The Rundown
Best Overall: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food
“Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food has balanced ingredients good for your Yorky. They come in small bite-size so it is easy for your dog to chew.”
Best With Grains: Blue Buffalo Small Breed Dry Dog Food
“Blue Buffalo Small Breed Dry Dog Food offers superior quality ingredients with deboned chicken and gluten-free grains that are easy to digest. This food is perfect for bouncy Yorkies.”
Best Budget Option: Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food
“Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food has great nutrient values but inexpensive. In this case, cheaper dog food doesn’t mean lesser quality as your pup will be chomping on food filled with healthy vegetables and fruits.”
Yorkshire Terriers may be small, but they have big hearts and big personalities. Just because these “Tomboy Toys” are tiny in size, it doesn’t mean their diet is any less important than a big pup’s.
The best dog food for Yorkies should cater to their size and sensitive dispositions, and be all-natural. If you wouldn’t feed it to your baby, you shouldn’t be feeding it to your pooch!
Read on to find out all the info you need about food for Yorkies, so you can feed these small breed fluffs the best food, the right way.




Table of Contents
- The Rundown
- 10 Best Dog Food For Yorkies
- 1. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dry Dog Food
- 2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Dry Dog Food
- 3. Diamond Naturals Small Breed Dry Dog Food
- 4. Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers Kibble Topper
- 5. Wellness Core Petite Treats
- 6. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food
- 7. Enercal Nutritional Supplement for Hypoglycemia
- 8. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Wet Dog Food
- 9. Wellness Limited Ingredient Small Breed Dry Dog Food
- 10. Merrick Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food
- 1. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dry Dog Food
- Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation
- Questions & Answers
- What are the nutritional requirements for Yorkies?
- What ingredients are great to see in the best dog food for Yorkies?
- Which is better for Yorkies to eat: wet or dry dog food?
- How much dry dog food should I feed my Yorkie on a daily basis?
- What are some common health problems that Yorkies have that I should watch out for?
- Is a grain-free food or a food containing grains best for a Yorkie?
- What are the nutritional requirements for Yorkies?
10 Best Dog Food For Yorkies
1. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Premium Option: Balanced ingredient list
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PROS
- “Small-bite” kibble specially made for little jaws
- High protein and fat counts to meet the needs of an active small breed
- Great Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids
- Contains glucosamine
CONS
- It’s pricey in comparison to others
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food comes in as our top pick of best dog kibble for various reasons. The quality of the ingredients is unbeatable, and it contains a great balance of proteins, fats, and healthy, easy-to-digest carbohydrates. Omega fatty acids are super and will promote a great coat and well-nourished skin, and glucosamine will keep your pup’s little joints tough. This would be a great food for Yorkies of all ages and activity levels – it’s simply a matter of adjusting the amount you feed them to meet their calorie needs.
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2. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Best With Grains: High-quality ingredients
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PROS
- Wholesome, high-quality ingredients
- Unique “small-bite” kibble that is a great size and helps prevent tartar buildup
- Contains glucosamine
- LifeSource Bits contain antioxidants and promote a healthy immune system
CONS
- Contains grains (although they are the good kind like brown rice), so if your pup’s tummy is very sensitive they may not like this dog food
- Some dogs may be sensitive to chicken meal
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Small Breed Dry Dog Food is our runner-up pick for best dog kibble for Yorkshire Terriers as it’s filled with real, whole-food ingredients, contains plenty of great additions to promote your Yorkie’s health and wellbeing, and has a specially formulated kibble to cater to your little pet’s mouth size and oral health. While it does contain grains, these are the healthy, easily digestible kind (brown rice, oatmeal, and barley).
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3. Diamond Naturals Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Best Value For Money: Great quality for price
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PROS
- Very affordable, and great quality for its price
- Contains L-carnitine
- Nicely sized kibble for tiny jaws
- Great nutrient values
CONS
- Not much flavor variety
- Doesn’t contain glucosamine, although this isn’t a big problem
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Dry Dog Food continue to find their way into our best value for money spot due to their superb quality ingredients at fantastic prices. This dog food is made for small breed pups like Yorkshire and Boston terriers, and the protein and fat numbers fit right into what’s perfect for the best dog kibble for these little ones. If you have a healthy, lively Yorkshire Terrier and would prefer to feed them something a little easier on the bank balance, you can rest assured this dog food will make both you and your pooch happy.
