What Is The Best Dog Food For A Yorkie?
Yorkshire Terriers are one of the most popular of all small dog breeds. They’re tiny dogs with a bold, feisty personality. However, Yorkies do have some special dietary needs. Here are some things to consider when choosing the best dog food for a Yorkie.
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Quick Look: The Best Dog Food For A Yorkie
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Yorkie Diet and Nutrition
Because Yorkies are so small (generally weighing 4 to 7 pounds as adults), they have a small stomach to match their size. This means they cannot eat large meals. You will need to feed your Yorkie several small meals per day. Yorkies can also be especially prone to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar so feeding your Yorkshire Terrier several small meals per day will help avoid this problem. This is especially true with young puppies.
Choose a food with small bites
If you are feeding your Yorkie a kibble dog food, make sure you choose a food with small, bite-size pieces of kibble. This makes it easier for your Toy dog to eat and digest the food.
Choose a calorie-dense food
Toy and small breed dogs often need dog food that is more calorie-dense than food for larger dogs. Pound for pound, small dogs use more energy and burn more calories than bigger dogs. Many dog foods designed for small and Toy dogs are packed with more calories than food for larger dogs. Look for foods that are especially formulated for Toy and small dogs so they have all the calories your Yorkie needs. These foods often have too many calories for big dogs who can become overweight if they eat them.
What To Feed A Yorkie
There is some slight evidence suggesting that kibble is better for a dog’s teeth than canned foods but the difference is so slight that this probably shouldn’t be the deciding factor in what you feed your Yorkie. There are many ways to keep your dog’s teeth clean and healthy. You can give him tartar control biscuits, safe chew toys, and dental toys for dogs. Since Yorkies can be particularly prone to dental disease, you should brush their teeth regularly with a toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs.
From a price viewpoint, canned food is more expensive but if you are feeding one small dog, it can be cost effective to purchase canned food as you need it instead of large bags of kibble. However, it’s usually easier to store and carry bags of kibble. Many times the choice comes down to what your dog prefers to eat.
Grain-Free?
Grain free foods are popular right now and many people like the idea of feeding a dog food that is closer to what a dog would eat in the wild. However, you should be aware that “grain free” doesn’t mean carbohydrate-free. Dog foods are typically made up of protein, fat, and some kind of carbohydrates, even if they don’t use grains. Some of these carbs are not necessarily better for your dog than some grains, so it’s important to read the labels. As long as your Yorkie doesn’t have food allergies, he should be able to eat foods with or without grains.
Best Dog Food For A Yorkie Puppy
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Dry Puppy Food
We love recommending Taste of The Wild recipes to dog owners. Overall, it’s a well-respected business that serves high-quality dog food. Pacific Stream Dry Puppy Food is packed with the nutrients your Yorkie puppy needs to grow and develop, like omega fatty acids for skin and coat, as well as probiotics to promote healthy digestion.
Main Ingredients: Salmon, Ocean Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Potatoes
Protein: 27%
Fat: 15%
Fiber: 5%
Calories: 360 kcal/cup
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed Dry Puppy Food
Blue Buffalo as a brand focuses on providing your pup with adequate nutrition – not the fillers and artificial ingredients you find in lots of commericia dog foods. This Blue Buffalo formula is great for a Yorkie, in particular. Small dogs burn a lot of calories, so they need a puppy food that is nutrient-dense like this one, as well as a food with smaller kibble.
Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Barley, Menhaden Fish Meal
Protein: 29%
Fat: 17%
Fiber: 5%
Calories: 415 kcal/cup
Best Dog Food For A Yorkie Adult
Some of the best dog foods for Yorkshire Terriers include:
Fromm Small Breed Adult Gold
Even the pickiest canines typically enjoy Fromm. It’s full of safe, healthy, and tasty ingredients that your Yorkie will love. This Fromm formula includes everything your pup needs to grow into a healthy adult – taurine for heart and eye health, alfalfa for bone strength, and probiotics for digestive health.
