Yorkshire Terrier Feeding Guidelines

Feeding your Yorkie a well-balanced and nutritious diet is one of the most important care tasks that falls under your responsibilities as a loving pet parent. Every bite of food that you offer will either be detrimental or beneficial. A dog's diet affects their health in a variety of ways, from allergic reactions to heart health and plays a big role in a dog's lifespan. 

This section will cover everything you need to know about feeding your Yorkshire Terrier puppy or adult dog the best diet possible and answer your questions regarding timing, serving size, dry vs wet, grain-free vs grains, and more. 

Don't need all the details and just want to see recommendations? Jump to Choosing the Best Food for a Yorkshire Terrier. 

How Often to Feed a Yorkshire Terrier

The feeding schedule for Yorkshire Terriers is different than that for larger breeds, as they need to be fed small, frequent meals. While other breeds may do okay with just one main meal, going for such long times in between feedings can cause problems that range from low blood sugar (also known as hypoglycemia; signs include weakness and clumsiness) to stomach upset (which may include vomiting up yellow/white foam). With hypoglycemia, immediate treatment should be given which includes rubbing a dab of honey onto the gums and calling the vet for assistance. 

For this reason, the following feeding schedule is recommended: 

New puppies, up to 3 months old or at least 2.5 lbs: Free-fed meals. Young puppies should be be free-fed as they are being weaned and up until they have gained enough weight to handle a more structured diet which is typically by the 3-month mark or until they weigh 2.5 lbs. (1.1 kg). Free-feeding refers to when fresh food is left out and accessible to a puppy or dog at all times. Note that food should not just be topped off; it should be routinely tossed out and fully replaced to prevent stale food from accumulating near the bottom of the bowl. 

3 months old (or 2.5+ lbs.) to 1 year old: It is time to now start scheduled meals. If you continue to free-feed at this age, housebreaking will be much more difficult since the timing of bowel movements will be erratic. In addition, when a dog has a well-scheduled day (can count on when things are going to happen, like walks and meals), this usually equals better behavior.

Feed your Yorkie puppy 3 to 4 meals per day. This will be morning, lunchtime, early evening (if 4 meals) and evening (no later than 2 hours before bedtime). Snacks, which should be dry treats, can be given in between meals. 

1 year and older: A Yorkshire Terrier is an adult at the one year mark and while this often signifies the time to change to one mail meal a day for many dogs, this is not so for this tiny toy breed. There will, however, be some adjustments. It will be time to switch from a puppy formula to an adult formula. If large snacks are given, an adult Yorkshire Terrier can do okay with two meals per day; however, 3 meals per day is often best for adult Yorkies age 1 year and up. You may find that your Yorkie prefers a bigger breakfast and a smaller dinner or vice versa and that is just fine. 

How Much to Feed a Yorkshire Terrier

Before we cover the details of serving sizes, it should be mentioned that different foods have varying levels of calories; some are calorie dense and others, not so much. So, the amount that a Yorkie will eat for a meal will vary depending on if the food is wet or dry and the exact ingredients. In addition, serving size is simply a recommendation. The exact amount of food that a Yorkie requires will depend on that particular puppy or dog's activity level, exact age, health status, and individual metabolism. Even the weather (winter vs summer) can affect how much food a dog needs. 

In general, puppies require approximately 55 calories per each pound of body weight, adults require approximately 40 calories per pound of body weight, and senior dogs may require a bit less in the 35 to 38 calorie range if there is a decrease in activity. However, there is no need to start calculating calories. 

Figuring out serving size for a Yorkie only requires 3 steps:

#1 Know how much your Yorkshire Terrier weighs. Do not make a guess, but rather weigh your Yorkie using a reliable scale (a kitchen scale can work well as long as your little guy or gal stays still) or ask the veterinarian to do a quick weigh-in (most will be more than happy to oblige). 

#2 If you are offering manufactured food, read the recommended serving size on the labeling of the dog food bag or container. These are based on the standard range of what a puppy or dog requires which is based on both age and weight. Note that this is usually listed as the amount to give per DAY (not meal), so you will need to look at that amount and divide it by however many meals you are feeding your Yorkie, which for most adults will be 3. 

#3 When you are preparing the food, do not guess the measurement. Use a dry measuring cup (level cup, not with a pour spout) or use a kitchen scale like the Mueller Digital Kitchen Scale which is a very accurate means of doling out correct servings. 

