100+ Yorkie Haircuts for Males and Females (Cute Yorkshire terrier Hairstyles and Cuts)
If you are looking for different Yorkshire terrier haircuts, you are at the right place! We called this a Comprehensive guide to the perfect Yorkie haircuts, because here you will find more than a hundred pictures of female and male Yorkie hairstyles.
NOTE: If you are here for the pictures, scroll down and you will find them. However, this guide will go into great detail behind each type of cut and how to choose the right one for your Yorkie.
Best Shampoo Choices For Yorkies
Table of Contents
First – Should You Choose A Long Or Short Yorkie Cut?
There are so many choices when it comes to how you cut your Yorkie’s hair. It may be difficult to pick the “right” cut, but the nice thing is – the hair is constantly growing! So you can switch up the cuts to find the best one for your Yorkie.
First, you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you love long hairstyle more than short one?
- Do you have enough time to maintain long hair?
- Will you be able to brush your dog’s hair everyday?
- Do you spend lots of time outdoor with your dog?
- Will you be doing the cut yourself or hire a groomer?
Choosing long or short hair style for your dog typically depends on the everyday activities of the family and the dog. For busy owners or for families with children, the style is usually short cut, because long hair requires more and regular grooming.
But if you have the time and the desire, there is no doubt how beautiful the dog looks when it has a long hairstyle.
Long Yorkie hairstyle
A lot of Yorkie owners let their pets’ hair grow freely. They only trim parts of the body – around the ears, eyes, anus area and below the paw pads. That isn’t a problem but you should not forgot what daily care will the dog need – combing, brushing and bathing once a week, etc.
Since the owners often forget that daily care, they achieve the opposite result. If you don’t maintain the hair of your Yorkie, it will look messy and untidy, and sometimes will even smell.
So, if you are willing to invest some more time and regular grooming (because the trimming should be done more often in comparison to a short cut) you can go for the long hair style.
It is a good choice for people who want to be happy with the look of their dog and at the same time this grooming could be rather fun for both you and your dog.
Short Yorkie haircut
A short Yorkie haircut is a preferred choice for the owners who do not have the time to maintain a longer cut. They prefer spending the time they have with other activities – walking outside and playing for example instead of more time for grooming and brushing.
The other reason for choosing a short haircut is when having active dogs that play outside quite often. In such case the dog should stay cleaner for some more period of time and with a short hair it will not develop so many tangles.
Please note:
Many people have their Yorkie’s hair cut as short as possible for they don’t want to bath, brush and comb their pet that often, but sometimes they do not expect the result that comes afterwards. Some people find their pets to look different.. or somehow weird after the short trimming.
Especially if we talk about teacup Yorkie, it would look fragile and thin even with hair and if it has no hair, then the Yorkie might look a little bit weird to some people.
The Yorkie looks quite tidy and neat when you choose a style of shaping the dog’s hair via layering. This is also one of the most popular styles that is chosen by the owners of this breed.
Achieving a “put together” appearance does not look like this the first time you see the Yorkie’s hair, but with the shorter cuts of the coat, it is easy to maintain and gives the proper look that you want and need.
Perhaps it does not look as fancy as some special cuts, but your dog is neat and tidy, and this style shows that you put efforts and time for the proper care of your dog.
What is also great about the Yorkie hair is that it grows quite fast and you can always add your own personal touch to the hair.
How short..
You can cut a hair style as short as you wish as long as the skin of the dog is not showing. It is also safe to clip any areas of the dog’s body so you have the variant to invent unlimited number of styles.
Average Length Cut
If you trim your Yorkie’s hair to average length, this will minimize the needed daily care. It will be enough to bathe the pet once every two weeks and brush it with a massage brush for about 3-5 minutes.
Check out our grooming article for more information about this.
How Early Can You Start Cutting A Yorkie’s Hair?
This depends on the dog and the desire of the owner. I usually recommend a short introductory visit to the groomer by the age of 4-5 months to get the puppy a short trim around the face to keep him/her clean.
Some owners will choose to go ahead and trim more of their Yorkies at that time but I would talk to your groomer about the pros/cons of this first. A good groomer will see what will fit you and your Yorkie the best.
However, starting earlier with the groomer can be a good idea for Yorkies who are very sensitive about having their face and feet handled. They need to get used to the process.
Who Should Cut The Yorkie’s Hair?
There are two basic options – either you or a professional Groomer will be cutting your dog’s hair. Don’t think that you can’t do it yourself. You need some basic tools, but it can be a fun bonding experience with your dog and will save you money.
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How Does A Groomer Do A Yorkie Haircut?
Full Groom
The “Full Groom” is among the most popular Yorkies’ grooming services and a quite complex one. If you choose it, your pet will be combed, the dead hairs will be removed and it will receive ear trimming and ear canal cleaning with special lotion.