Main Ingredients: Duck, Chicken Meal, Chicken, Oatmeal, Pearled Barley, Brown Rice
Protein: 26%
Fat: 17%
Fiber: 3.5%
Calories: 416 kcal/cup
Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Real Chicken and Sweet Potato Recipe
Merrick is an affordable, healthy brand that’s made in the USA. This recipe is grain-free and provides the nourishment your Yorkie needs. With freeze-dried chicken, sweet potatoes, and tons of other fruits and veggies, we’re confident your pup will love this recipe.
Main Ingredients: Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes
Protein: 38%
Fat: 17%
Fiber: 3.5%
Calories: 430 kcal/cup
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Looks familiar? This Pacific Stream recipe is the “adult version” of the puppy food we’ve recommended for your Yorkie. With similar ingredients, it’s a great way to seamlessly transition your dog from puppy food to an adult recipe without shocking their system.
Main Ingredients: Salmon, Ocean Fish Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes, Peas
Protein: 25%
Fat: 15%
Fiber: 3%
Calories: 360 kcal/cup
Best Dog Food For A Yorkie Senior
Orijen Senior Dog
Orijen is consistenly an industry leader when it comes to providing safe, healthy, and delicious food for your pup. We love Orijen senior as a maintenence food for older dogs who are still fairly active and healthy.
Main Ingredients: Fresh Chicken Meat, Fresh Whole Eggs, Fresh Turkey Meat, Fresh Whole Herring, Fresh Chicken Liver
Protein: 38%
Fat: 15%
Fiber: 8%
Calories: 435 kcal/cup
Weruva’s Caloric Harmony Venison and Salmon Meal Dinner with Pumpkin
If your aging pup needs an alternative meat protein, Weruva’s Caloric Harmony hits it out of the park. Made with grass-fed venison, you can be sure you’re offering your Yorkie the nutrition he or she needs.
Main Ingredients: Venison, Venison Meal, Salmon Meal, Herring Meal, Oatmeal
Protein: 37.8%
Fat: 14.4%
Fiber: 3.9%
Calories: 348 kcal/cup
Additional Dietary and Health Considerations
Just like any dog breed, Yorkies can have health problems like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar swings), skin allergies, retinal dysplasia, and liver issues. If your pup starts to show signs or symptoms of sickness, consult your veterinarian. A vet will also be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to what kind of special dietary needs your dog might have.
Looking for more dog food recommendations for your Yorkie? Wellness also has complete lines of dog food formulated for Toy and small breeds called Complete Health Toy Breed and Complete Health Small Breed. Other brands which we can recommend include Victor, Acana, and, for people interested in organic dog food, Castor & Pollux and Newman’s Own.
Below is the list of products reviewed in this article
- Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Dry Puppy Food
- Blue Buffalo Life Protection Small Breed Dry Puppy Food
- Fromm Small Breed Adult Gold
- Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain Free Real Chicken and Sweet Potato Recipe
- Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Orijen Senior Dog
- Weruva’s Caloric Harmony Venison and Salmon Meal Dinner with Pumpkin
i have a yorkie/chihuahua – and the past 4 yrs i have checked various websites, gotten so many opinions from vets, pet store owners and of course people on the internet. i have come to a conclusion, which is, i don’t think that anybody really knows what a dog should really be eating. I just have to mention what dog food brand i’m feeding and i get a whole list of reasons why i shouldn’t be feeding it. Well it has corn, wheat, by-products etc, and they’re not good for dogs. Who says they’re not good? or this brand isn’t good because it doesn’t have enough meat in it. Who’s eating it the owner or the dog?, or it’s not holistic. My dog doesn’t know what holistic means. The topic of dog food is right up there with politics and religion.
I have a yorkie bitch who is obviously totally wonderful. However she is a nightmare to feed. She doesn’t like food for dogs at all but likes fish pasta in cheese sauce roast chicken etc. She will refuse to eat for days if she doesn’t like what I give her. Her big favourite is cheese but is this good for her
I had the same problem w my yorkie, his name is Jasper and I tried a product from pet goods called Stella and chewy comes in a red bag. They have bout 5 flavors, his favorite is duck its a freeze dried patty. Its 95 pct. Bones and organs w vegs and friuts all healthy for your dog. He is very healthy and his coat is full and shiney people stop me all the time and ask what do I feed him. Try it it will solve all your problems. Yes he can have cheese but sliced thin, not a cheese sauce. Good luck!
