How to trim a Yorkie, large, small, aggressive dog at home? How to cut a dog's hair with scissors or clippers yourself?

Decorative dogs, such as Yorkshire terriers and poodles, are most often cut in special hairdressing salons for animals, or at home by hairdressers. It is worth understanding that grooming dogs is significantly different from trimming human hair. This is due to the fact that the wool is stiffer.

Should you cut your dog's hair:

In this regard, it is necessary to try to use professional cutting tools designed for hairdressers. This could be scissors that are regularly sharpened, as well as a special machine for dogs.
Generally, a standard clipper is not suitable for people's haircuts due to its low power. Dog hair is very hard, so the clipper blades become dull quickly. Special knives and blades made of steel are required, which are resistant to abrasion and dulling.
Because of this, many dog owners find it easier to take their pet to the groomer. However, haircuts are not cheap. This is why many dog owners try to learn how to cut their own hair.
However, the difficulty lies not in the haircut itself, but in calming the dog so that he feels calm, protected, and does not move during the haircut. Any movement can negatively affect not only the haircut, but also cause damage to the skin with scissors or other sharp objects.

Terrier haircut pattern

How to cut a dog's hair at home?

In most cases, experienced breeders groom their dogs themselves. The only exception is the period before exhibitions, when the dog needs to be tidied up and given a really beautiful haircut.

How to cut a dog's hair at home:

Special scissors with sharp blades
Pukhoderka
Metal comb with fine teeth
Soft massage comb
Typewriter
If necessary, wedge cutter

All these devices can be purchased at a pet store. Of course, the initial cost of such a set will be equal to approximately one haircut in a dog salon, but over time such an acquisition will justify itself.

Haircut geometry

Types of haircuts for dogs

The main task is not to cut the dog’s hair the first time. It is necessary to gradually accustom her to cutting her hair. It is best to do this starting from the age of the puppy. To do this, you need to put the dog in the bath, calm it down and turn on the machine.

Types of haircuts for dogs:

It is worth noting that haircuts for dogs are not the same, they can be hygienic and fashionable. Hygienic measures are carried out with the aim of improving the health of the dog.
Typically, hair is trimmed near the eyes, around the muzzle, and in the genital area.
This is necessary so that after a walk, going to the toilet and eating, there is no need to scrape off the remains of sewage or food, and tangles do not form around them. Some dogs may have impaired vision due to constantly hanging fur.

What determines the quality of the coat?

What kind of fur your pet will have depends on many factors. And if we have no control over natural data, then it is quite possible to correct other data in order to improve the quality of the pet’s hair.

Much depends on heredity. There is nothing you can do about genetics, so you must initially choose a puppy by looking at its parents. Luxurious fur from your closest relatives is the key to the beauty of your puppy in the future.

Environmental factors - direct sunlight, sea water, dry air - all this negatively affects the quality of the animal's hair. You should not bathe your dog in the sea or let him sleep near the radiator in winter.

Various physiological conditions and general health also directly affect the appearance of the coat: hair growth slows down during pregnancy, lactation, changing teeth, even with a common cold or stress. Along with this, poor nutrition can cause skin allergies, alopecia (baldness), and loss of pigmentation.

A lack or excess of vitamins can lead to various skin reactions, dandruff, inflammation of the sebaceous glands - even baldness. Therefore, it is important to monitor the terrier’s diet and ask the veterinarian for the exact prescription of all dietary supplements.

How to cut a Yorkie dog's hair at home?

This breed needs a hygienic haircut every 3 months. The fur grows back very quickly and bothers the dog.

How to cut a Yorkie dog's hair at home:

It is best to wash the dog in some noisy conditions, including a radio or mobile phone. It is necessary that the dog is not distracted by noise; this will greatly simplify the task.
By turning on the clipper, there is no need to try to cut the dog's hair. The main task at this stage is to accustom the dog to the sound of the buzzing machine and not disturb it. Thus, the dog gets used to the sound of the equipment.
It is necessary to apply scissors to the dog’s fur at the same time. That is, you can pull the fur back a little and apply a cold blade of scissors to the back. Or just do it manually. It is necessary for the dog's skin to get used to the cold touch of the metal.
This most often causes anxiety in doggies. When the dog is no longer afraid of equipment and scissors, you can start cutting. This usually takes about 3 months. Such manipulations must be done a couple of times a week so that the dog does not forget what it is.

