Many people often ask me, how often should I bath my Teacup Yorkie and what exactly are the RIGHT steps to washing and cleaning them?
Here are my tips and secrets so you give your precious Teacup Yorkie pet the CORRECT care.
By the way, I mostly refer to Teacup Yorkies but they are also popularly known as Miniature Yorkshire Terriers, Mini Yorkies, Micro Yorkies, & Toy Yorkshire Terriers, confusing YES!
If you are enjoying this page, you probably should also read our related Teacup Yorkie grooming tips.
Bathing & Washing Your Teacup Yorkie (aka Miniature Yorkshire Terrier/Mini or Micro Yorkie)
NEVER make the mistake of using human shampoo or conditioner for bathing your teacup Yorkie, because dogs have a different pH balance than humans.
For example, shampoo for humans has a pH balance of 5.5, whereas shampoo formulated for our canine companions has an almost neutral pH balance of 7.5.
Always purchase a shampoo for your dog that is specially formulated to be gentle and moisturizing on your Yorkie’s coat and skin, will not strip the natural oils, and will nourish your dog’s coat to give it a healthy shine.
TIP: if your teacup is suffering from an infestation of fleas, you may want to bathe them with shampoo containing pyrethrum (a botanical extract found in small, white daisies) or a shampoo containing citrus oil.
Bathing a Yorkie is usually pretty easy and they will need bathing regularly due to being unable to shed their coat, which hangs onto all the dirt. I bathe Penny once a month.
It is an amusing activity because a soaking wet Yorkie looks very different without his fluff.
Whether you’re bathing your pet in your kitchen sink, laundry tub or bathtub, you will always want to first lay down a rubber bath mat to provide a more secure footing for your dog and to prevent your sink or tub from being scratched.
Have everything you need for the bath (shampoo, conditioner, sponge, towels) right next to the sink or tub, so you don’t have to go searching once your dog is already in the water.
TIP: place cotton balls in your dog’s ear canals to prevent accidental water splashes from entering the ear canal.
Fill the tub or sink with two to three inches of lukewarm water (not too hot as dogs are more sensitive to hot water than us humans) and put your teacup in the water.
Completely wet your dog’s coat right down to the skin by using a detachable shower head. If you don’t have a spray attachment, a cup or pitcher will work just as well.
TIP: no dog likes to have water poured over their head and into its eyes, so use a wet sponge or wash cloth to wet the head area.
Begin at the head and work your way down the back. Be careful not to get shampoo in the eyes, nose, mouth or ears. Comb the shampoo lather through your dog’s hair with your fingers, making sure you don’t miss the areas under the legs and tail.
After allowing the shampoo to remain in your dog’s coat for a couple of minutes, thoroughly rinse the coat right down to the skin with clean, lukewarm water using the spray attachment, cup or pitcher. Comb through your dog’s coat with your fingers to make sure all shampoo residue has been rinsed away.
Shampoo remaining in a dog’s coat will lead to irritation and itching. Once you’ve rinsed, take the time to rinse again, especially in the armpits and underneath the tail area. Use your hands to gently squeeze all excess water from your dog’s coat.
Immediately out of the water, wrap your Yorkie in dry towels so they don’t get cold, and use the towels to gently squeeze out extra water before you allow them a water-spraying shake. If your dog has long hair, do not rub your dog with the towels, as this will create tangles and breakage in the long hair.
NOTE: if your dog has a short or shaved coat, you will not need to be so particular, and in this case may massage the shampoo or conditioner in circular motions through the coat and can rub them down a little more with the towels after they are out of the tub.
Dry your dog right away with your handheld hairdryer being careful not to let the hot air get too close to their skin.
TIP: if your teacup Yorkie’s hair is longer, blow the hair in the direction of growth to help prevent breakage; if the hair is short, you can use your hand or a brush or comb to lift and fluff the hair to help it dry more quickly.
TIP: place your hand between the hairdryer and your teacup’s hair so that they will never get a direct blast of hot air and never blow air directly into their face or ears.
I wanted to write this guide dedicated to the tiniest Yorkshire Terriers out there because they are a character all of their own.
Now you know all about bathing your new puppy, how about learning some Teacup training tips?
Alan Kenworthy
PS – Want to know even more? If you have purchased a new Teacup puppy then please take a look at my Miniature Yorkie book…
