We all love our adorable Yorkies, and we want to get them the best dog food possible. To ensure that our pets are getting the right amount of nutrients each day, we’ll want to pick a brand that can deliver healthy options.
The Best Dog Foods for Yorkshire Terriers
There are a few things to know when it comes to the best Yorkshire food. There are some dry food options that stand out above the rest, and in this article, we’ll give you a concrete review of the top 10 brands.
Overall, this review is meant to help you find the top dog food for Yorkies, who deserve only the best from their loving owners!
Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Best Dog Food for Yorkies
So, you might be wondering, what is the best dry food for Yorkies? How can I choose the best recipe for my pup?
To start, let’s get into the 10 brands that make the top dog food for Yorkies.
Blue Buffalo — Life Protection Formula Small Breed Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food
The Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula is one of the top dry foods for Yorkies. It has a healthy balance of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Overall, this is a trusted brand that many Yorkie owners swear by.
You have three options for the palate you want to give your Yorkie: Chicken, Lamb, or Fish over brown rice. This brand is specifically for small breeds, so it’s perfect for Yorkies.
CANIDAE — All Life Stages Less Active Formula Dry Dog Food
The CANIDAE All Life Stages formula is great for Yorkies because of its versatility. The variations available include combinations of meat, fish, and poultry. In effect, this brand really emphasizes protein to support strong pups!
This dog food for Yorkies is good from puppy to senior ages, so if they like it, you might save yourself the pain of a diet transition later on.
Hill’s Science Diet — Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Small & Mini Breed Chicken Recipe Dry Dog Food
The Hill’s Science Diet formula is specifically tailored to small breeds. This is so important because the recipe has been fine-tuned to directly help Yorkies.
As the title suggests, this one is especially good if your Yorkie experiences a sensitive stomach or has dry skin. Overall, this is a great one for promoting various aspects of your dog’s health, ensuring a comfortable, healthy life.
Merrick — Real Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food
The Merrick dry food for Yorkies offers your furry friend a robust, protein-rich diet that you can feed them for years. If your Yorkie has a specific grain intolerance or allergy, this is one of the best products out there for them.
There is a great sweet potato addition to the formula to substitute for the grains, ensuring that no nutrients are lost, and your Yorkie will get his or her fiber.
Overall, Merrick is a great choice and a trusted brand.
Pedigree — Small Dog Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Pedigree is one of the most reliable, long-standing brands if you’re looking for an established formula you can trust.
The Pedigree Small Dog Complete Nutrition recipe offers your Yorkie a very gourmet palate, perfect if you want to pamper your pet. Overall, this is one of the top dog foods for Yorkies, and other Yorkie owners love it.
It’s nutritious, affordable, and of the utmost quality.
Royal Canin — Yorkshire Terrier Adult Dry Dog Food
If you want to give your Yorkie and Teacup Yorkies, the “royal” treatment, the Royal Canin dry food for adult Yorkies is a great option.
This kibble is specifically designed for small breeds to be able to comfortably eat while maintaining your pup’s shiny, healthy coat. The food is recommended only for small dogs over the age of 10 months, so this could be a great option as your Yorkie ages out of puppyhood.
Wellness — Small Breed Complete Health Adult Turkey & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food
The Wellness Small Breed formula is USA-made, using globally-sourced ingredients to bring your Yorkie the best nutrition. If you’re looking for a top dry food for Yorkies, this is an excellent choice.
This food includes lots of nutrients and vitamins that promote healthy aging (antioxidants) and healthy skin, hair, and nails (Omega-3).
Overall, you can’t go wrong by feeding your adult Yorkie this brand of kibble.
Wellness CORE — Grain-Free Original Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal & Chicken Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food
On the list of the top dry foods for Yorkies, we had to include another Wellness product, the CORE formula. This dry kibble for Yorkies has the goal of promoting muscle tone and retention.
Packed with protein, this kibble comes with two options: grain-free or grain-filled to accommodate Yorkies with potential grain intolerances. Whichever way you go, your Yorkie might like the savory turkey and chicken flavors.
Yorkshire Terriers Senior Dog Foods
Here, we’ll highlight two top dog foods for Yorkies in their later stages of life.
