Does anyone trim their yorkies themselves???

[PreciousPatrick]

Hello. I was just wondering if anyone of you trim your yorkies coats yourselves? I've been wondering if its something easy that I could learn to do because the last two times I've brought my Patchy to get groomed he has come home with fleas on him. The lady I bring him to does a wonderful job but its a pain to get rid of the fleas he brings home. I doubt I bring him back there. It hard to trust a groomer with your baby. I'd have to drop him and leave him for 2 sometimes 3 hours. I'd like to be able to watch and see what they do to him. So I'm kinda nervous to pull out the phone book and start searching for new groomers. If I can learn the basics to yorkie grooming that would be great. I just don't know how they clip between all the nooks and cranies like their toes and noes and ears. I would be nervous. Man his butt could REALLY use a clippin b/c I hate to see his mess get stuck in his hair.... Poor baby. Well let me know if you think its something I can do or I need to search for another groomer. Thanks Pam and "Patrick"

[schatzie]

I would not know where to begin to clip Schatzie's coat. Plus there are the anal glands to be released, oh no thank you. I will continue to use my groomer.

I think if you choose not to clip Patrick yourself find a new groomer. In no way should your baby come home with fleas or parasites of any sort. Definatley time to search for a new groomer.

And I think any reputable groomer would allow you to watch. If they say "no" to you then you and Patrick stay away from that groomer.

[fasteddie]

Yup, time to find a new groomer. We did try to trim it ourselves, but Yoda was just way too fussy for that and we just take him in these days to Petco for a trim.

[bettyeanne]

Pam, if you have any expertise with hair [which I do not] there are some really good instructional sites online and lots of great books you can learn from. But ... if you aren't gifted in that area ... I must vote "groomer" too! In the beginning, we tried to learn to be "all things" to Toto because we just didn't trust anyone ... we now have all the "tools" and instructions and still take Toto to be groomed! We are afraid of hurting her with the hair pulling from the ears, afraid that we might nick her between the toes with the little clippers, afraid that we might clip a nail too short and we had never even heard of "expressing the gland" before we got Toto!! I bathe her weekly myself and take her to be groomed about once every month. It's really hard to find one you trust ... we never let Toto out of our sight ... then we learned that Dr. Lucy had grooming service and that she would personally trim Toto [she raises Yorkie show dogs] so we took her there last time and now Toto has a "forever groomer"!! She looked wonderful!! In searching for a groomer, be firm, and tell them what you want/expect ... after all, you're the one paying for the service!!

[Mitzis Mom]

I give Mitzi a "buzz cut" (Schnauzer or Puppy cut) in summer, means I take a electric hair trimmer and cut off all the long hair on her body, not the legs and not the face. Legs and face I cut with sissors. For the "dangerous" parts around the eyes and between the toes I'm using a saftey sissors with rounded tips. She gets her anal area cut every 2 weeks and once a month I clean out her anal glances. The vet showed me how to do it.

Mitzi is our first Yorkie and before her I had always big (and I mean really BIIIIG dogs, Leonberger and Saint Bernhard) so it took me some time to get used to the tiny features. But I took my time and did not everything at one time. Today the coat, tomorrow the face... And she is such a sweetie and so patient! And you know, hair grows back!

There are good nail clippers to buy and the vet can show you how to do it.

[SnowWa]

There are so many different cuts these little Yorkies can have - some are not that difficult.

But - I have a "wiggleworm." This is my only problem as far as grooming goes. However, to date, I have groomed him myself. And, I will have to admit that as he is getting older, he is beginning to settle down a little better.

Go ahead - get brave - give it a try. Your pups hair will always grow back...and practice makes perfect.....