Afterwards, the dog’s nails will be cut and the groomer will trim the paw pads areas. Then comes the bath. The Yorkie will be bathed with the help of professional shampoo and conditioner. After the bath is over, the groomer will dry the dog out with towel and hairdryer.
The next part is the final brushing which is a very important task. The groomer should be very careful when it comes to this process for they should remove all the tangles. These are the basic procedures which the “Full Groom” includes.
There might be other services – perfumes, lotions, special care for the pet’s top knot, checking its sanitary/ anal glands, etc. depending on the dog’s needs and you may be extra charged for these.
Once all these steps are complete, then the groomer will begin to work on the haircut. There are a lot of different styles to select from and we’ll talk about them, but you might simply explain what you want to the groomer.
The professional groomer is an artist. This person cuts the extra hair and forms the lines on the chest, legs and head. It is somehow an art and the groomer should correctly see each dog’s proportions in order to know how to emphasize the advantages and hide the disadvantages.
If the groomer is really a professional one, they’ll let your dog shake off after the haircut in order to examine the pet in motion. If the haircut is done right, it will keep its shape for up to three or four weeks.
If you really appreciate your Yorkie’s look and value its quality, the “Full Groom” service is the maximum you can get for a minimum amount of money.
Sanitary Trim for Yorkies
The Sanitary trim is usually cheaper that the Full Groom one. Some people are quite confused and think that this service is only cutting these parts which are around the anus and the sexual organs.
This might be true for some breeds, but we’ll clear you confusion and will explain you what should you expect from the Sanitary Trim for Yorkies.
The first step of this procedure is combing. Then comes the cutting and forming the tail. The areas around the anus should be trimmed and this is very important for proper hygiene. Afterwards, the groomer will proceed to the penis if your puppy is male or to the vulva if your puppy is a female one.
But there is more: the groomer will do the areas around the eyes and will trim the ears’ upper third part. The ear canals should be carefully cleaned with the use of a special lotion. The groomer should also do the paw pads’ areas – around and bellow them. If necessary, they will cut the nails, too.
In short, the Sanitary cut includes trimming and forming that areas of your Yorkie which should be short for the maintenance of proper hygiene and the prevention of irritations.
The must trim areas of the body are the anus, the genitals, the ears and eyes, and finally, the paw pads. These body parts should always be tidy, clean and short in order for future problems to be prevented. After the groomer is finished with the steps mentioned above, then they’ll wash and dry your pet with hairdryer and then edge the face, ears, paws and eyes.
Edge means that the groomer will precisely equate the hair of the ears, face, paws and top knot but will still maintain the shape.
That trimming is perfect for every owner who wants to grow their Yorkie’s hair and only sanitize it without shortening it. That choice is better for puppies which are 2 to 6 months old for it is shorter and will familiarize the puppy with the grooming procedure.
100 Different Yorkshire Terrier Haircuts
Here is a video with more than 100 different yorkie haircuts that you can get ideas from:
What About Shaving Your Yorkie?
This is actually what I do for my little Yorkie rescue. She hates to have me work on her face and feet and is just easier to keep clean overall with a short shave that I do myself about every 6-8 weeks. The shorter the shave, the less often I have to do it which suits her just fine.
One issue that can be of concern when shaving a Yorkie is having them outside in the sun where they can potentially get sunburned due to the thin hair. I don’t worry about that as my little girl is rarely outside.
If you’re worried about the coat growing back, a healthy Yorkie should have no problem growing hair. If your dog struggles to grow its hair back after a cut, you should consult with your veterinarian to determine what is causing the issue.
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What Is A Show Trim?
This is the hair that is required in accordance with the rules of the American Kennel Club and the events that are sponsored by this association. The main aim of this style is to keep the dog’s hair in the most natural way.
The topknot (the name that the top of the hair is famous with) must be held away of the dog’s eyes and this is achieved by gathering it on a pony tail, fixing it on the top of the head with a bow.
If your dog participates in exhibitions, it would be very hard to take care of its hair. These shows’ standard is the hair to be full grown and often exceeding the dog’s height. And while the dog might be exceptionally beautiful during the show and during the photo sessions, the hair care is quite a tricky process.
The dog should be washed once every 3 to 4 days, dried with a hairdryer and have each hair strand smeared with special oil. But that’s not all – each hair strand should be then rolled with dogs’ hair rollers. And then the owners dress the Yorkie with a thin jumpsuit until the next procedure. If they let the dog stay in its original form, then they should comb the dog at least three to four times every day.
If that is the case, the quality of the hairline will deteriorate for each combing pulls out some amount of hair. If the dog has long hair and has been washed and dried with a hair dryer several times, but not combed, it might be necessary for the dog to be completely shaved off for there will be plenty of mats and tangles.
The Yorkie might be totally used to this procedures, but the proper condition of the hair might require a few days’ work to be achieved.
What Is A Yorkie Puppy Cut?
