9 Best Foods for Yorkie Puppies – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks
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With their cute, cuddly, and tiny frame, you’d be forgiven if you didn’t know the Yorkshire Terrier was one of the bravest, most tenacious breeds. Before becoming the dog world’s darlings, they were world-class ratting dogs in Victorian England, praised for their determination and grit. Outgoing, friendly, and energetic, Yorkshire Terriers, or Yorkies as they’re affectionately known, make wonderful pets and superb companions.
If you’ve adopted a Yorkie puppy, one of your first tasks is purchasing food to help it grow into a vibrant, healthy adult. To help, we have reviews of the nine best foods for Yorkie puppies.
A Quick Comparison of Our Winners (2024)
| Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall
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The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription Turkey Recipe |
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Budget Buy
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Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Foo |
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Premium Choice
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American Natural Premium Puppy Dry Dog Food |
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Check Price |
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Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Puppy |
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Hill's Science Diet Puppy Small Paws Chicken Meal |
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The 10 Best Foods For Yorkie Puppies
1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Subscription Turkey Recipe – Best Overall
| Main ingredients: | Turkey, chickpeas, carrots, broccoli |
| Protein content: | 38% |
| Fat content: | 26% |
| Fiber: | 2% |
The Farmer’s Dog produces some of the best overall formulas for dogs, and their recipes are close to perfect for Yorkie puppies. As you might imagine, the first ingredient in their Turkey Recipe is USDA turkey, and the next few are all top-tier vegetables. That gives this puppy food a high protein level that your growing Yorkie pup needs to form strong bones and muscles.
Some recipes from The Farmer’s Dog are grain-free, including the turkey recipe. While that isn’t a bad thing, per se, we advise you to check with your veterinarian to ensure your Yorkie puppy needs a grain-free diet. For the average puppy, grains are beneficial and only problematic if it has food allergies.
All in all, we think this is the overall best dog food for yorkie puppies out there, and your pup is very likely to agree.
- The first ingredient is Turkey
- High protein content
- Fresh food
- Made in USA
- Rather expensive
- Grain-free
2. Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food – Budget Buy
| Main ingredients: | Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp |
| Protein content: | 27% |
| Fat content: | 18% |
| Fiber: | 3.5% |
You can’t do much better than a food made specifically for Yorkshire Terrier puppies! Royal Canin’s Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food is a breed-specific formula that contains everything your growing pup needs to stay healthy. Plus, it’s made to be easy for Yorkies to eat, and it’s our pick for the best puppy food for the money. The recipe is high in antioxidants, including Vitamin E, which strengthen your Yorkie puppy’s immune system. Biotin and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are added to ensure your pup’s coat looks beautiful and stays healthy.
As all puppies need a high-protein diet, Royal Canin puts plenty in their Yorkie puppy food. Protein helps your pup in many ways and reduces the smell of their stool by promoting healthy digestion. You can rest assured that your Yorkie is getting the nutrition it needs with Royal Canin.
- Easy for small pups to eat
- Supports immunity
- Promotes digestive health
- Made for Yorkies
- Low fat
- Somewhat expensive
- No whole proteins
- Several questionable ingredients
3. American Natural Premium Puppy Dry Dog Food – Premium Choice
| Main ingredients: | Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat |
| Protein content: | 27% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Fiber: | 3.5% |
Another dry puppy food that we highly recommend, American Natural Premium Puppy Dry Dog Food, contains several excellent ingredients, is made in the United States, and contains no fillers, preservatives, or artificial colors. What it does contain is DHA to promote your Yorkie’s brain development, as well as omega fatty acids to keep their coat healthy and vibrant.
The calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is excellent in this puppy chow and will help Yorkie pups have strong teeth and bones. The protein content is also high, and, more importantly, American Natural’s recipe is easy for your Yorkie to digest and absorb, ensuring it gets all the nutritional benefits this quality kibble provides.
- #1 ingredient is Deboned chicken
- Contains grains
- No corn, wheat, soy, or peas
- Made in the USA
- Dry food
- High in salt
4. Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Puppy
| Main ingredients: | Deboned Turkey, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Barley |
| Protein content: | 28% |
| Fat content: | 19% |
| Fiber: | 4.25% |
One of the best things about Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Puppy food is that it contains over 4% fiber, which is excellent for your Yorkie’s digestive system and helps keep them regular. The ingredients are sourced globally, but the food is made in the USA and includes DHA, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids, all of which lend a helping hand to your puppy when they’re growing fast.
We like that this recipe has no meat by-products and that the first ingredient is deboned chicken. Wellness’ kibble pieces are also made smaller so that your little furball can pick it up and eat it easily. It’s also high in protein, which is essential for a growing Yorkie’s bones, joints, and teeth.
- #1 ingredient is whole chicken
- No fillers
- No meat by-products
- All-natural
- Made in USA
- Hard to find
- Expensive
5. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Paws Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken Fat, Whole Grain Corn |
| Protein content: | 24.5% |
| Fat content: | 15.5% |
| Fiber: | 3.0% |
Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Paws Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food is a well-balanced puppy chow formulated specifically for small dogs like Yorkshire Terriers and has everything they need to grow into healthy adult canines. Antioxidants support their immunity, DHA from natural fish oil supports their brain and eyes, and it’s easy to digest.
You should note that many of the ingredients in this puppy food are grains and plants, including whole wheat. That’s usually fine unless your Yorkie pup has allergies or digestion issues, which is unusual but not unheard of. Also, Hill’s is lower in protein than many of the other brands on our list.
