The Beauty of Being a Yorkie Owner
We checked our seven best top-rated dog foods for Yorkies and picked Royal Canin’s Adult Yorkie as our best dog food for Yorkies. If you’re the owner of a pint-size lovable creature known as the Yorkie, then you’re going to want to read ahead.
If you’re reading this article, chances are you have a Yorkshire terrier (Yorkie) or are looking into getting one. It is important to know that they are loveable, sweet, but often picky when it comes to food. This article can help narrow down some of those hard choices you may need to make in picking your doggy’s cuisine.
Being a Licensed Veterinary Technician of just about seven years and a proud Yorkie dog owner, I take pride in researching and learning about the best Yorkie dog foods. Not only do I like to learn, but I also like to spread the word. Want to know more? Read below for our top picks and why.
Our Top Dog Food for Yorkies
- Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food (Best overall food for Yorkies)
- Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws for Small (Best food for Teacup Yorkies)
- Solid Gold – Mighty Mini with Sensitive Stomach Probiotic (Best for Yorkies with sensitive stomachs)
- Purina Pro Plan Small Breed & Toy Breed Formula Adult Dry Dog Food (Best food for highly active Yorkies)
- Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet, Grain Free Natural Adult Small Breed Wet Dog Food Cups, 3.5-oz (Best wet food for Yorkies)
- Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food Toy Breed Chicken & Rice (Best whole body health food for Yorkies)
- Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food Small Breed Puppy Turkey, Salmon & Oatmeal (Best puppy food for Yorkies)
| Name of Product | Rank | Best for | Nutritional Content |
| Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food | Best overall food for Yorkies | Small breeds like Yorkies who are picky eaters. | Protein…26% Fat…16% Fiber…5.3% Moisture…10% |
| Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws for Small Breed Dogs | Best food for Teacup Yorkies | Teacup Yorkies who have smaller mouths and require smaller kibble to chew and digest. | Protein…24.9% Fat…16.4% Fiber…1.8% |
| Solid Gold – Mighty Mini with Sensitive Stomach Probiotic Support – Grain-Free Holistic Dry Dog Food for Toy And Small Breed of All Life Stages | Best for Yorkies with sensitive stomachs | Yorkies with sensitive stomachs who require foods with ingredients that are easier to break down. | Protein…30% Fat…18% Fiber…4% |
Purina Pro Plan Small Breed & Toy Breed Formula Adult Dry Dog Food | Best food for highly active Yorkies | Yorkies who thrive with probiotics and are highly active. | Protein…30% Fat…17% Fiber…3% Moisture..12% |
| Blue Buffalo Basics Limited Ingredient Diet, Grain Free Natural Adult Small Breed Wet Dog Food Cups, 3.5-oz | Best wet food for Yorkies | Yorkies that prefer wet food and have sensitivities to certain ingredients. | Protein…8% Fat…6% Fiber…1.5% Moisture…78% |
| Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food Toy Breed Chicken & Rice | Best whole body health food for Yorkies | Yorkies that need an array of health covered such as skin, eyes, immunity, digestion, and teeth. | Protein…30% Fat…17% Fiber…5% Moisture…10% |
| Wellness Complete Health Natural Dry Small Breed Dog Food Small Breed Puppy Turkey, Salmon & Oatmeal | Best puppy food for Yorkies | Growing Yorkie puppies who need high-quality ingredients and DHA for brain development support. | Protein…28% Fat…19% Fiber…4.25% Moisture…10% |
The Benefits of Yorkie Dog Food
If you’re a dog owner, which if you’re reading this article, you’re going to be or already are, then you know how important nutrition and diet are. You also know how many different dog breeds there are and how different their needs can be.
With that said, it’s essential to fulfill the specific nutritional need specific to their breed. Yorkshire Terriers (Yorkies) have different needs than, say, the Labrador Retriever. Of course, they are a lot smaller, but they have a different makeup making their nutritional needs vastly different.
Yorkies require a lot of energy, specific food for their skin, metabolism, and teeth. This is why it is so important to find the right type of food for your Yorkie. Doing this requires research, time, and patience. Sometimes it also involves trial and error.
Don’t have a lot of time? No need to worry! We did all the research and reviewing for you. Below is the detailed list of our top picks for Yorkie foods and why.
