What and how to feed a Yorkshire terrier - analysis of diet, choice of food

Feeding plays a leading role in the health of dogs. When getting a Yorkshire Terrier, you need to understand that it needs proper and balanced feeding.

Despite its cute appearance, the Yorkie is a dog, not a toy, to which you just want to give some tasty treat from the table. In this article, we will help you decide on the type of feeding; you will learn what you should never give your pet, and what you can do to please your pet.

Basic Rules

• The diet must be balanced and contain all the necessary macro- and microelements.
• It should consist of 60-70% meat, 20-25% vegetables, and also contain a small amount of eggs and dairy products.
• Feeding should be portioned and the portion size should be appropriate to the size and activity of the Yorkie.
• Dogs' stomachs stretch very easily (unlike cats), and Yorkies have an excellent appetite even more so. Don't leave food freely available; these babies are prone to obesity.
• Don't give anything "off the table."
• Do not mix dry food with natural food, choose one or the other.

Products that are strictly prohibited

Feeding unhealthy foods not only leads to health problems, but also shortens the pet’s life. What not to feed your Yorkie:

• any confectionery baked goods, butter, sweets;
• sausages, semi-finished products;
• products containing spices and large amounts of salt;
• raisins, grapes;
• avocado;
• mushrooms;
• juices;
• carbonated and alcoholic drinks.

Dogs that eat human food are prone to obesity, digestive problems and allergies.

You should not feed your Yorkshire Terrier tubular chicken bones. They are not digested, clog the dog’s intestines and often cause damage to the intestinal walls.

Food selection

It is very important to decide on the type of food, because mixed feeding is unacceptable!

There are two options left:

• commercial food (dry food + wet/canned);
• natural nutrition.

This table will help you decide:

Can dogs have milk? Are dogs lactose intolerant?

Once puppies stop receiving their mother's milk, their body's lactase levels decrease, which eventually leads to lactose intolerance in most dogs. With lactose intolerance, the dog's body exhibits symptoms similar to those that appear in humans with this condition. Dogs can exhibit varying degrees of lactose intolerance, some pets may experience gastrointestinal disturbances immediately after drinking milk, and Some may have no symptoms at all, while others may experience severe clinical symptoms. Milk and dairy products are, in most cases, a common cause of food allergies in dogs. A food allergy to milk or dairy products can manifest itself in the form of irritation, redness or itching of the skin, as well as gastrointestinal disorders that are accompanied by vomiting, etc.

Dry food

With this type of feeding, it is important to choose a brand that suits your pet, but the main rule is that it should be premium and super premium brands, as well as holistic! Only such food can be safe for your Yorkie.

For small breeds such as the Yorkshire Terrier, there is a large selection of foods on the market; we have reviewed the most popular ones:

For Yorkie puppies

Brit Care GF Mini Puppy Lamb

A good super premium diet for puppies. Suitable for babies from 4 weeks to 12 months.

Ingredients: lamb meat meal (35%), lamb protein (20%), yellow peas, chicken fat and salmon fat, dried apples, seaweed, blueberries. Plus an impressive complex of additives that contribute to the growth of the puppy:

Origen Puppy

High quality holistic food suitable for your Yorkie puppy. The Orijen brand has one. The food is grain-free, 85% meat and fish, 15% vegetables, herbs and fruits. For a growing baby, the Orijen diet is the best food.

Ingredients: chicken, turkey, eggs, herring, chicken liver, flounder, chicken and turkey by-products (liver, hearts), sardine, herring. From vegetables: green peas, lentils, beans, pumpkin, zucchini, blueberries, etc. Not all contents of the diet are indicated. All products are added fresh - the quality is tested by consumers.

A Yorkie puppy needs 85 grams of food per day. This number is divided by the number of meals.

Premium class

Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult

Specially developed food for adult (from 10 months) Yorkshire terriers. The kibble is small in size, which is convenient for baby Yorkies, and the composition is balanced in such a way as to keep the luxurious coat in excellent condition.

This is definitely important for this breed. The table on the package will help you calculate the amount of daily ration, plus it is better to have a measuring cup for croquettes, it can be purchased along with the food.

