Establishing a Daily Grooming Routine
Start grooming early. Puppies as young as three weeks old can be introduced to grooming by way of gentle brushing. Brush puppies with a soft puppy brush or with your hand to get them used to being groomed. Leave brushes around so the puppy to get used to them. Let your puppy sit or stand for brushing, and praise it for staying still.
Brush your dog daily. Morkies have a coat that is long, soft, and fine, and requires daily brushing to avoid tangles. Brushing also removes dirt, dandruff, and dead hair, and distributes natural oils through your dog’s coat to make it shiny. Once a day, brush your dog very gently with a slicker brush or pin brush. Although Morkies are a non-shedding breed, your pet may lose a bit hair when groomed, so brush it on an easy to clean surface (e.g. the floor, a tabletop, a mat specifically reserved for grooming). Start by brushing your morkie in the direction of hair growth. Don’t brush your pet’s hair in the opposite direction. Brushing also stimulates the skin to produce oils and stimulate new hair growth
Trim its hair. The hair growing around your Yorkie’s forehead can get into its eyes and cause tears, which can stain its hair. Use a small comb to gently pull this hair away from your Morkie’s face. With small grooming scissors, carefully trim the hair just enough to ensure that it doesn’t irritate your pet’s eyes. If your Morkie has any mats or tangles that brushing cannot remove, gently cut them out with the grooming scissors.
Clean around its eyes. To clean away tears, prevent the growth of bacteria, and make your dog more comfortable, clean its eyes daily. Wet a soft cloth with warm water and gently run it over your Morkie’s eyes to clean tears away. If tearing occurs during the day, repeat this process.
Clean and trim around your Morkie’s ears. Run a cotton swab around the folds of your Morkie’s ears to remove any excess wax and moisture. Don’t insert the cotton swab into the ear canal. Gently remove any mats around the ears with trimming shears. If there are no mats, leave the hair long to prevent debris from getting into your pet’s ears.
Check for irregularities. While you are giving your Morkie its daily grooming, check its skin and hair for any possible issues. Such problems could include fleas, ticks, skin irritation, dry patches, and inflammation. Daily inspection can reveal these issues early enough to have them easily treated by a veterinarian.
Washing Your Morkie Weekly
Place your dog in the sink. Place a small towel or non-slip mat on the bottom of the sink. Gently place your dog on the mat and tell it to stay. Pet and praise it to keep it calm and happy, as you use a small cup to pour water over the dog.
Shampoo the dog. Use a cup or sink sprayer to gently wet your dog’s coat with warm water. Be sure to use a shampoo specially formulated for sensitive skin (available at most pet stores). Gently lather your dog’s hair to avoid matting it. If your shower does not have a removable shower head, consider washing your Morkie in the sink, or using a cup of water instead. A regular shower might overwhelm your small dog.
Rinse its coat. Gently rinse out the shampoo from your Morkie’s hair. To prevent irritation of your dog’s sensitive skin, make sure to remove all soap residue from its body. Lift your dog to ensure that all shampoo is rinsed from its armpits, groin, and paws as well.
Dry your dog. Using a soft towel, dry your small dog with long, gentle wipes. To avoid knots and mats in its hair, wipe in the direction of hair growth. When hair is damp, blow dry your dog on a very low setting to dry its coat completely. While drying, gently comb your dog’s hair back into shape.
Bringing Your Dog to the Groomer
Prepare your Morkie for groomer visits. In preparation for an actual visit, try to get your Morkie ready for what it will experience at the groomer’s. Once a day, handle its front and back paws and gently tap its nails with a metal spoon or clippers. Place it on a tall spot (e.g. a kitchen counter) and have it stand there for several moments to get used to being on an elevated surface.
Choose the right groomer. To choose the right groomer for your dog, ask friends for recommendations or look online for reviews of local grooming businesses in your area. Call and inquire about whether the groomer has the proper state-required certification (e.g. in some states, groomers must be licensed and certified in flea/tick applications). Ask other questions, such as: ”Do you have much experience grooming Morkies?” ”How many years of experience do you have?” ”Did you complete training at a grooming school?”
Start grooming visits early. Bring your Morkie to see a groomer once a month, or at least every two months, to stay properly groomed. Groomers will give your Morkie a proper bath, trim its hair and nails, clean its ears, and brush its teeth if requested. Puppies should be brought to their first grooming session when they are 10-12 weeks old, or when they have received their second round of vaccines.
Begin slowly. Ease your dog into visiting the groomer’s by opting for a limited treatment the first time. Have the groomer do a face trim, feet trim and sanitary cut instead of an entire body haircut. This will get your dog used to the sights, sounds, and overall atmosphere of the grooming salon without having the experience be too lengthy or intense.
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