Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most beautiful breeds among small dogs. Its distinctive feature is its fine long coat, the colors of which vary from dark brown to almost ashen. And, of course, such "hair" requires serious care. In addition to using special shampoos that do not harm the structure of the hair and regular combing, timely cutting is necessary to prevent and remove tangles. However, not many owners of dogs of this breed know how to cut a York so that later they do not have to shave the poor thing baldly and wait until her "fur coat" grows back.
In this article you will learn about:
- how to trim york;
- cut the claws, while not harming the pet;
- what types of haircuts can be done.
Attention! Self-processing of wool is allowed only if you are a professional groomer. Otherwise, it is better to entrust the care of the pet to specialists from the salon. Often, even inveterate breeders of dogs of this breed are not able to produce a quality haircut.
A little bit about the breed
Yorkshire Terrier belongs to the category of decorative miniature dogs. The breed got its name from the English county of Yorkshire, where it was bred at the end of the 19th century. As ancestors, it is considered to be:
- Manchester Terrier;
- skyterrier;
- maltese.
The main purpose of the Yorkshire Terrier was to protect the peasant economy from rodents.
Nevertheless, today this breed is one of the most popular among indoor decorative dogs and, accordingly, requires considerable efforts to maintain its luxurious appearance.
Of course, when the question arises about how to cut York at home, it’s worth asking yourself: are you able to do quality work without spoiling the appearance of your pet?
If the answer is no, then without hesitation, bring your “little charm” to professional salons, where specialized groomers will take up it.
Who is a groomer?
The job of people in this profession is specialized care for the appearance of a pet. In other words, a stylist for animals. The duties of such people include:
- hair care;
- haircutting;
- creating hairstyles or masonry;
- nail clipping.
In the event that the pet owner decides to learn how to independently care for his pet, you can arrange with a specialist to explain how and when to cut York for the first time.
First haircut and further care
A full-fledged haircut of a Yorkshire Terrier puppy is performed not earlier than reaching the age of 4 or 5 months. Up to this point, wool is only forming and growing. At the same time, caring for a puppy begins already from its first days of life.
Just a week after birth, you need to start caring for the puppy's legs. Here are a couple of tips on how to cut York's claws:
- before the procedure, prepare a claw cutter, manicure scissors, cotton buds and potassium permanganate;
- cut the hair around the fingers to fully see the claw and not catch the pads when trimming (this can be done with a trimmer);
- cutting your claws, you can’t touch the pink part, otherwise you will damage the capillaries located there and cause the pet pain and discomfort;
- in case of claw pigmentation (the pink part is not visible) it is necessary to cut, making a small indent from the tip.
Yorkshire Terrier Haircut Step-by-Step Guide
If you decide to change the appearance of your pet yourself and are sure that the available skills are enough to not spoil its appearance, then simply follow the guide below, which tells how to cut a York correctly:
- Wash your pet with a special shampoo, then carefully comb and dry.
- In the event that the dog does not often walk along the street, it is necessary to trim the claws. With frequent walks on the asphalt, they grind on their own.
- Trim the fur on the back, sides, chest and under the tail with a clipper. If the haircut is done in spring or summer, then you need to cut it against hair growth to a length of 2 millimeters. If in autumn or winter - in the direction of growth, not more than 7 millimeters. At this stage, it is necessary to determine the shape of the wool on the legs - “panties” or “skirt”.
- Using scissors, gently cut the head, muzzle, nose and around the eyes, and also give a neat shape to the hair on the legs.
- Trim hair between pads.
- Using scissors, trim the hair on the tail, leaving a brush with a length of 5 to 10 centimeters.
- Cut the excess at the tips of the ears. First, trim a third of the length with a machine, then trim the shape with scissors.
- Next, lubricate the skin inside the auricles with a special gel or treat with a spray and pluck the hairs with tweezers.
In the photo below, you can see a york puppy.
Haircut Types
To date, there are three main categories of haircuts of the Yorkshire Terrier:
- exhibition;
- hygienic;
- model.
The examples shown in the photograph below are various variations of the model-style haircut. You can learn about some of them later.
Exhibition
She's standard. It is done to dogs if necessary to attend an exhibition or show. The standards are: short hair in the groin, armpits and at the tips of the ears. Hair is also cut between the pads. At the end of the haircut, the pet's fur coat is combed over the entire length and trimmed.
Hygienic
This haircut is carried out at home once every two weeks. In the event of a violation of regularity, the quality of the dog’s coat can deteriorate significantly, which can lead to the formation of tangles. The topic of how to cut a York hair yourself was described in the previous section, and therefore it’s worth adding only one important note: the lack of a regular haircut and, as a result, the appearance of tassels leads to the development of irritation and itching in the pet. The dog begins to scratch constantly, its skin is covered with scratches. As a result, ideal conditions are created for the reproduction of various parasites and microbes.
Model haircut
This variety is done when there is no need to participate in various exhibitions and you just want to change the appearance of the pet. In total, there are 5 main ways to cut a York under a model type.
Option number 1
The hair on the body is cut short, and on the legs are made flare-type panties. On the head you need to leave a "hat". This option is great when wearing overalls.
Option number 2
The fur coat is trimmed to a length of 3 centimeters from the floor. The hair on the head is cut short or is put in a ponytail.
Option number 3
The hair on the body is trimmed as short as possible, and in other places it is trimmed depending on the desired shape and volume. This type is well suited for the summer period.
Option number 4
Another summer option: cut off the fur on the back and fingers as short as possible. Leave a hat or bang on your head. The tail is also short cut almost to the very end, on which a small brush is left.
Option number 5
Haircut for a different breed. A rather unusual option that allows you to give the pet a resemblance to dogs such as Chinese Crested or West Highland. The hair is cut everywhere except for the head and forepaws, on which the necessary volume is made. Then it remains to process the muzzle, giving it similarity with the desired breed.
Summary
As stated earlier, caring for the Yorkshire Terrier is a tricky business. However, after reading this article, you probably have an idea about how to cut such a dog yourself. And in the event that you are not confident in your own abilities, just ask for help and advice in a specialized salon.