The Best Shampoo for Yorkies with Sensitive Skin
Unlike other dogs, your little Yorkie has hair and not fur. The difference between hair and fur is that hair is softer, it does not stop growing and you have to take care of it on a regular basis. However, most Yorkshire Terriers have dry and sensitive skin, so you need to pick the right cleaning products if you don’t want to make the situation even worse.
According to the groomers, the top 4 qualities that you need to pay close attention to when choosing a shampoo for your Yorkies are:
- The ability to extract excessive body oils
- The right pH balance
- Good moisturizing qualities
- Optional: neutral / natural smell
Each of these qualities are equally important and let me explain to you why…
#1 Ability to extract body oils
The best shampoo should be able to extract or remove body oils from your Yorkshire Terrier’s hair.
Yorkies tend to produce natural body oils and these oils act as natural moisturizers as well as skin protectors. The oil produced does not evaporate and tend to accumulate over time. Moreover, it’s pretty difficult to remove these oils using water only, so you need to use the right shampoo. The right shampoo for Yorkies is the one that can easily extract these body oils away and moisture the hair. Even though most shampoo brands state that they have moisturizing abilities I would strongly suggest using hair conditioner. You will find more information about hair conditioners for Yorkies below.
#2 Suitable pH balance
All shampoos irrespective of their price tag have a pH balance. Whether it is good shampoo or bad shampoo you can tell by the pH value.
The right pH balance for a good shampoo is ranging between 6.5 and 7.5. It means that this shampoo is neutral.
Check your shampoo’s pH balance now, because if the pH balance fails to fall within the range of 6.5-7.5 it can cause skin irritation, peeling, or rashes. Furthermore, it might mutilate the hair follicles thus leading to the coat vulnerability to harsh weather conditions.
#3 Moisturizing qualities
Yorkie’s skin is more delicate than human skin and so are the hairs that make up the coat.
It is essential that any shampoo that you use has the necessary components to properly moisturize the skin. From my own experience, aloe and almond oil are the ingredients that moisturize the skin the most. It is easy to get fooled because some shampoos often feel moist and oily, but after you use them on your dog, those features tend to disappear and make the skin dry.
#4 Smell & fragrance
One of the best things about Yorkshire Terrier skin and hair is that it does not smell like other dogs. However, if you (or your Yorkshire terrier) are sensitive to smells, choose the shampoo that has a neutral smell. Some shampoos have natural fragrances like peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree oil that has a pretty neutral smell.
3 Ingredients that you need to avoid in Yorkie’s shampoo & conditioner
There are many ingredients that you should avoid, but these 3 ingredients are the most harmful ones:
- ⛔️ Petroleum – you might think that there is no way that you can find petroleum in your dog’s shampoo but believe me it is very common! And yes, it’s the same petroleum that makes gasoline. Why it’s so important to avoid it? Petroleum blocks your dog’s pores and disrupts your Yorkie’s natural ability to moisturize his hair and skin.
- ⛔️ Parabens – the worst thing that parabens does for your dog is that it can cause cancer.
- ⛔️ Sodium laureth sulfate
Top 5 Shampoos for Yorkies
Here is the quick list of my top 5 shampoos for Yorkies. If you would like to see the in-depth review, read below this table
#1 Nature’s Specialties Plum Silky Pet Shampoo
PROS
I love this shampoo because it’s a shampoo that my Yorkie’s groomer use + it has really nice smell. When I wash my dog with this shampoo it reminds me of the smell when my dog comes back from the groomer.
Check this shampoo on Amazon >>>
#2 All Natural and Hypoallergenic 4-Legger Shampoo
PROS
I love this shampoo for its natural ingredients. It’s detergent-free, sulfate-free, and paraben-free. It’s one of the best shampoos for Yorkies!