Carol Jean

[Baby Blessing]

I always trimmed Cassie and did her grooming. I do Baby Blessing myself. I had her groomed once, was very dissapointed. I purchased the mustache battery operated trimmers, they are very small and easy to work with. Cassie was great and the noise never bothered her, and it doesn't our new yorkie either.
There are sites on the net to show you how to trim, which can be found by doing a search.It is really very easy to groom them yourself. Happy trimming your baby, you will be totally happy with the results doing it yourself. Patti

[hooliacasa]

I groom all of mine - I have 3. I became great friends with a dog groomer and over a 6 month period, she let me come and watch her groom my babies. I also got an excellent dvd instructional video from a lady who sells them on ebay.

[MyTrixie143]

I guess it all depends on how you want your yorkies coat. Did you want him in a puppy coat or full coat. If you can teach your baby to hold still for you then I think you should try to do it yourself. The yorkie cut is very simple, just clip a little hair to clean up around the eyes, anal, feet. Make sure you use safety scissors, they have a ball tip so you won't have to worry about poking your baby with a normal scissors sharp ends. I groom both of my yorkies, they are so simple compared to my other dog, she is a cocker and I just know learned the cocker cut, alot harder than a yorkie cut. In my opinion, why go to the groomers and go through the process which can be both stressful for you and your baby, when you can save money and do it yourself.

[Sugar's Mom]

i trim all three of mine also. I keep Silk long and I am growing the two pups long. All I trim is around eyes, butt, ears and feet. Someone said trim between toes. I have never done that is it necessary? I trim the feet at the end of the toes so they don't walk on their hair and I trim the hair on their pads but not between toes. Should I?

[azkaty]

I trim Ralphie..he does well with it if he has some food or a chewie to keep him occcupied when I am doing it

[MyTrixie143]

Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom

i trim all three of mine also. I keep Silk long and I am growing the two pups long. All I trim is around eyes, butt, ears and feet. Someone said trim between toes. I have never done that is it necessary? I trim the feet at the end of the toes so they don't walk on their hair and I trim the hair on their pads but not between toes. Should I?

As long as you trim the hair on the pads including the toes then you shoulden't need to trim in between the toes. Just so as long as you can pick up your dog's foot and see the pad and toes without any hair, then your alright. The main reason for this is so that nothing gets caught on the dog's hair or any stones get stuck in the pads or hair which would be uncomfortable for the dog since he would be walking on it. I found that if you can get your dog to lie on its back, its really easy to trim up around the pad and you can see perfectly what you are doing, all of my dogs will do this. Cutting in between the toes is tricky, especially with long haired dogs. I know that groomers don't like to do it and will only do it with a very still dog, otherwise the dog would get nicked.

[ddiedre]

I trim both my babies. For the first year I had them I took them to the groomers, but I found that to be a rather expensive undertaking for something I felt I could easily do.

I bought myself a pet grooming kit which included trimmers with multiple length guards and scissors. It had an instructional video, but to be honest I learned more online by asking questions and finding informative websites.

My female stands still really well, but my male is a bit more active. If he gets antsy, I ask one of my kids or my husband to help settle him. It hasn't been a problem. I even learned how to express the anal glands, but I only do it if I see them scooting or chewing their behinds. I'm not of the belief it needs to be done regularly, only when necessary. Besides, if they're having firm, regular poopies then it may not be necessary.

It's not hard, I have a big area on my counter that I work on. I bought a pad where they can stand and I even use a blow dryer sometimes. I won't say they're show quality, but they look just fine to me. Besides, if I take a little too much off it always grows back.

I keep my female really short because her coat is very thick and can get curly. I leave my male a little longer, but not show length or anything. Just longer. I had someone at petco show me how to safely clip the nails and we're good to go.

I think if you're comfortable, go for it. You're dog will also sense you're comfort and respond to that.

[lisatodd]

the only thing i have done is used an electric razor on kirby's bottom to get rid of the hair there b/c he kept having dingle-berries (yuk)

[kathyjo]

I do trim up my yorkie every week. They are so high maintenance. I just could not see paying that every week. Plus running the risk of what they can catch in other places, just did not seem worth it to me. I was fortunate, the breeder I bought him from, did groom her own yorkies. She was more than willing to train me how. I will tell you buying everything you need is a bit costly. Learning take a few tries, but you can get there.