Yorkies are cute little guys, but boy do they need special care. As with any pure breed, these dogs do face some specific health issues (although less than many pure breeds), both large and small, however, with the right food, this can easily be managed and even prevented.
Like any pet, we want the best for our Yorkies – we want the luscious soft fur, tartar-free teeth, the fun high energy, and we want health, we want our dogs to live for as many years possible. Not only do we want them to live a long time, but to live a healthy life they love! Exercise and love are key, but the food is what sustains them and can make all the difference.
Best Dog Food For Yorkies
1. Royal Canin
Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier
Features
- Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier adult dry dog food is designed to meet the nutritional needs of purebred Yorkshire Terriers 10 months and older
- Exclusive kibble shape designed specifically for a Yorkshire Terrier’s small muzzle and bite
- Maintains a Yorkie’s glossy, long hair with a combination of omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and biotin
- Formulated for healthy aging with specific nutrients to help support long life expectancies
- High palatability with exceptional aromas and flavors to satisfy picky appetites
Royal Canin is a fantastic company that understands that specific breeds need food made just for them. In fact, they are so good they partner with veterinarians, breeders, and pet experts to create the perfect formula that fits the breed’s needs.
They look at the breeds lifestyle, lifestyle needs, and health issues that tend to arise and create products such as this that work best with them. Lucky for us, they understand Yorkies need special Yorkie dog food such as the Royal Canin.
Yorkies need a kibble that helps reduce plaque and tartar from their teeth, while adds to their coat – these pups only have one coat that does not shed, they need food that brings outshine and strength while maintains healthy and clean teeth. Filled with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and Biotin, the formula maintains their long coat; this combined with other nutrients also helps maintain their long life expectancy.
Yorkies are known to be fussy eaters and may have digestion issues. On top of creating food that is health conscientious, Royal Canin makes food that tastes so delicious that these delicate pups can’t help but stuff their wee little faces and they can do it with ease!
The kibble is made small so Yorkies can easily chew their food, in fact, it is not just small but made for their jaw and biting patterns. Who else just loves to see a little fluff eat?
Pros
- Made specifically for Yorkies
- Kibble made small for their jaw structure
- Tasty! Yorkies cannot get enough
- Fussy eaters love the stuff
- Great for their coat
- Good for their teeth – reduces plaque and tartar
Cons
- Contains grains and corn
- Real chicken is not the first ingredient
We recommend Royal Canin because of their partnership with veterinarians, breeders, and pet experts – they work with people who know the breed and create a very special product just for them.
2. Eukanuba
Features
- Eukanuba Adult Lamb 1st Ingredient dry dog food is complete and balanced nutrition for small and medium breed dogs over 12 months old and weighing up to 54 lbs.
- Promotes lean muscle development and joint health in active adult dogs with a combination of animal protein, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate
- Helps keep dogs sharp and supports healthy brain function with DHA and vitamin E
- Fuels an active lifestyle with optimal levels of fats and carbohydrates
- High-quality lamb is the first ingredient for protein that powers their day
While many dogs will eat just about anything (especially things they shouldn’t), it is important that we humans provide food that will nourish our pups. Find dog food suited for your dog’s breed and/or size. Dog food does not fit into the one size fits all category. That’s why Eukanuba is a great option for your wee little Yorkies.
What makes their product fit the specific dietary needs of Yorkies – with the fiber of beet pulp and prebiotic FOB your doggie will easily digest and absorb all the important nutrients from their food.
Filled with protein, lamb is the #1 ingredient in this product, high levels of protein are important for our dogs to maintain strong muscle to support their small frame. Furthermore, with a high percentage of meat, the Yorkies will be much more excited to eat. Very important, considering Yorkies can be quite picky eaters.
We love our Yorkies quirky personality, nothing beats that….though a soft, shiny healthy coat and skin do make cuddling much cozier. Dog food does have an impact on this! EUKANUBA adds zinc, copper, and omega fatty acids in their formula to get these lovely coats and healthy skin.
