Grooming Him Myself...

[NAUTILUS1900]

A clipper, a pair of scissors and a drier is all you need.
Experiment as much as you like.
Yorkies are hair machines.
Don't expect miracle results from the beginning but after a few haircuts you will feel more confident and you will form a great bond with your little one

Maria

[Marilize]

Originally Posted by Cerise

I groom Cerise myself. I invested in a good clipper set and hair cutting scissors, blow dryer (with large round diffuser end) comb, brush, toiletries, etc. Once, or every two weeks we have grooming night. I keep her head hair in a bob with the top knot part extremely long to have a braid hanging with bows, and her body (back to tail) in a blunt cut (bob) shortly even with her sides. I keep the hair on her chest, stomach and private area shaved. The hair on her legs is long and will continue to grow until all is long and even with a blunt cut at the paws.

People who see her always complement her cut. It probably sounds strange to read the description but it is very cute to see on her.

It took me a while to get comfortable with the tools but now I have mastered grooming and will NEVER pay for something I can do better and with my expected perfection.

I really like this style! I've been grooming both of mine myself and I have kept my boy in a very similar cut to yours. He just doesn't have a topknot. But I am now growing out my little girl's coat and then I'll shave her tummy. I've been growing her topknot. I hope you don't mind that I copy your signature cut!

I completely agree with you about not paying for something that you can do better yourself. I'm a perfectionist and I'll never pay for someone to groom them.

[dinkyweil]

I tried. Dink does not stay still when I get anywhere near his face! I'll try again. I want his body longer for winter, but his face looks really messy now. He barely lets me comb it.

[Lioncross4]

We groom in stages---1 day I do the face, another i trim the feet and privates with a clipper and the 3rd day I trim the body.

Advice:

Start by taking a little off, you can always take more! But, you can't glue it on once it's off.

Trim in vertical pieces--instead of horizontal, it gives a better flow!

We usuallly do it with 2 people--one to care for the dog-1 to trim!

[Krystee]

I just started grooming Tobie myself and I must say it's not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I groomed him for the 2nd time a couple of days before I took the attached pic. Of course, it's not perfect but I find flaws when he goes to the groomer too. My DH was laughing because when I did his belly and legs, I laid him on his back and he fell asleep while I was cutting his hair. LOL. I'm sure he much preferred to have his hair cut while taking a nap than being at the groomer. Hehe.

[MrsDoug]

I felt so bad when I went into a chi-chi stylist (mine) and saw a perfectly groomed Yorkie along with his owner in the salon. I expressed my concerns to my stylist, and he tol me - rightly, in my opinion - that it is a dog. Said he saw dogs groomed better in La Jolla, CA than their owners! As I refused to let my baby be manhandled by some groomer outside my presence or control, I did the deed myself. A big bath, a hair dryer, and kitchen shears did the job. Perfect? No. A little scary on the face? Yes. But cute PLUS a bonding experience? Priceless. Nobody will touch my humble, trusting pet. I make sure to give him a new toy and a food treat after the ordeal, which takes more out of me than it does him. He's always frisky after the fact.

[MilesDavis]

So far so good! I decided I would try it in phases, so last night we did a good brushing, a bath, trimmed nails, and clipped the hair on his face and head. I figured that was traumatizing enough for one night (for me and him)! It's certainly not perfect--a little choppy in areas--but overall, I'm pretty happy with it!
I'm going to try his back and belly tonight, and hopefully his legs and feet tomorrow. Thanks so much for all the advice, everyone! It made this task seem not quite so frightening!

[yorkieusa]

Originally Posted by Krystee

I just started grooming Tobie myself and I must say it's not as hard as I thought it was going to be. I groomed him for the 2nd time a couple of days before I took the attached pic. Of course, it's not perfect but I find flaws when he goes to the groomer too. My DH was laughing because when I did his belly and legs, I laid him on his back and he fell asleep while I was cutting his hair. LOL. I'm sure he much preferred to have his hair cut while taking a nap than being at the groomer. Hehe.

Well, he surely doesn't get too upset about having his hair cut, does he?

[jojomima]

This is the video that I have. Got it on Amazon. She goes through all the equipment and is pretty thorough while grooming. The only thing is she uses a slicker brush, which seems to be wrong according to other YT members. I don't use one, but she does.
Yorkshire Terrier, Yorkie, Dog Grooming Instructional How To DVD Video and Equipment Guide

by GroomingDvds



Hope it works out. I'm still learning and wish I could find a video on using thinning shears as my pup has a thick cottony coat at always looks as if I choped up her hair. STill learning. At least is grows out!

[Cerise]

Originally Posted by Marilize

I really like this style! I've been grooming both of mine myself and I have kept my boy in a very similar cut to yours. He just doesn't have a topknot. But I am now growing out my little girl's coat and then I'll shave her tummy. I've been growing her topknot. I hope you don't mind that I copy your signature cut!

I completely agree with you about not paying for something that you can do better yourself. I'm a perfectionist and I'll never pay for someone to groom them.

I don't mind at all! One day I'll take some pictures and post them to show.