How to Feed a Yorkie Puppy

Yorkshire terriers, or Yorkies, are a smart, stubborn breed that is undeniably adorable. These dogs are relatively hardy compared to other toy dogs, but they do have special nutritional considerations due to their small stature and unique dietary system.

Things You'll Need

  • Karo syrup
  • Wet and dry puppy food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Decide if your dog qualifies as an indoor dog. Indoor dogs, particularly toy breeds like Yorkies that are intended to be mainly lap dogs, should get slightly different amounts of calories than outdoor dogs. This will help keep them healthy and growing at the proper rate, but will prevent them from getting fat. If your Yorkie lives indoors, it will not get as much exercise as an outdoor dog that has a yard at its disposal. Yorkies are well-suited to apartment and condo living, but this needs to be factored into their diet.

    • 2

      Keep Karo syrup on hand. Yorkie puppies are prone to hypoglycemia. This can cause them to be less active, wobble when they walk or even lapse into a coma. Keep an eye dropper and a small can of Karo syrup handy, and if your puppy starts to stumble, just give him several drops of syrup and he should straighten up.

    • 3

      Consider mixing wet and dry. Dry food is generally better for Yorkies' teeth, because the breed is prone to tartar buildup, which dry food helps keep to a minimum. However, Yorkies are often finicky, so if you cannot convince your puppy to eat dry food, you may have to mix up wet and dry.

    • 4

      Feed your Yorkie puppy at least twice a day. Yorkies are very small and do not eat much, but they also are quite active and love to play. Your puppy needs to eat twice a day, and can also have one or two treats in the interim. This will help keep her "engine" running and her body sufficiently fueled.

    • 5

      Keep treats small. Remember, to a dog that weighs 6 lbs., a regular treat is almost the size of a meal. You can give your Yorkie puppy small treats several times a day, or, if he is very active, one large treat as a third meal in the middle of the day. If you want to give him treats more often, consider cutting them up so the pieces are quite small.