Check this shampoo on Amazon >>>
#3 Pro Pet Works Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo + Conditioner
PROS
If you or your dog are smell sensitive, you should consider this shampoo. It has no fragrance at all! Moreover, Pro Pet Works shampoo has the right PH balance for your Yorkie’s sensitive skin. This is the best shampoo for Yorkies with sensitive skin.
Check this shampoo on Amazon >>>
#4 Earthbath All Natural Pet Shampoo
PROS
According to the information that the manufacturer provides, this shampoo treats oily hair and heals irritable itching. If you tried this shampoo, please leave a comment below!
Check this shampoo on Amazon >>>
#5 Paws & Pals Natural Dog-Shampoo And Conditioner
If your Yorkie has sensitive eyes area, I would recommend trying this shampoo.
Check this shampoo on Amazon >>>
In addition to shampoo, it’s necessary to use hair conditioner
The right conditioner will easily blend with the shampoo, providing the same restorative and soothing benefits gained during a wash. Furthermore, the best hair conditioner for Yorkies has to have the ability to be adequately washed away when rinsed. Some cheap hair conditioners stick to the dog even after properly rinsing it with lots of water and are produced with cheap oily ingredients. Though using these conditioners will make your Yorkie look good for a couple of days, it will block the proper flow of air around the coat thereby covering the natural shine. Below are the best hair conditioners for Yorkies that me and my friends use:
Benefits of Using Quality Leave-in Coat Sprays
One outstanding product that is most often ignored by a good number of dog owners is a quality leave-in-spritz. Most often these products are packed with lots of elements that are of great benefit to a Yorkie all year round.
After bathing your dog, applying an outstanding shampoo and conditioner is one proper way to offer a healthy foundation. However, what happens to those 3 weeks in between, what is the best way to take care of the coat and skin?
Well, this happens to be where the use of a leave-in coat product becomes handy.
A good coat spray will provide the following benefits:
1. Safeguard the Yorkie against dry air during winter
During winters, the dry air associated with the prolonged cold weather could have some adverse effects on the Yorkie. Its skin can become very dry with its hair losing its moisture. Using spirits would be a perfect idea as it has the ability to fight against such damaging effects all through winter.
2. Provide protection during summer.
Despite the fact that it is advisable to take your Yorkie out for regular exercise, frequent exposure of its skin to the sun could damage its skin and also create black spots. Hence, it’s advisable to make use of any suitable basic coat spray, as it will add a protective layer to its skin.
3. Aids in protecting the coat against friction, spilt ends, static.
Each time something comes in contact with the coat, there is an addition of a layer which most often leads to the separation or breakage of the hair strands. A good spritz should be able to prevent these damages.
4. Work hand-in-hand when brushing.
Avoid brushing a Yorkie’s coat dry; rather make use of a light mist of a leave-in for proper grooming.
5. Add shine.
Though a coat spray will be capable of providing all the above-mentioned benefits, it will also create a healthier coat.
6. Extras of a fresh scent
When you apply a good leave-in on your Yorkie, it will be able to perceive that it has just been shampooed. Hence, you should endeavor to go for products with a clean fragrance.
7. Thwart mats.
Am pretty certain you would understand the benefits attached to the prevention of tangles if your Yorkie has a medium long coat. Hence a good leave-in will certainly keep the hairs from knotting.
8. Aid in repulsing dirt and debris
Fine particles are always picked up by the coat. Some of these elements include pollen, grass, dirt, lint and carpet fibers. The leave-in will act as an obstacle thereby preventing these elements from sticking to the coat.
9. Perfect for all coat lengths
Irrespective of your Yorkie’s hair length, a leave-in is essential. If your Yorkie has little or no hair, a leave-in spirtz is important as it will aid in maintaining proper strength and health of the coat.
You might also be interested in my article: How to bathe a yorkie?
Approved Shampoo and Conditioner for the Yorkshire Terrier
They do not contain any DEA, phosphates, synthetic dyes, parabens or perfumes. I’ve tried all of them and I can honestly recommend it to your yorkie: