Chorkie Grooming

The Chorkie--a hybrid of a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie)--usually has a long, silky, flowing coat like that of its Yorkie parent. Though medium-length, more woolly Chorkie coats are possible, a majority of these crossbreeds' coats are more "Yorkie-like," so the info here will concern those coat types. And like the Yorkie coat, the Chorkie's will need a lot of grooming: daily brushing, frequent baths, and haircuts every month or two.

See below for further details on maintaining the Chorkie coat, along with descriptions of popular hairstyles.

Since this hybrid's coat is normally more like that of its Yorkshire Terrier parent, Chorkie grooming can be a pretty time-consuming task. While they usually don't shed too much, these dogs will need frequent brushing to keep the coats in good shape. Bathing will need to be done fairly often as well (every 1-2 weeks), and like the Yorkie, numerous hairstyles are possible.

Brushing: Owners will need both a pin brush and a 2-in-1 comb. First wet the coat with mist from a spray bottle (with a little de-tangling solution mixed in, if desired), then use the comb to go through the long coat with sweeping strokes; this de-tangles the hair. Follow with the pin brush to straighten and, depending on the dog's hairstyle, "shape" the coat.

Bathing: These hybrids are small enough to be bathed in the kitchen sink. Owners will need to use high-quality canine shampoo and conditioner, as the kind made for humans can irritate the dog's skin. To bathe: first give the dog a thorough brushing, then wet the coat completely. Apply a small amount of shampoo to the dog's back, then lather well, working downward. Use a washcloth to clean the face and ears to avoid getting soap in the dog's eyes; rinse thoroughly, then repeat with conditioner. Towel- and/or blow-dry the coat, then finish with another quick brush-through to make the coat look clean, neat, and silky.

Haircuts: Plenty of hairstyles look great on Chorkies (described further in the Styling & Haircuts section below). Many styles can be done at home with a little practice, but it's a good idea to visit a professional groomer at least once. The groomer can demonstrate the proper styling methods, and provide additional tips about how to groom a Chorkie in general.

When a Chorkie has a long, flowing coat like the Yorkie, many different Chorkie hair cuts and styles are possible. Here are a few of the most popular Chorkie haircut styles:

• Show Trim: This cut leaves practically all the length. The hair all over is trimmed a half-inch or less with scissors to remove any split ends. Can easily be done at home.
• Puppy Cut: The hair is clipped short (to 1-1½ inches) all over; often the hair on the face, legs, and tail are left a bit longer. Can be done at home, but will take some practice.
• Teddy Bear Cut: Similar to a Puppy Cut, but the face, legs, and tail are carefully rounded and sculpted to make the dog resemble a stuffed animal. Best done by a groomer.
• 3-Layer: Also called the 3-Stack, this exotic, artsy cut gives the appearance of three "levels": the facial and topknot hair are cut to a line just below the shoulders; the body hair is cut to a line 2-3 inches above the ground; and the leg hair is cut to a line ½-inch from the ground. Will definitely need to be done by a groomer.