Making your dog perdy

My uncle was a professional groomer in NYC and he was also a breeder of Yorkshire Terriers. I say 'was' because, unfortunately back in 1989, he died suddenly of some health complications. But growing up, we had several yorkies in our home and to this day I use the same techniques for both grooming and bathing as I did back then. I do however , on occasion pamper my pet, and take her to the professionals for grooming, but for the most part, I find it easy enough to do on my own.

The key to grooming your yorkie is starting early! Whether you groom your yorkie yourself or have him professionally clipped you want your pup to become accustomed to the 'tools' of grooming and to being in water for her bath. (because they will be in alot of it over the years)

I found it pays to purchase the better shampoos specifically designed for the longer haired breeds. In a pinch, I've walked into Walmart and bought the $8 bargain shampoos and you can really tell the difference both in application and in the animals' coat! :winces, I know I know: But truly, it really does benefit (I think) to not compromise and pay the $12+ for that bottle of specially formulated shampoo that you can find either on the internet or in your local pet store. And to be honest, I think you'll find that in the long run, the extra you pay in cost of that bottle goes further both in frequency of bath times and the amount you have to use! And please do not even consider using human hair shampoo products. :winces again even moreso: The differences between the pH in human hair and dog hair are vast and the genetic makeup is all different as well.

Consider also that yorkie coats vary drastically, so the shampoo that works on my dog, may be drying on your dog or might dull the texture on anothers. (not to mention issues of skin sensitivities, etc.) It's trial and error for awhile, but usually if you go with a quality shampoo recommended by breeders, you will be fine. (I will name drop one product I have used and have gotten good results...Pet Silk, found on the internet)

Now, I'm going to tell you my tips on bathing my yorkie, then at the bottom of this page, there is a link to a professional breeder who has a great tutorial with more ideas!

Bath time for Isabel comes about every week to every week and a half (depending on what she's gotten into that week). If we've gone fishing (which she's loves to do by the way), then a bath is necessary right afterwards!

So let's prepare mentally for this bath. Imagine yourself being 3, 5, 7 pounds and being lifted down into this foreign object (we call a bathtub or sink). Imagine the trust that is required every time it's "that" time. Keep that in mind and have patience with your little ones if they are a bit reluctant. Some yorkies might not mind bath time, while others dread the event.

Now with my other yorkies, we would use the kitchen sink, but with Isabel, I found she does better in the tub (don't know why, just my gut instinct w/ her). The main thing is to have a steady, strong, "your in control" hand with your dog. I have a small plastic pitcher that I use to pour the water over the back of her body first.

Tip: if it's flea season, my uncle always said it's smart to wet their head first because fleas run first to the ears and between toes.

Now, when you get to their head, you want to be very careful not to get water in their eyes and ears making this as least traumatic as possible! After you get your dog completely wet down, you can suds them up. Rinse, then use conditioner (yes, they have special dog conditioners on the market). Be sure to take the time to do that final rinse thoroughly. It's very important. Some yorkie owners may shampoo twice, but Isabel being one of those "reluctant" types, gets only one.

At this point your little one might be giving you those sad begging "please be done" eyes and you might be tempted to just be done with it, but hang in there and get the job done right!

Also, let me interject, if tub bathing, do let your pooch do their little shakes during the bath, that makes them feel better and re-assure them for sure. After the bath is complete have a towel ready, but don't scoop them up quite yet. I gently squeeze the excess water off each leg of Isabel before removing her from the tub (or sink). Now bundle up your baby and tell her what a good girl (or boy) he/she is. Re-assuring helps, believe me!

Tip: Lightly squeeze the towel around your yorkie dry rather than briskly rub (this will help alleviate unnecessary tangles)

I admit it, if it's in the summer months, I let Isabel air dry. She seems to love ripping and tearing around the house. If it's winter, I insist on blow drying her out (and make sure your blow dryer is on a low setting, with the head of the dryer PULLED WAY BACK from the body of the dog). Also, my blow dryer has a cool button on it, so I hit that every so often to give the heat of the dryer a relief. Isabel loves the blow dryer (but some of our other yorkies through the years, haven't always been so eager). Be in tune with your dog!

Grooming

I'll give just a couple tips, and because I'm not a professional groomer, I won't say much here, but refer you to the link below for more advice on grooming.

