Feeding a Yorkie is not complicated. Steady meal times, sensible portions, fresh water, treats in moderation, and paying attention when appetite or energy changes. That is about it. The hype around dog food brands matters a lot less than whether your dog eats well and stays healthy on what you give him.
Tiny dogs can go downhill faster than people expect. The best feeding routine is calm, consistent, easy to monitor, and suited to the individual dog in front of you — especially puppies, seniors, rescue dogs, and Yorkies with known health issues.
The best food plan is one your Yorkie digests well, eats consistently, and can stay on without constant upset.
The original Yorkiesa material encouraged owners to research food carefully instead of trusting marketing. That core idea still holds. Choose a sensible diet, keep the routine steady, and watch how your own Yorkie responds. You do not need a fashionable plan.
Some simple foods may suit some Yorkies as a small extra, but they should not turn into a second diet. Keep portions tiny, introduce one new thing at a time, and stop if you see vomiting, diarrhoea, itching, wind, or appetite changes.
A persuasive Yorkie face is not a nutrition plan. Rich, fatty, salty, sweet, spicy, or heavily processed food can upset a tiny dog quickly, and some common human foods are dangerous for dogs.
The original site put heavy emphasis on researching ingredients instead of trusting marketing alone, and that is still useful. You do not need a fashionable feeding plan, but you do want food that suits your dog's age, size, digestion, and overall condition.
If your Yorkie is doing well on a food — normal stools, steady energy, healthy weight, no ongoing digestive drama — constant switching usually creates more problems than it solves. If you are uncertain, ask your vet what to prioritise for your individual dog.
When trying a new food, transition gradually over several days so the digestive system has time to adjust. During that period, keep an eye on stool quality, wind, vomiting, scratching, appetite, and general comfort.
If a Yorkie becomes flat, refuses food, cannot keep water down, or seems to be losing condition, stop experimenting and get proper advice quickly. Small dogs have less room for prolonged feeding problems.
Yorkies respond well to tiny rewards, but small dogs can fill up on extras surprisingly quickly. Keep treat portions small, avoid giving food simply because the dog looks persuasive, and let the main diet do the nutritional heavy lifting.
The original site raised two common owner questions: bones and human food. Those are still worth treating carefully. Rich leftovers, heavily seasoned foods, and random scraps can upset digestion fast. Bones, raw food, and chews can also create choking, dental, bacterial, or digestive risks depending on the item and the dog.
If you offer any extra food, keep it plain, limited, supervised, and appropriate for a very small dog. When in doubt, skip it. A simple routine is usually the safer one.
📖 New companion page: What Can Yorkies Eat from Human Food? — full food table, foods to avoid, and preparation tips.
The original Yorkiesa site listed these foods as generally safe in moderate amounts. Many Yorkies tolerate them well as occasional extras, but every dog is different — introduce one at a time, keep portions tiny, and watch for any digestive upset.
| Food | Notes |
|---|---|
| Apple (no seeds) | Remove core and seeds; slice small |
| Apricot (no pit) | Remove stone; tiny piece only |
| Baby food (banana, carrot) | Plain, no onion or garlic |
| Banana | High sugar — tiny slice only |
| Biltong | Plain biltong only, no spice rubs or salt-heavy cuts; break into tiny shreds |
| Broccoli (small florets) | Cooked or raw, tiny amounts; can cause gas |
| Carrot | Crunchy and low-calorie; slice thin |
| Cauliflower | Small cooked pieces only |
| Celery | Low calorie; chop small to avoid choking |
| Cheerios | Plain original, not honey or flavoured |
| Cheese | High fat — tiny piece, watch for lactose issues |
| Chicken (skinless, cooked) | No bones, no seasoning, no skin |
| Chicken broth | Low sodium, no onion or garlic |
| Egg (cooked) | Scrambled or boiled; no seasoning |
| Green beans | Steamed or fresh; no salt |
| Lettuce | Crunchy but low nutrition; fine as rare treat |
| Liver (cooked) | Small pieces only; too much causes vitamin A issues |
| Nectarine (no pit) | Flesh only; tiny piece |
| Oatmeal | Plain cooked; no sugar or milk |
| Orange (no seeds) | A segment or two; acidic, so not for sensitive stomachs |
| Peanut butter | No xylitol; tiny smear only; high fat |
| Peach (no pit) | Flesh only; remove stone |
| Pumpkin (canned) | Plain pumpkin, not pie filling — good for digestion |
| Rice (cooked) | Plain white or brown; gentle on stomach |
| Rice cakes (plain) | Low calorie; break into small pieces |
| Sweet potato (cooked) | Baked or dehydrated — also makes great homemade chews (see recipe below) |
| Tomato (no greens or stems) | Ripe red flesh only; avoid green parts |
| Turkey (skinless, cooked) | Bones and skin removed; no seasoning |
| Wheat germ | Tiny sprinkle on food |
Foods to always avoid: chocolate, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, alcohol, caffeine, xylitol, macadamia nuts, cooked bones, and anything mouldy or spoiled.
From the original site — Gareth's simple recipe for Yorkie-safe chews that are far better than commercial rawhide or processed treats. Sweet potatoes are digestible, low in fat, and give your Yorkie something satisfying to chew.
Prep time: 5 minutes | Total time: ~3¼ hours | Oven: 120°C / 250°F
Ingredients:
1 x sweet potato (the orange type)
Directions:
Warning: Supervise any chew. Even a soft chew can be a choking risk for a tiny dog. Break into smaller pieces for very small Yorkies.
Depends on age and health, but consistency is what matters. Young puppies need more frequent meals. Adult Yorkies do best on a steady routine you can monitor.
Some plain foods in tiny amounts, but random sharing creates more problems than benefits. Keep extras limited and avoid rich, salty, spicy, or fatty foods.
A sudden drop in appetite, repeated vomiting, diarrhoea, weakness, or dehydration. With tiny dogs, those changes need attention sooner rather than later.
Plain cooked skinless chicken, rice, pumpkin, carrot, apple without seeds, or green beans in small amounts. Extras should stay occasional and never replace a complete diet.
Be cautious. Raw diets and bones carry choking, dental, bacterial, and digestive risks for tiny dogs. Discuss major diet changes with your vet.
Feeding works best as part of a whole routine. If you want a calmer starting point, pair this page with the care, health, and puppy guidance below.
Every Yorkie deserves a safe, loving home. SAYR (SA Yorkie Rescue) assesses, vaccinates, and matches rescue Yorkies with their perfect families. Adoption changes lives — both yours and theirs.