How to Clip a Yorkie at Home | A Step-by-Step Home Dog Grooming Plan

Grooming a Yorkie at home saves money and keeps your dog comfortable, but the wrong order or blade can leave a matted mess or cause a nick. This plan covers the full home clipping sequence, the blade sizes that actually work, and the three mistakes that cause the most trouble for first-time groomers.

What You Need Before You Clip

Gather the gear before the dog gets wet: a good set of dog clippers (not human clippers, which overheat and pull), a fine-toothed comb, rounded-tip scissors, dog shampoo, and a blow dryer—ideally for pets, though a human dryer on low heat works if kept moving. The clipper attachment you choose depends on the finish and body area. A descriptive product roundup for choosing the right tool is available in our tested roundup of clippers for Yorkies, which covers models suited to the blade sizes below.

The Step-by-Step Home Yorkie Clip

Follow this order exactly. Skipping the prep work guarantees an uneven result.

1. Brush and detangle completely. Use a slicker brush and metal comb to remove every tangle before water touches the coat, as mats tighten when wet. Pay special attention behind the ears, under the tail, and in the armpits—where mats form first.

2. Bathe and dry fully. Wash with dog shampoo only, rinse until water runs clear, then dry completely with a blow dryer on medium heat. Wet hair doesn’t cut evenly and clogs clipper blades—dry coat gives a clean, even clip.

3. Clip the body with the coat’s growth. Start on the back and sides using a 1/2-inch clipper attachment for a longer finish. Move clippers in the direction hair grows—from neck toward the tail, from backbone down the sides. Clipping against the grain shortens unevenly and can irritate skin. Work in straight, overlapping passes, pausing to comb away loose hair.

4. Switch to a shorter blade for sensitive areas. Use a #10 blade for the belly, inside legs, sanitary area, and paw pads. It leaves about 1/16 inch of coat, not bare skin. On paws, shave between pads and round the foot—fur that drags picks up dirt and can make the dog slip.

5. Trim the face and ears. Use rounded-tip scissors, not clippers, for eyes, muzzle, and ear tips. Point scissors away from the dog and work slowly. Stop before exposing pink skin—the ear flap is thin and easy to nick.

6. Final comb-through and touch-ups. Comb the entire coat forward and back to reveal missed patches. Even areas get a second pass. For any mat, work it apart or cut it out with scissors—never clip over a mat, as the clipper will grab and pull.

Common Mistakes That Ruin a Home Clip

Clipping a wet or damp coat. The most common error. An uncombed damp coat balls up inside the blade, snags hair, and leaves a choppy finish. Dry completely before cutting.

Skipping the body blade for a #10 everywhere. A #10 across the whole dog exposes skin to sun, cold, and irritation. reserve the short blade for belly, pads, and sanitary area only.

Scissors near the eyes without rounded tips. Straight-point scissors near a dog’s eye risk serious injury from sudden movement. Rounded-tip scissors reduce that risk dramatically.

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