As an owner, nothing is more important than providing your pooch with a healthy diet. Just like with humans, a dog’s diet is vital in helping them live longer, healthier lives.
Despite their small size, your Yorkies dietary needs aren’t hugely different from that of a larger dog like a Great Dane.
Obviously, your Yorkshire Terrier will need a lot less food and far fewer calories, but the focus of their dinners should still be on protein, supplemented with some healthy fats and vegetables.
That being said, there are ways that a more personalised diet can benefit your Yorkie, as there are certain dietary requirements your pooch will have based on their breed. For instance, the right blend of vitamins and minerals to help keep their luscious locks silky and shiny.
Plus, Yorkshire Terriers are known to be quite picky eaters and have delicate tummies, so it might take time to get them used to their dinners and find a food that they enjoy.
So what makes the best dog food for a Yorkshire Terrier? Read on to find out what should be in your dog’s dinner to keep them as happy and healthy as possible.
Super nutrients for shiny coats
Your Yorkies stand-out feature is their fabulous fur, so you need to make sure their dinner is giving them everything they need to keep those tresses looking tremendous.
The best dog food for Yorkshire Terriers will have a good dose of fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are super for keeping fur healthy and shiny.
We all know fish is packed with these oils, but lots of leafy greens like spinach are brilliant providers too. Another key nutrient for healthy fur is biotin, which can be found in whole meats and fish as well as a few vegetables like sweet potatoes.
Pure is complete and balanced dog food, which naturally packs in all these great goodies as we use whole meat and carefully selected fruits and veggies, including sweet potatoes, which will help to nourish hair and keep your pup looking as fetching as ever.
Natural goodness to settle sensitive tummies
Yep, Yorkies have a tendency to have tender tummies and dodgy digestion. Unsurprisingly, this pup-set is usually caused by something they’re eating. After checking with your vet to make sure there is no illness causing your terrier’s sensitive stomach, you could consider switching to a highly digestible diet.
That just means it’s easier for your dog to digest and they can absorb more nutrients from their food. (It also means less waste coming out the other end too.)
Kibble, even ones with premium ingredients, are not easy to digest. They’re packed with grains which dog’s struggle to break down, and the harsh processing used to cook and shape the biscuits destroys a lot of the nutrients. Even using better ingredients doesn’t improve their digestibility, because so much nutrition is lost in the manufacturing process.
That’s why many owners opt for fresh dinners. They want to know they’re giving their friend the best ingredients without losing any of the goodness.
Here at Pure, we’re all about making healthy choices. All of our food uses only natural, human-quality ingredients that are easy to digest, and it is never subjected to any harsh processing.
All we do is chop up our ingredients and gently air-dry them, so all the goodness stays locked in until it reaches your pup’s bowl. It seems to work too, since 94% of all Pure customers have said their dog’s digestion has improved.
Help prevent itchy skin
Yorkshire Terriers might be a healthy bunch, but they often suffer from sensitive and itchy skin. But did you know that the biggest cause of recurring skin problems is poor diet?
Allergies and infections are the biggest causes of skin complaints, and more often than not that’s triggered by something your dog has eaten rather than touched.
Many regular pet food ingredients like wheat are common canine allergens, while many allergic reactions are caused by a protein source. (That could be specific meat like beef, or lactose, or eggs.) Switching to a new protein source and cutting grains with hypoallergenic dog food might be enough to soothe your Yorkie’s sore skin.
There’s also a pack of vital vitamins and minerals that can help improve your dog’s skin.
Many of these are the same nutrients that help keep their fur healthy, like the fatty acids Omega-3 and 6. Antioxidants like vitamin A and C have anti-inflammatory properties that are perfect for easing irritation.
Our recipes are rich in these important minerals thanks to our careful selection of meat and veg to provide all the nutrients needed to support every aspect of your pooch’s health.
Tasty treats to protect tiny teeth
First and foremost, the best thing to help keep you Yorkshire Terrier’s teeth in good shape will always be regular brushing. But, the choices you make about your dog's dinner can contribute to good oral hygiene.
One tasty treat that can help clean teeth is a raw meaty bone. The meat encourages the dog to chew while the slightly abrasive texture helps to clean their teeth. However, this can cause trouble for little Yorkies as their teeth aren’t as big and strong as other breeds.
Pure is naturally nutritious, providing the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to maintain a strong immune system to fight oral infection.
Plus, there’s all the good stuff like vitamin C which helps ward off gum disease. Since our food is mixed with water, you can use more than normal to make a wetter dinner which can help wash away anything that gets stuck in your dog’s teeth at dinnertime.
Meanwhile, skipping kibble can also help. The claim that kibble can help clean your dog’s teeth is a myth. Dog’s on a kibble diet still suffer from gum disease at alarming rates, and the sugars in the food are the ideal food source for bacteria. Plus, the biscuits can be tough to chew, and the wrong size kibble can be a choking hazard for Yorkies.
Supporting strong joints and bones
You probably know what nutrients you need to keep your bones and joints in good shape, and most of those are the same for your dog.
They need calcium and vitamin D to keep their bones strong, and Omega-3 and antioxidants to keep their joints supple and to help prevent arthritis. The best dog food for Yorkshire Terriers should have all of these.
Since Yorkies are prone to problems like dislocating knees, and older dogs are more at risk of arthritis, it’s even more important to make sure their diet is providing everything they need to maintain a healthy skeleton.
Perfect portions
It’s a fine balance between underfeeding and overfeeding your Yorkie.
They are only small and eating too much can quickly make them obese. But at the same time, they are prone to hypoglycemia, so it’s important they eat regular meals with slow-releasing energy to keep their blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.
Not to mention, your tiny Terrier’s has individual needs and the amount they need to eat every day will depend on their age, whether they are neutered or spayed, how active they are, and if they have any existing health conditions.
Pure takes the guesswork (and prep work) out of making tasty, healthy dinners. Just tell us about your pooch, and we will recommend a personalised plan for your pooch that has the ideal recipe and portions they should be eating to maintain a healthy weight while devouring all the nutrients they need.
Favourite foods for fussy eaters
Yorkshire Terriers do have a habit of being picky eaters. A lot of fussy eating in dogs is actually caused by owner behaviour though, and there are many reasons why your pooch might be turning their nose up.
It’s even believed dogs can smell when their food doesn’t have all 10 of the essential amino acids they need from their diet. So your picky pooch could be telling you that their food is missing something, or that there’s an ingredient that’s giving them tummy trouble. (Yorkies do have sensitive stomachs, after all.)
First of all, follow these tips for fussy eating to make sure you’re setting a good example and following a regular dinnertime routine which will encourage your dog to eat.
Meanwhile, if you’re moving to Pure, you should always make sure to transition your dog’s food slowly, and be confident that our tasty, wholesome recipes have won over plenty of fussy pups. 97% of fussy eaters are now wolfing down their Pure!
No nasties
As the Yorkie Info Center advises, the best dog food for Yorkshire Terriers will be free from artificial preservatives, colours, and flavours, and free from fillers and byproducts. Instead, opt for wholesome, traditional meats and natural preservative methods.
At Pure, we never use any artificial nasties or destructive processing. We use real, natural ingredients that are of the best quality.
We also make sure to preserve our food naturally by gently air-drying it, which simply removes moisture but keeps nutrients locked in. Simply add some water and watch the food rehydrate ready to offer your Yorkie a bowlful of nourishing, natural food.