My Yorkie loves stella and chew also, it has been a blessing since he was a food snob before. when he was a puppy they said he may have a small liver shunt, after finding and him loving stella and chew all problems gone and no more pills just went to the vet and they said they must have made a mistake he is doing so well!
See my post!
my yorkie/chihuahua who has to be the fussiest eater on 4 legs likes food from the vet clinic. This isn’t food for a specific medical issue – just regular food – like royal canin adult dry with can or hills healthy advantage small bites dry with can – i have had her on all the high end dry foods, raw food. dehydrated and home cooked food – nothing worked – she will go without eating to the point of bringing up bile, weak etc. when i try and feed her a food she doesn’t like. i know a lot people think i should be feeding something better (i’ve been asked if i’m trying to kill her) but lexee is doing just fine on vet clinic food so in my opinion if the food is working for her then it must be good. I get the impression from people that feed their dogs only the so called high end foods that their dog will never get sick – well my last big dog was fed orijen his whole life and ended up getting cancer twice – my vet says to feed lexee a food that she likes and will eat and don’t go get caught up in what other dog owners and pet store owners are feeding and don’t get swayed by their opinions on what you are feeding – it’s your dog not theirs
Hi Sharon hope you don’t mind me texting you just reading your post X I’ve got two miniature yorkies Alfie’s 3 years old Louie is 6 and a half months old I’ve had the same problem food wise I went to the market where I live there were dry biscuits called burns and wet pouches etc anyway cut a long story short decide to give it a go they loved it however I didn’t reliaze I could put some warm water in the biscuits xx I hope this post helpful X have a look online about burns X Allie
I have a yorshire terrier 6 months old we got him when he was 5 months having a hard time training him, does not want to eat is puppy food tried so far 3 kinds refuse them all,i tried boiled ckicken breast he loves it …bt he’s never full always wants more !!!! please need some help …..
that’s a yorkie for you – very stubborn – mine is a yorkie/chihuahua – likes a food one day, hates it the next – try very hard not to give in or you will end up with a very difficult dog to feed – believe me, i made the mistake 5 yrs ago – she’s not as fussy as she used to be but she still won’t stay on one food for very long – good luck!!! and merry christmas
I have a female 8 year old Yorkshire terrier. Food is her favorite thing ever. I poach organic chicken breast, give her organic baby carrots, raw, and a small amount of dry dog food. She does get small amounts of people food and treats of course. I found training her when she was a puppy was best done with treats and control, she would love to be the boss and I have to keep her in check.
How long have you had her on this diet for? My yorkie is turning 10 soon and have been feeding him organic chicken, carrots, and brown rice all mixed together for about a year now; used to feed him dry food and one day he decided he didn’t like it anymore, I believe this diet is better for him overall but don’t know if he is getting what he needs, from a nutritional standpoint. What do you think?
I have a year old male yorkie that I feed Alpo Prime Cuts which is what he was eating before I got him and he likes it now my coworker has 2 yorkies,she used to breed but don’t anymore, she says I shouldn’t feed him that but feed him science diet which I know about already cause I use 2 feed my full blooded chow years ago,should I change brands or not.
Yes
Oh yea I got him Nov 22 ’14
I have 2 yorkie, they are 5 years old. One eat very well but his brother not, so I decided to give only dry food, science diet toy breed small bites has been so good for them. They’re healthy, playful most of the time, perfect health. I recommend Science Diet small and toy breed.
I found a yorkie and he won’t eat anything but sausages!! I need help ease because I know sausages with jalapeños and cheese is not healthy
I am a yorkie breeder and have been for 36 years and feeding a yorkie properly is a nightmare. There are so many things in dog foods and being manufactured who knows where. I give my dogs in the morning cottage cheese, raw organic celery and carrots with honey nut cheerios. For dinner I feed them chicken, sweet potatoes. and green beans I mix a bowl of dry food with Blue Buffalo, Wellness Core, and Orijin for treats they get bully sticks
I have a Yorkie who from a pup never like dog food. I’ve tried many brands. But what I learned to do was sprinkler a treat in with his food. I now use Stewarts freeze dried liver treats. They are healthy and he goes nuts for it. They are easy to crumble and they adhere to his food very well. A little sprinkler goes a long way.