The Best Dog Food for Yorkies Reviewed
Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food
Best Overall Food for Yorkies
Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog food is our pick for the best overall dog food for Yorkies. This dog food is formulated specifically for the Yorkshire Terrier and therefore meets all their nutritional needs. Yorkies tend to be picky eaters who have high energy needs and sometimes sensitive stomachs.
This food can tend to their pickiness with high palibility and allow for easier chewing with their bite-sized kibble.
Royal Canin is a highly popular dog food company that has been around for more than 50 years. They pride themselves on high-quality ingredients that provide proper nutrition to dogs of all breeds and ages. They also have a deep understanding that knowledge is ever-growing, and they must continue to learn to keep up and accommodate excellent nutrition to dogs.
Flavor available: Chicken
Why is this a good food for Yorkies? This food meets all the nutritional needs for Yorkies, such as coat health, small kibble bites, and targeting picky eaters with its high palatability.
Dry or wet food: Dry food
Grain-free diet? No
AAFCO status: AAFCO certified
Lifestage: Adults
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws for Small Breed Dogs
Best Food for Teacup Yorkies
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food for small breed dogs is another great choice when it comes to feeding your Yorkie. For starters, we all know small dog means small mouths right? So why should they have to work extra hard to break down kibble?
This dry dog food for Yorkies is made for those small mouths. It is specially formulated in smaller pieces so that Yorkies can easily break down the food. This is especially important in Teacup Yorkies, who are even smaller than the average Yorkie.
Hill’s dog food has been around since the 1930s and currently leads the way in certain scientific fields. They merge research with science to ensure that pet nutrition is of high quality with science-based ingredients to promote pet health. This allows them to always be a step ahead and also be supported by veterinarians everywhere.
- Flavors available: Chicken and lamb
- Why is this a good food for Yorkies? This food is a great way to introduce kibble and allow for proper breakdown of food for those small mouths that Yorkies possess.
- Dry food or wet food: Dry food
- Grain-free? No
- AAFCO status: AAFCO certified
- Lifestage: Adult
- Weight and packaging options: 4.5-pound bag and a 15.5-pound bag
- Limited ingredient diet? No
- Specific use: For smaller Yorkies such as Teacups who require small bites making it easier to chew and digest.
- Can it be used for other small breeds? Yes, this food can also be used for other breeds besides the Yorkie.
- Full meal or topper: Full meal
Pros
- Small kibble for easy chewing
- High-quality protein
- Great for skin and hair coat
Solid Gold – Mighty Mini with Sensitive Stomach Probiotic Support – Grain-Free Holistic Dry Dog Food for Toy And Small Breed of All Life Stages
Best for Yorkies With a Sensitive Stomach
If you are looking for a superfood containing wholesome ingredients without any grain, then the Solid Gold Mighty Mini Grain-Free Holistic Dry Dog food is a great choice. It’s packed with superfoods that will keep your precious Yorkie at its best self.
It is also loaded with probiotics to help support sensitive stomachs and is a holistic grain-free diet for those Yorkies with troublesome allergies.
Solid Gold has been around for 45 years and was started by a woman named Sissy Harrington McGill. Sissy was adamant about nutrition relating to longevity and quality of life. Solid Gold has since then kept up and expanded to meet the needs of dogs and continue its mission for superior nutrition.
- Flavors available: Turkey, lamb, beef, chicken, and salmon
- Why is this a good food for Yorkies? This food is great for Yorkies because many tend to like smaller kibble pieces and have sensitive stomachs and allergies.
- Wet or Dry: Dry food
- Grain-free? Yes
- AAFCO status: AAFCO certified
- Lifestage: All life stages
- Weight and packaging options: 4-pound bag (pack of 1) and a 12-pound bag (pack of 12)
- Limited ingredient diet? No
- Specific use? For more miniature or Toy breed dogs that require grain-free and holistic diets.
- Can it be used for other small breeds? Yes, this dog food can be used for any small or Toy breed dog that requires its nutritional benefits.
- Full meal or topper: Full meal
Pros
- Great for dogs with skin or food allergies
- Has probiotics in it
- Smaller pieces for toy and small dog breeds
Cons
- Some reviewers complained that the food gave their dog loose stool and did not have high palatability.
Purina Pro Plan Small Breed & Toy Breed Formula Adult Dry Dog Food
Best Food for Highly Active Yorkies
Toy breeds have a viral following, and Toy Teacup Yorkies are especially popular. That’s why finding a specific dog food that is geared towards them is extremely important. A specific food such as Purina Pro Plan Small Breed & Toy Breed Formula is a great choice.
