The size of the Yorkshire Terrier is only 18 to 20 kg. Its weight is no more than three kg. The miniature size of the dog makes it incredibly popular. The dog looks very touching. He is able to find a common language with all family members. The dog has a cheerful, playful disposition. Responsible owners take care of vaccinations and proper feeding. But what to do if your Yorkie refuses to eat - the reasons why he doesn’t eat anything. How to deal with the problem?
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One common reason is being spoiled. The appearance of the Yorkshire Terrier is so touching that it is rare that an owner can resist pampering the dog.
Therefore, it is not surprising that they buy treats and treats for the dog. These dogs are excellent manipulators. A pitiful look is enough for the owner to fulfill all the wishes of the pet. Picky eaters, dogs don't eat everything. Therefore, they are often fed up with treats and delicacies. However, the reason for refusing food is not always the result of spoiling.
Causes
| Cause | Severity of the problem |
| Digestive problems | If the dog not only refuses food, but also suffers from loose stools, looks lethargic and is anxious. This may be caused by diarrhea. Diarrhea can be dangerous for your toy dog |
| Signs of the disease | Avoiding your favorite food may be a sign of a viral, parasitic, or other serious illness. Even if you feel well, if your pet is fasting for more than three days, then you should take the dog to the veterinarian |
| Don't like the food | The dog does not like the food; it may seem tasteless or not fresh enough to the pet. |
| The diet is incorrect | Owners sometimes make up the diet incorrectly. For example, they use products that are incompatible with each other. Sometimes the problem is different. The food is chosen correctly, but the pet is pampered with food from the table. |
| Stressful situation | There are situations when a dog faces serious stress. For example, moving to a new place. As a rule, in this case, the appetite will return after some time. But if the dog continues to refuse food, then the problem needs to be solved. |
| Reaction to medical procedures | After vaccinations, dogs often feel unwell. Therefore, they may refuse their usual food. This often happens after operations. This is normal during the rehabilitation period. |
| A certain period of life | Change of teeth, molting period, estrus, upcoming birth. Often accompanied by loss of appetite. |
Increased anxiety
The dog may be very frightened by some event. These could be loud sounds, gunshots, thunderstorms, New Year's fireworks. A frightened animal cannot think about food in such a situation. After the situation returns to normal, the pet’s appetite will return.
Refusal to eat from a bowl
Some owners of dwarf dogs, including Yorkies, prefer to hand feed their pets and not use a bowl. After all, the pet's portion is very small. Sometimes the dog is present in the kitchen during dinner or lunch. Tasty pieces from the table may be quite enough for your pet to simply eat up. Therefore, it is quite possible that he may refuse his food. If “sharing” lunch has long become a habit, then your pet’s refusal to eat from a bowl is quite natural. You need to stop feeding your Yorkie from the table. When hungry, he will return to his bowl on his own.
Yorkie won't eat from a bowl
Refusal of dry food
Sometimes your pet simply gets bored with dry food and doesn’t want to chew on the granules. In this case, you can try changing the brand. Or simply switch your Yorkie to natural food. There are many more options to choose food to suit your dog’s taste. You can change the grain and type of meat. It is very important that your pet receives only fresh food.
Yorkie won't eat dry food
Yorkie does not eat during heat and pregnancy
The hormonal background of a bitch during estrus and pregnancy changes greatly. Often the pet suffers from nausea. Therefore, she may refuse even her favorite food.
The onset of the first heat is very stressful for a dog. Therefore, she may become apathetic, begin to be capricious, or even become depressed. Poor appetite in a Yorkie during heat is associated with changes in hormonal levels.
A male dog may also react to a female dog being in heat. He may also lose his appetite from excitement.
The situation has changed, and the Yorkie refuses to eat
Dogs become very accustomed to their owners and their place of residence. A change of environment or the appearance of a new owner is a stressful situation for a pet. The dog may develop depression, despondency, and a state of melancholy. Therefore, it may come from food.
Health problems
If your pet has been refusing food for a long time, then it is worth observing it. A complete refusal to eat and a constant desire to sleep may be a sign of health problems.
What can lead to loss of appetite:
- Stomatitis, caries, damage to the oral cavity;
- Disease of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Diseases caused by parasites or infections;
- The animal experiences pain, may hunch over, is in a lethargic state, and shudders in its sleep;
- Kidney diseases;
- Drug therapy.
How to avoid weight problems in Yorkies?
To prevent your Yorkie from becoming obese, you need to monitor his diet. You can feed your pet dry food, specialized ready-made canned food, or food you prepare yourself. Dry food has many advantages:
- it contains all the vitamins and microelements necessary for dogs;
- it does not need to be prepared, which saves time and is very convenient when traveling;
- feed manufacturers produce products suitable for a specific breed.
Despite the above advantages, dry food also has disadvantages. Eating this way can lead to stomach problems. If you feed your pet dry food, always make sure he has fresh water.
An alternative to this food can be ready-made canned food.