Keep in mind that it is assumed that your dog will be given a few treats each day. Dogs that are not given any snacks or training treats may require slightly larger meals. 

This all said, the average meal size for Yorkshire Terriers is relatively very small, at least in comparison to larger dogs and certainly to us humans. Yorkie puppies in the 2 to 4 pound range (.9 to 1.8 kg) and 3 to 12 months old will only need 1/3 to 1/2 cup per DAY (not per meal). Adults on the smaller end of the expected weight range, near 3 or 4 lbs. (1.4 to 1.8 kg) will generally eat the same 1/3 to 1/2 cup per day and adult Yorkies near the larger end of the weight range or a bit over that, in the 7 to 8 lb. range (3.2 to 2.3 kg) may consume up to 2/3 cup per day. 

Offering such small meals leads to many owners feeling as if their Yorkie is not eating enough; however, in most cases if a puppy is gaining weight as expected or an adult is maintaining, they are indeed ingesting the right amount of food. This is a tiny breed that eats tiny meals. 

A word of caution: Do not assume that a Yorkie does not need a meal if they just lightly pick at the food and seem to barely eat. This breed eats very small meals, so those tiny nibbles are providing much-needed sugars and nutrients. Without this throughout the day, there is a significant increased risk of hypoglycemia, which can be dangerous and fatal in some cases. 

Dry vs Wet Dog Food 

A lot of dogs prefer wet canned dog food but this is not the best choice since it does not promote healthy teeth and gums and can cause runny stools. So, you'd be wise to never teach your Yorkie what canned food is. If it's too late for that, you can mix a bit of canned food into a dry kibble to offer a compromise. 

Making Dry Kibble More Appealing 

Aside from mixing canned food with dry kibble, there are other ways to make kibble more appealing or more tolerable for dogs that have trouble eating hard kibble (due to tooth loss or other issues). Kibble can be soaked for a short time in warm water (just a minute or two, but this can be longer for Yorkies with few or no teeth remaining) or low-sodium chicken or beef broth can be drizzled over the kibble. 

It can also help to warm the food; many Yorkies find this much more appetizing than room-temperature food and most will outright refuse to eat chilled or cold meals. Meals can be warmed in the microwave; keep in mind that small meals typically need 10 seconds or so to warm up and the food should be stirred well to prevent hot spots. 

Grains vs Grain-free Dog Food

Grain-free dog food in the past: A grain-free diet was usually a quick recommendation for dogs with known or suspected grain allergies. However, in most cases the actual trigger was certain grains with high levels of gluten, specifically wheat or rye. But, going completely grain-free averted any gluten as well as low-grade fillers (like cereal by-products, middlings, etc.), so in general dogs did really great on these diets. Allergies lessened or resolved and they were ingesting few or no fillers. 

Recently: There have been some concerns regarding grain-free diets and a possible link with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which is a serious heart disease. Breeds not prone to DCM were developing the disease and were found to be eating mainly grain-free meals. 

In December of 2018, Lisa Freeman DVM, Ph.D., DACVN, announced, via a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, a suspected link between not just grain-free dog foods but more specifically those that fall under a BEG diet. BEG stands for boutique brands with exotic meats (non-traditional proteins like kangaroo, alligator, and ostrich) along with being grain-free and with peas, legumes and/or potatoes as one of the top 5 ingredients. 

In June of 2019, the FDA released an alert. In analyzing data, they identified 16 brands of grain-free dog food that showed up in their database of DCM incidences 10 times or more. They are, in alphabetical order, just the grain-free formulas of: 

    4Health (32 reports)

    Acana (67 reports)

    Blue Buffalo (31 reports)

    California Natural (15 reports)

    Earthborn Holistic (32 reports)

    Fromm (24 reports)

    Merrick (16 reports)

    Natural Balance (15 reports)

    Nature’s Domain (29 reports)

    Nature’s Variety (10 reports)

    Nutrisource (10 reports)

    Nutro (10 reports)

    Orijen (12 reports)

    Rachael Ray Nutrish (10 reports)

    Taste of the Wild (53 reports)

    Zignature (64 reports)

From 2014 to April of 2019, there were 524 case reports of DCM with mostly dogs and several cats that were eating grain-free formulas. Just specifically with Yorkshire Terriers, there were 4 cases:

    A 6-year-old male Yorkshire Terrier that was eating Zignature Kangaroo kibble 

    An 8-year old female Yorkshire Terrier that was eating Zignature Kangaroo canned food

    A 1-year-old male Yorkie mix that was eating Castor & Polloux freeze-dried nuggets

    A 9-year-old female Yorkshire Terrier that was eating Acana Light & Fit and Acana Small Breed Adult

Going forward, there will be more data compilation and many more studies. Right now, there are no recalls of grain-free brands. Most veterinarians are recommending that breeds prone to DCM do not eat grain-free dog foods and if they must due to allergies that the protein base is a traditional meat and not an exotic meat. 

If you are wondering if your Yorkshire Terrier should be on a grain-free food or be eating grains, this should be discussed with your dog's veterinarian and will be based in part on your particular dog's health history. In the meantime, there are some points to consider: 

    The Yorkshire Terrier is not a breed that is prone to DCM; the list does include the Afghan Hound, American Cocker Spaniel, Boxer, Dalmatian, and mainly larger dog breeds. 

    However, seeing as there were few reported cases of DCM with Yorkies, adding in some healthy whole grains should be considered. 

    If you believe that your Yorkie is allergic to grains, it may actually be a matter of a gluten sensitivity. Wheat contains very high levels of gluten and if that is kept out of the diet, your Yorkie may do very well with grains that are gluten-free such as rice (brown or white), oatmeal, and quinoa (technically a seed). Barley, though it does have some gluten, tends to also be very well tolerated. 

    If you opt for grain-free, choose a recipe with traditional proteins (to avoid exotic meats). Options include chicken, turkey, beef, duck, lamb, or fish. 

Recommendations for both grain-free and kibble with healthy grains are next. 

Choosing The Best Food for a Yorkshire Terrier a Yorkie with food in a bowl

What to Avoid:

When choosing a food for your Yorkie, it is just as important to know what to avoid as it is to know what you want the kibble to contain. There are countless dog food brands that contain extremely detrimental ingredients. This includes:

    Chemical preservatives. These can cause allergic reactions (itching, hot spots, skin rash) and/or intestinal distress and some are known carcinogens. 

    Artificial coloring or flavoring. These additives can also cause mild to severe allergic reactions and certain dyes (Blue #2, Red #40, Yellow #5 and #6, 4-MIE) are also linked to behavioral issues (hyperactivity and anxiety), and some forms of cancer. 

    Fillers. These are inexpensive ingredients loaded into food to plump it up but offers little to no nutritional value. Ingestion of fillers can cause nutritional deficiencies and intestinal distress and is one cause of coprophagia (eating feces). 

    By-products. Added as a cost-saving method to reach protein quotas, this may include lungs, intestines, brain, and other meats or tissue not fit for human consumption. 

    Generic meats or oils. This can legally be roadkill and meat from diseased animals. 

    Made in China. Pet foods with ingredients sourced from China are responsible for thousands of deaths. 

What to Look For:

Steering clear of the above, your Yorkie's food should have:

    Natural preservatives. Dog food can be successfully preserved using a vitamin blend (usually listed as mixed tocopherols) and/or certain herbs or plant extracts including rosemary and spearmint. 

    No artificial coloring or flavoring

    Wholesome traditional meats (this may include whole or meal (compressed) chicken, turkey, goose, duck, rabbit, lamb, beef, or a variety of fish including whitefish and salmon)

    Fruits and vegetables

    Omega-3 fatty acids. While one source is flaxseed, the best source is fish oil. This is important for joint health. 

    Small-sized kibble. To facilitate comfortable eating. 

    Made in the USA or Canada. In addition, ingredients sources from New Zealand are considered very safe. 

Recommendations: 

Top 3 with Grains:

1. Wellness Complete Health for Toy Breeds. 

This is a top-quality kibble with lots of extras for optimal health. The base of this formula is chicken and brown rice (typically a very well-tolerated whole grain). Other ingredients include turkey, white rice, oatmeal, peas, flaxseed, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples. All other ingredients are natural plant-based preservatives or vitamins and minerals. 

There are lots of antioxidants for immune health, omega-3 for skin and coat health and glucosamine for joint health.There is no corn, soy, by-products, chemical preservatives, or artificial dyes or flavoring. This is preserved naturally and is made in the USA. And, the kibble size is ideal for Yorkies.  