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4. Stella & Chewy’s Meal Mixers Kibble Topper
Best Kibble Topper: Bite-sized for small breeds
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PROS
- Great quality, whole-food ingredients
- High in protein, but fairly low in calories
- Bite-sized for small breeds
- Added probiotics
CONS
- This food is raw, so if your pup doesn’t like raw food this may not be for them
Just like any breed, Yorkies have their own little personalities and can be fussy about what they eat, or get bored if they eat the same thing for too long. A kibble topper is a great idea as a treat or an incentive to get your pooch to eat.
Stella & Chewy's Meal Mixers Kibble Topper is a raw food, meaning it’s minimally processed and absolutely packed with nutrients. At 60 calories a scoop, you can add this to your pup’s dry dog food for an extra little boost without adding too many calories. Remember, though, it’s not likely toy breeds will need a full scoop, so use your discretion here. This is the best dog food for fussy Yorkies and is health-promoting and wholesome.
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5. Wellness Core Petite Treats
Best Treat For Yorkies: High in protein, low in calories
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PROS
- High in protein yet low in calories
- Over 150 treats per bag
- Bite-sized, and perfect for tiny mouths
- Contain no grains or artificial ingredients – great for sensitive tummies
CONS
- Some customers have reported the treats being too hard and crumbly
Choosing the best dog food for your Yorkshire Terrier should include a great-quality treat for between meals.
Wellness Core Petite Treats is great for toy breeds who have tiny mouths and sensitive tummies, meaning they are pretty much perfect for Yorkshire Terriers. They’re grain-free, contain nothing artificial, and are filled to the brim with quality protein and fats. They’re also quite tiny, making them super easy for little dogs to chew on.
Regardless of your Yorkshire Terrier’s age, eating habits, or health, these treats would fit well into their daily food intake and come in a few different flavors too.
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6. Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food
Best For Yorkie Puppies: Kibble size is perfect for Yorkie puppies
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PROS
- Kibble size is perfect for Yorkie puppies, at about the size of a pencil eraser
- Various flavors available, which is great if your Yorkie is sensitive to chicken or other specific ingredients
- Contains DHA, which is a great addition for growing puppies
CONS
- It’s a little more pricey than others
- It isn’t geared specifically to small and toy breeds
Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Dry Dog Food is made specifically for puppies. The packaging states that it’s suitable for all breeds, which of course includes the Tomboy toy breeds. It’s important to feed your baby dog a food that is formulated for puppies instead of just a general food, as there’s a bit of a difference between the two, and the best food for puppies will definitely help your growing Yorkie best. You’ll need to carefully monitor how much you feed your pooch, though, as this food is quite high in calories per scoop.
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7. Enercal Nutritional Supplement for Hypoglycemia
Best Blood Sugar Supplement For Yorkies: Great for preventing hypoglycemia
PROS
- Great for preventing hypoglycemia
- Can be used to help rouse your pet from a hypoglycemic episode
- Made from decent quality ingredients
- A tube lasts a long time if used only when necessary
CONS
- Too high-calorie to feed your Yorkie too much of it
You might be wondering why Enercal Nutritional Supplement for Hypoglycemia is on a list of best dog food for Yorkies, but as they are prone to hypoglycemic episodes it’s a great idea to have a nutritional supplement handy for those moments where they may need a quick dose of something to bring their blood sugar back up.
This particular supplement is often used to add extra calories to a pup’s diet, so it’s not advisable to give your Yorkshire terrier too much of it, but the ingredients are good and quickly absorbed by your pet’s body. If your Yorkie is having a low blood sugar moment and is lethargic, disoriented, or abnormally weak, simply rubbing a little of this on your small breed’s gums should help perk them up a little until they can get a proper meal in.
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8. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Wet Dog Food
Best Wet Food: Go-to canned dog food
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PROS
- Low calorie, which is great for little pups who need fewer calories
- Limited ingredient and single course protein
- Grain-free so it’s suitable for dogs of all dispositions
CONS
- Contains carrageenan, which can be considered a low-quality ingredient
It’s always good to have a go-to wet dog food. This limited ingredient option is our best dog food choice for the canned variety. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Wet Dog Food is filled with quality ingredients, a single source protein (chicken), contains no grains or unnecessary fillers, and is available in a variety of flavours.
