What Is a Yorkshire Terrier's Diet?

Yorkshire Terriers are small, energetic dogs. Their diets are similar to that of other dogs, but you do need to take into consideration their size when determining how often and how much to feed your dog. When Yorkies are puppies, you might need to feed them as often as four times a day to keep up with the calories they burn, but as they age you can cut back on the number of feedings per day.

  1. Food Quality

    • Yorkshire terriers are typically not picky eaters. Feed your terrier a high-quality premium dog food found at specialty pet stores, veterinary offices or online. Check the bag or can to make certain the brand uses USDA-approved ingredients. You can also look for organic brands. As with most dogs, Yorkies might reject a sudden change in their diet. If you are switching brands of dry or wet food, mix the new brand with the old for several days, slowly eliminating the old brand. This gives your Yorkie a chance to get used to the change.

    Small and Often

    • Yorkshire terriers require dry food to be in small pieces suitable to their physical size. If you feed your Yorkie wet food, make certain you mix it up with a fork so there are no large chunks your dog might choke on. Yorkies are high energy dogs and burn a lot of calories during the day. For this reason, feed your dog at least twice a day. Feed him three times if he seems hungry in the middle of the day. Follow the instructions on your terrier's food bag or container for proper portions based on weight and age.

    Treats

    • Do not overfeed your Yorkie treats during the day. If you give him a treat, consider cutting back on the portion size of one of his meals. You never want to overfeed a dog as it can be harmful to their health and cause conditions such as obesity and diabetes. In general, avoid giving your Yorkie scraps from the table. Not only does this teach your dog bad manners, but it can interfere with his meal schedule by teaching him to think he can be fed whenever he asks.

    Dangerous Foods

    • Due to their small size, you must be careful to never feed your Yorkie certain foods that can be dangerous to dogs. While larger dogs might not feel the impact of dangerous food, small dogs such as Yorkies can be susceptible to severe reactions to food. Never feed your Yorkie chocolate, grapes, raisins or macadamia nuts. In general, stick to feeding your Yorkie premium dog food two to three times a day, which you know is safe and specially formulated for the health of your pet.

    Water

    • Always make sure your Yorkie has access to fresh and clean water. Clean your Yorkie's water bowl at least once and day and fill with fresh water.