This is perhaps the most famous Yorkie cut, especially for young dogs. When you choose this style, then your dog’s hair is clipped all over and the exact length of cutting the coat is according to the preference of the owner. The usual length that is kept is about one or two inches.
The name of this hairstyle comes with the word puppy in it, because it makes you dog look like having a natural yorkie puppy haircut. Many people strongly desire for their pets to get this haircut for it gives the Yorkies their very familiar look but the hair would be short trimmed, thus, the maintenance would be very easy.
With the Puppy cut, the hair won’t be completely shaved but only trimmed to very short length.
The Puppy cut might be somehow modified – for example, you might choose what length do you want the hair over the legs, head and body to be and some people prefer that the hair on the head and legs is a little longer than the body hair. The choice is yours.
Squared Puppy Cut
The above “puppy cut” is used as a base for this haircut. The hair of the body and the legs id clipped short, but the face hair is trimmed in such a way that a square bob is achieved.
Using a bit of gel in the end for the facial hair, which is about an inch long, will be the final touch for getting the square shape.
This hair style also has a few different variants. So it depends on the owner if he or she wishes to keep the facial hair a bit longer so that the Yorkie still keeps the topknot or you can add rounded pompoms on the dog’s ankles.
Your dog has a neat face with this hairstyle, there are no chances to get a tangled hair and is perfect for hot summer months, because it allows the dog’s hair to breathe.
Yorkie Schnauzer Cut
This type of Yorkie cut is trimmed in the following way:
The black portions of your dog`s hair are clipped quite short, may be even shorter than half an inch, and the tan parts are left a bit longer, again according to the owner`s preference, but the usual length that is chosen is about two inches.
Again the hair of the top of the head is kept away from the dog’s eyes.
Flared Cut
It is again a short hair style, except of the hairs from the hocks, which is left long. The forehead hair is also left longer, so that it goes around and over the ears.
Yorkie Westie Cut
The entire coat is clipped about an inch away from the floor. The hair of the entire face and the base of the ears is left rounded. The side sections of the face hair almost meet under the chin.
The eyes are kept clear by putting the hair back or shaved short. Just like with the other Yorkie cuts, this one also has different variants. The length can again be a bit longer or a bit shorter.
3 Layer Cut
This Yorkie terrier cut is also known under the name 3 Stack. That is a really amazing haircut. The groomer will trim the Yorkie’s hair in 3 different layers – on the legs, on the body and on the head.
This hair style is for the owners who wish to keep the dog`s hair as much as possible and still to be easy for maintaining. The length of the head`s hair is about one or half an inch passed the shoulder, presenting the first layer.
The second layer is the back hair, which is cut about the same length above the floor. It is up to you how much above the floor would you want the hairs to be. And the third layer comes from the dog`s legs which are trimmed to the length of the floor.
Designer Yorkie haircuts
Nowadays, plenty of people want their dogs to get interesting and creative hairstyles. The groomers try to be different and might use rhinestones or form decorative elements on the Yorkie’s hair.
Here you can do everything your fantasy dictates. Your pet might be turned into a hedgehog, a lion, a Chinese crested dog, etc. If the Yorkie is with normal fatness and fairly thick coat, figure carving is appropriate.
If the groomer is experienced, they might tell you how the unusual figures will help you hide the pet’s disadvantages. Should the groomer do some horizontal lines, this will visually reduce the dog’s body tightness, etc.
Many designer haircuts will look cute only 2 to 3 weeks after they are done and then they might turn into something very unpresentable. Plus, should your dog walk in the rain or have a bath, the original appearance of the haircut might be lost. Even more, if you wish your Yorkie to have a designer haircut, remember that these need regular care.
Yorkie Cuts: Some Helpful Advice
For cutting your Yorkie’s hair or when deciding to change it, the best is to have a professional groomer for doing this unless you have a lot of experience in cutting and grooming.
It is always the best decision to ask around. And you can have a short interview with the groomer to get the feeling if he is the right person for the task you need to be fulfilled.
The groomer..
The first thing you need to know about the groomer is if he or she has previously done such a haircut that you have chosen for your Yorkie on other dogs of the same breed.
It is also possible that the groomer has done such haircuts on other breeds which is still a good experience. Ask for sharing more information with you and for sure ask for some pictures.
And while we are on the topic about the pictures, you should also bring at least one, showing the Yorkie cut that you desire to have for your dog.
Of course that you can explain it to the groomer, but it is always easier, when you take a look and you get the entire idea. This will be much easier for both of you.
And again:
When choosing your dog’s hair style you need to consider not only that you like the beautiful look of the style, but what can you afford to maintain.
It is quite important to have time for grooming if you choose a longer cut so that you can groom the dog’s hair for avoiding tangles or mats which can be quite unpleasant for you and for the dog of course.
For example, the Puppy cut can be left to grow a bit longer and the time for cutting the hair is extended, while the Squared of the Layered styles need more proper and often hair trimming.