Before and after

Aids

The key to a successful haircut is not only your careful actions, but also the availability of special care products.

When bathing your animal, be sure to pay attention to the shampoos and conditioners you use. Lack of lathering and smoothing products will leave your dog's coat unkempt. The shampoo should be strengthening and, if possible, healing. But the conditioner should be aimed at making hair easy to comb, smooth and shiny.

Buy only professional products for grooming and grooming your dog's coat.

Remember that dog care products must be professional and designed specifically for this type of animal, and even better, specifically for Yorkies.

When cutting your hair, you also need to pay attention to special products. Stock up on a spray that will make your hair smooth and easy to comb. There are special grooming sprays that give hair shine and a well-groomed appearance.

There are special fluids on the market that are applied to the ends of the hair. They counteract split ends and fill the hair with life-giving moisture. You should have several care products in your arsenal. Only in this case will the animal look neat and well-groomed.

Accessories for the Yorkshire Terrier

Don't forget about accessories. Rubber bands, hairpins, and rivets must be intended specifically for animals, not to tear hair, and not cause traumatic effects. Taking care of your Yorkie turns into an exciting game. You are your own designer who creates incredible hairstyles on your pet. Turn this procedure into a fun process not only for yourself, but also for your dog. And then a haircut will become a real pleasure for you and a reason to give free rein to your imagination.

How to cut a dog's hair with a clipper at home?

The main task is to completely calm the dog during the haircut. Please note that adult dogs are trained in exactly the same way. That is, it is necessary not to immediately start cutting when you feel like it or the fur has grown sufficiently, but to initially accustom your pet to tools.

How to cut a dog's hair with a clipper at home:

The dog must be trimmed from the back and tail. For these purposes, choose the largest attachment and move from the tail area to the withers. It is necessary to move the clipper against the direction of hair growth.
Try to press hard enough, pressing the skin, so that there are no steps. One straight stripe is immediately made from the tail to the withers, and then the next ones extend from it, towards the sides.
For the abdominal area, as well as the anus, take a medium-sized nozzle. It is necessary that there should be hair about 1 cm long left there. The shortest attachment is used for cutting in the area of the paws, ears, and muzzle.
Please note that all trimming manipulations are carried out in the direction from the dangerous zone to the safe one. For example, from the side of the anus, to the area from it. This is done in order not to injure the dog in the most sensitive places. In this way, the paws are trimmed, from the pads to the free area.

Dog grooming

Removing split ends

You can experiment a lot with the Yorkshire Terrier's coat. First, we always remove split ends - this procedure looks like this:

comb your pet with a mat cutter to remove any matted fur;
separate the fur with a long-toothed comb;
take a small curl, twist it and cut off everything that sticks out;
do this wherever you do not plan to trim the dog.

Remember that damaged ends slow down hair growth, so their removal is necessary.

How to trim a large dog's hair at home?

You need to take a coarse, fine-toothed comb and comb your dog. Next, you need to take a slicker brush and completely remove any down that sticks out or gets in the way. Next you need to use a tangle cutter to cut off the resulting clumps of wool that have become tangled.

How to trim a large dog at home:

After these procedures, it is imperative to wash the dog. No matter how clean the dog is, very often after a walk dust particles, songs, particles of earth and leaves remain on its fur. All these small mechanical particles can cause the machine to break down and make the scissors dull.
It is best to wash your dog with anti-matt shampoo. It usually contains special components, oil and balm, which make hair slippery and more manageable. This prevents the formation of tangles.
After this, you need to dry the dog's fur. The best way to do this is with a hairdryer. If the dog is not afraid of the machine, most often it will not react to the hair dryer either. After all, the noise is approximately the same. If your dog is worried, rub it with a towel and wait until the fur is completely dry. Once it's dry, be sure to brush the strands with a fine-toothed brush to even out the fur. After that, start cutting.

