How to Tape a Yorkie Puppy's Ears

Yorkies are smart, sweet animals that make devoted pets. However, many people also enjoy showing this breed. If you are going to show your Yorkie puppy, then you will need to tape his ears so that they will stand up as he gets older. This is not a painful process for your puppy, although the tape may annoy her. In order to "train" the ears to stand up in a perky fashion, you should do this as early in the puppy's life as your vet thinks is wise.

Things You'll Need

  • 2-inch cloth medical tape
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Instructions

    • 1

      Cut 6 pieces of 2-inch tape in triangles; you'll be using 3 for each ear. The tape should be cut smoothly with scissors rather than ripped to avoid getting your dog's hair stuck in it. Use high quality medical tape to make sure that it sticks without irritating the skin.

    • 2

      Lay 3 triangles directly on top of each other. This will provide support for the ears.

    • 3

      Place the tape on the inside of the ear so that the edges of the triangles line up with the edges of the ear. The adhesive side should be facing the inner ear "leather," the part of the ear that is not channeled in any way.

    • 4

      Lay a strip of tape over the triangles. This strip should wrap around the ear for extra support. Do this for each ear.

    • 5

      Leave the tape on for two to three days. Check on it as the dog may bother it with its paws or even scratch it off. Most ears will perk on their own after this period of time, but others will take a week or even longer. Some dogs' ears just will not respond to taping, and these generally cannot be shown, although they are extremely cute and make excellent pets.

    • 6

      Gently remove the tape. You may wish to bathe your dog when you do so to loosen the adhesive. If you do, make sure you do not get water in your Yorkie's ears.