Have you just welcomed a Yorkshire Terrier puppy into your home? Do you want to know what dog food to feed your Yorkie? Here’s everything you need to know about what types of dog food Yorkshire Terriers eat.
What Do Yorkshire Terriers Eat? Yorkshire Terriers eat dry, wet, home cooked, raw, fresh or natural dog food. However, you need to ensure you’re buying the ‘complete’ version of your chosen dog food so your Yorkshire Terrier gets all the nutrition they need each day.
Read on to find out more about the types of dog food Yorkshire Terriers eat, how often you should feed them, which ingredients to avoid, and what dog treat options are available.
Never use the advice in this article as a substitute for professional veterinary advice or treatment. I am NOT a Vet, qualified dog trainer or dog behaviourist. This article is based on research, personal opinion and experience of owning dogs over the last 12+ years.
What Dog Food Do Yorkshire Terriers Eat?
Some Yorkshire Terriers can be fussy with their food! So, you must make sure they’re eating enough good quality food to keep them healthy.
These are the types of food you can feed your Yorkshire Terrier:
Dry Dog Food
Dry dog food is often known as kibble. It’s most commonly baked biscuits, but it can also be freeze-dried too.
It’s a popular choice for Yorkshire Terrier owners because it lasts a long time, even after it’s been opened. There are various sized bags available too, to best suit your circumstances.
There are hundreds of different dry dog foods available on the market, so it can be difficult to choose. Ideally, go for one that contains high quality, natural ingredients with nothing artificial.
Be sure that whichever dry dog food you choose for your Yorkshire Terrier it’s ‘complete’. This makes sure it contains all the proper nutrition they need without you adding anything else. This is vital to keep them healthy.
Wet Dog Food
Most manufactured wet food available on the market is nutritionally complete. This means you can feed your Yorkshire Terrier on this alone if you choose to.
This is often a popular option for owners of senior Yorkshire Terriers, who may struggle to crunch up dry dog food.
However, this isn’t always the best option for your Yorkshire Terrier’s dental health. They are more prone to dental issues than some other dogs breed are.
And, because wet food is soft, it can cause plaque to build up on their teeth faster, leading to tartar forming.
So, be sure to keep an eye on their teeth if they’re just eating wet food on its own.
You can check out the nutritional rating of any dog foods on the website allaboutdogfood It’ll basically tell you how suitable your chosen dog food would be for your Yorkshire Terrier.
Home Cooked Dog Food
You may choose to cook your own meals for your Yorkshire Terrier. If you decide to do this, you need to make sure each meal contains the proper nutrition needed to keep them healthy.
In general they do better on a low-fat diet, as they can be prone to weight gain and obesity.
Feeding inadequate home-cooked meals for long periods can be very detrimental to your Yorkshire Terrier’s health and wellbeing.
That’s why buying manufactured dog food that is nutritionally ‘complete’ may be a better option so you know you’re giving them exactly what they need.
Raw Dog Food
Raw food can be done as DIY diets, where you create your own raw meals, or you can purchase frozen ready-made raw foods.
The ready-made options are nutritionally complete, so these tend to be a good option if you’ve never fed raw your Yorkshire Terrier raw food before.
Because they’re frozen, you can defrost the amount you need, which is convenient too.
If you decide to do it yourself following something like the BARF diet, it can be a bit more tricky.
You’ll need to take the time to learn exactly what to do. The last thing you want is to become unwell from salmonella or E. coli bacteria!
The most important thing with raw food is making sure your Yorkie is getting enough nutrients in their diet to stay healthy.
Fresh Dog Food
Fresh Food brands like Butternut Box or Different Dog are newer to the dog food market. But, they’re a popular choice for Yorkshire Terriers.
They’re made from good quality ingredients, cooked, then frozen. This allows you to conveniently defrost as much as you need.
They tend to be tasty too, which is helpful if your Yorkshire Terrier is fussy!
Natural Dog Food
Natural dog food brands like Scrumbles or Lily’s Kitchen, use higher quality ingredients and no artificial extras.
They can be a little more expensive than other wet or dry foods available, but they’re generally better quality.
This means your Yorkshire Terrier’s portion sizes may be smaller in size, because the dog food is more nutrient-rich.
What Ingredients Should My Yorkshire Terrier Avoid?
Yorkshire Terriers shouldn’t be given foods that are very high in sugar or fat. They can have difficulties regulating their blood sugar levels, so feeding them very sugary foods can make this even harder for them.