Where do you find the freeze dried liver treats, i have two yorkies that don’t like anything, o have tried,
The dog food i use is Royal Canine but i give them organic steak, they smell it and walk away.
I have a 11 year old Yorkie and he is 17 pounds not fat just has very long legs. I just wanted too find out what’s the best dog food too give him. I’ve tried kibbles and bits only 2 tablespoons then dry dog food but it goes right through him.. Help me out if you can
Try Acana grain free, there are 2 to choose from
I rescued/adopted a Yorkie a week ago. He would not eat what I bought (a natural grain free product) Natural Balance. A pet store gave me some samples of some natural products, no colors, etc. He enjoyed the Acana very much. The sample was the grassland. I am ready to buy him a large bag now and return the one I originally bought from another chain pet store.
I am a new Yorkie mommy. I am concerned about Parco and worms. I have heard such horror stories. He 1st vet visit after I got him went great. Just looking for advice.
My Yorkie Miah is almost 3 months old, but since day one that i got her, she does not want to eat her Yorkie puppy food, tried different ones. she however eats my older two dogs dried food! she pics up weight and is very healthy according to the vet?
I have 3 yorkies, two 5 years old weigh 6.5lbs and one 3 year old weighs 5.5lbs. None of them are fussy eaters and will eat anything I put down to them. I have always fed them on royal canin Yorkshire terrier. My issue is the kibble is so small two of them practically inhaled it without chewing. I think if the kibble was bigger they might chew and crunch it,so I was wondering if using another larger kibble would be ok. They only get 12 to 15 grams twice a day. They all have long coats.
Hi..!! I have a yockshire dog and her name is PINKY….she is 3 month old!!!she love eat a food one day only…and the next day she hate it…what i should do???
Is it ok to mix dry and wet food for all three meals for my 8 month morkie?
I read your article on Best foods for Yorkies. My Yorkie is a male 4.2 lbs. who is a lousy eater and has been since I got him from a reliable breeder. When I picked him up he was only one pound and she called Pet Supplies Plus to have me pick up Purina Puppy Chow which he had been eating. She did say he picked out the red and green pieces which I found to be the soft pieces. He didn’t eat much at all. One day I was at Pet Supplies Plus and saw Royal Canine for puppies and was impressed with the tiny size of the pieces. He loved it right away and ate it for a while then now turns it away too. He gained a pound in a week while we were going to the vet for his shots weekly. the vet was impressed and I showed her the new food. Now I mean he turns down even people food except chicken. STEAK from the finest restaurants he turns down even cut in tiny pieces?? Do you have a suggestion on what to try?? Wet foods no go. Soft foods in bags no go!! Cesar Milan was ok for a while then now a no go?? I will boil chicken for him but even that doesn’t always work as the vet suggested to get him interested in food. I read Yorkies would .rather play than eat!! That is Zeus. I refuse to play toys with him much when he isn’t eating that day to avoid low blood sugars. He used to lap up Karo syrup and now have to fight to get that in him when I feel he needs some?? I love him to death but feeding him is my biggest nightmare!! Do you have any suggestions for a food for such a picky Yorkie??? He had a seizure once and needed to be hospitalized and they diagnosed liver shunt? His breeder said no way and since then I have seen her vet who agreed and two other vets who also agreed. Most felt he had a blood sugar drop to cause the seizure. I am desperate to find a food for him?? Thanks!!
I think the best thing that you can do when it comes to finding what is best for your Yorkie is ask the breeders. Since these people spend their lives making sure their dogs stay healthy, they will be able to give you good advice on how to keep your dog healthy. Contacting a Yorkie breeder will be a great resource, and you might even walk away with a puppy.
what about food for yorkies with liver shunt issues where they can’t have too much protein? For my yorkie (or actually more of a morkie) with liver shunt issues (that we fixed with surgery), we’ve been having trouble finding a good low protein diet to try out. we’ve settled on feeding her Lotus for now but wanted to see what other options there were.
