Grooming is very important for yorkies. Whether your yorkie has a long or short coat, a regular grooming schedule is a must. Yorkies with long coats should be groomed daily. That fine hair of theirs will become tangled and matted in no time. Yorkies with short coats can go longer between grooming sessions.

If daily brushing and combing your yorkie is not your cup of tea, consider a shorter cut. I keep my yorkie cut fairly short as she does not enjoy being groomed and therefore grooming her is not fun for me. My little Yorkshire terrier is not much of a princess. She does not sit around looking glamorous. She is very much a tomboy and a shorter cut fits her personality as well.

A yorkie with a short coat does require maintenance. She should be bathed every week or two and brushed and combed at that time.

Grooming supplies for your yorkie should include: dog shampoo and conditioner, hair dryer (with a low setting), comb (metal with teeth spaced wider on one side and narrower on the other), brush (with metal teeth with rounded ends), and a de-matter.

I find using the kitchen sink is the best place for my little yorkies bath. I can stand and have better control. I get her coat very wet and then using a generous amount of shampoo, I gently work the lather into her skin. It is important not to use medicated shampoo unless your veterinarian has prescribed it. Use a dog shampoo that is appropriate for your yorkies skin type. Make sure to rinse well and rinse again. Make sure to get all the shampoo out. Do not use shampoo on your yorkies face unless it is absolutely necessary as it is very important to keep the shampoo out of her eyes.

I find it best to take my yorkie into a confined space like the bathroom after her bath. I shut the door so she cannot run all over the house as I need to give her frequent breaks. I towel dry her being careful not to rub her vigorously with the towel as this may cause tangles. I gently press the towel against her. I then let her get down for a minute for a break. Then I blow dry her coat with the hair dryer set on low for a few minutes. I do this with her standing on the floor as she seems to cooperate better this way. You may try having your yorkie stand on a table if that works for you as this would give you easier access. I then use the comb with widely spaced teeth to gently comb through the tangles. You can also use detangling grooming products to spray on to help with the detangling. I do this for a few minutes and then blow dry again. I use the brush for the areas that are not too tangled. I use the comb with the narrower spaced teeth to fine tune areas.

Yorkies do need to have professional grooming as well. Yorkies hair grows quite like human hair and therefore it needs to be cut. Unless you know how to do this, it is better to let the professionals handle it. They will take care of cutting the toenails and cutting around the delicate areas. The groomers will ask what type of cut you prefer. As far as how often this will be necessary depends on your yorkie. My yorkie goes about every 3 months. It is important to start when your yorkie is very young so that she will get used to it before she gets set in her ways. This means before she is 6 months old. The cost will depend on your area but may range in price from $25.00 to $50.00.