How about teeth? I cannot say it is much fun cuddling with a dog with horrid breath and nasty teeth. That is why this food features 3D DENTADEFENCE System – your Yorkie will have less tartar build-up in just 28 days.
Us Yorkie Mamas and Papas can feel good about feeding our furry friends, we are not only feeding their appetite but providing a diet sure to be beneficial and allow our pups to maintain a long and healthy life.
Pros
- Food helps maintain a healthy and soft coat
- Contains ingredients proven to reduce tartar
Cons
- Contains Corn Meal
- Contains grains
We recommend Eukanuba as it includes prebiotic FOB for easy digestion and is proven to reduce tartar.
3. Iams
Iams
$17.39
Features
- Contains one (1) 15 lb. bag of IAMS Small & Toy Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken
- 1st ingredient is real, farm-raised chicken
- Promotes skin and coat health with omega-6 fatty acids
- Builds strong muscles with quality-sourced protein
- Supports small breed dog’s immune system with antioxidants
Food, we all need it and love it. We all have different preferences and dietary needs. Some food and diets work best for our particular body type, other foods we know to avoid. Ultimately, we are all different and cannot all thrive on one food option.
At times we seem to forget that dogs too cannot all just eat one particular generic brand of food, yet we should. Each breed is distinct from the next and each has its own special needs. It is important to consider breeds, size, and age when purchasing dog food. Oftentimes, we have to opt for the small breed dog food but alas IAMS offers a product made just for Yorkies, finally!
Iams is made to meet their nutritional needs. Yorkies use a lot of energy and need food that is packed full of protein. Furthermore, a high level of protein is necessary for them to build strong muscles to support their small bodies throughout life.
This product always has chicken as the main ingredient followed by wholesome grains, carrots, and beet pulp, this ensures healthy aging and good digestion. Antioxidants are a key component for a Yorkies health – this product always includes an antioxidant blend which helps maintain their longevity and overall health.
This product is great because it is tailored to fussy eaters, with no fillers the dogs can better taste the delicious flavors of meat while eating healthy food.
Pros
- Designed specifically for Yorkies!
- Made to taste great for the fussy eaters
- Healthy choice – no soy, wheat or fillers
- Great source of protein with chicken and eggs
Cons
- Contains grains
- Contains Chicken By-Product Meal
- Contains corn
- Made by a huge corporation – you won’t be supporting a smaller company
We recommend Iams as it’s designed specifically for Yorkies.
4. Blue Buffalo
Features
- REAL MEAT FIRST: Blue Buffalo foods always feature real meat as the first ingredient; High-quality protein from real chicken helps your dog build and maintain healthy muscles; Plus they contain wholesome whole grains, garden veggies and fruit
- SMALL BREED DOG FOOD: Specially formulated for small breed dogs, BLUE Life Protection Formula Small Breed dry dog food contains increased levels of protein and carbohydrates to meet the energy needs of smaller dogs with kibble size ideal for smaller jaws
- ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life stage needs and a healthy oxidative balance
- A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dog foods are made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; BLUE contains NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives. Start by mixing 25% of BLUE with your dog's old food, and gradually increase the proportion of BLUE over the next 14 days
- Contains one (1) 15 lb Bag of BLUE Life Protection Formula Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food Chicken and Brown Rice
Our dear Yorkies deserve to eat well, certainly not fake food full of grains and unknown processed meats. That is why we recommend Blue Buffalo – this product always ensures that real meat is the first ingredient.
This delicious meal is protein-rich with deboned Chicken, wholesome whole grains, fruits, and veggies. Unlike cheap foods, this product never has meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavor and preservatives.
What we love the most is that they have created food with the small dog in mind – this food has extra protein and carbohydrates to replenish energy for the ever-energetic small doggies and has small-bite kibble designed for pups with small jaws.
