Care & Grooming of Your New Puppy

Prior to the bath you are going to need to go through the coat 
to check for snarles and mats. Snarles can be pulled apart with 
your fingers, then using a pin type brush go though the coat 
before bathing. If the coat is matted, you are not grooming often
enough or the coat is a soft type.

A soft coat is much more difficult to maintain than the proper
silk coat. It will take daily care to keep from matting, so you
may need to have the dog trimmed in a puppy cut or another style. 
There is no sense in struggling with a coat that will constantly 
mat, causing you and the dog to be upset at grooming time. 
Mats hurt coming out regardless how careful and gentle you are. 
Soft coats also collect dirt and absorb moisture much quicker
than a true silk coat. You'll need to add a slicker brush to your
list if you're working with this type of coat. Be careful using
this type of brush, they can actually burn the skin. Place our
fingers at the base of coat next to the skin as you are brushing.
Start brushing at the ends of the hair and gradually work up
toward your fingers. 

Before the bath is the best time for brushing the teeth. Many
Yorkies are prone to excessive Tartar which causes premature
tooth loss. They make a number of products now to help keep
the teeth clean. If you do not brush the teeth,this will
mean additional professional cleanings at the Vet's, and it
can also lead to Bacterial Infections to develope causing
additional expense to you, and pain to your friend.

One of the biggest mistakes in shampooing is rubbing the coat
in circles. With the products today, the dirt is lifted off.
There is no reason to scrub back and forth.

Make sure the coat is entirely wet, apply your shampoo, and
distribute it by running your fingers though the coat. 

One of the things you need to do is remember that it is important
to rinse and rinse and rinse. Shampoo left in a coat can do
more damage to the coat and skin than anything else. 

Follow with a light Conditioner per instructions,or use a Mist
Bottle with a light Conditioner during the drying process. I
say a light conditioner because a very fine silky coat will 
get weighed down easily and appear dirty. Also if you are brushing
the coat during the week, you'll want to Mist it lightly. Do not
brush a dry coat, nor one that is getting dirty. You are much
better off rebathing quickly if you are trying to grow coat.

After the bathing is done, wrap the dog in a towel. Again, do
not rub the coat. If you hold him for just a couple of minutes
wrapped it will cut down on drying time.

If you are trying to grow coat, let him just stand in front of
the dryer until the coat is damp before you start to brush.
Otherwise you can begin to brush starting at the ends, not the
base of the coat next to the skin. Brush it in sections as you
go along, it's much easier than to skip around. Don't forget the
belly area, under the legs, and behind the ears.