Foods that have meat or animal meal listed as the main ingredient should be avoided. Meat meal is made from any part of an animal, and is a cheaper way to produce dog food.
Instead, choose food with whole meats or fish listed as the main ingredient. This is a better choice for your Yorkshire Terrier, who may struggle to digest meat meal as effectively.
Also, avoid any foods containing artificial colours, preservatives or flavours too.
Generally, dry food that is multicoloured is considered lower quality. The colourings used in them are simply to please the owners, but your Yorkshire Terrier won’t know the difference!
It’s also important that you consider the size of the food you’re feeding your Yorkshire Terrier too. Because they’re small, they can struggle to eat big pieces of kibble or larger bones if they’re raw fed.
How Much Should My Yorkshire Terrier Eat?
It’s not possible to say exactly how much to feed your Yorkshire Terrier because there are lots of factors that influence this. Their weight, health, exercise levels and age all need to be considered.
If they are overweight, their portion sizes need to be reduced. If they’re particularly active, they may need to eat more to maintain a healthy weight, as they’ll be burning more calories through exercise.
Puppies need to eat more than adults and adults often eat more than senior Yorkshire Terriers, so age is a contributing factor too.
It also depends on the dog food your Yorkshire Terrier is eating as well. If they’re being fed high-quality or raw food, then it’s likely they won’t need as much food as it’s naturally more nutritious.
How Often Should My Yorkshire Terrier Eat?
Yorkshire Terrier puppies should be fed 4 times a day. Morning, lunchtime, mid-afternoon and evening.
Toy breed puppies, like Yorkshire terriers, can have trouble regulating their blood sugar levels. Feeding them small, frequent meals throughout the day can help reduce the risk of them developing Hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar).
Adult Yorkshire Terriers should be fed 3 times a day. Morning, lunchtime and evening.
Even when they’re fully grown, Yorkshire Terriers are tiny! They’ve also got a fast metabolism, so this can make it harder for them to regulate their blood sugar and energy levels.
Feeding them three times a day can help them do this more effectively.
Senior Yorkshire Terriers may naturally have a reduced appetite. They may be happy to have 2 meals a day, especially if they’re not as active as they previously were.
However, if they’ve suddenly gone off their food or stopped eating at all, they should be checked by your vet.
What Treats Can My Yorkshire Terrier Eat?
Here are the types of treats available for your Yorkshire Terrier:
Natural
Natural treats are arguably the most nutritious for your Yorkshire Terrier. They’re made from 100% meat, fish or vegetables. They’re usually single ingredients, with nothing else added to them.
They’re traditionally air-dried, which locks in all their natural goodness. They don’t contain anything artificial, which makes them a healthier option.
Yorkshire Terriers often enjoy dried chicken fillets, dried small fish cubes and dried tripe. These can be split into smaller sizes that are more manageable for your Yorkshire Terrier.
Fruit And Vegetables
Yorkshire Terriers can enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables as treats. Fruit like blueberries and bananas are good, because they’re soft and small enough for them to eat comfortably.
Vegetables like green beans, baby carrots and baby corn can be fed raw or steamed.
Fruit and vegetables are lower in calories and fat than many shop-bought treats, so they’re good if your Yorkshire Terrier’s weight is an issue.
Homemade
You can make your own treats at home for your Yorkshire Terrier. There are lots of recipes available online for you to choose from.
A popular option is ‘tuna cake’ made from tuna, eggs and flour. This can then be cut into small pieces and frozen so you always have some ready to defrost.
Making your own treats ensures you know exactly what the ingredients are.
Pre-Packaged
Most shops sell ready to go, pre-packaged dog treats. This is convenient for many Yorkshire Terrier owners because they can pick them up with their usual shopping.
However, be sure to check the ingredients carefully as many can contain artificial nasties and high levels of salt and sugar.
These ingredients can all be harmful to your Yorkshire Terrier’s health if they’re eating them regularly.
Some of the natural dog food companies like Scrumbles or Lily’s Kitchen are better for dog treats as they don’t contain all the hidden nasties!
So there you have it! Yorkshire Terriers can be a bit fussy with what they eat, but there are plenty of options available. Choose from dry, wet, home cooked, raw, fresh or natural dog food. Just ensure you’re buying the ‘complete’ version of the dog food so your Yorkshire Terrier gets all the nutrition they need.
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