Nutro — Wholesome Essentials Senior Farm-Raised Chicken, Brown Rice & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food
For senior Yorkies, it’s important that food be soft, nutritious, and full of vitamins that promote healthy bones and joints. The Nutro Wholesome Essentials kibble for senior Yorkies has all that, as well as a great protein, rice, and sweet potato formula.
Overall, this kibble has the goal of promoting and preserving cognitive health in your senior Yorkie. The absence of processed ingredients will ensure that your Yorkie is getting the right food as he or she ages further.
VICTOR — Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food
The VICTOR Senior Healthy Weight formula is aptly named, as its claim to fame is helping your senior Yorkie manage its weight well into late adulthood. If you’ve had an older Yorkie, you know that it can be hard to ensure that they get their fitness to an optimal state.
This kibble has glucosamine and chondroitin that will help restore and preserve your older pup’s joint health. As the Yorkies age, this is essential to a comfortable life.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: Best Dog Food for Yorkies
The Buyer’s Guide: Food for Yorkshire terrier
When you’re deciding on which food to give your Yorkie, it’s important that you know what to look for. We can’t stress enough that the food you choose should be robust and, most importantly, trusted.
Based on your Yorkie’s health information, you can talk to a vet about the best macros (i.e., 25% vegetable, 30% protein) that you should look for in dry food.
Essential Ingredients for Your Yorkie
We could talk all day about the best dry food for Yorkies, but the reviews might not mean as much to you if you don’t know exactly what ingredients Yorkies like.
It’s important as an owner to be able to judge Yorkie food labels for yourself before making the jump to purchase.
So, you should know that these ingredients are the best for our Yorkies:
- Animal-based fats. Look for something containing between 18 and 22%.
- Genuine meat, poultry, and fish. Don’t go for something processed!
- Abundant whole grains. If something has little content of this, skip it unless your Yorkie has a grain intolerance.
- Natural veggies and fruits.
- Absence of additives and artificial flavors.
There you have it, the quick guide to ingredients that promote optimal health in toy breeds. These ingredients will ensure that your Yorkie is getting everything they need to be the healthiest version of themselves!
Factors to Consider When Picking Food for Yorkshire Terrier
Since the toy breeds of the world have specific nutritional needs, you should definitely know what they are. Many factors can contribute to you making the best food decision for your Yorkie, and here, we’ll explain what they are.
In general, the ingredient ratios will stay the same from Yorkie to Yorkie. The foundational nutritional needs of Yorkies do not vary much. However, it’s the amount of food in general that will depend on the size, weight, and athleticism of your Yorkie.
While Yorkies are such a small breed, you might be surprised to learn that they burn calories at a faster rate than larger dogs. This is because smaller dogs have faster metabolisms, a result of their systems working faster to support their energy burn.
So, while the average dog needs 30 calories of food per pound of body weight, Yorkies may require more than that. In fact, they could require a whole 10 calories more per pound of body weight than the average dog, or 40.
Additionally, while the average dog may require only 2 meals per day, a Yorkie will need at least 3 smaller ones so that its metabolism can work most efficiently.
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: Nutrition 101: Finding the Perfect Food for your Yorkshire Terrier
Wrap-up
This post covered everything you need to know about what to feed a Yorkie. The best dry food for Yorkies is out there, and we hope that our list of the top 10 brands has helped narrow your search.
We all want the best for our Yorkies, so we wish you the best of luck in finding the right food!
Here’s another Yorkie article you’ll enjoy: Your Yorkie Needs Food High in Nutritional Value
Frequently Asked Questions about Yorkshire Terrier Food
Now that you know the 10 best Yorkshire food brands, you might still have some questions. Below, we’ll answer some common questions we’ve been asked.
Are bananas good for Yorkies?
When you think of the top dog food for Yorkies, fruits might not be the first thing you think of. But, the interesting answer is that bananas are perfectly healthy for Yorkies!
Bananas are potassium-rich fruit with vitamins B and C. They can be beneficial to your Yorkie’s health, but make sure you are not letting them eat parts of the peels, which could cause digestive issues.
Are Yorkshire Terriers fussy eaters?
We’d love to say no, but the real answer is that Yorkies can be extremely picky once their tastes have developed. If your Yorkie is not eating, it might be because they’re having a hard time accepting a new formula.
If you run into this problem, it might be best to try until you find one they like.
