Grooming Guides

Grooming Guide- Yorkshire Terrier

Grooming Your Yorkshire Terrier

1) Conditioning Between Shows .
Again this is the most critical part of any conditioning program. The work done here will make every other aspect of your program much easier, less time consuming and with less products necessary to make the dog look it's very best on show day. We have grouped these two breeds together because in general they have the same type of hair, meaning of like type and construction. They are ideally of a silky texture and are single coated. We will discuss the individual differences as we go along, and at the end, some of the unfortunate exceptions to the breed standard rules. It is our job not to judge them but to make them look their very best regardless of whether their coats are correct.
BATHING:
All show coats should be bathed a minimum of once every 7 days. Living conditions, the dog's individual habits, coat type, and stages should ultimately determine the frequency of bathing.
The maltese coat should be bathed each time with the Professional Formual Whitening Shampoo. Dilute 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water for all over body use. Use full strength on faces, feet and any areas which are prone to staining, leave on these areas for up to 3 minutes. Be careful not to get in to the eyes, if this occurs flush immediately with lots of cool fresh water., You may also put a drop of mineral oil in each eye before beginning.
The yorky coat can be bathed 1 to 2 times per month with the whitening shampoo, diluted 1 part shampoo to 5 parts water. This will not strip color, but will lift the color with its optical brighteners and remove any yellowing of the coat. It is also safe for those coats artificially colored. It will not strip color natural or otherwise.
Both should then be bathed with the Super-Cleaning and Conditioning Shampoo. This will remove any residues from the coat and open the hair follicles up for maximum benefit from the conditioning steps. # 1 ALL SYSTEMS Super Cleaning and Conditioning Shampoo is gentle enough to be used everyday and only removes the excess oil and dirt, not the natural oil. ADD 1-2 tablespoons of the #1 ALL SYSTEMS TEA TREE OIL to a mixed quart of Super-Cleaning Shampoo for a medicated bath. The Tea Tree oil contains oil of melalucca which is a natural anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, antiseptic, analgesic which is highly effective on yorkys for the areas which are subject to hair loss. Namely the ears, legs, and tops of muzzle. Problem areas may be treated after the bath by dipping a cotton swab in the tea tree oil and apply to those areas. We also have an ingredient in the product which is inert, so it does not affect the way it works however it is extremely bitter so it keeps the dogs from licking it off.

Next:
Product Stabilizer should be used. Dilute 1 ounce in 31 ounces of warm water. Mix by tumbling bottle gently, distribute evenly throughout coat. Leave for 30 seconds and rinse thoroughly
Then run your hand over the coat. If it feels waxy to the touch, give the coat one more light shampoo with the Super-Cleaning and Conditioning Shampoo. This will remove the balance of any unused, unutilized product and yield a sparkling full-bodied coat. NOTE: This step becomes especially critical when you have a softer coated, bushy yorky or maltese. These coats, because they are by nature more porous, have a tendency to absorb more oil, conditioner, and moisture than they need and the coats can easily become over conditioned. This leads to a further loss of texture, separation in the coat and makes the coat more susceptible to matting. This is not desirable, we want the hair to hang together with a nice smooth feel and look.
The Product Stabilizer allows you to use oils on these coats to prevent matting and promote growth without the bad side effects usually associated with these products on these types of coats.
The Product Stabilizer is also excellent for removing safely stains which are alkaline in nature, such as, urine and food stains. Soak those areas for several minutes and then rinse completely. The stain will be safely neutralized without damage to the hair follicle.

YORKSHIRE TERRIER
The combination of choice for holding and protecting coats in between shows, on the Yorky, is the Protein Lotion Conditioner and Pure Cosmetic Lanolin.
Mix 1 tablespoon of the Protein Conditioner and 1 tablespoon of the Pure Cosmetic lanolin in 32 ounces of warm water.
Put the product in the bottle first, fill I way with hot water replace the cap and shake vigorously. Just before you are ready to apply the solution add warm water and shake again. Apply with applicator type bottle as evenly as possible. Pay special attention to ends and problem areas. Rinse thoroughly. Blot with clean towel and dry in usual fashion with warm dryer. Yorky coats are delicate so be very careful of the ends. Coat may be wrapped at this point.
If it becomes necessary to brush in between baths, the best product to use is the Moisturizing Coat Protector and Enhancer. Remove wraps carefully,separate the hair and any tangles with your fingers, and then starting at the ends of the coat with the # 1 ALL SYSTEMS Ultimate Pin Brush , carefully brush out a small section at a time. If there are any mats, spray the coat more thoroughly, leave it for a few minutes and then separate it with your fingers. Carefully brush out, being careful to minimize hair loss. Rewrap if necessary,
2) Preparing the Coat for Show day:

At The Show; Touch-ups: Cleaning faces and feet etc. should be done with the Self-Rinse Conditioning Shampoo diluted 1 part shampoo to 8 parts water. Spray area to be cleaned and blot with clean towel. Repeat as necessary and then dry in usual manner.
Coat should be layered with a light solution of Protein Lotion Conditioner in water, 1/4 cap (16oz Bottle) in 16oz. bottle. The use of a blow dryer is sometimes helpful to maximize the volume of the coat, however be sure to carefully brush and blow in the direction that the coat grows to minimize stress on the hair.