How To Groom A Shorkie (8-Step Guide)

Want to learn how to groom a Shorkie?

You’ve come to the right place!

Shorkies require frequent grooming to avoid mats and tangles.

This can result in infection, skin issues, and an overall weakened health or potentially irreversible damage. 

image of woman kissing shorkie holding her

In this Digdoggy.com guide, you will learn:

  • Supplies that you’ll need
  • What to be aware of before completing this task
  • How often to groom your Shorkie

And much more!

What's In This Guide?

      What Do You Need To Know About Grooming A Shorkie?

      Using a large slicker brush will allow you to cover more ground after shaving your Shorkie.

      This is particularly helpful for removing knots and mats as using the slicker brush and then a comb to follow will smooth out the majority of tangles.

      Using a towel to dry down your dog after bath time will save you time when it comes to blow-drying later. Put in a little work upfront to a larger return later.

      A grooming dryer will also help you to spot early signs of infections and skin issues that are impossible to find with cage dryers.

      If you plan on shaving then prepare 3 blade guards containing a 0, 1, and a 2 to help you figure out the length you want to cut to.

      How Often Should You Groom A Shorkie?

      Bathing a Shorkie should be done once per month with daily brushing once or twice per day to prevent mats.

      In between this time you can use pet cleaning wipes to keep the coat free of dirt and debris.

      A full groom should be every 6 weeks including body trim, bath, nails, and ears.

      Supplies That You’ll Need To Groom Your Shorkie

      • Big Dog Brush
      • Grooming clippers
      • Small Dog Brush
      • Cotton Ball
      • Dog Shampoo
      • Conditioner
      • Soft Towel
      • Dog Hair Dryer
      • Metal dog Comb
      • Nail Clipper or Grinder
      • Dog Tooth Brush
      • Dog Toothpaste
      • Dog Wet Wipes
      image of shorkie with nice new cut

      Step 1: Trim paw pads

      Start off with trimming away the excess hair of the paw pads that helps them gain more traction. You can use a pair of scissors or grooming clippers (30 blade or 40) to do this.

      Step 2: Brush Your Shorkie’s Hair

      Remove existing tangles by brushing your Shorkie’s hair. This will make tangle removal after his bath more manageable.

      Start from one side of his body doing downward strokes and then brush him horizontally.

      Do the other side, as well.

      Next, brush the paws, tail, and head. Use a smaller brush to brush the face, taking care of the eyes, nose, and mouth.

      Once they are tangle-free, it’s time for a bath.

      Step 3: Plug Ears With cotton balls

      Take two cotton balls and plug each of his ears. This will help keep water out while he bathes and prevents any infections from occurring.

      Step 4: Bathe Your Shorkie

      Using warm water, bathe your Shorkie in a shallow tub. Wet him with your hands and apply shampoo and conditioner specifically made for dogs on him. Wash the part beneath his eyes gently with a toothbrush.

      Reduce hair tangling by thoroughly but gently cleansing his entire body. Rinse him off with lukewarm water and use a clean, soft towel to dry him.

      Step 5: Blowdry His Hair

      After towel drying, use a low-heat dog hair dryer to dry his hair completely. Begin with the hair on his body.

      Don’t hold the dryer near his face or too close to his skin so he doesn’t overheat. Use a hairdryer on him just until he is completely dried off.

      Step 6: Brush Hair Again

      After drying off his fur completely, brush his hair once more. This time, you can begin on his paws and work upwards towards his back and sides.

      Remove any tangles that occurred during his bath using gentle, long strokes. Use a small comb to brush around his ears and face. Spray him with a leave-in conditioner for dogs.

      Step 7: Trim His Nails

      Use nail clippers to cut the tip of his nails. Hold his paw gently as you do this. You can also just file his nails if you are feeling unsure about clipping them.

      Nails should a few millimeters longer than the pink part of the nail that contains living tissue.

      Step 8: Brush Teeth

      Using dog toothpaste and a toothbrush, brush your Shorkie’s teeth. Narrow Shorkie jaws result in overcrowded teeth.

      Do as much as you can making sure to remove tartar where visible.

      Brushing them frequently will prevent gingivitis and plaque which his breed is prone to. This also protects him from bad breath.

      Final Thoughts On Grooming A Shorkie

      Bathe your dog every 6 weeks and brush daily and use a 10 blade on the face then moving down to a 5 and then finishing with a snap-on comb (30 or 40) and thinning scissors.

      Remove feet hair from paw pads and clip nails down to the length of the paw.

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela graduated magna cum laude in Marketing from the State University of New York’s F.I.T and was a Presidential Scholar, specializing in Shakespearean Studies. She also has an AB Psychology Degree from De La Salle University Bacolod and when not writing, loves to spend time with her daughter Margarita and bake cookies and lasagna for her loving husband Sebastian.

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      Learn More About Pet Care

      Raising a pup shouldn’t at all be hard. Check out some of these other helpful guides to help you become an even better pet parent! 

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela

      Jennifer Cosculluela graduated magna cum laude in Marketing from the State University of New York’s F.I.T and was a Presidential Scholar, specializing in Shakespearean Studies. She also has an AB Psychology Degree from De La Salle University Bacolod and when not writing, loves to spend time with her daughter Margarita and bake cookies and lasagna for her loving husband Sebastian.

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