When looking for good dog food for your small Yorkie, find something full of vitamins! Our job is not just to feed our furry friends but to keep them on top of their health. What we eat is what we are, the same goes for our pups, if we want a healthy babe then we feed them healthy food! We love this product because it is full of LifeSource Bits – kibble full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Many pet food products come in simple flavors like chicken, beef, and salmon, this food, on the other hand, comes in more exciting flavors such as Nantucket seafood, Texas BBQ beef, Santa Fe chicken, or Colorado lamb.
Let’s be real, our dogs love our human food and now they have a product made especially for them that tastes more like our food. They will sure to be excited about that!
Pros
- Contains LifeSource Bits
- Made to provide additional energy for the small pups
- Comes in exciting flavors
- Small-bite kibble
- Kibble helps promote tartar removal
Cons
- Contains rice – while it can be a great option, some owners prefer no grains
We recommend Blue Buffalo as this food is full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants with its LifeSource Bits.
5. Hill’s Science
Hill's Science
$16.99
Features
- An adult dog food made with highly digestible ingredients that are easy on your small dog's stomach
- Nourishing omega 6 fatty acids and vitamin E help promote healthy skin and a shiny coat
- Provides high quality protein to maintain lean muscle in small breed dogs. Calorie content: 3741 kcal/kg (371 kcal/cup)
- Uses an antioxidant blend specifically for lifelong immune support in toy and miniature dogs
- Made with natural ingredients
Despite being small dogs, Yorkies do not hold back in eating. Just like any other food-crazed dog, they stuff their mouths. This could lead to issues if the kibble is large, they would have a harder time chewing and even face possible choking and jaw problems as their jaw is less strong than larger dogs.
Hill Science has created a solution to this problem and has made smaller kibble designed for smaller mouths, the small guys can now eat with no troubles!
Perhaps you want to go for wet food or puppy food, luckily Science Hill produces Adult Small & Toy Breed Dog food for all small toy breed dogs!
Just like humans, our doggie friends need vitamins. It would be quite the feat to try and give them pills every day, instead, we turn to food. We want to find dog food filled with vitamins, Science Hill uses an antioxidant blend with vitamin C and E to ensure a great and healthy immune system. Omega 6 and fatty acids along with vitamin E are great for maintaining shiny coats and healthy skin.
On top of being full of vitamins, this food is full of protein and calcium, critical for muscle and bone strength.
Science Hill is not just a name, but a company that uses science and biology to produce foods that promote long and healthy life. The food is developed with veterinarians, scientists, and pet nutritionists and is known to be the best of the best. In fact, it is the #1 Veterinarian recommended product.
Your Yorkie will feel good and so will you know that this product is backed by science and made with pure ingredients designed for your small pup.
Pros
- 100% money-back guarantee
- Healthy – never contains unnatural ingredients
- Full of minerals, amino acids, and vitamins!
- Tasty! Comes in salmon, chicken, or lamb and is always a real, never by-product meal.
- Science Hill donates food to shelters
- Small pieces – easy for small dogs to eat
Cons
- Uses grains
- Simple flavors
We recommend the Adult Small & Toy Breed Dog food because of the science behind the food – developed with veterinarians, scientists, and pet nutritionists.
Bottom Line
For Yorkie dog food sure to be tasty and healthy, we choose Blue Buffalo is our winner of the best Yorkie dog food.
We love that this product never has meat by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial flavor and preservatives and is packed full LifeSource Bits, ensuring our Yorkies get the right amount of vitamins they need.
It can be difficult to find food that is not only nutritious but delicious. This brand offers a wide variety of foods inspired by local American cuisine. We have all seen our dogs beg for our human food, now they can feel more a part of the family and eat food they love and we love for the health benefits.
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Razvan
Razvan is a dog trainer and veterinary technician with over 10 years of experience working with dog daycares, animal shelters, vet clinics and private dog training. Razvan is one of the lead publishers on Dog Struggles covering the latest product reviews and dog health advice.