2. Halo Natural for Small Breeds - Chicken and Liver. 

This is a holistic formula that puts an emphasis on cage-free, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, and factory farming-free meats as well as locally produced non-GMO (genetically modified) fruits and vegetables which makes this one of the best kibbles for Yorkshire Terriers. In addition, all of the meat ingredients are whole, not meals, which may lend toward easy digestion. 

The ingredients include a nice blend of proteins, veggies, and fruits including chicken, chicken liver, eggs, peas, oatmeal (easy on the tummy), pearled barley, peas, flaxseed, blueberries, cranberries, carrots, and sweet potatoes. All other ingredients are natural plant-based preservatives or vitamins and minerals. 

There is no corn, soy, by-products, chemical preservatives, or artificial dyes or flavoring. This is preserved naturally, is made in the USA, and the kibble pieces are a small size that works well for toy breeds like the Yorkie. 

3. Merrick Classic Small Breed Recipe.

Merrick is another top brand that puts lots of thought and care into their recipes. This has a base of chicken and brown rice. One thing that makes this formula a bit different than other recommendations is that they choose to forgo potatoes. Other ingredients include turkey, barley, oatmeal, quinoa (very healthy), salmon (excellent source of omega fatty acids), chicken liver, apples, flaxseed oil, blueberries, and chia seeds. All other ingredients are natural plant-based preservatives or vitamins and minerals. 

This has no chemical additives or by-products, is made in the USA and is sized nicely for small dogs. 

Top 2 without Grains: 

Before we dive into the details, if you have not yet read over our update regarding grain-free foods, you may wish to do so first. 

1. Wellness CORE Grain-Free for Small Breeds. 

This CORE differs from the aforementioned Complete recipe mainly for its grain-free formula but also its added extras of omega-3 fatty acids via salmon oil (which is superior to flaxseed), its added levels of glucosamine, hydrochloride, and chondroitin (for good joint health), and having a wider array of vegetables. 

The base is turkey, chicken, and potatoes. Other ingredients includes peas, flaxseed, salmon oil, spinach, broccoli, carrots, apples, blueberries, kale, and sweet potatoes. All other ingredients are natural plant-based preservatives or vitamins and minerals. 

As like all of these recommendations, there is no wheat, corn, by-products, synthetic preservatives, or artificial coloring or flavoring. This is made in the USA and is sized ideally for Yorkshire Terriers. 

2. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Small Breed.

This is a good choice if you are on a tight budget but are looking for a grain-free kibble that has traditional meats. The one thing that this recipe is lacking is a good blend of vegetables and fruits. However, it has all necessary vitamins and minerals and has no fillers, wheat, artificial coloring, artificial flavoring, or by-products. There are several recipes including Salmon & Whitefish and Chicken & Turkey. And, for Yorkshire Terriers that have a chicken allergy (uncommon but possible) the Beef, Pork & Lamb recipe has zero poultry. This is sized well for small dogs and is made in the USA. 

Home Cooking

This can be a good choice since homemade food eliminates the possibility of meals having chemicals, artificial coloring, fillers, by-products, and other nasty additives, and Yorkies tend to really love the texture and flavors of fresh, warm food. 

Meals can consist of: : 

    Protein - White chicken meat or turkey (de-boned, no skin, baked or broiled), lean beef, fish (mackerel, whitefish, salmon, herring, walleye, flounder, haddock, cod), lamb, veal, bison, chicken livers, and/or pork (should not be the main protein source, but can be blended into meals). Other protein sources include eggs and beans such as lima beans, kidney beans, and butter beans (must be cooked).

    Vegetables - Includes peas, sugar snap peas, carrots, spinach, potato, sweet potato, zucchini, green beans, bell peppers, string beans, kale, and butternut squash. 

    Grains- If you wish to include grains, this can consist of rice (white or brown), pasta, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, and/or pearled barley. 

    Fruits - Includes blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, huckleberries, banana, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, mango, kiwi, pear, peaches (no pit), plums (no pit), nectarines (no pit), fresh pineapple, and apple (no core, no seeds). 

    Extras - Includes whole white yogurt, cottage cheese, certain shredded hard cheeses, and eggs (with or without the shell ground to a fine sand)