Top 5 Yorkie Haircuts To Give Your Pooch

Quick Summary

• The most popular Yorkie cuts are the Schnauzer trim, teddy bear cut, puppy but, show cut, and the kennel cut.
• It is important to train your Yorkie to accept grooming as they will require a lot of upkeep throughout their life. Never cut a dog’s hair unless he is completely calm.
• Have your grooming tools ready: a slicker brush, pin and bristle brush, sharp fine point scissors, and dog hair clippers.

Yorkies are one of the most adorable pups on the planet, but as I like to remind first-time owner, they require quite a bit of upkeep. One of the maintenance issues revolves around trimming your Yorkshire Terrier’s coat. If you are tired of taking your pooch to the groomer and spending big bucks, I’ll provide you with the information to help you learn how to give the cutest Yorkie haircuts so he looks even more adorable than you thought possible.

First Things First: Yorkies Have Anxiety

Your little Yorkshire Terrier can sometimes get nervous quite easily. With their high levels of anxiety, Yorkies can often tremble when frightened. For instances like this, it’s a good idea to know how to sedate your dog for grooming. It is essential you keep your dog calm throughout the grooming process. Do not attempt to cut your Yorkie’s hair unless he is entirely calm. Start by petting him and giving him a massage. This will help to relax him as you talk with a soothing voice. Once he seems calm, you may proceed with dog grooming. 

Gather Your Tools

Having all the Yorkie haircut tools at your disposal will help to ensure you are prepared to get started. The following are some necessary tools for cutting your dog’s hair and making him look beautiful. 

• A slicker brush
• A pin and bristle brush
• Sharp fine point scissors
• Dog hair clippers

Begin By Brushing His Coat

As stated above, Yorkies require a lot of upkeep to ensure their coat looks beautiful [1]. One of the biggest chores you need to do as a Yorkie owner is to brush your dog’s fur. Brushing gets rid of matted dog hair, tangles, removes loose hair, and distributes natural oils throughout the hair shafts, making your dog’s coat healthy, shiny, and soft. You should aim to brush your dog daily. Brush him carefully before you ever try to make the first cut on his hair. 

After using the pin and bristle brush, take the slicker brush and use it to smooth your Yorkie’s hair. Slicker brushes help to separate the different layers of hair and will help you to easily remove any dead hairs so your dog’s coat is healthy. 

Top Yorkie Haircuts

If you’ve never cut your Yorkie’s hair before, it is important to do a little research and learn about the different types of haircuts before you start cutting. In the beginning, you may want to simply try a short haircut. This is the easiest way to cut your Yorkie’s hair and is highly beneficial during the summer months because it gives your pooch welcome relief from the heat. 

You have a lot of options for cutting your Yorkie’s hair. Before you set out on your own, you may want to visit a groomer who specializes in Yorkie cuts and have them show you what they do. The following are some of the top Yorkie haircut styles you can easily try. 

1. Schnauzer Trim

As the name suggests, this trim is inspired by the Schnauzer. To achieve this look, you simply need to leave his mustache and ears a bit longer. Clip the upper part of his body, but make sure to leave about 1/2 inch bib on his chest.

2. Teddy Bear Cut

The Teddy Bear cut is absolutely adorable on a Yorkie. Thankfully, this Yorkie hairstyle is also very simple. Cut your dog’s fur to the same length all over his body. Leave his facial hairs a bit longer and take a pair of sharp scissors. Trim his face in a circular motion to get the teddy bear look. 

3. Puppy Cut

The puppy cut is another popular haircut for this breed. For this haircut, make sure you trim his hair to one or two inches all over his body. This includes his ears, head, and legs. The puppy cut will give your Yorkie an angelic look. 

4. Show Cut

If you want your Yorkie to have showroom beauty, the show cut is the perfect match. This cut is not for beginners, but it is also not too difficult, with a little practice. 

For this haircut, you are going to leave your Yorkie’s hair long and silky. This requires more brushing than cutting, so you’ll have to know how to brush different coats. Make sure to even up the ends of your dog’s hair to make it straight and beautiful. Create an adorable top knot on his head to complete this gorgeous look. Do daily brushing to maintain this look.

5. Kennel Cut

Finally, there is the kennel cut. This is another popular haircut for Yorkshire terriers, especially during the summer months. This cut requires a very short hair all over the Yorkie’s body. Keep the hair, legs, and tail just a bit longer than the rest of the body. 

Tips for Cutting Your Yorkie’s Hair

Haircuts are a big part of grooming your dog. The following offers some helpful tips that will assist you in cutting your dog’s hair successfully. With all the money you save on grooming costs, you can treat yourself and your dog!

