The Best Dog Foods For Yorkies In 2023

Top 5 Best Dog Foods For Yorkies 2023:

1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Dog Food
2. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food
3. Cesar Small Breed Dry Dog Food, All Flavors
4. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws for Small Breed Dogs
5. Pedigree Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food

Hello there, fellow Yorkie parents!

Owning a Yorkshire Terrier is an incredible journey filled with joy – they are cute and friendly dogs with a (p)awesome personality.

Just like all of our favorite pets, they are little omnivores who adore eating.

But no one else but you is responsible for their well-being and the appropriate diet.

So, the task of choosing the best dog food for Yorkies is a duty for each one of you to ensure that your buddy has a healthy and long life.

All breeds have a specific diet and food requirements – so do Yorkies – and we’ve handpicked the best dog foods for their needs.

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5 Best Dog Foods For Yorkies In 2023: Detailed Reviews

1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Dog Food – Best Overall

Everyone knows that protein-rich food is the best thing that you can give to your dog.

That’s why the Small Breed Dog Food by Blue Buffalo is our first recommendation for your doggo – it has real meat as the primary ingredient.

We’re always for chicken meat, and this food contains high-quality protein (24%!) from real, deboned chicken. However, if you (and your doggo) prefer fish or lamb, there are also those variants available.

One thing’s for sure – Blue Buffalo implements a real healthy formula for your dog’s well-being. 

In addition to meat, this food features whole grains, garden veggies, and fruit. Of course, only those that are good for small dog breeds were included, such as blueberries, cranberries, peas, carrots, etc..

We aren’t done yet – the formula has been enhanced so that it supports the immune system of dogs in addition to providing the appropriate nutrition. 

Nicknamed LifeSource Bits, Blue Buffalo Protection Dog Food’s formula implements vitamins and minerals that were selected by veterinarians and animal experts in accordance with Yorkies’ (and other smaller breeds’) standards.

And no need to worry – there are no artificial flavors, preservatives, corn, wheat, soy, and other things that can do more damage than good for your pal!

If you’re interested in numbers, the calorie count is 3648 kcal/kg, which is circa 397 kcal/cup. For an excellent price, you can get a pack of 15 and 6 lbs!

We cannot tell the exact amount of time that a pack is going to last you, but an average little Yorkie will finish the 6-lb size bag in around 4 to 5 months.

2. Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, Adult, Small Paws for Small Breed Dogs – Best for Adult Yorkies

Adult dogs need to take in more calories and nutrients than puppies, and this dog food by Hill’s Science is an excellent pick for all small breeds, including Yorkies.

No matter whether you opt for chicken & rice or lamb meat & brown rice, your dog will benefit from high-quality protein (21.5%) that is vital for its health and lean muscles.

In case you’re wondering – both varieties are equally nutritious and healthy, it just boils down to which meat your dog prefers.

The fact that it is also packed with additional natural nourishing components, such as Omega-6 and Vitamin E blend means that this food is also good for your Yorkie’s coat. They already have one of the most beautiful and shiny coats when it comes to dog breeds – so why not make it even more graceful?

The antioxidant blend that it contains is created by American veterinarians specifically for smaller dogs. 

You can rest assured that Hill’s Science Dog Food doesn’t contain any artificial flavorings or colors – just the natural, tasty ones that your dog will love.

All in all, the small bites contained in this zipper-like sealed bag are one of the best things that you can give to your beloved pet.

There are 364 calories per cup, and this dog food is also an excellent choice if your dog is on a special diet (though you should always follow the advice of your vet concerning this).

Heads-up, though! The “Adult Food” part of the name stands for a good reason. This dog food is not recommended for puppies or mature adult Yorkies (older than seven years), as well as pregnant dogs.

3. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food – Best for Puppies

Half of the puppy’s health and development depend on a healthy diet. That’s why it is of prime importance to buy the best dog food for puppies so that your Yorkie can develop lean muscles, shiny coat, and keen eyesight.

And also, Yorkie puppies are more prone to food allergies, and their tummies are sensitive, so we picked the dog food that was produced specifically for Yorkies 8 weeks to 10 months old – the Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dog Food by Royal Canin.

Let’s see what it contains.

First of all, the shape and consistency of the kibble are perfect for puppies. They won’t have any trouble swallowing and chewing it. Considering that your pup is at the beginning stage of developing their teeth, this is very important.

This puppy dog food provides an adequate care for all of the health aspects of a young Yorkie, not just their teeth and gums.

Namely, the 27% protein chicken kibble has a combination of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, together with biotin. It enhances the growth of your pup’s coat and makes sure that it stays shiny and healthy.

Additionally, it contains a carefully implemented complex of antioxidants with the Vitamin E that improves your pup’s immune system (very important in the early stage of its life, again).

Finally, this perfect formula contains probiotics for an optimal condition of your doggo’s digestive system and stool quality.

If your Yorkie puppy is being very picky and won’t eat anything, and if you want to make sure that it’s getting the best dog food there is, this is definitely your go-to!

4. Cesar Small Breed Dry Dog Food, All Flavors – The Most Tasty

Many dogs seem to adore Cesar Food, and here’s their take on food for small breeds, such as Yorkshire Terrier.