My grooming is very very basic. Basically what I do, is while she is still wet, do all my grooming. I like to make sure Isabel's touche' (or back side) is well groomed. For me, I would rather see a hairless bare back side than worry about cling ons. That's just my personal preference on my pet dog, so I use special grooming scissors to achieve this (when she goes to the groomers, I think they use a more direct approach and use the electric thingys). For her feetsies, I again use scissors following the round outline of the paws and you always cut at a 90 degree angle down each leg.. This is another benefit of taking your dog to the groomer. Not only are you able to obtain that perfectly trimmed foot, but they also will remove the excess hair between the toes and pad on the underside of the foot, which is very important! Facial, top knot, and all other body hair I just snip snip as evenly as I can, as needed. (again, this grooming lesson is just basics, not intensive)

Ears are an important area on the yorkie to keep neatly trimmed and can make a big difference in the appearance as well. Again, I use a more needle nosed pair of professional grooming scissors to ensure a precision cutting on my dog. I sit Isabel on a chair in front of me while I sit on the floor (sounds weird I know). But it works for us, what can I say. While she is directly in front of me, I take the hair on her ears and with my thumb and pointer finger rub it straight out from her ear in the natural way the hair lays. (this is why I groom immediately after her bath, while she istill wet) This way I can see exactly how much I need to cut and simply outline the ear. Then I just trim the excess hair in a V shape point to the tip of each ear 1/3 of the way down. I do cut away some of what I call the "flyaway" hairs inside her ear, but that is probably a no-no if you would ask a professional. If you go the groomers, most likely they will buzz the inside and outside of the ear as well with electric trimmers.

Nails takes two! My mom helps me do Isabel's nails and we have special dog nail clippers for this. (you can buy them at the pet store) It's Isabel's LEAST favorite thing in the world to have done, but definately something that every yorkie needs to have done. A yorkie's nails are tricky for two reasons. One, their nails are little. Two, their nails are black. So it can be very easy to clip too deep and accidentally cut the quik (have a stypic pencil or powder handy!--men usually have them in the medicine cabinet for razor cuts) But if you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself, some vets will clip nails on a visit OR ask your groomer how much for just a nail trimming. Again, the hair that grows between the pads of the feet needs to be clipped when it grows too long. Clue to this is when a yorkie begin biting at their feet!

Teeth cleaning is another detail to watch for. I did purchase a special doggy toothbrush for Isabel, and although I do not use any paste for her cleanings, I do brush when I see she needs it. But it's good after bath time, and during grooming, to give a quick check of the 'ole teeth and gums to see if any build up or food is lodged. I have read it is good to brush a yorkies teeth daily, but I admit, I haven't been that dedicated to the cause of pearly whites. I will say though, that as a yorkie ages, it is common for their teeth to loosen and eventually fall out often making it difficult for them to chew hard foods. Consider this bit of oral prevention.

Tip: If you have an older yorkie who is beginning to show signs of inability to chew his regular foods, you may have to go to a softer formula in your brand or add water to soften.

Oh, and I'll also mention that in between baths, I have a spray bottle filled with a conditioning smell-good spray that quickly freshens up her coat. I know the perfumes are the on the market, but I've never tried them. The one I use is from Pet Silk.

Brushing

Brushing your yorkie takes time! When you think of a yorkie you think hair and when you think of hair you think shed! Well, while yorkies do NOT shed, they do need brushed. And you'll probably find out that you'll need more than one brush to get the job done. When you first bring your yorkie home, while they may not need a brushing, do it! While yorkie's coats vary, every yorkie needs brushed and brushed frequently. For your puppy, I suggest getting a soft bristled brush just to get the little one used to the movement of your hand and the feel of the brush on them. Practice holding them on their backs and brush their paws, heads, ears bellies, and backs. As they get older, the knots and occasional 'rat' will come, so more sturdy brushes are necessary. Below is a list of brushes I have invested in and use on a regular basis:

• Coated tipped pin brush or stiff bristle brush
• Slicker brush
• Metal comb (great for stubborn tangles)
• Flea comb (if needed)

Tip: Please don't pull the hair on your dog, their hair, just like yours is very sensitive. If you must remove a tangle, hold the hair above where the tangle is and then pull it through. This will ensure the dog will feel virtually nothing.

This next link is a most excellent .pdf file complete with photo instructions! It even goes into the details of creating the 'top knot' which is the fancy bow that is a technique alot of AKC handlers use on show day. Doing the 'Do: Grooming

It can be quite expensive purchasing hair accessories for your yorkie, so might I suggest, making your own! I tried it and it's not as difficult as it might seem. And it's so great to be able to customize bows according to exactly what you want. I'll be adding a 'how to' page here soon!

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