Hill's Science Plan Small & Miniature Lamb and Rice

Not the worst premium food. Designed for adult dogs.

The first ingredient listed is lamb flour (11%). There are the most carbohydrates: there are both relatively high-quality ones (brown rice (11%), ground rice (11%), oats) and those completely undesirable for dogs: wheat, corn, corn gluten meal. Tomato and grape pomace and citrus are present in small quantities.

In general, the composition of the food is acceptable, but the large amount of carbohydrates is alarming. Choose better food if possible.

Feeding rate:

Superpremium

Monge Mini Adult

Good super premium food. There is also no line specifically for Yorkies, but there is one for small and miniature breeds. Not a bad choice, but it is worth noting that the medicinal lines of this food are of a higher quality than those developed for the daily nutrition of a healthy dog.

For better health, it is recommended to feed your Yorkie, in addition to dry food, wet food and canned food from the same manufacturer as the dry food. The approximate ratio should be 80% dry and 20% wet.

Purina Pro Plan Optibalance

There is no special line for Yorkies, but there is one for small and toy breeds.

The Purina Pro Plan Optibalance line is designed for healthy adult Yorkies; there are also lines for the elderly, those with sensitive digestion, and so on. The daily ration should be calculated according to the following table:

Almo Nature Small&Beef and Rice Holistic

A balanced diet of super premium class. Suitable for adult Yorkies.

The main ingredient of the food is beef (fresh - 26%, dehydrated - 3.2%). The next ingredients include maize, rice, dried chicken (12%), rice flour, etc. The food is rich in mineral supplements and vitamins.

Holistic

Acana Adult Small Breed

The food is of very high quality. As the manufacturer claims, it fully complies with biological nutrition and contains all the necessary vitamins and amino acids, so your Yorkie will not require vitamin and mineral supplements. The daily ration is calculated according to the table:

It is worth noting that Acana food may be too oily for some dogs.

Ava Fresh Meat Adult Small with duck

A good diet with duck. Suitable for Yorkies over 1 year old.

The protein base of the food is duck: it contains almost 50% (28% dehydrated, 15% fresh). Potatoes and peas are sources of carbohydrates. Also includes: Antarctic krill (dried), dried apples, dried cranberries, grapes, citrus. Additional fortified feeding is not required.

The daily intake varies depending on the weight of the Yorkie. So, if your dog weighs 1-2 kg, the feeding rate is 25-40 grams per day, and if more than 2 kg, then from 40 to 50.

NOW Fresh SMALL BREED

Now Fresh is a grain-free Canadian holistic food. A specialized diet for small dogs has smaller kibbles to make it easier for the dog to chew. The food is suitable for puppies and dogs that are prone to gaining excess weight.

The diet includes: fresh fillet of turkey, salmon, duck; potatoes, peas, pressed cheese. In addition to the typical apples, alfalfa and carrots, it contains a number of exotic fruits: papaya, pineapple, bananas, blackberries. To balance the BJU, coconut and rapeseed oils were added to the feed.

Daily value (calculated in grams):

Important : before purchasing, carefully read all food items, as some may cause allergies in your Yorkie.

For a neutered Yorkie

Brit Care Mini Light & Sterilized

Super premium diet, produced in the Czech Republic. Suitable for both sterilized Yorkies and allergy sufferers.

The contents of the food include: rabbit meat meal (25%), salmon, chickpeas and yellow peas, dried apples, chicken fat in 9th place, salmon fat (2%).

The food is generally dietary and does not contain major allergens. Also suitable for Yorkies suffering from obesity.

For a Yorkie with allergies

Brit VetDiets Dog Hypoallergenic

Czech hypoallergenic food with salmon. Reduces the load on the dog's stomach and eliminates potentially dangerous foods. Belongs to the super premium class.

The base is salmon, salmon protein (3rd place). In second place are yellow peas, after: buckwheat, coke oil, apple cake, salmon sauce, seaweed, various mineral and vitamin supplements.

For a Yorkie weighing 2-3 kg, the feeding rate fluctuates around 30-50 grams per day.

Probalance Hyppoallergenic Dog

Inexpensive premium hypoallergenic food. Let us warn you right away: it is not a complete nutrition, it also has some flaws in its composition: a lot of carbohydrates, flour instead of meat, etc. But that’s why it’s premium.

