One Large Yorkie

This is 'Winston'.

I would have to say that he is the largest Yorkie I groom.

I don't mean weight wise, just size wise.

He is as large as a Lhasa.

He is a very sweet Yorkie.

I clipped 'Winston' for the first time back in September.

His owner wanted him a little longer this time for winter.

I will be using a 5/8 blade.

The last time his owners came in, we talked about the way 'Winston' was always chewing on his hair around his mouth.

You know the way they do it, constantly chewing like they have gum in their mouth.

I told them that I knew something that I could try.

Today 'Winston's' owner told me that it worked, and he had not chewed the hair around his mouth since I groomed him last.

I will show you below what I did.

First I gave 'Winston' 2 baths.

He has that tacky Yorkie coat.

I soaped him up, rinsed him, soaked him good with the Backing Soda Mix, rinsed that, and then soaped him up again.

He came out pretty fluffy, just like I like him, no tacky hair.

Then I did my usual sloppy rough-in.

After I scissored up his body and legs, it was time to tackle the face.

My goal is to remove those long hairs that go into the mouth and catch lumps of food, without making it noticeable and chopping up the face.

 First, I tuck all of the hair on his mustache, that I don't want to cut, up under my thumb.

The hair that I want to cut is usually wet from constantly being in the mouth.

It is the hair right around the lip line.

I like to use my clipper for this instead of my scissors.

I feel like I have more control.

'Winston' likes to stick out his tongue, so I am constantly stopping to put it back in his mouth, and do a quick swipe before he sticks it out again.

I also lightly skim the bottom lip line.

The green arrows show where I clipped the hair away.

The amount depends on how much hair the dog drags into their mouth.

Here is a picture without the green arrows in the way.

Now, on to the other side.

Once again, I need to stick the tongue back in the mouth.

I tilt the blade so that I am only using the last few teeth on the corner of the blade.

Be sure to hold the hair you don't want to cut out of the way.

ALWAYS watch for that tongue!!

After I have cut the hair away from the lip line, I let the rest of the mustache hair fall into place.

I comb it and scissor to shape it.

After I have scissored the mustache I go back and comb it again.

It is amazing how much hair these guys will suck back up into their mouths between the time you comb out their mustache and then pick up your scissors to cut.

I defiantly need to cut and shape again.

I repeat this step until I don't find anymore long stray hairs.

Even then, you can come back a few minutes later and see just one thin long clump of hair that you would swear up and down was not there a few minutes ago.

I think they hide it down their throat and then spit it back out when you are not looking.

 I use my finger to try to keep 'Winston's' tongue in his mouth.

If only for 10 seconds.

I have to say that tongues are my worst nightmares.

Tongues and scissors just scare the living cr*p out of me.

 'Winston's' owners wanted his face nice and short, but not pointy.

 I survived.

'Winston's' tongue survived.

What a cute guy.

Winston's Cut:

Body and Legs:  5/8 blade and scissor.

Ears: #10 on the tip of the ear, blend the rest of the ear hair into the head, and scissor tight to the leather of the ear.

Head: Skim a #4f  over the top of the head, blend off the sides and back of the head into the body. Scissor short around the mouth, keeping the Yorkie look. Clip the lip line short.

Happy Grooming, MFF