Before and after

Required Tools

Many owners wonder how to trim their Yorkie themselves using scissors alone. Unfortunately, scissors will not be enough - you will need other equipment to make the procedure pleasant and quick, and most importantly, correct. So, a basic set of tools:

Table and rubber mat, ideally this should be a grooming table with a rubberized surface.
Scissors, and not alone. At a minimum, you need straight, rounded, thinning scissors and small scissors with rounded tips (like manicure scissors).
A machine with different types of attachments. It’s good if it’s battery-powered, without connecting to the network - then there will be no surprises if the light suddenly goes out. Such a machine is mobile: for example, in a private house you can get a haircut in the yard. The attachments, like the body itself, should be metal - they do not accumulate static electricity, metal is easier to clean, and it is less clogged with hairs.
Trimmer for treating hard-to-reach places - ears, muzzle, anus.
Several combs with different distances between teeth. Combs should also be metal.
Massage brush.
A mat cutter, since mats fall off even on the most well-groomed dogs, sometimes at record speed – within a day.
Nail clipper and medium hard nail file.

This is the equipment you will need directly when cutting your hair. In addition to this, you will need shampoo, conditioner, hair dryer, mousses, sprays and care oils.

How to cut a dog's hair with scissors at home?

If you plan to cut your hair using scissors, since you don’t have a clipper, then you need to follow exactly the same rules.

How to cut a dog's hair with scissors at home:

The haircut begins from the back and sides, gradually moving to the abdomen and muzzle.
It is necessary to grab strands of wool, pulling them through the comb, grabbing them with your fingers.
Try to measure the same distance from your fingers to the tips of the hairs.
In the area of the anus, as well as the paws, the hair is trimmed almost completely, leaving up to 1 cm.
The situation is exactly the same with the eyes; it is necessary to direct the blade of the scissors away from the eyes.

Haircut scheme

How often can you cut your dog's hair?

The frequency of haircuts is determined by the rate of hair growth, as well as the characteristics of weather conditions.

How often can you cut your dog's hair:

The fact is that dogs with very long hair must be trimmed before the summer season. This will improve air exchange and also protect the dog from overheating.
Under no circumstances should you cut your dog's hair very short, as this could cause harm. Thermoregulation is disrupted, the dog can freeze, or, conversely, become very overheated. There are dog breeds that need to be trimmed regularly.
Among them it is worth noting Yorkshire terriers, poodles, and spaniels. Usually they are trimmed once every 2 months. During the haircut, the hair is shortened throughout the entire body, also on the muzzle.
Before summer, you can radically remove the fur on the animal’s belly and paws to protect it from ticks. In some cases, a hygienic haircut is necessary, which helps the dog quickly recover from ticks and fleas.
In this case, it is recommended to leave a short coat length and trim the dog almost completely. A hygienic haircut involves removing hair on the face, ears, beard, as well as on the paws, and in the genital area. During a hygienic haircut, the hair on the ears, face, paws, between the pads, and also in the genital area is trimmed. This makes caring for your pet easier and prevents tangles from occurring.

Doggie

Frequency

The frequency of haircuts depends on the individual parameters of the dog. Each individual's fur grows at a different rate. But on average, once a month or a month and a half you need to go to the groomer and cut off the excess regrown hairs.

Much also depends on the class of the pet. If you grow long hair, you need to trim it quite rarely, limiting yourself to hygienic treatment and removing split ends.

If the dog is a fashionista, and you love short hairstyles with a variety of unusual elements, then you will have to update the shape quite often.

The third category is owners who prefer to choose seasonal haircuts. In the warm season, their dogs are shaved very short so as not to suffer from excess heat, and by winter the hair is let out to a semi-long level so that the animal does not get too cold. If you adhere to such a scheme, then you will only have to visit the groomer or touch the clipper a few times a year.

How to cut a dog's hair yourself?

The main task during a haircut is to ensure comfort for yourself and the dog. Accordingly, it is necessary that the surface on which the haircut is carried out is smooth, with a rubberized mat.

How to cut your dog's hair yourself:

You can choose a regular travel mat that does not slip on the table. It is best to do the haircut not in the bathroom, but on the table, so as not to bend over.
After all, in a bent state it is quite difficult to trim a dog efficiently and evenly. Therefore, it is best if the dog is approximately at waist level. This will help remove hair evenly on different parts of the body.
It is necessary for one person to do the haircut, and the second to stroke the dog, caress it, and treat it. It is necessary to praise the dog for standing calmly and not twitching, calm it down and feed it with treats.
Thus, it is necessary to develop a certain chain according to which the dog should associate a haircut with something good. That is why it is important to trim constantly, in the same place. That is, in the house on the table or in the salon.