The first ingredients of the diet are rice and barley. After that comes poultry meal, chicken fat, turkey meal, flavoring additives (positioned as natural). The composition includes a number of vitamins and minerals.

Feeding rate: for Yorkies, 50-84 grams of food per day is enough.

Acana Singles

A line of holistic food for dogs with sensitive digestion. Includes meat from only one animal (fish). Variations:

• GRASS-FED LAMB with lamb meat;
• FREE-RUN DUCK with duck;
• YORKSHIRE PORK with pork;
• PACIFIC PILCHARD with sardine.

Akana diets feature high-quality fresh ingredients. The company has long established itself in the dog breeding market, so we won’t analyze the composition of each separately.

The daily norm for a Yorkie: for active dogs from 2 kg – 40-50 grams per day, for sedentary dogs – 30-40.

Diets for older Yorkies

Pronature Holistic 7+

Treat the diet for aging Yorkies with special care. The dog is no longer young; its body loses immunity with age. An excellent choice would be the Pronature diet for dogs of all breeds over 7 years old.

The contents of the granules include: fresh white fish (15%), dried chicken, rice (wild, brown and regular), oatmeal and pearl barley. Fruits: apples, blueberries, pineapple. Rare ingredients such as: quinoa, green mussels, honey, yucca, chicory root. Please note that this is not the complete contents of the diet.

Feeding rate for Yorkies: 40-60 grams per day.

Advantages of Royal Canina over other brands

This dog food is a premium food. No brand of dog food has such a wide range as Royal Canin dog food.

REFERENCE! There are 16 types of dry food, more than 20 types of food for adult dogs; in addition, food for the treatment or prevention of diseases is also produced separately.

Thanks to this, the owner of absolutely any dog ​​can choose the necessary option. At the same time, food of this brand has a fairly low cost and can be purchased at any pet store.

What kind of dry food is not recommended to feed your Yorkie?

An unequivocal “no” goes to economy-class food and a number of food posing as premium. Among them:

• Pedigree;
• Chappie;
• Darling;
• Dog Chow;
• Some diets are Royal Canin, Hills, others are premium food.

If you don't know whether to take a certain food, take a look at the composition. What you should be wary of:

1. Cheap carbohydrates: corn and wheat. The worst thing is when they come in first place in the feed, or even in a row. If meat or protein is in 3, or even 4-5 places in the composition, it is better to avoid such food.
2. Blurry composition. Instead of “chicken” - “chicken flour”, the percentage of ingredients is not indicated.
3. Poultry meal, chicken meal, fish meal, etc. This is not meat, these are ground bones, offal and other low-quality raw materials. Exception: when it is indicated that the flour is from meat (turkey meat flour, etc.).

Acana Heritage (6 kg) (for small breeds)

This Canadian product is a good choice for a miniature breed dog. It is suitable for both active animals and completely lazy ones. The food is holistic, that is, it contains only natural ingredients.

There are no cheap low-quality components in the products of this brand; feed wheat and bone meal are completely absent. Contains only meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and high quality dairy products.

pros

• High concentration of animal proteins;
• Fresh ingredients;
• There are no carbohydrates (the dog’s body does not need them);
• A variety of fruits, vegetables, tonic herbs in the composition, which strengthen the heart and improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract;
• Reduces insulin levels, strengthens the liver;
• High quality packaging.

Minuses

• May cause allergies;
• Noticeable fishy smell;
• High fat content.

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Natural nutrition

Before you decide to give up dry food, answer yourself the question: can you provide your four-legged friend with a balanced diet? Because natural food is not at all like what you yourself eat.

So, a natural diet should contain the following products:

• meat component (beef, lamb, rabbit, chicken, turkey);
• you can give fish, the main thing is that there are no bones in it (use sea fish);
• offal (beef or lamb tripe, heart, lungs, liver);
• vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli);
• fermented milk products (cottage cheese, yogurt) and eggs.

For better absorption of vitamins, it is necessary to add oils (vegetable, flaxseed, olive, ideally salmon). It is necessary to supplement the diet with vitamins B, C, E, and bone meal.

