Why cut your Yorkie's head?
Due to the structure of the coat (thick, without undercoat), the Yorkshire Terrier does not tolerate temperature changes well. Among other things, the long hair of dogs of this breed gets into sloppy tangles and dirt, dust and secretions stick to it, and overgrown hair on the face interferes with visibility, irritating the mucous membrane of the eyes, and causes discomfort when playing and eating .
Haircuts of various lengths and shapes can ensure the hygiene and aesthetic appeal of your pet.
How to properly trim a Yorkie's head
A Yorkie's first haircut is done at about 3-4 months of age . For a puppy's haircut, it is preferable to choose a classic or hygienic one, since its main purpose is to ensure the cleanliness and comfort of the animal.
Haircuts for adults are very diverse. There are many options for fashion haircuts, but for show dogs it is preferable to trim and contour with thinning scissors to get rid of split ends.
Yorkshire terriers need a hygienic head trim every two weeks, during which the hair is shortened:
- on the back of the nose;
- under the lower jaw and along the line of the mouth;
- in the area around the eyes;
- in the upper third of the ears (in puppies up to the middle of the length of the ear), giving a V-shape;
- remove with a trimmer or tweezers from the inside of the ear;
- and also create the contour of the head.
additional information
Please note! Trimming a Yorkshire Terrier's face is perhaps the most difficult thing to do, and this manipulation is usually left for later. Once you decide to cut your dog’s hair yourself, you need to master this element from a very young age. Otherwise, there is a high risk that the ears will be disturbed. In the summer months, the body and legs are clipped, leaving 2 cm.
By getting a pet for yourself and not intending to participate in exhibitions, you can diversify the appearance of the animal. A Korean-style haircut is considered very attractive, after which the terrier resembles some kind of cartoon character. This option is suitable mainly for those individuals with fluffy fur.
The Korean version implies that the body is cut short, the muzzle and paws are not touched. But the imitation of a schnauzer allows you to achieve no less aesthetic effect, and is ideal on hot days. The body is cut short, as is the back of the head, the paws are bypassed, they try to turn the muzzle into something like a square, they create bangs and something like a beard.
At exhibitions, the main informal competition is based on the length of the coat (of course, it must be silky, otherwise experts will not even evaluate the merits of your pet). The bottom line is that they are limited to thinning the tips and some manipulations in the area of the ears.
Beautiful demonstration hairstyles are very inconvenient, however, in real practice. And even the most famous Yorkies, repeated winners of competitions, having passed the peak of their “model career”, flaunt their coat, decorated in a classic style.
How to trim a Yorkie's face at home
Owners of Yorkshire terriers will have to trim their pet's coat several times a month. Hiring the services of a professional groomer is expensive every time.
Some dog breeders prefer to cut their pet's hair at home themselves . This procedure is more economical and does not cause discomfort or stress for the animal.
To trim a Yorkie's face, you will need a standard set of tools:
- thinning and sharp scissors of different lengths to create the outline of the head;
- scissors with rounded blade ends for cutting hair on the ears and around the eyes;
- trimmer for removing hair from the inside of the ear;
- dog clipper with attachments of various lengths
- metal combs.
The haircut is carried out on pre-moistened wool.
The animal must be secured with a collar and leash. The length of the leash should provide the dog with a comfortable sitting position on the table during the procedure, without making breathing difficult.
Grooming a Yorkie's head is a fascinating and not too difficult task, but before you start creating your pet's hairstyle yourself, you should watch several training videos and master classes on the Internet.
Yorkie nose trim
When processing the head in the area of the bridge of the nose, first cut a triangle from the eyes along the back of the nose towards the tip, leaving 5 to 10 mm of hair length.
Grooming on the nose is performed using scissors with rounded blades to avoid injury to the animal.
There is no need to cut the nose area short to the bridge of the nose. The coat is carefully combed in the direction of growth and the length is aligned along the line of the mouth.
First grooming
A full haircut as such is not done until seven months, but some procedures should be carried out before this age. When the baby is five days old, the claws should be trimmed, at three weeks the ears should be trimmed, and by one and a half months the hair in the groin area should be carefully trimmed. In adulthood, grooming is done for the purpose of hygiene.
By six months, the Yorkie has already grown into model haircuts. Some say that it is better not to touch the wool until it is a year old, as it may grow bad. This is not true and there is no logical explanation for it. On the contrary, this way you will avoid the appearance of matted tangles. There are three main grooming options for Yorkies, and now we will tell you about them.
How to cut a Yorkie's head beautifully
There are two main types of Yorkshire Terrier head haircuts: standard (classic, hygienic) and model .
Dogs participating in exhibitions must undergo a classic head trim according to a standard scheme, since the condition and type of coat is one of the evaluation factors.
And model haircuts for Yorkies allow you to emphasize the character and individuality of your pet. Their variety tends to infinity and depends solely on the imagination of the master.