Please note that there are dogs that are very afraid of unfamiliar places; this is very stressful for them. Therefore, find a specialist who can come to your home so as not to take your dog to the salon. A professional groomer knows how to deal with fairly aggressive dogs. Under no circumstances should violent actions be carried out.

Dog grooming

Short or long

The length depends on the character of the dog and the preference of the owner.

If the animal is active, spends a lot of time outside, plays with children, a short haircut will suit him. Wool will not quickly get dirty and tangle.

If the owner has time for careful care, you can choose a long hairstyle. It will show all the beauty of the pet and demonstrate the owner’s efforts in caring for the pet.

But no matter what the haircut is, your Yorkie still needs to be brushed and bathed regularly.

How to trim an aggressive dog's hair at home?

There are several tips that will help you trim a dog, even of an aggressive nature, without loss or problems. Under no circumstances should you do this by force or force the dog. What can be done? You need to try to calmly explain that he needs a haircut.

How to trim an aggressive dog's hair at home:

As soon as the dog begins to growl or get angry when tools or clippers touch him, you need to lightly press on the withers and, as it were, press him to the bottom, continue cutting.
This way, the dog will understand that you are in charge here. Under no circumstances should you finish the haircut on the dog’s initiative, so the dog will understand that dissatisfaction, grinning or aggression towards the owner will not stop the owner’s work. Accordingly, the leader in this process is the owner and only when he wants will the haircut be completed. Very aggressive dogs are muzzled during grooming.
If the dog resists strongly, ask one of your close relatives to help you. Under no circumstances should this be a stranger, but an exclusively well-known person for the dog.

Doggie

Trimming nails

Trimming the nails is also a mandatory procedure - since the nails, if not shortened, begin to crack and bleed, which causes your pet great suffering.

Just like human nails, your Yorkie's nails should be trimmed regularly.

If you hear your dog clicking while walking on the parquet floor, it means it’s time to trim his nails. Before trimming your Yorkie puppy's nails to cope with this procedure, stock up on the following:

nail clipper;
cotton buds;
nail scissors
nailfile;
dry potassium permanganate.

After cutting, the dog’s nails should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. Below are step-by-step recommendations on how to cut your Yorkie’s nails:

place your pet on your lap and secure it tightly;
move the hair from the finger you plan to process and lightly press it - the claw will extend and it will be more convenient to trim it;
at an angle of 45 degrees, trying not to touch the claw bed, trim the claw;
do not forget about the fifth fingers that are not visible;
if you accidentally hit the claw bed and blood comes out, treat the area with a cotton swab, dipping it in dry potassium permanganate;
a trimmed claw is too sharp - your pet can injure himself or someone else with it. Therefore, process it with a file;
Next, remove all the hair from the base of the paw - dried dirt accumulates there. Dogs love this procedure much more than the nail trimming that precedes it.

And finally, one more piece of advice - it is best to trim the nails after bathing, when they are as soft as possible and well processed. If you don’t have a nail clipper, it’s okay, you can easily do it with ordinary nail scissors.

The dog won't let me cut it - what should I do?

There are dogs with dominant behavior, they try to be the leader of the pack. In this case, it is best to take your pet to the salon. The fact is that he shows dominant behavior in his home, considering himself the master.

The dog won’t let you cut it, what to do:

The dog does not feel so confident in a foreign place, so behavior in the salon will be much calmer than in the house.
If the dog has a dominant behavior, it can be cut at home, but for this it is necessary to perform a series of manipulations and constant work. The most interesting thing is that small breeds are the most aggressive.
This is due to the lack of sufficient training. After all, it is with large breeds, such as a shepherd dog or a Labrador, that the dog handler’s work and training are carried out. These dogs are more disciplined and obedient.

How to litter train a Yorkshire Terrier puppy.

Everyone knows that a baby Yorkshire terrier who has not been vaccinated cannot walk on the street, and he has to be toilet trained at home in a diaper or in a litter tray. All veterinarians and breeders constantly hear the question: “ How to toilet train a puppy?” ". There is nothing complicated about this, all you need is your patience and perseverance!