What is the difference between beef, pork, lamb, chicken for dogs

Beef, due to its properties, price, and availability, is considered a classic option for feeding a pet. This is the best product for maintaining hemoglobin and contains many vitamins and minerals.

Lamb rarely causes allergies; if beef is poorly digestible, it is a worthy alternative. The dogs are fed lean cuts.

Chicken causes allergies in many dogs, but with normal digestibility it is a good addition to the main menu.

Due to its fat content, pork is not suitable for feeding dogs. Raw pig meat, compared to other types of meat, is more dangerous due to the risk of infection by parasites and pathogens.

How to properly create a natural food menu

If everything is clear with dry food, you just need to be guided by the table on the back of the package, but with natural food you will have to do the calculations yourself.

The first rule of natural nutrition is no cereals or soups!

It's hard to believe, but the Yorkshire Terrier is also a predator. Over the course of evolution, the digestive system of dogs has adapted to feeding side by side with humans, but they are still carnivores.

Meat should be given raw for the simple reason that it is better absorbed and more useful macro- and microelements are retained.

You must first keep the meat frozen at -22 for 3-4 days. This is a necessary measure in order to protect the dog from helminthic infestation.

An approximate list of products from which you can create a diet for a month, or even more!

Cooking method.

Grind all of the above products, divide into portions and freeze.

To determine your Yorkie's daily food intake, simply multiply his weight by 3%.

For example, if your pet weighs 4 kg, its daily portion (when fed natural) should be approximately 120 grams. You should build on these numbers and adjust the portion based on the condition and activity of the dog.

Essential vitamins

It is worth understanding that your pet may not receive enough vitamins from natural or special food. This can be especially true in cases where they follow a certain diet or are recovering from an illness or surgery.

The owner must control all this by providing the pet with a sufficient amount of vitamins.

1. Vitamins of group A ensure normal growth and development of the body physically, and also affect the formation and maintenance of immunity, resistance to diseases and illnesses.
2. Vitamins of group E are responsible for reducing hormonal problems. This vitamin is especially important for pets during puberty.
3. Group D vitamins are responsible for the proper metabolism of macroelements in the body, have a positive effect on feed absorption and strengthen the animal’s bones.
4. Vitamins of group K affect the proper formation of blood structure, increases coagulation and protection against various types of bacteria

If your pet lacks any of the vitamins, he will develop vitamin deficiency. As a result, a number of disorders occur in the pet’s body, which can lead to more serious diseases.

All food is divided into several age and special groups: for puppies; for adult dogs; for elderly pets; for sterilized animals.

Feeding the puppies

Newborns

If, for some reason, it falls to you to feed a puppy that is not yet three weeks old, then you will have to be patient. It needs to be fed every 2 hours. And as food it is better to use a special mixture for puppies, which is sold at a veterinary pharmacy.

Terrier 1 month

Closer to the month, complementary foods begin to be introduced. When feeding commercial food, this is wet canned food for lactating females and puppies up to 3 months. On the natural side, it can be cottage cheese, pureed meat.

2 - 3 months

The frequency of feeding is reduced to 6 - 5 times a day, gradually wean the baby from the bitch. Active complementary feeding is carried out, the meat is already chopped, not ground. We leave cottage cheese as a source of calcium. Additionally, vitamins are introduced for full development.

4 – 6 months

At this time, teeth change, so cartilage can be given, and the meat should not be cut so finely. More vegetables are introduced. Feed 3-4 times a day

6 - 8 months

Offal is introduced, and the diet becomes like that of an adult Yorkshire terrier. As they grow, they change the volume of portions and actively use vitamin and mineral complexes.

9 - 10 months

Yorkshire Terriers are adult-like.

How to feed your dog meat correctly, how much to feed per 1 kg of weight per day, daily norm

For feeding, use lean meat, boiled or raw; it is important that the product is not spoiled. Several times a week the dogs are fed offal - liver, lungs, udders, stomachs, hearts, etc., sometimes they are given the blood of livestock, immediately after slaughter. It is not recommended to feed raw entrails to wild animals.

For different individuals, the daily intake of the product is not the same, depending on the size, weight, age, activity, state of health of the dog; a puppy consumes less food, a pregnant dog - more. The approximate daily norm is 20 grams per kilogram of pet weight, for active working individuals - 30 grams.

