How to Apply a Show Wrap on a Yorkshire Terrier

By Tracy Barr and Peter F. Veling from Yorkshire Terriers For Dummies

Wrapping a Yorkshire Terrier's coat is a task for those owners who are serious about creating a show-quality coat. A show wrap protects a Yorkie's coat, allows it to grow, and also helps keep it clean. You can start wrapping your Yorkshire Terrier as soon as the hair is long enough — usually around 9 to 10 months.

To wrap, you need latex bands, wax-paper squares (or some other appropriate paper, like rice paper or bakery tissue), and a comb. Before you wrap your Yorkie's hair, make sure that the coat is clean and thoroughly brushed; then follow these steps:

Fold wraps in a tri-fold (as you would a letter).

The hair will lie in the middle section of the folded paper.
Part the dog's hair into sections and put a latex band around each section. Be sure to leave some space between the roots and band for comfort.

As you part your Yorkie's hair, think about how his body moves. For example, the crest would be one section; the hair over each shoulder and flank would other sections (to enable him to move freely).
Take the first section of hair and place the end of the hair in the center of the tri-fold paper.
Fold the wrap in half, from bottom to top, with the hair inside.

This step clinches the hair so that it's less likely to come out while you're rolling the wrap up.
Fold or roll the wrap up (as you would a hair curler) until it's about 2 to 3 inches from the dog's body; then fold the end sections of the tri-fold over the hair.
Secure the wrap with a latex band.
Repeat Steps 3 through 6 for the remaining sections.

Now stand back and admire your handiwork.

Don't wrap a soft coat. Doing so can break your Yorkie's hair, which isn't a good thing if your objective is a long coat (and presumably it is if you're taking the time and effort to wrap it).