This food lists chicken as its first ingredient and contains a prebiotic that is great for digestion and gut health. Its small kibble pieces also help smaller mouths like the Yorkie chew and properly break down the kibble.
The food brand Purina Pro Plan is a prevalent one. It is a highly chosen food amongst sporting and show dogs and is recommended by many veterinarians. It is also considered an excellent food for sensitive stomachs.
- Flavors available: Chicken and rice
- Why is this a good food for Yorkies? This food contains a high protein amount that helps satiate and provide energy to the energetic Yorkie. It also contains prebiotic fiber.
- Wet or Dry: Wet food
- Grain-free: No
- AAFCO Status: AAFCO certified
- Lifestage: Adult
- Weight and packaging options: 5-pound bag (pack of 1)
- Limited Ingredient Diet? No
- Specific use? For Toy breed dogs
- Can it be used for other small breeds? Yes, this dog food can be offered to any Toy breed that can tolerate chicken.
- Full meal or topper: Full meal
Pros
- Small kibble for small mouths
- High in protein
- Chicken is the first ingredient
Cons
- Only offered in one flavor, so if the pet is allergic to chicken, this won’t work.
How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Yorkies
Choosing and buying dog food for your Yorkie can be overwhelming and confusing. So when picking out which dog food to serve your prized possession, you will want to consider a few things.
Below is a list of some of our top things to acknowledge when purchasing dog food for your Yorkie.
| Nutritional NeedsOf course, first and foremost is the nutritional needs that you must meet for your Yorkie. In addition, certain breeds need different energy requirements, probiotics and have other health considerations you want to make sure to address. |
| Life StageThe life stage of your Yorkie is critical when choosing dog food. This is because Yorkies require different nutrition benefits at various stages of life. For example, puppies need more fat because they are growing and require more energy to break down. Whereas senior Yorkies would require less of this as they are fully grown and do not need the added calories. |
| Special Conditions and Dietary NeedsSome Yorkies have sensitive stomachs, are pickier than others, or have dental, hair, kidney, or other ailments that you may want to pay special attention to. Food that helps target these issues and alleviate would be best for your Yorkie. |
| Wet Food vs. Dry FoodSome Yorkies like moist mushy wet food, and others like a little more crunch. When picking a dog food for your Yorkie, you will want to choose one they will eat and not avoid. Finding out their preference and sticking to what they like will help them keep a healthy appetite. |
FAQs on Dog Food for Yorkies
Below are some frequently asked questions when it comes to choosing and feeding your Yorkie.
How much should you feed a Yorkie puppy?
Feeding your puppy should always be based on their size, age, and what your veterinarian recommends. It is best to feed three times a day to avoid any issues with hypoglycemia and to feed the appropriate amount that is best stated on the back of the bag. When in doubt, consult with your veterinarian.
How much should you feed an adult Yorkie dog?
Feeding your adult Yorkie will depend on their size and weight and any other health issues that need to be addressed. It is always best to consult with the back of the food bag package and your veterinarian.
When should you switch from puppy Yorkie dog food to adult Yorkie dog food?
Switching from puppy to adult Yorkie food depends on the size and temperament of your dog. If they do not put on extra weight, waiting until they are a year old is appropriate.
Which foods should you not feed your Yorkie?
You should avoid feeding your Yorkie anything that is not designed especially for dogs, as well as any toxic food, plants, and treats. If your Yorkie does happen to get into something, they shouldn’t have contact your veterinarian immediately or your local pet poison control center.
Should I consult with my vet before putting my Yorkie on other food?
Yes! Always consult with your veterinarian before switching your Yorkies’ food. They will know what food is best for your Yorkie and give you directions on how to wean them from one food to the other slowly.
Should Yorkies eat grain-free dog food?
There is no reason why a Yorkie should only eat grain-free dog food unless your veterinarian states it otherwise.
Recapping Our Favorite Dog Food for Yorkies
All of these dog foods for Yorkies are great in their own way. However, we selected Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food as our best overall–meeting all the needs of the Yorkie in ranks as our number one on this impressive list.
It not only satisfies fussy Yorkies with a specific palate, but it also supports coat health as they age throughout the years. It also is formulated in bite-size kibble to allow for easier chewing for the small-mouthed Yorkie.
If you’re looking to do your own investigation or you have read enough, we provide each link separately so you can buy whichever food you want. Yorkies have a unique energetic personality that must be adequately fed.
