After neglecting my Yorkie’s hair for quite a while, I noticed that my Yorkie’s hair is all matted and tangled and it stressed me out.
I tried the usual ways of grooming but nothing worked. Then I started wondering “How to Groom a Yorkie With Matted Hair?”
After a good amount of research and consulting with my vet, I found out the right ways to groom my Yorkie’s matted hair. Are you facing the same problem? Worry not. Because I am going to share all the ways with you.
Keep reading to get to know all about how to groom a Yorkie with matted hair.
How to Groom a Yorkie With Matted Hair? Important 8 Steps
It is extremely necessary to groom your Yorkie, especially if he has matted hair. And remember that grooming matted hair is different than grooming normal hair. Let’s take a look at the 8 important steps of grooming a Yorkie with matted hair.
1. Get All the Tools Required
The first and the most basic step is to assemble all the necessary equipment to demat and groom your Yorkie’s matted hair.
You will need the following tools:
- A slicker or a pin brush,
- A dematting tool,
- A mat splitting tool
- A comb
2. Get Dog Shampoo and Conditioner
Giving your dog’s hair a wash and conditioning is very essential. They keep your Yorkie’s coat clean and provide it with the necessary moisture. You need quality products so that they have a good impact on your Yorkie’s hair and don’t end up harming it.
You must check out this amazing oatmeal shampoo that keeps your dog’s hair moisturized.
And also check this conditioner that helps in restoring the natural beauty of your Yorkie’s coat.
You can take a look at the best shampoo picks for your Yorkie here.
3. Find the Tangles
You need to find and identify the tangles in your matted dog hair. This makes it easier to groom and detangle or demat as you already know the areas you are supposed to work on.
Finding the tangles beforehand will also ensure that you don’t accidentally hurt your pet friend by being rough around these areas.
4. Apply Detangler
It is not advised to brush dry matted Yorkie hair. You must apply a detangling solution on your Yorkie before you begin to demat his hair. Apply a good amount of detangler in the matted area.
Check out this wonderful detangler spray that I use on my Yorkie!
5. Use Your Fingers to Remove the Tangles
Before putting in the brush, use your fingers to remove the tangles out of your dog’s coat. I know it sounds like a tedious job but you need to have patience and do this so that you are as gentle in removing the mats as you can be. Don’t apply too much force.
6. Brush The Matted Hair
Now the next step is to brush your Yorkie’s matted hair. Use a slicker brush to remove the rest of the tangles and mats. Separate a few strands at once and then brush through them so that it is easier to remove the tangles.
You should never apply too much force and struggle to remove the tangles because in doing so, you will end up hurting your Yorkie.
7. Bathe Your Yorkie
Now that you have detangled and dematted your Yorkie as much as you can, give your Yorkie a nice bath. Make sure no tangles or mats are left before you drench your Yorkie because water will only worsen the situation of the mats and tangles.
Use good quality shampoo and conditioner on your Yorkie. Using human products will harm your Yorkie’s coat so never do that!
You may want to know: Can I Use Human Conditioner On My Dog?
8. Prevent Tangles From Coming Back
After finishing the above-mentioned steps, you must have realized that it is a tedious job to groom a Yorkie with matted hair. So the obvious thing to do is to prevent the tangles from coming back.
You should apply a leave-in detangler spray on your Yorkie’s coat once he is completely dry after the bath. This will prevent tangles and mats from forming in your dog’s coat.
Check out this amazing detangler product that I found online which best suits the need of preventing mats in Yorkie hair.
Find Out Do Yorkies Bond With Only One Person?
How to Treat Your Yorkie’s Matted Hair?
Having a dog with matted hair can be a problem for both you and your dog. I am sure you don’t want to be the owner of a disheveled and unclean dog and nor do you want your Yorkie to have infections and irritations.
So you definitely need to detangle and dematt your Yorkie’s hair. Get the right tools like pin brushes, slicker brushes, dematting comb, and detanglers and use them properly to get rid of all tangles and mats.
Be very gentle and calm throughout the process because you don’t want to hurt your Yorkie.
If worst comes to worst and you are not able to demat your Yorkie’s hair then you will need to shave it. Use a good trimmer to do that or take your Yorkie to a professional groomer for this. Don’t take any risks.
Give your Yorkie a nice bath after this using a good shampoo and conditioner and apply a leave-in detangler spray to prevent further mats.
Things to Consider While Shaving Matted Hair in Your Yorkie
1. Sensitive Areas
You need to keep in mind that your Yorkie has certain areas that he is very sensitive about like his paws, ears, the base of the tail, under the legs, and around the butt. However, grooming these areas is equally important. Matted hair in these areas can cause skin irritation, infection and allow dirt to pile up.
Your Yorkie will get anxious when you bring the tools around these areas and he may start shifting his place or moving or barking. The sudden movement can lead to an injury caused by the trimmer or dog clipper or scissors.
You should first run around the instruments around these areas without actually using them so that your Yorkie is familiar with them. Or else, it is best to take your Yorkie to a professional groomer who can easily groom these areas of a dog’s body.
