I agree that a weekly shampoo and conditioning rinse will help a lot. You really need it especially with long hair. Since a Yorkie's hair is much like human hair you have to treat it that way especially when it is long.
I did see someone say they had their dog shaved under the arms in order to keep that hair from tangeling. I have never had to do that with weekly bathing but I think a cotton coat might need it.
I have had long haired dogs of various types for years and found that using an all natural product line does wonders as far as conditioning the coat. Most traditional shampoos (even puppy shampoo) have sulfates in them that strip the natural oils from the skin and coat. They give a kind of "fried" effect to the fur much like if someone had over processed the hair. It tangles and mats more easily and just doesn't lay right. Some brands claim to have natural ingredients but they are not all natural and still contain sulfates.
So basically weekly bath with conditioning rinse. The spray conditioner is really helpful for between bath grooming. Daily combing and brushing. Keeping that coat looking nice and manageable does take some work on our part but is so worth it if you really want a long coat. |