You should try not to overfeed your pet; although meat is the main food, it must be supplemented with other products to ensure a balanced and complete diet; you need to know that an excess of protein is just as harmful to health as a deficiency. The product does not have to be given every day; during the week it can be successfully alternated with fish or offal.

It is recommended to feed large and medium-sized dogs large pieces in order to force the animal to chew the food rather than swallow it whole; small puppies are given meat in the form of a scraper.

Diet of pregnant and lactating bitches

If you are expecting more puppies, you should immediately take care of the health of the mother and the expected offspring. Yorkies are recommended to receive additional phosphorus and calcium. In the second half of pregnancy, vitamins E and D are started.

On the 40th - 45th day of pregnancy, the dog is transferred to fractional feeding - the daily norm is divided into 4 - 5 servings and fed gradually. Approximately a week before giving birth - on days 53 - 55 - fertilizing, calcium and meat are excluded from the diet in order to make the pelvic bones “easier”.

What to feed if you have an allergy?

If you adhere to natural feeding, through trial and error you need to find out which product the dog reacts to. This can only be done by completely eliminating it from the diet.

Hypoallergenic (non-allergenic) types of meat include rabbit, turkey, and meat from non-specific animals, such as venison.

Potentially hypoallergenic vegetables include zucchini and cauliflower.

With dry food, this issue is simpler; there are entire lines of hypoallergenic food. You need to maintain a diet with new food for at least 1.5 months to see results.

A sudden transition from one food to another can provoke an allergy, as the body adapts to digesting one type of protein, and its change is stressful for the body. To switch a dog from one food to another, you need to gradually add new food to the old one, gradually replacing it.

Treats for Yorkshire Terrier

Of course, any Yorkie owner wants to please his pet, especially when these kids look at you so pitifully while you eat chocolate. Don't be fooled by those cunning eyes, you don't want to harm your pet.

So that you can reward your pet without anyone getting hurt, we offer a simple recipe for dried hearts - an excellent treat for a terrier.

You can use chicken hearts.

1. Cut off the fatty part.
2. Place on a baking sheet, or better yet, thread the hearts themselves onto skewers.
3. Place in the oven and with the lid ajar and a temperature of 100-120 degrees, leave for 5 - 6 hours.
4. The finished treat should feel rubbery to the touch.

You can give your Yorkie one piece per day. It is absorbed perfectly and everyone is happy.

Character

Of course, each individual is unique, but there are some character traits that are common to all of them. Most often they are active, smart, attentive and can get what they want.

They are easy to train, but at the same time independent, which is why when training you need to first establish contact with them and set your own rules before the dog does. Families with small children should not have them, because they can accidentally squeeze them too hard or drop them, and these creatures are very fragile. They get along well with other pets, but hate rodents.

To read: Choosing the best and individual nickname for Toy Terriers boys and girls

Representatives of this breed are very emotional, passionate and capable of chasing any small rodent or bird encountered on a walk. They are courageous and cocky, but they are wary of strangers. They are characterized by tenderness and affection, they have common sense and some stubbornness, they are cheerful and good-natured. However, despite all his kindness, if you offend a Yorkie, he is ready to bite, so the best solution is to treat them calmly and affectionately. Try to protect him from stress, otherwise he will become nervous and start mischievous; besides, stress is bad for your health.

Briefly about the main thing

1. The basic rules for feeding Yorkies are a balanced diet and avoiding overfeeding.
2. Feed either dry food or natural food, do not mix.
3. Natural food is not soups or cereals, it is a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, designed specifically for your Yorkie.
4. Feeding puppies, pregnant and lactating bitches should be treated with special attention.
5. If your dog is prone to allergies, you should pay attention to hypoallergenic foods when creating a diet.
6. There is a list of prohibited foods that are very dangerous for dogs.

Useful video

Video materials demonstrate cooking options for Yorkies and feeding methods. They are worth watching to avoid serious mistakes when developing a diet for your dog.

Video materials demonstrate cooking options for Yorkies and feeding methods. They are worth watching to avoid serious mistakes when developing a diet for your dog.