2. Make Your Yorkie Comfortable With the Tools
Your Yorkie will be unfamiliar with tools like scissors, clippers, and trimmers and might be scared of them when you try to use them on him. So the first thing you should do is make him comfortable with the tools.
For this, you can spread the tools near him and let him take a good look at them and sniff them. This way he will recognize the tools. You can move around the trimmer over his body without actually switching it on so that he gets a feel of it.
Which Are the Best Detangling Tools Required to Groom Your Yorkie?
You need to use the best detangling and dematting tools available to obtain the best results.
1. Brush
The first thing you need is a brush. Use this double-sided pin and bristle brush made of bamboo on your Yorkie to get rid of all mats and tangles.
Take a look at the best brushes for your dear Yorkie here.
2. Comb
You also need a comb for your dog to get rid of tangles. Here is the perfect stainless steel detangling comb for your four-legged friend.
3. Dematting Comb
The next thing you need is a dematting comb. A good dematting comb should be able to get through permanent mats more easily than other brushes and combs. Check out this dematting comb for your Yorkie that I found online.
4. Slicker Brush
A good slicker brush spreads the natural oil of your Yorkie’s coat evenly and removes all first particles from your Yorkie’s hair. Here is a good quality self-cleaning slicker brush for your dog with long hair.
5. Sprays and Conditioners
You should also use this detangling spray on your Yorkie to remove his mats and tangles.
And apply this leave-in conditioner to prevent mats and tangles from forming in your Yorkie’s coat. This conditioner also works as a detangling spray so that is good news for you!
How to Give Your Yorkie a Haircut Yourself?
It is quite easy to give your Yorkie a haircut yourself. You just need to have the right instruments with yourself and time and patience on your plate. Follow the below steps and give your Yorkie a brand new haircut.
Step 1: Decide A Haircut For Your Yorkie
The first thing you need to do is decide which haircut you want on your Yorkie. There is a range of Yorkie hairstyles available.
1. Puppy Cut
You can go with a puppy cut that is a short and single-length haircut. It gives your Yorkie a youthful look.
2. Teddy Bear Cut
You can with a teddy bear cut which is an extremely adorable haircut. In this haircut, the hair on the face is cut in a circular way which makes your Yorkie look like a teddy bear!
3. Westie Cut
You also have the option to go for a westie cut in which the hair on the ear and face is kept longer than the rest of the body.
4. Kennel Cut
You can go for a kennel cut which is very popular for Yorkies during summer. In the kennel haircut, the hair on the tail and legs is kept slightly longer than the rest of the body.
Step 2: Select The Right Equipments
Now you need to have the right equipment with yourself.
You would need a dog clipper, trimmer, scissors, combs, all these things ready. Don’t worry. I have found just the right clipper set that includes everything you need to give your Yorkie a haircut. Check it out here.
Step 3: The Hair Cut Process
First, comb your Yorkie’s hair and get rid of all the tangles and mats. Then comb out the hair and determine the length that you want to cut. Make sure you are cutting enough hair so as to allow him a proper and clear vision.
Use dog grooming scissors that have a rounded edge to protect your Yorkie from any injury or thinning shears to trim the hair.
Things To Consider Before You Give Your Yorkie A Haircut
What you also need to remember is that your Yorkie should remain calm and still during the process of the haircut. If your Yorkie is constantly moving, you might end up hurting him because these tools can give a bad injury to your dog.
You only have to cut your Yorkie’s hair and not your dog’s skin so be extra careful.
Many Yorkies don’t like it when you go near certain parts of a dog’s body like his ears or below the tail. So be slow and gentle when you are cutting the hair around these areas. Use positive reinforcement techniques and give your Yorkie treats for remaining calm.
Also, you must know how to give a proper cut to your Yorkie. If you haven’t done it before, you should first watch an experienced professional groomer do it and then only do it.
FAQs on How to Groom a Yorkie With Matted Hair
1. How to Treat Matted Dog Hair at Home?
You first need to arrange the right dematting tools. Then work through the tangles using your fingers. Use a brush and comb to get rid of mats and tangles afterward. Then give your Yorkie a nice shower using good quality dog shampoos and conditioners.
In case of stubborn mats and tangles, you might need to shave your Yorkie’s hair. You can use a good trimmer for doing that.
2. How to Prevent Mats in Dogs?
To prevent mats in dogs, apply detangler sprays and use detangling conditioners on your dog. They keep the hair separate from each other and keep it smooth as well.
3. Should I Shave My Matted Dog’s Hair?
If all your attempts to dematt your dog’s hair using fingers, combs, brushes, and dematting tools have failed, then yes, you should shave your matted dog’s hair.
Conclusion
So now you know How to Groom a Yorkie With Matted Hair. It is not a very tough job but you need to be patient and spend some time on it.
The lesson is that you should never neglect your Yorkie’s coat. Keep brushing it regularly to avoid mats and tangles and keep your Yorkie clean.