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9. Wellness Limited Ingredient Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Best For Yorkies With Sensitive Stomach: Has fewer ingredients
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PROS
- Fewer ingredients mean less chance of your Yorkie’s tummy rebelling
- Very good healthy fat sources & Omega fatty acids
- It’s formulated specifically for small breed dogs
- Grain-free and contains nothing artificial
CONS
- Slightly pricey
If you have a small breed who struggles with food allergies or a sensitive stomach, a limited ingredient diet can be the best dog kibble to limit bad reactions. Wellness Limited Ingredient Small Breed Dry Dog Food contains a single source of high-quality protein, and one of the great things about this one is that the protein source (salmon) also contributes to the fantastic quality of fat in this food.
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10. Merrick Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food
Best For Yorkie Seniors: For seniors with sensitive tummies
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PROS
- Contains no grains, which helps seniors’ with sensitive tummies
- A little high in calories and protein if your senior is not very active
- Contains glucosamine and chondroitin
- Contains L-carnitine to promote healthy weight
CONS
- A little pricey
If you have an older Yorkie, you should consider feeding them Merrick Grain-Free Senior Dry Dog Food that’s designed especially for a senior small breed. As pups grow older, their dietary requirements change a little to accommodate their aging bodies and immune systems. While they can get by eating a dry food that’s not aimed at seniors, it’s definitely beneficial to switch them over to something a bit more specific to an older toy breed.
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Testing Protocol & Criteria Used For Evaluation
Criteria 1 – Calorie Count & Feeding Guidelines
Because these fluffs are tiny and need fewer calories than most other dogs, this is an important factor in choosing the best dog food. Remember, you’ll need to feed your small breed three or four meals a day, which equates to between 50 and 65 calories per meal.
Although most of the foods that are specified for toy breeds are still fairly high-calorie per cup, they usually have feeding guidelines on the packaging. Pay attention to these – often, they’ll call for a quarter of a cup of food or less, so getting this wrong will result in feeding your pup far too much. We’ve checked the calorie count on each food, and if it correlates with the feeding instructions on the package and that this info is appropriate for a Yorkshire Terrier.
Criteria 2 – Protein Quality
Animal protein is always the best option in dog foods. We’ve looked for real meat as the first ingredient on the list, although meat meal is not a bad option, especially for easy digestibility.
Although it’s not a bad thing to have multiple different protein sources in one food, for dogs with sensitive stomachs can benefit from foods that contain a single source. This means that a food can contain more than source but must be from the same animal, for example, chicken, chicken meal, and chicken liver are all the same source.
Criteria 3 – Healthy Fats
Fat converts into energy, so it’s essential to have healthy, great quality fats in your pet’s food. These include animal fat (as long as the animal is identified – if it says something vague such as “animal fat’, avoid it). Other great sources include flaxseed and canola oil, which also add great Omega fatty acids.
Fats not only provide energy, but they also help to lubricate joints, moisturize the skin, and keep your pet’s coat smooth and sleek. Your Yorkie’s food should have 15% fat or more, provided he’s an active little thing. Inactive pups would benefit more from a slightly lower fat count. We’ve checked the fat counts on all these dog foods and assessed the sources they’ve come from.
Criteria 4 – Kibble Size
A Yorkie mouth is way smaller than a Labrador mouth, so it makes perfect sense that one kibble size does not fit all. Yorkshire terriers are also prone to dental disease later in life, so doing what you can early on in your Yorkie’s life to prevent worse issues later is a great idea.
While foods that specify large breed on them may be quite appropriate for your small breed in terms of nutrition, this is the area that makes the biggest difference when it comes to shopping for dog foods by the size of your pooch.
Criteria 5 – Affordability
Your pet notices when you’re unhappy or stressed, and part of our mission is to provide information that will help YOU – not just your pooch.
Yorkies are little so chances are an average-sized bag of food will last them longer than it would a big dog. This is great for pet owners on a budget, but if you think quality dog foods have to be expensive, think again. There are super dog foods out there that won’t cost you a fortune, no matter the size of your pup.
We’ve added some pricing info into each review so you can compare and make the choice that is right for you. Of course, that’s not to say you should avoid the higher-priced dog foods – often, they’re superb quality and have numerous healthy-promoting benefits.
Questions & Answers

