Yorkie grooming
Yorkshire Terrier grooming in Gloucester, MA
The AKC says a Yorkie's coat is more like human hair than animal fur: glossy, fine, silky and colored steel blue and tan. It sheds very little, which is why it tangles instead, and on a dog of seven pounds or less, the details of ears, feet and face make up most of the groom.
Silk, not fur
A Yorkie's coat is fine, silky hair that tangles rather than sheds
The breed standard describes the coat as glossy, fine and silky in texture, moderately long and perfectly straight on the body. Because it behaves like hair, the AKC advises treating it that way: kept long, it needs brushing every day, and a Yorkie in full coat needs a bath every week or so. Hair that does not fall out has to be brushed out, so tangles form wherever the coat rubs or gets wet, at the ears, the beard, the armpits and under a harness.
Size changes the arithmetic. The AKC standard sets the breed at no more than seven pounds, so a harness on a Yorkie covers a large share of its body, and the harness line can knot in a single damp week. Fine hair is also easy to break if a tangle is yanked, which is why small knots are better teased apart with a comb, from the ends toward the skin, than pulled through with a brush.
- Behind the ears and along the ear edges
- The beard and mustache, after meals and drinks
- Under the harness and in the armpits
- The feet, where hair grows between the pads
The Yorkie puppy cut
Most pet Yorkies are easiest in a short puppy cut; a floor-length coat is a daily commitment
The show-ring Yorkie wears its coat to the floor, parted down the back with the head hair tied in a bow, and the AKC standard lets that coat be trimmed to floor length for neatness. It is beautiful and it is daily work. A puppy cut takes the body to a short, even length, keeps the face rounded or tidy, and turns the daily brush into a quick one. Both looks sit inside our full service, which covers a breed-specific haircut or your own preference.
The face needs a decision of its own. The AKC says the hair on the upper part of the head should be trimmed short or pulled up into a topknot to avoid eye irritation, so choose a short face if you would rather not tie hair up every morning. Bring a photo of the cut you like. Coat wrapping and show preparation are not on our grooming menu, so if your Yorkie is being shown, ask the front desk before you book.
- Puppy cut: short, even body with a rounded or tidy face
- Long coat: daily brushing and a weekly bath, per the AKC
- Face: cut short, or a topknot so hair stays out of the eyes
- Show coats and wrapping: ask the front desk first
Ears and feet
Short ear tips and nails clipped every few weeks are the small details that matter most on a Yorkie
The breed standard asks for the hair on the tips of the ears to be trimmed short, which keeps the ears light and upright, and allows the feet to be trimmed for a neat appearance. Between full grooms, the $10 face trim, which covers the eyes, muzzle and ears, handles the ear tips. The AKC also advises checking a Yorkie's ears every week for debris or signs of infection; an ear that is red, smelly or sore needs a vet rather than a trim.
Nails are the other detail. A small dog that walks mostly on carpet, grass and laps does not wear its nails down, and on tiny feet a long nail changes how the dog stands. Nail clipping is $16, on its own or added to a bath or full service. The AKC lists luxating patella, a slipping kneecap, among the breed's screened conditions and advises limiting a Yorkie's jumping height, so mention any knee history at check-in.
Cycle and price
A Yorkie in a puppy cut does well every four to six weeks at $75, and a skipped cycle adds de-matting time
Price first. At seven pounds or less a Yorkie is always in our small band, so full service is $75 and bath only is $55. A bath-only visit between haircuts keeps a medium or long coat clean if you do not bathe at home every week. The face trim, sanitary trim and teeth brushing are $10 each, and nails are $16. The final total is confirmed at check-in after the coat assessment.
A puppy cut usually holds its shape for four to six weeks before the face grows into the eyes and the coat starts to knot under the harness. If the visit slips, de-matting is added at $15 for every 20 minutes the groomer spends working tangles out, agreed with you at check-in. On a dog this small, a couple of blocks is a lot of the total bill. Rebooking at pick-up takes $5 off the next visit and keeps the cycle steady.
| Yorkie service | Price | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Full service | $75 | Every four to six weeks in a puppy cut |
| Bath only | $55 | Between cuts, or for a long coat |
| Nail clipping | $16 | Every few weeks for dogs that rarely walk on pavement |
| Face trim | $10 | Eyes, muzzle and ear tips between grooms |
| Teeth brushing | $10 | At any visit, for fresher breath |
| De-matting | $15 per 20 minutes | When the coat has knotted under a harness |
At home
At home, comb the face and harness line daily and keep winter salt off a low coat
A metal comb and two minutes a day keep a Yorkie's puppy cut in shape: through the beard after meals, behind the ears, and along the harness line. Wipe the corners of the eyes with a damp cloth. For nails between visits, our how-to on trimming dog nails at home goes through it quick by quick; if your Yorkie objects, the $16 trim in the studio is the easier route for both of you.
Cape Ann winters are hard on small, low dogs. Salt on Gloucester and Rockport sidewalks crusts on the legs and belly, and the AVMA advises wiping a dog's feet, legs and belly after winter walks to remove salt and de-icers. Dry the coat completely after rain or snow. In the off-season, if your Yorkie walks Good Harbor on its even-numbered dog days between October 1 and March 31, comb the sand out the same evening.
- 01
After meals: comb the beard and mustache
- 02
Each evening: check the harness line and armpits with a comb
- 03
Each morning: wipe the corners of the eyes
- 04
After a salted walk: wipe the feet, legs and belly, then dry
- 05
Every four to six weeks: the full groom, with nails if they click on the floor
At Dogtown
Small-dog grooming and the day around it
The $75 full service and $16 nail trim, and the daycare day a Yorkie groom can be folded into.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
How much is a Yorkie groom at Dogtown?
What is a Yorkie puppy cut?
Why are the ear tips trimmed on a Yorkie?
Can I book just a nail trim for my Yorkie?
Does a Yorkie shed?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
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Next step
Small dog, small details.
Book a $75 full service or a $16 nail trim online or in the Dogtown app, and tell us puppy cut or long coat. No evaluation for grooming.
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