Canned food is, of course, quick, tasty and convenient, but can lead to the formation of tartar, which can be recognized by bad breath. You can prepare food for your Yorkie yourself. At the same time, make sure that your pet does not eat spicy, fatty or sweet foods. Forbidden for Yorkies are raw river fish, sausages, sausages and smoked meats, white bread and legumes. Yorkshire Terriers must eat raw or boiled beef, vegetables, cottage cheese, dairy products, and egg yolk. Special vitamin supplements must be added to your Yorkie's self-prepared food.
To make your pet feel good, organize a diet for him. Adult Yorkies over ten months of age should eat twice a day. In the first two months of life, puppies are fed six times a day, at 3-4 months - five times, at 5-6 months - four times, at 7-9 months - three times a day. You can read more about how to feed Yorkshire Terrier puppies in this article.
A properly organized regimen and diet for your Yorkie will be the key to his good health and well-being.
Yorkies refuse to eat dog food, other reasons
There are other reasons for refusing to eat. These reasons are not serious and there is no need to worry:
- Dogs can sometimes have a fasting day. This happens several times a month. It is worth watching the dog carefully. Nothing bad happens.
- It is hot outside. Dogs know “their norms.” Many people have difficulty withstanding the heat and also refuse food. Dogs also react to heat. The pet will eat as much as it needs; there is no need to insist.
- The desire to get tastier food. Sometimes after a very tasty treat, the pet finds its food tasteless. Therefore, he demonstratively refuses food in the hope of getting a piece. In this case, you should insist on your own.
However, not all reasons are so harmless. Sometimes you need to run to the veterinary clinic with your Yorkie under your arm.
- Sign of food poisoning. Sometimes dogs pick up pieces on the street, which leads to food poisoning. It is worth paying attention to the fact that upon returning from the street the pet began to vomit and loose stools appeared.
- Worms. An animal may completely refuse food if it is tormented by worms. The dog may become lethargic and have dull fur.
- Piroplasmosis. The cause of lethargy and lack of appetite may be a tick bite. You should definitely look for ticks on your pet. The disease can pose a serious danger.
- Disease of teeth and gums. You should contact your dentist and have your pet's teeth examined. If necessary, carry out full treatment. Prolonged fasting can be dangerous for such a tiny dog.
- Allergic reaction. It becomes difficult for the animal to breathe, and nasal discharge appears. Of course, there will be no appetite.
Change of food brand
For a number of circumstances, the owner may decide to change the brand. For example, puppies are expected, or a better brand has been found. Yorkies are very demanding when it comes to food. Therefore, often when changing food, a dog can refuse to eat. Moreover, if there are other ingredients in the food, then the pet’s stomach simply does not have time to adjust. Therefore, you need to switch to new food carefully and gradually. Otherwise, you may experience stomach upset and diarrhea.
Eating leftovers from the table
The dog doesn't need a lot of food. Often the leftovers from the table are enough for her. Such food cannot be called healthy for your pet. Human food is not healthy for dogs.
Yorkshire eye diseases
*We will partially answer the questions of what to do if your Yorkie’s eyes are festering or running .
Yorkies have been shown to have a predisposition to several retinal pathologies.
As a rule, these are hereditary things:
- spontaneous detachment;
- degeneration (when retinal cells die);
- dysplasia (when the retina develops abnormally).
These serious diagnoses (and any of them can lead to partial or complete loss of vision) are made by ophthalmoscopy, but retinal diseases can be noticed in the early stages.
What to do : if your Yorkshire Terrier's vision in the dark has become worse, his pupils do not constrict even in the light, or the fundus of the eye is slightly glowing gray, run to the doctor.
Dry eye is another problem for Yorkies.
The lack of fluid is provoked by a genetic disorder of the lacrimal system, in which the lacrimal canals narrow or become completely impassable.
Due to delayed outflow, the lacrimal gland often becomes inflamed. And insufficient moisture can affect the cornea or conjunctiva.
Cataracts - white and glaucoma - green clouding of the eyes of Yoriki are usually obtained from their owners; Sound scary? And they get it in the literal sense: with shampoo or a comb in the eye.
What to do : Gently groom your Yorkie's coat on his head and face. For any eye pathologies, go to a veterinary hospital.
What to feed your Yorkie: food or homemade food?
You should make a reservation in advance. If we mean food from the table, then such a diet will be absolutely harmful for any dog. When choosing what food to feed your Yorkie, you should choose one of three options:
- Dry food;
- Canned food;
- Natural food.
What to feed your Yorkie
Each type of food has advantages and disadvantages. However, do not feed your Yorkie too much protein food. Because this breed is prone to allergic reactions. The diet should be as balanced as possible.
Can a Yorkie eat chocolate and other sweets?
Chocolate is on the “black list” for absolutely any dog. Contains theobromine. This substance acts on the body of a four-legged friend like real poison. You should also absolutely not give your Yorkie sweets. There is a risk of diabetes.
Can a Yorkshire Terrier eat berries?
It depends on what berries we are talking about. Grapes, raisins, and black currants should not be given to dogs. You can treat your pet to cherries (without pits), mashed gooseberries, and strawberries.
