Gentle, delicate and incredibly expressive. Any mess in the coat immediately spoils the image of yorkies, so owners are often looking for a way to quickly return a tidy appearance when time is short. Express care at home is possible if you understand the structure of the coat and know the correct sequence of actions. It all comes down to four main steps, each of which affects the overall picture no worse than a full grooming.
A quick cleanup of the muzzle and areas that are most conspicuous
A yorkie’s first visual focus is the muzzle, so that’s where the quick treatment begins. Tear tracks, stuck “tendrils”, food residue and dust create an unkempt effect, even if the rest of the coat looks good. For a quick refresh, all you need is a special lotion or a minimal amount of warm water to refresh the area under the eyes, separate the coat with your fingers and gently comb it downward. This immediately makes the look more open and the muzzle – well-groomed. If the bangs are out of shape, it’s worth quickly moisturizing them and making an even topknot: one neat rubber band often changes the whole look.
Express combing to restore your silhouette
Yorkies have a fine and silky coat, so a proper express combing is not about working on the whole body, but on the areas that form the silhouette. Chest, sides, back and tail – these are the areas that create the impression of grooming. To tidy them up quickly, just use a comb with a small amount of combing spray. Small piles should not be torn with a comb, but sometimes just delicately separated with fingers – this speeds up the process and does not traumatize the coat. After a few smooth movements, the yorkie will look as if it has just come out of the salon, even if it has only been a few minutes.
Restoring the cleanliness and shape of the paws, which always give away unkemptness
Paws are the main “traitor” of yorkies, because they get dirty the fastest. Even if the body looks tidy, just look at the sticky “cuffs” and the whole image is lost. For a quick tidy up it is enough to gently wipe paws with a damp cloth, fluff up the coat with a comb and give it a light volume. If a few hairs are out of shape, they can be carefully trimmed with small scissors without touching the overall line. The tidy paws immediately make the yorkie look complete and neat, even without a full wash.
Refreshing odor, shine and overall appearance
When you need to get your yorkie tidy quickly, a full bath isn’t always an option. In such cases, dry shampoos, light sprays and shine-enhancing products can help. They remove excess odor, remove electrification and make the coat visually cleaner and smoother. A few strokes of a comb with a moisturizing spray on the back and tail is enough – and the very “gloss” for which this breed is loved appears. It is this stage that creates the effect of a finished grooming, as if a groomer had worked on your Yorkie.
When express grooming won’t work
Quick at-home treatments work great when you just need to freshen up the look. But they are not a substitute for a full grooming, especially if there are hairballs, brittle hair, skin irritation or a lost haircut. In such cases, the best result is an appointment at a professional salon, where your Yorkie will be restored to perfect coat condition and proper shape.