What can I feed my picky Yorkie?
If you are wondering what to feed a picky Yorkie, the answer will vary, of course. In general, you should try your hardest to find something they like early and stick to it.
Changing the Yorkie diet can be a process, as a picky Yorkie may not eat at all if they don’t like the food. If your pup isn’t eating in general, call a vet to check them out and maybe tell you what to feed your Yorkie.
Can I feed scrambled eggs to my Yorkie?
Yes! Your Yorkie can eat scrambled eggs without having problems. In fact, eggs can help your Yorkie health-wise.
However, something you’ll need to note is that you cannot feed them scrambled eggs if they are cooked with oils, loaded with toppings, or basically processed in any way.
If you are going to feed them eggs, make sure they’re plain!
Can Yorkies eat peanut butter?
In general, you’ve probably heard that dogs of all breeds love peanut butter. That’s why lots of training regimens include it as an incentive!
Your Yorkie can eat peanut butter, but you need to make sure to limit the intake. Too much peanut butter is not great for your pup and could lead to digestive stress.
Can Yorkshire terriers eat cucumbers?
Yes, Yorkies can eat cucumbers without problems. These can serve as a great treat alternative to calorie-dense Milk Bones or Beggin’ Strips.
If you feed cucumbers to your Yorkie, make sure to remove the skin beforehand (it’s not essential, but it’s good for sensitive dogs) and cut it up into very small pieces to avoid choking hazards.
For Yorkies, which is better dog food – dry or wet?
The two options will both do the trick, but the rule of thumb in the Yorkie community is that dry food takes the cake as the best option.
One, it’s easier to manage, schedule, and portion out. Two, Yorkies are a breed known to experience sensitive teeth, so dry food will eliminate the potential discomfort from that.
How much food should I feed my Yorkie?
In general, you’ll want to know the right portion sizes for your Yorkies. Each dog is different, so the way you want to gauge is is to weigh your pup.
If they are between 2 and 4 pounds, give them ⅓ to ½ cup each day. Over 4 pounds, give them ⅔ cup each day.
How much should my Yorkie eat in a day?
This answer will vary based on the type, size, and weight of your Yorkie. Generally, you should follow the food measurement guide in the section above.
If you want to feed them some snacks throughout the day in addition to the dry food you choose, that’s perfectly fine as long as you don’t go overboard and feed them the right treats!
Is grain-free food good for Yorkshire terrier?
Something you’ll see on a lot of dog food bags is “grain-free.” Now, this isn’t a bad thing for your Yorkie, especially if they have digestive issues.
Other than that scenario, it’s probably best to leave grains in. Grains in Yorkie food can give them the nutrients and proteins they need to stay healthy.
What can be a good treat for Yorkshire Terriers?
There are lots of great treats for Yorkies out there, and we’ll let you know the best ones. In general, fruits and vegetables might seem like human food, but your Yorkie might love them!
Good fruits that are canine-safe can help boost your pup’s health while making them excited! Blueberries, bananas, carrots, go for it.
Otherwise, the best treats for Yorkie puppies and adults can be found in the supermarket.
What food should Yorkies not eat?
Sometimes, you’re going to wonder whether you should feed your Yorkie certain foods. You don’t want to give them anything that could cause them digestive issues or health threats by accident!
In general, avoid grapes, raisins, chocolate, processed foods, and overseas products.
What should I feed my Yorkshire terrier?
If you’re wondering what to feed a Yorkshire Terrier, the answer is broad. Our best recommendation is that you give your Yorkie the appropriate amount of one of the dry foods on this list each day, supplemented by periodic healthy snacks or treats during the day.
What should I look for in a Yorkshire terrier’s food?
In general, you should look for a dry food recipe that contains vegetables, fruits, good protein (meat), and optional grains.
Make sure that you’re reading up on the food you choose, and if you buy one from our recommendations that you pick the one with the ideal ingredient ratios for your Yorkie.
When should I change my Yorkie’s food?
In general, since Yorkies can be picky, it’s a great thing if you stick with one food. However, there are definitely reasons to change a Yorkie’s diet.
If your Yorkie is becoming overweight or underweight, it may be a sign that their food is making them that way. Or, they might not be eating much at all. In these cases, seek a way to transition your Yorkie onto a new diet successfully.
