Best brush for a Yorkshire Terrier
The best brush for a Yorkshire Terrier depends mainly on how their coat is kept: a fine slicker or pin brush for a long, silky coat, or a simple bristle brush for a shorter puppy-cut trim. Yorkies have hair rather than a shedding double coat, which means it keeps growing and needs regular brushing to prevent matting rather than to manage shed hair.
Why a Yorkie's coat needs a different approach
Unlike breeds with a seasonal shedding coat, a Yorkshire Terrier's coat grows continuously and behaves more like human hair. That means matting, not shedding, is the main coat problem to manage, and it can happen surprisingly quickly if brushing is skipped for even a few days on a long coat.
How the coat is kept changes what tool actually helps. A long, flowing show-style coat needs a fine, gentle brush and comb used carefully through the full length; a shorter, practical puppy cut needs far less — often just a quick weekly brush to keep it tidy.
Choosing the right brush
For a long coat, a soft slicker brush with fine, flexible pins works through the length without pulling, followed by a fine-toothed metal comb to check for any tangles the brush missed, particularly behind the ears, under the arms and around the collar area where mats form first.
For a shorter puppy-cut Yorkie, a simple bristle brush or a softer pin brush is usually enough to keep the coat neat between grooming appointments, without needing the same careful, section-by-section approach a long coat demands.
How often to brush, and what to watch for
A long-coated Yorkie generally needs brushing daily or every other day to stay mat-free, while a shorter puppy cut can often get away with two or three times a week. Either way, checking behind the ears and under the legs each time catches early tangles before they tighten into a proper mat.
If a mat has already formed and tightened close to the skin, it is often kinder to have it carefully clipped out by a groomer than to pull it apart at home, which can be uncomfortable and stressful for a small dog.
What we stock for this breed
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Wahl Competition Series Clipper Blades
High-precision, chrome-plated clipper blades with a rust-resistant finish, available in 17 sizes for every coat type and clipping style.
From£37.99
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb
Ancol Ergo Double Sided Comb: a SGL grooming comb for combing the coat
£8.79
Ancol Ergo Soft Bristle Brush
A soft bristle brush for dogs, for gentle grooming around the ears and face
£7.79
Ancol Ergo Grooming Glove
A rubber grooming glove for dogs, for removing loose hair on wet or dry coats
£9.79
Wahl Pet Grooming Scissors with Finger Rest
Stainless steel finishing scissors with ergonomic offset handles — perfect for tidying around eyes, ears, mouth, and paws.
£5.49
Ancol Ergo Palm Pin Pad
A palm-strapped pin grooming pad for dogs, for silky, long, wiry and curly coats
£8.49
Large Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush for Mats and Tangles
A self-cleaning slicker brush with fine, bead-tipped wire pins that gently lift loose undercoat, mats and tangles from short or long-haired pets. A one-click button releases the collected fur for fuss-free cleaning. Cat-ear shaped design.
£18.99
Slicker Brush for Dogs — Detangling & De-shedding
An ergonomic slicker brush with anti-scratch pins that works through tangles and removes dead hair from top and undercoat.
From£9.99
Groom Professional Curved Soft Slicker Brush
A professional-grade curved slicker brush with soft pins, designed to groom delicate and soft-coated pets without discomfort.
From£8.99
Round-Tipped Deshedding Rake Comb
A double-sided undercoat rake with rounded stainless-steel blades that gently cut through mats and remove loose hair. The non-slip ergonomic handle makes deshedding dogs and cats quick and comfortable.
From£8.99
Self-Cleaning Deshedding Slicker Brush
A deshedding grooming tool for dogs and cats that lifts loose undercoat and eases out tangles, with a self-cleaning button that releases the trapped fur in one press.
£25.99
Common questions
- What brush is best for a long-coated Yorkie?
- A soft slicker brush with fine, flexible pins, followed by a fine-toothed metal comb to catch any remaining tangles. Work through the coat in sections, checking behind the ears, under the arms and around the collar area, where mats tend to form first.
- Do Yorkies in a puppy cut still need regular brushing?
- Yes, though less than a long coat needs — two or three times a week with a simple bristle or soft pin brush is usually enough to keep a shorter cut tidy and free of the early tangles that can still form even on a trimmed coat.
- Why does my Yorkie's coat mat so easily?
- Yorkshire Terrier coats grow continuously like hair rather than shedding seasonally, which means loose or tangled strands stay in the coat rather than falling out. Without regular brushing, those tangles tighten into mats surprisingly quickly, especially behind the ears and under the legs.
- Should I cut out a mat myself or see a groomer?
- A small, loose tangle can often be worked out gently with a comb, but a mat that has tightened close to the skin is usually better clipped out by a professional groomer. Pulling at a tight mat can be uncomfortable for a small dog and risks nicking the skin.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.