Can a Yorkshire Terrier be given fruit?
You can give apple pieces by removing seeds, peaches, and apples.
Can a Yorkshire Terrier eat cheese?
Cheese is considered a healthy product for all dogs. Given the tiny size of the Yorkie, this product is given in very small quantities.
More about sizes
Unfortunately, there are a huge number of people who misinterpret breed standards and are convinced of the existence of such sizes as:
- super - mini: up to 1.5 kg;
- mini: 1.4 – 2 kg;
- standard: 2 – 3.1 kg. This is not a subspecies, but a deviation from the norm.
Small dogs have many developmental defects, bitches are not able to reproduce, and the number of years they live is reduced to a minimum - only 3-4 years.
Such individuals have an incorrect bite, drooping ears that do not stand up, and in male dogs the testicles do not form. An incorrectly formed skeleton and head will bring many problems. The bitch will be unable to develop properly and will have no prospects for breeding.
The worst thing is that, in pursuit of fashion, unscrupulous breeders deliberately underfeed puppies so that they supposedly have a mini size. Be careful, a mini Yorkshire terrier whose weight does not meet the standard is a deviation.
For clarity, the weight of the Yorkshire Terrier and its norms, a table that will help you figure it out.
Remember that every dog is individual, just like a person, weight gain may vary slightly, but the end result is always the same. If you suspect a shortage, contact your veterinarian for advice. Problems may be with the diet or individual characteristics of transferring certain components.
What to do if your Yorkie hasn't been eating well for a long time
A Yorkie's lack of appetite for up to three days may not be a sign of a serious problem. However, if during this period the dog still refuses to eat, then urgent measures should be taken.
- It may be necessary to exclude foods of questionable quality and freshness from the diet;
- If refusal to eat is accompanied by apathy or, conversely, the dog behaves restlessly, then there is a reason to contact the veterinary clinic;
- Look into your pet's mouth. Perhaps the problem is stomatitis or dental disease;
- Assess the condition of the ears. If your pet has signs of developing inflammatory ear disease, this may be another reason for food refusal. The dog has pain and is simply unable to chew;
- Check the temperature. Just by feeling the dog's nose. If it is dry and hot, then the temperature is elevated.
If you are unable to discover visible reasons for refusing food on your own, you should seek help. Prolonged fasting is an alarming sign.
Standard sizes
The official breed standard adopted by the ICF and RKF provides a list of basic criteria that the Yorkshire Terrier must meet. In it, in addition to the general appearance of the dog, its temperament, coat structure, color and other things, the dimensions are also indicated.
The standard does not have regulations regarding the minimum height of a Yorkie, but the maximum allowable figure is established - the height of a standard Yorkshire terrier at the withers should not exceed 25 cm. Most often, males grow up to 23 cm at the withers, females - up to 20 cm.
The height of the dog at the withers should coincide with the height at the croup.
Body length is also important for Yorkies, which must be measured from the withers to the base of the tail. According to the standard, the body of a Yorkshire Terrier should be square, which means that the length and height of the dog should be approximately the same.
The length of the body should not exceed the height of the front legs (an excess of even 2 cm is noticeable and unacceptable), ideally it should be 1-1.5 cm less, then the dog’s figure is considered well balanced.
It should be taken into account that only exhibition representatives of the breed are evaluated according to these parameters.
Expert opinion
Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich
Expert dog handler.
Even before purchasing a puppy, you need to decide for what purpose it is being purchased - to participate in exhibitions or simply as a pet. If a show career is planned for your pet, then choosing a puppy must be approached with maximum responsibility, because... a pet-class puppy is unlikely to accurately meet all the criteria of the breed standard. However, it must be said that today the boundaries of the standard are quite blurred and a Yorkshire terrier with a weight and height much greater than the recommended one is not uncommon. All the indicators specified in the standard, by and large, only help judges at competitions decide which dog to give preference to.
How to increase your Yorkie's appetite?
Try to walk longer with your pet in the fresh air. Active games will be useful for your pet. You should feed your dog strictly on a schedule and avoid overeating. It is necessary to strictly monitor the quality of feed. If you constantly feed economy class food, you will have health problems.
How to increase your Yorkie's appetite
It is recommended to add variety to your diet. You can give not only dry food, but also supplement the menu with canned food. Your pet will benefit from treats.
Do not disturb the dog while eating. To do this, you should find a secluded place for feeding.
Correct transfer to dry food
The transition to another diet should always occur gradually, and begin with familiarization with the product. Treat your pet to a granule or two of dry food in a situation where you usually praise and reward it, offer it from your hand - in short, let it taste.
Then start gradually adding a new product, gradually adding it to your usual food; it is recommended to start with ¼ of the volume, gradually increasing the proportion of dry food every day. As a rule, with this approach, the dog completely switches to dry food in 5–7 days, sometimes this period can drag on a little, there’s nothing wrong with that, the main thing here is the result. At first, the granules can be soaked in water; this consistency will be close to natural food, and the dog, in turn, will get used to the smell and taste.