• Make sure to give your dog a bath and condition his fur before attempting to cut his hair. Clean hair is much easier to trim. It is also important your dog’s hair is completely dry before you cut his hair. 
• A Yorkie’s ears can be weighed down by excess long hair. Take your dog’s hair clippers and trim the long hairs on your dog’s ears. Doing so will make his ears stand at attention again and give him that characteristic Yorkie look. 
• Use grooming scissors to trim the long hairs around your Yorkie’s paws. 
• Trim your dog’s long hair around the anal area. A dog’s anal gland with long hair can trap feces and urine, which can lead to foul odors and even infection. 
• If you want to create the adorable trademark Yorkie topknot, gather your Yorkie’s hair from his eyebrows to his ears and secure it with a clip. 
• When giving your Yorkie a haircut, always begin with the body. Then, you will be able to create the perfect shape for his adorable facial hair. 
• Don’t forget to trim your dog’s belly hair short, using your dog hair clippers. 

Never Attempt to Cut Your Yorkie’s Hair With Scissors Alone

If you do not have a pair of trusty electric dog clippers, you are going to need to purchase one. Attempting to cut your dog’s entire coat with a pair of scissors is going to be too tiring and annoying for you both. 

Use the scissors for the paws, face, and bottom. Dog clippers make light work of trimming your dog’s body hair, including his back, belly, and legs. Make sure you start with a longer guard and work your way down. You can always take off more, but you can’t put hair back if you get it too short. If you do cut your Yorkie’s hair too short, have no fear! It will grow back fast!

How Often Should You Trim Your Yorkie’s Hair?

As with all dog breeds, a Yorkie’s hair will grow at different rates. Your dog will likely have 1/2 inch hair growth every month. 

To keep your Yorkie’s new haircut looking its best, you will need to give him a trim every 6-8 weeks. By this time, your Yorkie should have around an inch of new hair growth. Remember to brush your Yorkie’s hair daily, to keep it looking shiny and healthy and to prevent tangles. 

When Should You Give Your Yorkie His First Haircut?

If you want your sweet Yorkie to maintain a cute puppy cut, you will need to begin trimming his hair around the age of 9-12 months. Around this time is when a Yorkie’s coat begins to grow long enough that it requires a trim. Do not worry if your pup’s hair is not long enough at this age. Some Yorkies do not grow long enough hair until they are around the age of eighteen months. 

FAQ About Yorkie Haircuts

From the information above, you have already learned a lot of tips and information that will help you cut your Yorkie’s hair like a pro. Although you are now armed with more information than ever, you may have some lingering questions I have not yet covered in this article. The following offers some of the top questions Yorkie owners ask about cutting their dogs’ hair. 

1. What kind of haircut do you give a Yorkie?

You have multiple options for the haircut styles of Yorkies. The pup cut is highly popular, along with the teddy bear cut. If you prefer something a little more glam for your Yorkie, you can give him a show cut, which is really more of a hairstyle. With this style, you grow your Yorkie’s hair long and put his hair in a topknot. 

2. What is a puppy cut on a Yorkie?

The puppy cut or pup cut, as it is often called is a short all-over haircut. This cut is one of the most popular for active Yorkies because it keeps the coat short all over, making brushing and other grooming chores less of a pain. Your Yorkie will especially love this shorter style during the hot summer months. 

3. Do Yorkies need haircuts?

Most Yorkie owners know well before they adopt this breed that regular haircuts are essential. If you do not cut your Yorkie’s hair, it will grow long and will often hang in his eyes. A Yorkie’s hair is more likely to become matted and tangled if it is not managed properly with regular haircuts. Ideally, you should trim your Yorkie every six to eight weeks. 

4. How do you cut a Yorkie’s face?

Cutting your Yorkie’s face is one of the most intimidating steps in giving your dog a haircut. Coming at your dog’s face with a sharp pair of scissors is not easy, especially if your dog is anxious. Make sure he is calm and then use careful motions, going very slowly. Use your hands to cover your dog’s eyes, nose, and mouth when performing a snip with the scissors. Using sharp scissors may seem like it makes the cutting process more dangerous, but the opposite is true. With sharp scissors, you can go right to work on trimming your dog’s facial hair much faster and safer. 

Practice Makes Perfect

If you are just starting out giving your Yorkie a haircut, do not be too hard on yourself if it goes poorly. You are not an expert groomer, but with time, you will gain the experience and the confidence you need to cut your Yorkie’s hair easily. 

It is wise to start off with a short puppy cut and gradually branch out until you try all the others. If the haircut becomes a disaster, just remember it will always grow back in time!