GROOMING

Question
QUESTION: I have a 6-month old female yorkie and i caught her drinking milk today. Is it ok for her to have some? Or will it make her sick?

ANSWER: Trish,

It shouldn't be a problem.  The only thing it might do is cause her to have diarrhea.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I also have a question about how often should i bathe her i've been bathing her once a week. Is that too much or can i bathe her more often? She ran outside while it was raining and got all muddy but i gave her a bath 2 days ago is it ok to bathe her again today?

ANSWER: Trish,

It is not a good idea to bath them more than once a week.  Yorkies are notorious for having skin problems and if you bath them too often you will remove the oils on their skin which will cause dry skin.  When the skin gets dry they itch, which can cause open sores and infection.

If you can you should get her a coat that she can wear on rainy days.  It will not prevent her feet from getting wet but if you have to you can always use a wash cloth to clean off her feet.  I have the same problem but we wash their little feet off with a wash cloth and the coat protects their belly and the rest of them.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I believe that my yorkie does have dry skin but i dont believe that its from bathing her often since i keep it to once a week. What would be the best shampoo/conditioner to use on her. Is it better to let her dry in a towel or should i get a blow dryer for dogs? What is the best way to get her to stay still for me to put a bow in her hair?

Answer
Trish,

I always used baby shampoo.  It is gentle and it won't sting if you get it in their eyes.  I did not bath mine every week because of their skin.  I bathed them every two weeks unless they got especially dirty before that time.  How you dry her hair is a matter of personal preference.  I used my own hair dryer.  If you choose to use a hair dryer the only thing I would caution you about is being careful not to hold it too close or in one place to long.  

As far as the bow, repetition is your best bet.  When training them you have to be consistent and then over time they will get used to it and it will not be such a struggle.  Personally I never kept bows in their hair because they all hated them.