat to wear. |
| Grooming and care for your Yorkie..... |
| Eyes, Ears and Teeth..... |
| You can find most of the tools and equipment you need to care for the coat and nails at local department stores. Some you will have to order or find at dog shows. Make sure to get a good pin brush. You will use this more than anything you get. |
| You will find many different products out there on the market. Not every dog has the same needs for skin and coat. Depending on your dogs needs will depend on what products work best for him. For the show coat you will need to take special care of the coat and will want to use the best products made just for the show coat. You can find these products on the web and at dog shows. It will save you money to buy some products by the gallon Use a detangler to brush the coat. It will help protect the coat while you brush and make it easier for you to keep the coat free of tangles. Oils and heavy conditioners are a must for a Yorkshires coat. They do not shed their coat and grow a new one. If you cut it off it will grow back. If you let it grow long you need to take good care of it. This means using oil or conditioner oils to keep the hair soft and in good condition. |
| Simple child bows work well. Make sure they are not metal clips and are not heavy. Do not make the top knot too tight. It will damage the hair and be uncomfortable for your pet. |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |