Food for Yorkies: a list of the best food for puppies and adult dogs according to independent experts

Weighing around 2-3 kg, the Yorkshire Terrier is a sweet dog breed that has a lot of personality. Yorkies tend to be very smart and require a nutritionally appropriate diet of small meals (approximately 150 calories per day).

Unfortunately, this sweet breed is prone to health problems such as hypoglycemia, collapsing tracheas, and dental problems. Therefore, it is important to feed your Yorkies a balanced diet formulated specifically for them.

What food should you feed your Yorkie? I have compiled a list of the 11 best dog foods for Yorkies.

The best food for Yorkies

Table of Top food for Yorkies

Royal Canin - Yorkshire Terrier, dry food for adults

1. Calories : 3802 kcal/kg, 338 kcal/cup;
2. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 26.0%, Crude Fat 16.0%, Crude Fiber 5.0%, and Moisture 10.0%;
3. Form : dry;
4. First 5 ingredients : 1. Brewer's rice, 2. Brown rice, 3. Chicken dish, 4. Chicken fat, 5. Wheat gluten;
5. No grain;
6. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

This dry dog ​​food, formulated exclusively for Yorkshire Terriers over ten months of age, is packed with a variety of protein-packed ingredients including taurine, brewer's rice, corn and fish oil. It offers exceptional taste and aroma for fussy appetites, and the nutrients are carefully selected to keep your Yorkie healthy.

Natural food

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of natural nutrition is the absence of artificial flavors, colors or flavor enhancers. The products are easily digestible and all the beneficial substances that enter the Yorkie’s body are of natural origin, and the menu is varied and does not get boring for the dog.

But “natural” also has significant disadvantages:

• Preparing a balanced diet takes a lot of time;
• food must be fresh, which means it needs to be cooked daily;
• It is necessary to carefully control the quality and freshness of products.

Having given preference to a natural diet, you need to additionally give your pet a vitamin and mineral complex.

Authorized Products

The Yorkshire Terrier can and should eat:

• boiled lean meat - rabbit, turkey, beef;
• boiled offal - heart, lungs, liver;
• cereals – rice, buckwheat or millet;
• sea ​​fish;
• greenery.

NOTE!

To ensure that your Yorkie gets the necessary vegetable fats, you should sprinkle his food with olive or linseed oil.

In addition, several times a week you need to give your pet boiled yolk, cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt and boiled vegetables.

It is acceptable to introduce into the diet as a treat a small amount of low-fat cheese and fruits - plums, pears, apples, bananas, melon or watermelon.

What is strictly contraindicated?

Foods that Yorkies should never eat:

• legumes (peas, lentils, beans);
• corn;
• pasta;
• bread;
• sweets;
• fatty meats (pork, lamb);
• smoked meats, pickles, marinades;
• tubular bones;
• cabbage, turnips, potatoes;
• citruses;
• grapes and raisins;
• onion;
• alcohol;
• oatmeal and pearl barley;
• milk;
• seasonings;
• fried foods;
• raw chicken protein;
• juice;
• freshwater and fatty fish;
• fatty cheese;
• mushrooms.

CAREFULLY!

Neglect of nutritional rules and feeding your Yorkie with prohibited foods leads to the development of a number of diseases - dermatitis, flatulence, indigestion, kidney failure and underdeveloped limbs.

Wellness - dry dog ​​food for small breeds for adults with turkey and oatmeal

1. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 28.0%, Crude Fat 15.0%, Crude Fiber 4.0%, and Moisture 11.0%;
2. Calories : 420 kcal/cup;
3. First 5 ingredients : 1. Boneless Turkey, 2 Chicken Meal, 3. Salmon Meal, 4. Oatmeal, 5. Ground Brown Rice.

Looking for tasty food for your Yorkie? Well, it's a quality protein and healthy grain-filled dry food from Wellness, formulated specifically for your small breed like your Yorkie. It's made with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids to help your Yorkie shine. This special chicken and turkey dry food recipe not only supports healthy body weight while maintaining optimal calorie intake. Vitamins A and C provide a boost to the immune system and maximize nutrient absorption in specially formulated oatmeal, turkey and salmon.

General recommendations

For a month after purchasing a puppy, the best option is to feed it the same food that the breeder fed it, then gradually introduce new foods into the diet.

Basic feeding recommendations:

• food should be at room temperature and cut into small pieces;
• you need to feed 2-3 hours before walking or half an hour after;
• you cannot give food from the table;
• the amount of food depends on the age and physical activity of the pet;
• with a natural diet, a serving should consist of 25% vegetables, 60% protein and 15% cereal.

IMPORTANT!

Yorkies are prone to obesity, so portion sizes need to be controlled.

Wellness CORE - grain-free original boneless dry dog ​​food, turkey

1. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 34.0%, Crude Fat 16.0%, Crude Fiber 4.0%, and Moisture 10%;
2. Calories : 421 kcal/cup;
3. First 5 ingredients : 1. Boneless turkey, 2 Turkey meal, 3. Chicken meal, 4. Peas, potatoes, 5. Dried ground potatoes.

Made with turkey and boneless chicken, this grain-free, high-protein Yorkie food from Wellness provides your Yorkie with complete nutrition. Chondroitin and glucosamine help them maintain healthy joints and bones, while Omega-3 fatty acids support silky coats and healthy skin. There are no artificial preservatives in this food because your adult dog deserves the best.

A little about the breed

The Yorkshire Terrier and Chihuahua are both miniature dog breeds. Their height is about 12-20 cm. Yorkies come from Great Britain, and Chihuahuas come from Mexico.

In addition to their small size, these two dogs are united by their cheerful disposition, energy, courage and intelligence. They may seem silly at first glance, but both of these breeds are highly trainable. In skillful hands, such dogs will become obedient and disciplined. Therefore, you should not ignore this point.

Yorkies and Chihuahuas also get along quite easily with other animals and are distinguished by their affection for their owner. If we talk about the Chihuahua, then in the family he chooses his favorite, to whom he will be devoted, and will experience only friendly feelings towards the rest.

If we talk about care, it will be a little more difficult with Yorkies. Due to its long coat, a representative of this breed needs periodic grooming and washing, and this dog also needs to be brushed every day. Well, your Yorkie will also need to trim its nails from time to time. There is an erroneous assumption that a representative of this breed does not need a walk. But your Yorkie still needs physical exercise, so you need to walk him once or twice a day.

Chihuahuas do not require as much care. The owner will only need to bathe him once a month, trim his claws, and wipe his eyes. As for walks, Chihuahuas love to spend time outside. Accompanying the owner always and everywhere will become their favorite pastime.

Health of Yorkies and Chihuahuas

If we talk about the health of the Yorkshire Terrier, many can develop hypoglycemia at an early age. This means that your pet's blood sugar decreases. In this case, the puppy may tremble, be lethargic and drowsy, and his body temperature may drop. This disease can also appear in adult dogs, but it is rare. Neurodermatitis is also a common disease. It can be caused by stress or boredom. In this case, it is better to change the situation and make the pet’s life more interesting. It is not uncommon for a Yorkie to get cancer, usually stomach or blood cancer. But this disease appears in dogs older than 10 years.

Chihuahuas have good health, but some diseases still occur here. First of all, it is worth noting that such dogs cannot tolerate temperature changes. Therefore, with the onset of the first cold weather, it is worth taking care of your pet’s clothing. Chihuahuas quickly develop plaque on their teeth, so you need to carefully monitor your dog’s mouth. Otherwise, he will develop oral diseases or dental problems. Since this is a miniature dog, it has small and fragile bones, so the owner must ensure that it does not get injured, special care must be taken with the bones of the skull.

Also, these two breeds have a sensitive digestive system. Therefore, the feeding process must be approached with extreme caution. Otherwise, your pet will become obese, which will lead not only to dieting, but also to health complications.

Pedigree - fried chicken, rice and vegetables, dry food for small breed dogs

1. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 21.0%, Crude Fat 11%, Crude Fiber 4.0%, Moisture 12.0%;
2. Calories : 3490 kcal/kg, 342 kcal/cup;
3. First 5 Ingredients : 1. Milled Whole Grain Corn, 2. Poultry Byproduct Meal, 3. Brewer's Rice, 4. Corn Gluten Meal, 5. Soy Meal.

This special Yorkie food is made specifically for smaller dogs like the Yorkie, giving your little pup a lot of the nutrition they need. The recipe includes roasted chicken along with vegetable flavor and rice, giving your pet all the energy it needs to stay healthy. What's more, Omega-6 fatty acids provide a shiny, healthy coat, while a precise blend of whole grains supports healthy digestion for your little adult Yorkie.

CANIDAE - dry food for dogs of all life stages with a less active formula

1. Calories : 3300 kcal/kg, 3.3 kcal/g, 1500 kcal/lb, 342 kcal/cup;
2. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 22.50%, Crude Fat 8.50%, Crude Fiber 4.5%, Moisture 10%;
3. Form : dry;
4. First 5 ingredients : 1. Chicken meal, 2. Brown rice, 3. White rice, 4. Rice bran, 5. Peas.

This food from Canidae is free of common allergens such as wheat, corn and soy and is suitable for dogs of all life stages. It includes chicken meal, brown rice, white rice, rice bran and peas as the first five ingredients and is designed for less active and overweight dogs. A good choice for less active Yorkies.

How to feed a puppy?

During the first weeks after birth, the puppy eats only mother's milk.

Complementary foods are introduced to a one-month-old puppy, gradually adding new products, as shown in the table:

A one-year-old puppy should be fed twice a day: morning and evening.

Merrick is a grain-free dry puppy food made with real beef and sweet potatoes.

1. Calories : 3419 kcal/kg, 377 kcal/cup;
2. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 28.0%, Crude Fat 12.0%, Crude Fiber 4.5%, Moisture 11%;
3. Form : dry;
4. First 5 Ingredients : 1. Boneless Beef, 2 Sweet Potatoes, 3. Peas, 4. Lamb, 5. Potatoes

If you're on the hunt for a nutritious food for your Yorkie that doesn't contain poultry, this food uses boneless beef as the first ingredient, along with lamb, peas and potatoes to offer essential fats, vitamins and carbohydrates. Its DHA ingredient supports healthy brain development along with vitamins and minerals for complete nutrition. All natural, gluten-free ingredients, it's a great daily treat for your pup. This recipe is ideal for poultry sensitive dogs.

Ready-made feed mixtures and canned food for animals

Feed rating based on points from 1 to 100 in different categories and prices

From 0 to 10 points. This category of food is not cheap, but in terms of quality and safety for animals it is the worst. The ingredients are waste from the processing of livestock and poultry carcasses, plus the presence of indigestible additives and drugs. For owners, this is the best way to get rid of an unfortunate animal and quite quickly.

In this category:

1. “Kiteket” - according to nutrition specialists and veterinarians - 1 point
2. "Chappie" - 1
3. "Pedigree" - 3
4. Whiskas - 3

From 10 to 25 points. “Meat” food in this category contains everything except meat - this justifies the low cost of this product. Most often, the composition is waste from meat processing, giblets, cheap cereals, and bran. People here have never heard of vitamins, although in most cases they are stated on the packaging. Of course, food for animals in this category is not so dangerous for their lives, but they certainly will not improve their health. In the absence of anything better, the animal’s body gets used to this feeding, and with a clear lack of vitamins in their diet, the animals themselves find them or “save” them in their liver.

In this category:

From 25 to 50 points. Very economical food of low quality. It contains extremely low-use ingredients, vitamins and protein, and they are poorly balanced. It is suitable for unpretentious animals that do not have genetic health problems

Young animals should be fed this food with extreme caution, and it is better to avoid its use altogether at least until the age of two.

In this category:

1. “Gourmet” – 26 points
2. Oscar - 38
3. "My Lady" - 40
4. "My Lord" - 40
5. "Friskies" - 43
6. "Doctor Clouder" - 45

From 50 to 75 points. This is a category of inexpensive food of satisfactory quality, but poor in vitamins. For the most part, dogs live well on this diet if the intake is increased and additional portions of fortified supplements are given. The financial savings here are quite relative, since you still have to purchase the necessary components. The owner is a master, as they say...

In this category:

1. "Purina" - 60 points
2. "Sheba" - 67
3. “Gurmet” - in different types from 55 to 65
4. "Doctor Alders" - from 50 to 70
5. "Jimpet" - 72
6. "Doctor Alders Nature Coast" - 75

From 75 to 90 points. Category of feed with good performance. If animals accept this food well, then switching to a higher and more expensive category does not make sense. The composition of ingredients is balanced and as close as possible to what is stated on the packaging. Does not require additional vitamin supplements and does not cause allergic reactions.

In this category:

1. Royal Canin (Russia) – 77 points
2. “Pro Pak” (Ukraine) – 78
3. "Diamond" - 79
4. "Leonardo" - 80
5. "Belkando" - 80
6. "Flatazor" - 82
7. “Pro Pak” (America) – 85
8. "Nutro Gold" - 85
9. "Nutro Nuggets" - 85
10. Royal Canin (France) - 88
11. "Biomil" - 89
12. "About Plan" - 89

From 90 to 100 points. The best, highest category of feed. The food is developed using the most modern technologies. It is perfectly balanced, of excellent quality, and contains a maximum of useful components for our little brothers. Despite the high price, this diet is very economical, since a relatively small portion gives the animal everything it needs for a healthy and active life.

In this category:

1. "Yams" - 93 points
2. Eagle Pack - 95
3. "Bosch" - 95
4. "Eukanuba" - 99
5. "Hills" - 100
6. “Nutro Choice” – 100

Nutro - dry dog ​​food made from chicken, brown rice and sweet potatoes

1. Life stage : senior;
2. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 23.0%, Crude Fat 12%, Crude Fiber 4.0%, Moisture 10.0%;
3. Form : dry;
4. First 5 ingredients : 1. Chicken, 2. Cooked rice, 3. Whole brown rice, 4. Chicken meal, 5. Split peas.

Older Yorkies may experience aging problems such as memory loss, food sensitivities, and mobility problems. Nutro Wholesome Essentials dry dog ​​food is designed for senior Yorkies. It contains special antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and ALA, which support cellular and brain health. Ingredients include real chicken, oatmeal, and whole brown rice, which is not only easy to digest, but also delicious.

Farmina wet canned foods are grain-free

Italian wet food for dogs of small breeds aged from 1 to 6 years is available in the form of canned food of 140 g in different flavors: lamb, chicken, fish, pork, duck. Manufacturers add pomegranates, apples, blueberries, coconut, and pumpkin as a side dish. Depending on the main ingredient and side dish, you can choose canned food for different purposes: losing weight and keeping fit, preventing urinary tract diseases, normalizing sensitive digestion.

If you sometimes want to pamper your family pet, we recommend Farmina hypoallergenic wet food. The tin can is conveniently opened using a key.

Reviews

A good grain-free composition that does not cause allergies and is suitable for all dogs. The biggest drawback is the very high price. Some owners buy canned food as a treat.

Behind:

• natural ingredients;
• several types;
• convenient packaging.

Against:

• high price.

VICTOR - dry food for older dogs with a healthy weight

1. Life stage : senior;
2. Guaranteed Analysis : Crude Protein 27.0%, Crude Fat 11.5%, Crude Fiber 4.5%, Moisture 9.0%;
3. First 5 ingredients : 1. ground beef, 2. whole grain brown rice, 3. whole grain millet, 4. sorghum grain, 5. chicken fat.

This Victor Purpose healthy dry dog ​​food is a great choice for your senior Yorkie. Its nutrient dense content includes chondroitin and glucosamine, which helps support joint health and convert fats into energy for muscle development. This food is ideal for older, less active dogs who need to lose weight, and the gluten-free formula is easy for Yorkies with sensitive digestions.

When looking for food for your Yorkie, you've probably noticed that there are two main types: dry and wet dog food . If you are wondering which one is best for your Yorkie, then the answer is dry food . The reason is that Yorkies have sensitive teeth and therefore it is better to give them dry food. You should consult your veterinarian for detailed information.

Author of the article : Kevin Myers.

Feeding frequency

If you have to artificially feed a puppy from birth, then as he grows up, the frequency of food intake should be reduced, and the intervals between receiving food should gradually increase. Thus, newborn babies should be fed milk or a special formula every two hours during the first two weeks. Further, the time between feedings should be increased so that when the puppy reaches one month it is already 4 hours.

During the second month of life, babies are fed every 4 hours, that is, 6 times a day. In the third month, the number of feedings is reduced to 5 times, in the fourth – to 4 times, and starting from the fifth month, they switch to three meals a day. When the dog reaches adulthood - 10 months - it can be fed 2 times a day, but at the same time. The best time is immediately after a walk.