To trim or not to trim, a floppy eared question
 

Anybody out there with a floppy eared yorkie with a long coat? How do your trim the ears, I'd love to see the pictures!

Okay, so my furbaby has floppy ears, and I think she's adorable. But here is my question. Since she grew past the age where there was a possibility of her ears standing, I have been leaving them kind of long, and the rest of her coat short...I think she looks really cute that way. But for the past few months I've been working on growing out her coat. What to do with the ears? I'm beginning to think I should get them trimmed short as the rest of her hair grows so that she has a more typical yorkie cut, and the hair on her ears doesn't compete with her topknot (we've been practicing with bows and I think when she actually has some length up top they'll look really cute).

I've consulted all of my yorkie books and they don't ever address how to trim floppy ears.

P.S.

Should the hair on her tail be kept really short while the rest of her grows or should it have some length on it. My groomers been leaving about an inch (or more) and I think it looks goofy, but maybe it needs to grow to look right as the coat lengthens...what do you think?

Hmm... I really don't know, I've never had a Yorkie with floppy ears!

here is a before and after I have posted before
a yorkie should have his/her ears standing
If youre growing the coat the ears, bum and paws should be the only thing trimmed the hair on the tail is only trimmed if your doing a puppy cut.

hope this helps

I have seen a lot of cute dropped eared Yorkies.
I would leave them full if it were me.
But it is all up to you. A pet can be trimmed how ever you like! :dogsm4:

P.S.

Should the hair on her tail be kept really short while the rest of her grows or should it have some length on it. My groomers been leaving about an inch (or more) and I think it looks goofy, but maybe it needs to grow to look right as the coat lengthens...what do you think?[/QUOTE]

Hi Gingergirlsmom...I started a thread last night called 'tail talk' and it's about this very thing. Trimming is all a matter of personal preference or convenience...we trim the hair on our boys' tails even though we're letting their coats grow long. I start at the tip and trim in a wedge towards the base so it's just a bit longer at the base but it's short enough to keep their behinds clean. I think it blends in great even with the longer hair...I posted a couple pictures in my thread if you want to take a look.

thanks, we go to the groomers on Thursday and as I said, the last few times we've left her ears alone, but I think they'd look cute trimmed. Thanks for the advice on tail and rest of her too!

I'm going to check out that tail thread now.

Still looking to hear from some of you with floppy eared yorkies, what do you do?

In my opinion...with a yorkie with floppy ears ....I would still trim the insides if you can for circulation. I have a cocker and have to pay careful attention to her ears as they get infections easily...and I know most groomers will pluck the inside hair on a yorkie...which is to keep air circulating and moisture out....ear hair will trap moisture in the ears.

So...if you like the long hair - maybe just leave the back of the ear long and trim inside...?

I have a floppy eared girl with a long coat. i used to leave the hair on her ears long but it made her look more like a shi-tzu. I trim her ears just like the ones that are standing. I am posting pics of it both ways.

The first pic is with the hair long and the second and third are with the ears trimmed. There is not a lot of difference but I like them better trimmed. When she is excited they perk up and almost stand. They didn't do that when the hair was long. Hope I helped.

Oh how precious!! She is beautiful!

i had the top of snickers ears shaved and they perked up w/in days...it doesnt hurt her at all or i wouldnt have done it but she looks so cute and curious with them up... hope this helps...
one thing tho - i tried to do them myself and couldnt she moved around too much so i talked to a groomer at petsmart and she did them for free it took about 1min and it was done
good luck!

My late yorkies ears would stand if I trimmed them, but if I let the hair grow they would not stand. I always would just scissors trim the length, never shaved them short. But I'd do a puppy cut on her in the summer.

thanks for all the great advice...Sophie's beautiful, and I like her ears both ways, but seeing her, I think I'll go ahead and have ginger's trimmed. Of course, her hair still has ALOT of growing to do, but I'll submit a pic after its done anyway.

I like short hair on the ears and long hair on the tails. I have my first puppy with ears that are flopped.. He is 12 weeks old and I am having a hard time taping cause his bratty sister pulls his ears like crazy. My preference is still prick ears, so I do clipper all the hair off his ears and tape and hope..