Are you curious to find out what foods Yorkshire terrier can eat? Except for the most important ingredient of each Yorkie meal – love, there are food, ingredients, and nutrition rules that should come to your mind when it comes to feeding your Yorkshire Terrier. You certainly want to keep your dog healthy, happy, and since Yorkies are the supermodels of dogs. In that manner, you should be informed about all do’s and don’ts when it comes to the nutrition of Yorkshire Terriers.
Their sensitive personality can also be applied to their organisms – Yorkies are sometimes very sensitive to some ingredients or nutritive components. This breed is especially susceptible to Hypoglycemia, the low blood sugar, particularly the puppies. To be sure you are giving your Yorkie the proper care and nutrition, see more below.
Dry or Wet?
You may have this doubt, should your Yorkie eat dry or wet food. The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the smallest dog breeds, also known as toy size breeds. Their tiny bodies carry a lot of specific problems, including dental issues. Yorkies like showing their teeth and showing Terriers that are hiding on the inside, so do them a favor, and make those teeth sharp and shiny! Of course, that means brushing and cleaning them.
The food you are giving to your pet has a lot of influence on the teeth texture and preservation. Did you know that the hard and rough texture of dry food actually helps clean Yorkie’s teeth? Wet food isn’t necessary or too harmful. Occasional consumption of wet food won’t harm your Yorkie’s health, but try to avoid it if you want to be sure about the teeth preservation and health. It’s not only useful but Yorkies will find this kind of food very tasty.
Nutrition, ingredients, amount
Different ages and different sizes of Yorkie demand different diets and nutrition. Also, the amount of activity affects the amount of food and the percentage of different nutrients. Adult Yorkies that are inactive would be satisfied with 150 calories a day, but inactivity is not common or good for Yorkies. For a healthy, active, energetic Yorkshire Terrier, the recommended amount of calories is 200 a day. There is a difference between young and old Yorkies.
A Yorkie puppy needs 400 calories a day because of the intense growth, while the old Yorks need 120 calories daily. The calories should be evenly distributed on a few meals per day because their tiny tummies can’t take it all at once. Make sure the meals are smaller, so the dog doesn’t get overfed.
Protein, carbs, and fat have their own way of completing Yorkie’s nutrition. All of these nutrients are important, but there are still some limits you should respect. Proteins are the most important, especially if your dog is in the intense growth phase. They are important for muscle strength and development. When you are buying food, if you are sticking to dry foods, consider buying food with more quality that contains real nutrients in the real amount. But, as we said, wet food from time to time wouldn’t harm your Yorkie.
So, when it comes to proteins, food with the highest level of it is any kind of meat, such as turkey, beef, chicken, or even pork. Also, fish contains not only a lot of proteins but a lot of fat, which is important for energy, and shiny Yorkie coats. On the other hand, you should be careful when giving your Yorkie the food that contains a lot of fat, because some Yorkies can be very sensitive to this nutrient. Providing an adequate amount of energy to Yorkshire Terriers also means giving it carbs. Appropriate ingredients can be different types of rice, sweet potatoes, etc.
Vitamins and minerals are extremely important but luckily you can count on high-quality dog food to contain these nutrients. Because of their already mentioned teeth issues, Yorkies need vitamins A and D. Calcium, zink, etc. are also important. Vegetables and fruit can sometimes be a part of Yorkie+s nutrition, but not too often. Consult your vet if you want to add supplements to Yorkie’s food.
Foods Yorshire Terrier can eat: Homemade food
Homemade food is safe for Yorkshire Terriers. Human food contains a lot of nutrients, in a high percentage. Protein takes its place in meat, eggs, and some products. When it comes to meat, it should be cooked. Chicken, lamb, turkey, and fish are completely appropriate. Animal meat contains a lot of fibers that are important for your Yorkie’s muscles! You can also give your Yorkie cottage cheese, yogurt, or eggs, but you should always be careful about the amount. If you’re prone to preparing your dog a cheesy treat, we strongly recommend you to read the definitive guide to dogs cheese diet.
Potato and rice are great sources of carbs, while fruit and veggies could be given as a source of vitamins. Always have in mind that this kind of food should be given to Yorkshire Terriers, but not too often because they need their amount of dry food to clean and sharpen their teeth. There still are some exceptions that you should avoid, so keep reading below.
Foods Yorkshire terrier can eat: What to Avoid?
We’ve already said that you should be careful about dairy products and eggs. Raw eggs aren’t a good choice. Also, there are some opinions that dairy should be completely out of Yorkie’s nutrition, while some say it is even necessary. So, it depends on your Yorkie tolerance and organism. Consult your vet about this issue, and have in mind your dog’s preferences.
Furthermore, chocolate and candies are a big no! Those aren’t foods Yorkshire terrier can eat. Avoid these products without fail. Yorkshire Terriers have sensitive stomachs. They are susceptible to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and that can make you think Yorkies should eat more sugar. Well, yes, but natural sugar, such as fruit and fruit juices. If you are feeding the Yorkie with human food, meat should only be the one that comes from animals, not any product. Chestnut fruit, legumes, garlic, and onions can make your Yorkie sick or even cause some serious medical problems.
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To summarize…
- Have your Yorkie’s preferences in mind
- Consult your vet
- Choose mainly dry products
- Include human and wet dog food, but in a certain measure
- Make sure your Yorkie is getting enough proteins, fat, carbs, mineral and vitamins
- Avoid candies, raw eggs, chestnut fruit, onions, garlic, legumes
- Divide food into several meals
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