What are the nutritional requirements for Yorkies?
The best dog foods need 22% protein minimum for puppies, when they’re growing. Adult dog foods should contain between 25 and 30% protein, and a minimum of 15% fat. Animal proteins and good quality fat sources are essential.
Senior Yorkshire Terriers will naturally have a slower metabolism, so it would be a good idea to switch to a small breed senior recipe that’s formulated for weight management and joint support. These will usually have lower calorie counts and some added vitamins and minerals.

What ingredients are great to see in the best dog food for Yorkies?
Yorkshire Terriers thrive on all-natural ingredients in dog foods. Because their stomachs can be sensitive, artificial ingredients can wreak havoc on their little systems.
Animal proteins are best for a Yorkie’s body, as are fresh, wholesome carb sources such as fruits and vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and leafy greens. Healthy fats are also essential. Whole grains like brown rice and oatmeal can be all right for some, but other Yorkshire Terriers may have digestive trouble when it comes to any grains.
Of course, pups are also as individual as humans, so in addition to making sure that your pooch gets great nutrients in his or her diet, you’ll also need to pay some attention to your pet to see if there’s a particular flavour your pet prefers more.

Which is better for Yorkies to eat: wet or dry dog food?
Dry kibble is always the best dog kibble to choose. Wet dog foods, while a great kibble-topper and treat, should not be fed to Yorkshire Terriers as their whole diet.
Dry dog foods contain a significant amount more protein than wet dog foods, as well as other nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that wet food doesn’t usually contain. In addition to this, wet dog foods are usually high in calories which may push their meal over the recommended calories per pound.
The only time a wet food diet is recommended is for seniors who cannot adequately chew dry dog food anymore, and then the dog food should be carefully monitored to make sure your pup doesn’t overdo it on the calories.

How much dry dog food should I feed my Yorkie on a daily basis?
How much food you feed your Yorkie will depend on the calorie count of the dog food you choose. The average active Yorkie should be eating around 200 calories a day, and because their tummies are so tiny, this will need to be split into three or four meals in a day.
As an example, dog foods containing 50 calories a scoop could be split between four meals a day. If it’s slightly more, you can feed three meals a day. A 100 calorie meal twice a day may be too big a meal in one go for your small breed, so you might need to observe and see how much your pup is comfortable eating in one sitting.
If your little guy or girl is an active one, 200 calories should be great. If they’re the couch potato type, 150 calories is more appropriate. You’ll need to be discerning here, as your pooch may be super bouncy and need 250 calories, or older and inactive and need 100. Do some experimenting and see what works for your fluff, but 200 is the average for a chipper Yorkie.

What are some common health problems that Yorkies have that I should watch out for?
Certain health problems can pop up in Yorkshire Terriers, and it’s worth familiarizing yourself with them so you can notice immediately if your small breed pooch displays any symptoms.
- Hypoglycemia
- Pancreatitis (can be fatal)
- Portosystemic shunt
- Skin allergies
- Dental disease
- Knee & hip dysplasia
- Retinal dysplasia

Is a grain-free food or a food containing grains best for a Yorkie?
It’s not totally necessary to feed your Yorkshire Terrier a grain-free dog food, but it’s recommended to do so to lessen the chances of your pup having digestive issues.
The best dog foods avoid corn, wheat, and soy, as these are indigestible to all dogs, not just a small breed. Whole grains like oatmeal, millet, barley, and brown rice are good grain options that are gluten-free, and should be okay for your small breed to eat.