This isn’t our first choice only because it contains a lot of ingredients that might not be good for each Yorkie out there. Don’t get us wrong – it is made of high-quality nutrients, and your dog will presumably love it, especially the taste – but if it has a sensitive stomach, it’s better to go with a different one.

If you still decide to go with Cesar because it’s your dog’s favorite food, even though it has an easily upset stomach, a good way to neutralize the fact that this crunchy kibble is a bit harder to digest is to mix it with wet food.

Speaking of the taste, there are two flavors of this dog food, Filet Mignon made of real beef and spring vegetables, and Rotisserie Chicken made of real chicken and the same set of vegetables. Each pack makes a total of 26 nutrients for a well-balanced meal.

Cesar dog food is, on average, higher in calories, so this isn’t really something you should buy if your dog needs to lose some weight.

One thing’s for sure – Cesar Small Breed Dog Food is so delicious that every Yorkie will gobble it up!

5. Pedigree Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food – Best High-End

Last but not least, we decided to include one of the most popular choices for dog food, the Pedigree Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food.

Everyone knows that this is a renowned brand with a pedigree when it comes to food for dogs, and it’s no wonder that their food for small breeds like Yorkie found its way to our list.

There are three flavors that you can get – Chicken, Chicken & Steak with Tender Bites, and Steak. They are somewhat confusing and overlapping, so we made sure to investigate all about the flavors.

Here’s what we found out: Yorkies seem to love the regular chicken flavor the most, and steak smells like grilled steak, which they also love. The in-between version is a bit odd, and it’s better to skip it.

All of these contain no artificial flavors, no added sugar, and no corn syrup, which is great. What they do have are vegetables, antioxidants, minerals, and Vitamin E, all of which make for a great and healthy formula.

So, the majority of this food is meat protein, and the fat-to-protein ratio is very satisfactory.

Also, the Chicken version contains rice, whereas the Steak does not, which might be a decisive factor for you if your dog is sensitive to it.

Pedigree follows a carefully curated formula developed in the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, and it is in accordance with all professionals and vets. Your dog will be getting everything it needs!

Again, this food is only for adult Yorkies and will suit their nutritional requirements – for puppies, go back to our third pick!

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Factors You Should Consider To Get The Best Dog Food For Yorkies

It goes without saying that you want only the best food for your pup, and to choose it, you must be educated about all the factors that make a good choice.

It’s in your best interest to explore all the nooks and crannies of dog food so that your doggo and you can be satisfied. 

Finding appropriate food and committing yourself to the right food brand is incredibly important – and only by reading this article, you’re one step closer to it. Keep scrolling!

Here are some facts about dog food that you should consider:

1. Ingredients

Of course, the paramount factor that the best dog food for your Yorkie has to satisfy are high-quality ingredients.

There are a few rules here that you should stick to, and they are pretty simple:

• Don’t get overly complicated food. If the list of ingredients is too long, there’s a high chance that not all of them are quality. 
• Protein, protein, and protein. The foundation of the best dog food should always derive from real meat – chicken, turkey, fish, or lamb. No exceptions! These contain all amino acids and other essential components for your canine’s well-being.
• Fatty acids – but not so much. We’re talking about healthy, animal-based fat that is necessary (but not in large amounts; the protein-to-fat ratio should always be at least 50:1). These are Omega-3 and Omega-6.
• Vegetables. Most kinds of dog food contain a mixture of vegetables, and 
• Vitamins and minerals. Vitamin E is especially beneficial for your Yorkie’s coat and eyesight, and antioxidants improve the digestibility of the food.
• No gluten grains or GMO food. This is pretty self-explanatory – avoid these at all costs.
• No meat by-products. Again, whether it’s beef, chicken, or lamb, do not include any meat by-products in your dog’s diet.

2. Taste

Also, Yorkies really can get picky sometimes, and they won’t eat food that isn’t tasty to them.

The best dog food manages to strike the right balance between the tasty AND healthy, meaning that the flavor comes from real meat, veggies, and other beneficial ingredients.

Stay away from artificial flavors, additives, and preservatives. They might add to the attractive color of the food, better smell, or taste – but they are your doggo’s worst enemies!

We verified that all of our picks are free from these, although you can check it yourself by reading the ingredient labels.

3. Size

This one’s pretty straightforward: smaller breeds, like our Yorkies today, require small bites and small chunks of food. The smaller, the better!

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Wrap-up: Our Recommendations

The task of finding the best dog food for Yorkies was a bit different than what we usually do, and it was incredibly interesting, but also tooks us very long.

Once we received more than a dozen brands, it took us days and days to investigate their ingredients, packaging, flavor, nutritional facts, and everything that comes with it. We’ve also consulted vets who helped us pick only the safest and most quality food for dogs.

A little 4-year-old Yorkie helped, as well. ?

After all that careful investigation, we owe you our top three picks.

The best dog food for Yorkies overall is Blue Buffalo Small Breed Dog Food. It contains natural meat proteins, comes with probiotics, minerals, and vitamins, and enhances your dog’s digestion.

If your 4-legged friend is still a puppy, then you should get Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food.

Finally, Cesar Small Breed Dry Dog Food seems to be a favorite when it comes to taste with many Yorkies, but we recommend that you use it only as occasional food because it’s a bit hard on the stomach.