When it comes to our furry little friends, especially the Yorkie kind, we need to make sure that their diet does not harm them. Some ingredients should be avoided at all costs, with all dog breeds. On the other hand, some special dog breeds need specific diets in order to live a fulfilling and healthy life.
But what are the so-called bad foods you should eliminate from your Yorkie’s meal plan?
The short answer is to avoid anything with allergens, preservatives, harmful chemicals, and fillers.
The long answer is that there are different food categories you should avoid giving to your Yorkie, and in these categories, there are versatile ingredients and filler foods which can cause problems for smaller dog breeds.
Let’s take a look at both store-bought and homemade foods.
Store-bought Yorkie Foods – Ingredients to Avoid
While store-bought dog foods for your Yorkie are an efficient way to stock up on the meals they will need, there are a few things dog owners should keep an eye out for. There are ingredients used in some low-quality foods that do not provide the nutrition the dogs need, and there are some that will literally harm the dogs.
First and foremost avoid anything with chemical preservatives in them. These can easily cause discomfort to your Yorkie in the form of allergic reactions (including hot spots, itching, and skin rash) and stomach issues.
Artificial colors can also create problems. Let’s say the lighter issue with colorings is the allergic reactions they can result in, but they are also linked to behavioral problems and a few types of cancer. It’s best to stay far away from them.
Fillers in store-bought dog food are another problem. Fillers are ingredients which are added to the food in order to – well to fill them in. They are extremely cheap and adding them to the dog food lowers the funds needed to manufacture them. The problem is that they provide little to no nutrition to the dogs, which can be a big issue with small breeds that physically cannot eat a lot – like Yorkies. Fillers result in nutritional deficiencies and intestinal distress, and they are often the cause of coprophagia.
Another cheating way to fill up the quality of the dog food and reach the necessary protein quota is to add animal by-products into it. This can include any type of animal organ that is basically unfit for human consumption (excluding the delicacies of some cultures of course). However, even if some exotic meals are created from lungs, brain, the intestine, or lesser meats and tissues, they are still not good for dogs and we should avoid giving foods with such organs to them.
Furthermore, be sure you purchase dog food for your Yorkie that SPECIFIES the type of meat it contains. Poultry, pork, beef, etc should be highlighted on the ingredient list or the nutritional label. Avoid foods with generic meats or oils which do not specify the type and where the meat came from. Unfortunately, the generic label can equal roadkill or domestic animals that had various types of disease.
The same goes for the Made in China label on dog food. Make sure you know what is in the food that you are giving to your Yorkie. Unfortunately, unspecified ingredients and ingredients sourced from China lead to numerous pet deaths.
You can find dog foods for your Yorkie that do not include anything of the above-mentioned ingredients, or you can go the other way and create their meals from scratch at home.
Homemade Yorkie Foods – Ingredients to Avoid
You might think that creating your Yorkie’s meals completely at home would be the better idea. Well, it can be as long as you avoid a few ingredients. Remember, just because it is safe for us to consume something, it can still be extremely harmful to your pets.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. Alcohol, anything with caffeine, anything spicy or overly salty, and different types of human medicine (for example weed) are fun for us, but they do not offer an enjoyable time to your Yorkie. These can cause discomfort and even serious problems to your pets. From allergic reactions, vomiting, problems to their nervous system to diarrhea, breathing problems, and even death anything can happen – especially since we are talking about tiny dogs.
Dairy products are another thing you need to avoid. While some types of yogurt are actually good for Yorkies (since they provide versatile bacteria cultures that help with digestion), it’s best to steer away from milk, cheese, ice cream, butter, etc. Even a little can cause gastrointestinal issues or allergic reactions.
Yorkie treats should not include any sweets. Chocolate and different types of sweets are not good for dogs – this includes anything with higher sugar contents. First of all, they will cause your Yorkie to be overweight, and ruin their quality of life. Secondly, they can lead to larger problems like diabetes, tremors, seizures, and possible death.
Most raw foods are also Yorkie foods to avoid. This includes raw eggs, raw poultry and fish bones, raw or uncooked meat. Dogs also need their food cooked to prevent food poisoning. Additionally, raw eggs can lead to problems with their skin and coat, while uncooked meats can contain parasites that can attack the dog and cause major problems. The issue with poultry and fish bones is that they can easily splinter, which can either choke the dog or puncture their esophagus.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, it’s best to leave out grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic from the doggy menu. The first two contain a still unknown substance that can cause cancer for Yorkies. The latter two cause digestive and gastrointestinal problems, as well as damage to the red blood cells. However, garlic, like coconut and citrus in small quantities should not be an issue. Also, make sure to avoid macadamias and walnuts.
It should go without saying, but do not give any moldy foods to your Yorkie. If something starts to spoil it is definitely not good for them.
Good Yorkie Foods for a Healthy Yorkie
Whether you buy prepackaged food for your Yorkie or create meals plans at home, you need to know what ingredients you need to avoid.
While some foods can improve the quality of life of your Yorkie, some can easily end it in a blink of an eye. For that reason, avoiding problematic and harmful foods and ingredients is half the battle won.
As long as you know what your pets, especially your small breed, dogs are not allowed to eat, you can start finding foods that will improve their health. Eliminating issues is the first step towards having a healthy and happy Yorkshire Terrier.
Now when you know what foods to avoid, it’s time to learn about food that Yorkies love and can safely eat.
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