Grooming

Question
Can you groom a Yorkshire Terrier without electric clippers. I cannot find any suitable sizes that I can afford. Can you just use a decent pair of grooming scissors?
Thanks

Answer
Hi Millie
Of course there is no hard and fast rule of how to groom your pet. Yorkies are traditionally a long haired pet but most people don't have the patience for the maintenance involved so they opt for the puppy cut - which is usually achieved by machine cutting. However it is difficult to do this on a teacup size Yorkie, in which case they are often hand scissored but you don't get that perfect length a clipper will deliver.
You can certainly find clippers in catalogues stateside that will ship to you in the UK. Cherrybrook, Drs. Foster and Smith, JB, Jeffers Pets, Petsedge are a few. They also sell DVD's of breed specific patterns that will tell you what you need to achieve your goal. However the most important thing I can recommend is a really proper brush and comb for your breed. #1 All Systems specializes in long haired breeds so check them out as well.
Personally I would get a really good pair of thinning shears so you soften the edges if you are convinced you want to hand scissor. Millers Forge 40 tooth blades are super and fairly priced.
good luck!