Model haircuts are divided into several popular types:
- short and puppy haircuts;
- imitating other breeds (Chinese Crested, Poodle, Schnauzer, etc.);
- haircuts for boys
- haircuts for girls
Types of Yorkshire Terrier haircuts
Long and thin hair (its structure is almost identical to human hair) allows Yorkie owners to add uniqueness and charm to the image of their pets. Depending on the type of coat, gender and age of your pet, its participation in shows and exhibitions, the time of year, the haircut of Yorkshire terriers is:
- Everyday . Regular (every 1.5-2 months) shortening the length of the entire hairline.
- Hygienic . This procedure is performed once every 1-1.5 months. The main goal of a hygienic haircut is to remove hair in places most susceptible to the accumulation of dirt and germs (anal and groin areas, spaces between the fingers).
- Standard or cosmetic (a type of exhibition haircut). In accordance with the international standards of the FCI (Cynological Association International) and the British Kennel Club (the oldest English kennel club in the world, engaged in the registration of purebred dog breeds), only trimming is provided for Yorkshire terriers participating in exhibitions (shortening no more than 1-2.5 cm) length of hair on the body.
- Seasonal . Depending on the time of year, a Yorkie's haircut can be summer or winter. A summer haircut is done with a clipper; on the sides and back of the dog, the hair is cut short (length no more than 1-1.5 cm), in the area of the tail and paws the hair is only trimmed. There are no specific requirements or instructions for the types of winter haircuts; the choice depends on the individual characteristics of your pet.
- Model . These haircuts are not limited by strict rules and requirements; they can be creative and imaginative, emphasizing the originality and uniqueness of the Yorkie's image. The only condition is that haircuts are modeled only for dogs that do not participate in exhibitions or shows.
Short Yorkie Head Cut
The choice of haircut length depends on two main factors:
- employment of the owner of the Yorkshire Terrier;
- pet activity.
If the owner does not have enough time to comb the dog’s fur, or the pet prefers playing outdoors and long walks, you should opt for short haircuts.
The most popular among them is “puppy style,” in which the hair on the Yorkie’s head is trimmed as follows:
- hair must be combed thoroughly;
- perform a hygienic ear trim;
- divide all other hair on the head into strands and trim, leaving up to 5 cm in length;
- comb into a natural parting;
- align the contour, giving it a rounded shape.
Unfortunately, the “bear cub” haircut, which is popular for small dogs, cannot be done on a Yorkie, since the breed does not have an undercoat to form the required volume.
In rare cases, if the pet is particularly intolerant of the heat (which is common among Yorkies), the dog will be completely clippered, including the hair on the head. Considering the rate of fouling, by the end of summer the Yorkie's coat grows to a length of 4-5 cm.
Still, the salon is better
It is not difficult to see that trimming a Yorkie at home is a real problem; it requires not only significant costs, but also a separate room and a lot of time. By contacting specialized companies, you guarantee that:
- a professional will work (and not even a motivated one, but an amateur);
- the possibilities for image formation are expanding;
- the instrument is of high quality and always sterile;
- time is saved;
- Additional services are provided.
Regardless of who exactly does the haircut - you yourself or the groomer - the first time it can be done at least 4 months. By the way, a rubber or rubberized mat is needed not only to prevent the hair from flying in different directions, but also to ensure that the dog stands steadily.
How to trim a girl's Yorkie's face
When cutting the head of a female Yorkie, as a rule, a strand of hair is not cut off on the forehead. A bow is tied on it or braided into a braid. In another option, in addition to the strands on the forehead, the long hair on the cheekbones is also retained, and only the area under the lower jaw is trimmed with a clipper.
In both options, split ends must be removed from hairstyle curls. To do this, the strand is twisted into a tight strand and all protruding hairs are carefully trimmed.
Model grooming
To properly trim the face of a Yorkie (girl or boy), there are plenty of haircuts, and each of them will give your dog personality. The master can come up with his own version of the hairstyle, because the hair of the Yorkshire terrier seems to inspire creativity. When choosing a haircut, it is important to focus on the length and thickness of the coat. It doesn’t matter if it is airy and cracks when combed, because with its help you can give your Yorkie a “cute” toy look. Short and Korean haircuts are suitable for such dogs, which will turn him into a mischievous puppy. Leaving curls of long hair will look untidy and will only spoil the appearance.
If your Yorkie has coarse guard hairs, you're in luck. This type of coat is easy to care for and allows for medium-length haircuts, because too long will split the ends, and short hair will give the impression of a bald dog. By the way, a “skirt” haircut suits females well.
Model haircuts are divided into two large classes:
- Classic. This option does not put the stigma of mediocrity on the dog, since you can always leave a long skirt, sleeves, pants or collar. Any fantasy can be compacted into standard frames. We round the boy’s head in the manner of a dandelion, and leave the girl’s beautiful bangs for a bow.
- Creative. There is a wide selection of haircuts for girls here, since you can experiment a lot with long hair. Hairstyles can make a dog look like a breed like a Chinese Crested, a Schnauzer, or an anime Superdog.
