How To Cut Yorkie Hair - Step-by-Step Guide

Do you have an adorable Yorkie jumping around at home? To keep them looking as cute as ever, you’ll need to take good care of their coat. Grooming is essential to protect your Yorkshire Terrier’s soft coat.

What kind of haircut does your Yorkie need? How can you properly groom your pup? We will answer all your questions about keeping your dog’s coat flawless in our step-by-step guide for cutting a Yorkshire Terrier’s hair.

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Read our guide to make sure your Yorkie looks amazing whenever you’re off to the dog park!

Do Yorkies Need Haircuts?

cutting yorkie hair — You can DIY groom a Yorkie!

Yes, all Yorkshire Terriers need haircuts like most dogs out there. However, you’ll need to be aware that your Yorkshire Terrier puppy won’t need to have its hair trimmed for a while. You can wait until your pup is four months old before taking them to the dog groomer.

Even if you want to grow out your canine’s coat, you will still need to trim it regularly so that their hair remains uniform as it grows. The longer you keep your dog, however, the more you’ll tire of shedding and see the need for keeping your pup’s hair short.

It will be much easier to maintain your Yorkie’s coat if you keep it short. After a Yorkie is fully grown, you will need to take them for a haircut about every four to eight weeks. To keep your dog clean, be sure to trim the hair under its tail between the monthly grooming appointments.

Yorkies will need haircuts for numerous reasons, including health-related ones.

Health Reasons for Cutting Your Dog’s Hair

are yorkies hyper — Adopting a Yorkie? Expect an energy packed puppy that LOVES to play and run. They do tire out (eventually)

Regular grooming will keep the coat of your Yorkshire Terrier healthy and shiny. Along with cutting their hair, brushing the Yorkie coat daily will go a long way in removing dirt, dust, and dead hairs.

Cutting hair from around the face can help protect your dog’s eyes from the debris stuck on long hairs. By trimming around the face, you will prevent your dog from having eye infections or allergies.

Furthermore, if your canine has matted hair, they are at greater risk of developing sores on their skin. Since matted hair traps moisture, it can bring about sores. As such, you’ll want to keep your dog’s hair cut short and brushed regularly to avoid matting.

How Regularly Should a Yorkie Get a Haircut?

clippers for yorkie hair — Clippers for Yorkie hair make the coat grooming fast

A Yorkie will need anywhere from six to eight haircuts every year. Furthermore, you’ll need to brush their coat once a day to keep it from matting.

The longest you should wait to get your Yorkie a haircut is about 7-8 weeks, but usually, it should happen once every six weeks. However, if you skip a haircut, it won’t be the end of the world. You will only need to pay extra attention to the dog’s coat and brush away all tangles daily.

So take your dog for a haircut about every two months, and feel free to ask the groomer if your Yorkshire Terrier needs a haircut more often. Sometimes, a dog who likes to go swimming or roll around in the dirt will need hair grooming more regularly.

Is There a Way to Cut Down on the Number of Haircuts a Yorkie Gets?

a black yorkie — A Yorkie with a predominantly black coat stands on a wooden floor.

First, a Yorkie won’t need their first haircut until they are nearly grown, so you can wait until they are almost one year old before booking a dog grooming appointment. The best way to reduce the number of haircuts that your Yorkie needs is by grooming your pup at home.

You can give them minor trims below their tail and around their face. Trim any long hairs around their ears as well. You might also want to cut the hair around the paws.

Furthermore, you’ll need to brush the coat of your Yorkie every day to remove tangles and keep the hair from getting matted.

These steps will ensure you don’t need to take your dog to the groomer for regular, full haircuts as often.

What Areas Need Grooming the Most?

Grooming and trimming the hair on a Yorkie’s face is vital. Make sure hair stays out of your dog’s eyes. In addition, the underside of the paw should not have any extra stray hairs growing in the pads., according to the Yorkie Info Center.

The top portion of the ears should also be trimmed. This will make sure the ears are not too heavy with hair and stay erect. Keep the hair around your dog’s buttocks short as well so that your puppy stays clean.

These are the main areas where you’ll need to trim a Yorkie’s hair.

yorkie in a grass field — Yorkies love to get outside and play. They will get knots, eye stain, and sometimes smelly ears.

Where Do Yorkies Get Matted Hair the Most?

Yorkies tend to have long and silky hair, which can get easily tangled and matted if you don’t brush it regularly. Generally, most dogs have specific areas that can get matted the most.

As such, pay attention to the following areas when brushing your dog’s hair, as they can get matted.

Chest and back
Ears
Upper arms
Neck

If your dog’s hair is matted, go slowly when brushing their hair. You need to brush gently to avoid hurting your dog’s coat and skin.

Can You Cut a Yorkie’s Hair By Yourself?

If you want to save the time and money spent on a professional dog groomer, you can try cutting your Yorkie’s hair all by yourself. First, you need to get clippers and put the half-inch guard up. Show your dog the clippers and let them get used to them before turning them on.

Consider purchasing and using professional restraints to keep your dog still when giving them a haircut. Start shaving your dog with the clippers and go with the grain of the fur instead of against it. Shave your dog at the neck and move down.

When it comes to your dog’s face, use scissors to trim any long hairs. Shave and cut your dog’s hair all around the body so that the coat is all one length.

When shaving the chest and legs, maintain a gentle and careful approach. Make sure you don’t cut your dog’s skin accidentally when shaving the chest and under the legs.

yorkie height — Yorkies truly are small dogs. They often stand as small as 8 or 9 inches to the shoulder when fully grown.

How to Get Your Pup Ready for a Haircut

When it comes to preparing your dog for a haircut, you can always get them a treat to get them in a good mood before going to the groomer.

When taking your dog for their first appointment with a groomer, handle their paws and touch their ears, so they get used to having these parts touched. Taking these simple steps can help your dog prepare for their first haircut appointment.

Before You Go

Essentially, you’ll need to take your Yorkshire Terrier for a haircut at least six times per year. Don’t forget to give that Yorkie regular hair brushing to minimize the number of visits you need to take to the groomer.

The steps we’ve outlined will keep your canine healthy and happy for years to come.