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The pocket-sized Yorkshire terrier is an adorable companion to bring into your home. When it comes to feeding that little friend there is good news and bad news. The good news is that your Yorkie won’t eat nearly as much as a larger breed, so you get to save in that department. The bad news is that Yorkshire terriers, like other small breeds, are a little sensitive in terms of diet, so you have to make sure you feed your buddy the right food to prevent any messy disasters. Thankfully, we’ve done the research on the best brands of dog food to feed your Yorkshire Terrier so you can turn that bad news into smiles all around. Let’s discuss in more detail about the best foods for Yorkshire terriers.
The Best Foods For Yorkshire Terriers & Special Dietary Considerations
The elephant in the room is that Yorkies are tiny animals, typically weighing in between three and eight pounds. That means the best foods for Yorkshire terriers are different than that of other breeds. For this reason, their daily calorie intake is very slight, and it’s very important not to overfeed them. When they are puppies, they actually require more calories per day than they will for the rest of their lives. Based on the weight of an average Yorkie, puppies will eat about 200 calories per day, adults will eat about 150, and seniors will eat about 120. This can vary based on the exact size of your terrier and also with their level of activity. Like other toy breeds, they can’t eat too much at a time, so breaking those calories up into four small meals per day can prevent stomach upset.
How To Pick The Best Foods For Yorkshire Terriers
Deciding between wet food and dry food is a little easier with Yorkshire terriers, as their tendency towards dental problems rules out a daily diet of wet food. Dry food is the way to go to maintain a healthy set of teeth, and might also make it easier to measure out safe portions.
In terms of ingredients, a Yorkie diet should be composed primarily of protein, and protein derived from animal muscle– so no sketchy by-products. Whole proteins from meat such as turkey, chicken, beef, fish, and lamb are your best bet. Yorkshire terriers need carbohydrates as well, but the source of those carbohydrates is important. Grains like soy and corn could cause health problems, so sweet potatoes and brown rice are much more favorable. Finally healthy fats provide your Yorkie with nutrients for their insides and outsides. Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to healthy skin and a fantastic fur coat.
Yorkshire Terrier Health Risks
Yorkshire terriers, especially those that are on the smaller side of small, are prone to hypoglycemia, meaning their blood sugar drops and they need more food if they don’t eat. Spreading their meals out throughout the day helps a tremendous amount with this problem, but also feeding them foods that they find delicious makes it much harder for them to skip a meal.
For this reason, we’ve compiled a few excellent dog food brands that provide the right balance of healthy and tasty. Don’t forget to double check with a veterinarian before switching your dog over to a new food, but here are the ones that we believe are great to ask about.
The Top 3 Dog Foods For Yorkshire Terriers
When picking out a dog food for your Yorkshire Terrier, you should start by considering these three brands:
Taste of the Wild Small Breed
Taste of the Wild provides a number of dry foods that provide optimal nutrition for your Yorkshire Terrier and is often regarded as one of the best foods for Yorkshire terriers and other small dog breeds. Their High Prairie formula is grain free and made with Bison and Venison, so it’s chock full of necessary proteins. It’s made with real roasted meats that will have your Yorkie craving each and every one of her four tiny meals. Taste of the Wild also has you covered on carbohydrates, as it’s loaded with vegetables like sweet potatoes and peas. Their Wild Tow formula is ideal for small breeds as well, and contains venison, lamb, and duck for even the most refined puppy palate. Taste of the Wild is also fortified with all of the necessary vitamin and nutrient supplements to keep your Yorkie running around.
Wellness Complete
Wellness Complete has a smaller kibble size with a reduced calorie formula that makes it the perfect choice for Yorkshire Terriers. Even though the bits are tiny, they are packed with flavor and nutrition. This formula is specifically ideal for less active dogs, to help them maintain a healthy weight. It strikes a good balance for small dogs like Yorkshire Terriers, whose caloric intake is difficult to precisely maintain. This one has three sources of animal protein, sweet potato carbohydrates and omega-3s derived from flaxseed. As your Yorkie gets older, this is the one to try.
Blue Buffalo Small Breed
Blue Buffalo offers a wide variety of amazing foods for small breed dogs. The BLUE Life Protection formula made with fish is a great choice for your Yorkie. It’s made with the finest natural ingredients and no by-products. Since it is made with fish as the primary protein ingredient, this food will have an incredible impact on your Yorkie’s fur coat. This food contains whole grains like rice and barley to provide complex carbohydrate energy to your active Yorkshire Terrier.
The above selections are some of the best foods for Yorkshire terriers and should give you an excellent sampling of the foods that are perfect for for your dog. While they aren’t the only small breed brands out on the market, we’ve found that they are the best. If those brands don’t float your boat, just be sure that when you’re doing further research you absolutely avoid any foods made with corn and soy, including prescription foods. Yorkies are particularly susceptible to problems from those types of grains, so only feed them the best!
