To take care of our dogs best, we need to perform a variety of essential tasks. Proper feeding, exercise, and grooming are some of the essentials our pups need to thrive. While feeding and exercise are similar across breeds, grooming needs vary greatly depending on your dog’s breed, hair type, and a variety of other factors. Dogs with short, coarse hair have fairly straight-forward grooming needs, but other breeds with longer hair require more care. The Yorkshire Terrier is a breed with long, silky hair that we can cut in various ways. How do you choose a Yorkshire Terrier hair cut? Let’s find out!
Puppy Style
The “puppy style” or “puppy cut” is a popular, simple hairstyle for Yorkshire Terriers. The puppy style entails cutting the hair short, no more than an inch and a half long, uniformly across the body. Not only does this type of hair cut make a Yorkie look like a puppy long into adulthood, but it also greatly diminishes the chances of mats or tangles forming.
Show Style
Show style for a Yorkie means keeping their hair long in the classic cut for showing Yorkies. A show style entails allowing your puppy’s hair to grow freely save for trimming around the ears, face, anus, and paw pads. A show cut is beautiful, showing off your Yorkie’s long flowing locks, but requires regular maintenance. If you choose to keep your Yorkie’s hair long, they will need daily brushing to avoid tangles and frequent trimming, as well as weekly baths.
Westie Style Yorkshire Terrier Hair Cut
We base the westie cut on the classic haircut for West Highland Terriers. Similar to the Yorkie’s puppy cut, in a westie cut, we keep the hair short. Unlike the puppy cut, you can keep your dog’s coat short or even shave it altogether with a westie cut. On the face, we trim the eyebrows and beard just enough to make the ears and nose look longer.
Schnauzer Style Yorkshire Terrier Hair Cut
Like the westie cut, the schnauzer cut mimics another dog breed’s popular haircut style. In this case, we mimic the typical haircut of a schnauzer breed. In a schnauzer cut for a Yorkshire Terrier, we leave the fur to grow around the legs and face but keep the rest of the body hair short or even shaved. This type of cut’s most important aesthetic aspect is properly shaping the boxy beard and long eyebrows.
Spanish Water Dog Style
A Spanish water dog style cut is one of the lowest maintenance Yorkshire Terrier hair cuts. Allow the hair to grow to a short to medium length, and do not brush or comb it. The overall appearance is one of curly untidiness, with uniform length across the body. The lack of brushing for the hairstyle reduces the amount of maintenance your Yorkie’s fur requires. However, you still need to keep them routinely trimmed to maintain the short-medium length and prevent tangles.
Pekinese Style Yorkshire Terrier Hair Cut
The Pekinese cut is yet another style of haircut for a Yorkie. To emulate a Pekinese cut, allow your dog’s hair to grow to mid-length. The Pekinese Yorkshire terrier hair cut’s most crucial aspect is to shape the ear hair into a resemblance of the Pekinese’s long ears. We also slightly shave their legs.
Other Information on Yorkshire Terrier Hair Cuts
When To Get Your Yorkie’s Hair Cut
Many new Yorkie parents want to know: when can I start getting my Yorkie puppy trimmed? The answer varies from dog to dog, but a general rule of thumb is to wait until your puppy’s adult coat has grown in to get their hair cut. This transformation usually occurs around one year of age. However, you can get what’s called a “sanitary trim,” where a groomer cuts back hair around your puppy’s genital area and face, starting around 3 to 4 months of age.
How To Cut Your Yorkshire Terrier’s Hair
No matter what haircut you choose for your Yorkshire Terrier, Yorkies need routine hair trims. Here are your options for keeping your dog’s hair maintained:
Professional Grooming Salon
You can take your pet to a professional grooming salon and tell them what kind of cut you would like. Professional groomers know precisely how to cut your dog’s locks in the least stressful way possible. They have all the necessary tools and often have certifications and licenses in pet grooming. Many allow drop-off and pick-up, keeping your dog until you are ready to retrieve them. A professional grooming salon is a low-stress option but usually the most expensive choice as well. Some professional groomers will even visit your home and perform your dog’s haircut there.
Freelance Groomers
A freelance groomer performs dog grooming as a second job or “side hustle,” not necessarily professionally. A freelance groomer may not be professionally trained but is also usually less expensive.
Trim Your Pet Yourself
By far, the cheapest option is to learn to trim your Yorkie yourself. Once you purchase the appropriate tools, you can keep your furbaby trimmed for no money at all. While this is a low-cost option, we highly caution any new Yorkie owners from jumping into grooming their dog. This skill is one that you must learn and be proficient in before you subject your dog to a potentially harmful and stressful grooming experience.
Choose the Best Yorkshire Terrier Hair Cut For Your Canine Companion
No matter what haircut you choose, the important thing is to keep your Yorkie comfortable. Regular grooming and bathing will help keep your pup’s hair silky soft, and free of mats and tangles. No matter what haircut your Yorkshire Terrier sports, they are sure to look adorable in the way only Yorkies can!