For my yorkie, I feed him only Lily’s Kitchen, organic food and they are easy to digest, good for sensitive dogs.
With lily’s kitchen, my picky eater yorkie totally changed. In the past he wouldn’t really eat kibbles without wet food. Now he would finish all the dry kibbles without any addition.
No problem with stools or other health issues as well. Tasty & healthy 🙂
I have a 6 year old rescue Yorkie, don’t know what his background was, but he is so fussy on eating, one day he will like something you give him, the next he won’t, I have tried fresh cooked chicken, cooked beef, also royal canin kibble for yorkie and wet royal canin, he turned his nose up at them, tried him with various tinned food and kibbles but won’t eat them, he doesn’t seem to mind sausages but I don’t think he is getting his nutrients. He was underweight when I got him just over 2 weeks ago, and he has gained 0.2kg in 2 weeks. need some help and advice.
Olive, my 2 year old Yorkchipoo has driven me to near insanity with her picky eating. She has turned her nose at foods she has loved to the point of throwing up out of hunger! I will make her bowl after bowl of food, each bowl being something different, until she will eat. I have found the magic food… for now. She will eat this everytime. I briefly cook ground beef in the microwave just until it is partially cooked with juices, then mix in Acana Singles lamb or duck so that the juice coats the food, mince a few mixed greens and then mix into the food – and she gobbles it up. 🙂
I have a yorkie 6 years old. From the time h was a pup I have been feeding him Royal Canine.
I couldn’t get it anymore as the pet store closed and no one else in my area sold Royal Canine. Every pet store owner told me that Royal Canine was middle in quality. So I read the ingredients and they don’t even use real chicken but chicken fat.
I have tried several other brands. he gets a watery stool and can’t hold his bowl movement.
He apparently can’t digest whatever has been suggested. e can handle Royal Canine o.k. though..
I am thinking tht if he will at least eat it to keep using even if have to go out of my way to get it.
I tried Royal Canine for Yorkies and he hated it.
He is a solid 10 pound a big yorkie.
I give my Yorker ole Roy for a large breed as I have a large mixed breed also. The kibble is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch which makes my Yorker chew and his teeth are very clean. He is almost 8 lbs now and doing well on ole Roy for 4 years now. Lots of energy too.
After much research, I found out that kibble is a very poor diet source for both dogs and cats. Even though they may drink a lot of water, apparently it still causes too much strain on the kidneys and they can’t keep up.
It seems kibble was developed around WW 2 as a temporary food source but the convenience and good marketing kept it as a staple, albeit a poor one, meaning the best kibble is still a bad one. The notion that kibble cleans their teeth is apparently false as well, although a site I was on promoted it for that very reason, having a vested interest in promoting this as fact.
This was unbiased information that I sourced on the kibble.
Go raw. It’s the best. rawpetfood.com. Do not change the dog food so fast. Little by little ad a small amount until you have completely switched over. Dogs in the wild do not eat this pet store food. Look talk to these people. They can tell you all the wonderful advantages. Wonderful for the teeth. Wonderful for their body, hair, on and on.Read all about it from different sources. The more you keep changing the food the more fi
For those picky eaters (yorkies, etc,,,) fed them baked chicken without skin , mixed with veggies….they will love it…..and treats for good behavior…………….oh don’t forget bottled water is a plus……………………
I have a yorkie male about 13lbs. He seems to eat ok most of the time but, he seems to be getting blockages in his digestive track which causes him not to eat. He gets dehydrated and then I have to take him to the vet. They follow his blockage with xrays and he passes it. I do not know what he is getting into that causes this to happen. This has happened twice in 6 weeks. The vet also told me he has a bladder stone and needs to be on special food. I do not mind all this but I can’t afford all the vet bills as well as everything else. Does anyone have any suggestions?? I am a afraid to give him chew toys etc. Please I love the little guy but he is sick again today. I have spent $1500.00 last month not counting the new food which is $50 a month. Please help!!!