- Contains DHA and antioxidants
- No artificial colors or preservatives
- Made in the USA
- Contains several grains
- Lower in protein
6. Wellness Complete Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal Recipe Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Peas, Chicken Fat, Salmon Meal |
| Protein content: | 29% |
| Fat content: | 18% |
| Fiber: | 4.5% |
You won’t find GMOs, fillers, or meat by-products in Wellness Complete’s Health Puppy Deboned Chicken, Oatmeal & Salmon Meal Recipe. It contains grains along with antioxidants, probiotics, and glucosamine, which you won’t find in all puppy chow recipes. They work together to support your puppy’s brain, skin, coat, and joint health, ensuring they develop into strong, intelligent, and energetic adults.
You will appreciate that Wellness Complete is made with deboned chicken, which is the first ingredient. It also has blueberries with antioxidants, flaxseed for a shiny coat, and spinach to support your pet’s immune system. Lastly, you’ll find the price more affordable than some puppy chow brands.
- Whole chicken #1 ingredient
- Contains glucosamine
- Supports bones, brain, and digestion
- Fortified
- Small enough to eat easily
- Expensive
- Hard to find
7. CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed Grain-Free with Salmon Dry Dog Food
| Main ingredients: | Salmon, Salmon Meal, Lentils, Peas, Tapioca |
| Protein content: | 24% |
| Fat content: | 13.5% |
| Fiber: | 4% |
CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed Grain-Free with Salmon Dry Dog Food is, as the name suggests, a grain-free puppy chow, so be sure to check with your vet if your Yorkie pup needs this type of food since grains can be beneficial for dogs. It should also be noted that peas are one of the food’s main ingredients, and while healthy, they’re still being investigated for concerns about heart disease. Those two notes aside, this is an excellent puppy food for your Yorkie, with salmon as the #1 ingredient. It’s also freeze-dried to keep it fresh longer.
CANIDAE PURE also made their food hypoallergenic with a single protein. It includes antioxidants to build immunity and probiotics to keep your Yorkie’s digestive systems working perfectly. Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids round out a recipe we think any Yorkie pup will love, and you’ll love the results it provides.
- Coated with raw salmon
- Salmon is #1 ingredient
- Easy to pick up and eat
- Freeze-dried
- Hypoallergenic
- Very expensive
- Grain-free with peas
8. Blue Buffalo Dog Food for Puppies, Life Protection Formula
| Main ingredients: | Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley, Fish Meal |
| Protein content: | 27% |
| Fat content: | 16% |
| Fiber: | 5% |
One of the best reasons to buy Blue Buffalo Dog Food for Puppies is that they all start with whole proteins. Their Life Protection Formula has deboned chicken as the #1 ingredient. The recipe also contains plenty of fruits and vegetables, a high protein level, and several antioxidants. There’s no wheat or soy in this puppy chow, but omega-3 and 6 fatty acids are sourced from fish meal and flaxseed, respectively.
Life Protection has a good ratio of phosphorous to calcium, which helps your Yorkie pup’s teeth and bones to become strong and durable. They’ve also added DHA and ARA for healthy muscles, eyes, and the most important organ, your puppy’s active brain. However, this is one of the more expensive puppy food brands.
- High protein level
- Real fruits and vegetables
- Contains DHA and ARA
- Small, bite-size
- Deboned chicken #1 ingredient
- Quite expensive
- Formula may be too rich for some puppies
9. Purina ONE Plus Healthy Puppy Formula High Protein Natural Dry Puppy Food
| Main ingredients: | Chicken, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal |
| Protein content: | 28% |
| Fat content: | 17% |
| Fiber: | 3% |
With real chicken as the first ingredient, DHA, four antioxidant sources, and omega-6 fatty acids, Purina ONE Plus Healthy Puppy Formula High Protein Natural Dry Puppy Food is a good choice for any Yorkie pup. Antioxidants prevent cancer and improve immunity to help your Yorkie become a strong, healthy adult. No artificial flavors or colors is a big plus, and ONE is made in the USA.
You’ll notice that this recipe contains whole-grain corn, which has a bad rap. However, when used in dog and puppy food, the corn is milled to make it easily digestible and provide more nutrition for your puppy. We also like that this is one of the least expensive puppy foods available and will help your Yorkie and your budget stay healthy.
- Real chicken #1 ingredient
- No artificial ingredients
- Low cost
- 4 antioxidant sources
- Not premium quality
- Several suspect ingredients
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Food for Your Yorkie Puppy
Like a human child, a puppy’s body demands high-quality food so that it can grow into a strong, healthy, and vibrant adult. Below are some top tips on how to choose the best for your new furry family member.
Yorkie Puppy Food Should Have a High Protein Content
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) says that the minimum amount of protein for healthy puppy growth is 22%. Luckily, protein content is listed on all puppy and dog foods by law, so you can easily check if the food you want to purchase has at least 22% protein.
A Real Meat Protein Source Should Be the Main Ingredient
Puppies need protein, but they also need animal protein more than plant protein. For this reason, the first ingredient of any puppy kibble you choose should be whole meat like chicken, beef, pork, or fish. Ideally, two of the first three ingredients should be real meat or a meal made from one. In fact, the first three ingredients in any good puppy food will be protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, followed by vitamins and minerals.
There Should Be No Artificial Ingredients
Puppies do not need artificial flavors, colors, GMOs, or other unnatural ingredients. Some brands include corn syrup, artificial food coloring, BHA, rendered fat, propylene glycol, BHT, Nitrates, MSG, carrageenan, and melamine. You should also avoid synthetic fish oils and vitamins, which are far inferior to natural fish oils and vitamins.
The Fat Content Should Be High and Animal-Based
Yorkshire Terriers are a very energetic breed, and Yorkie puppies are no different. Therefore, the puppy chow you purchase should have a high level of animal-based fat, ideally between 18% and 22%. Many dog owners make the mistake of looking for low-fat food, which is unnecessary for a growing Yorkie puppy. Your puppy should be fine as long as the fats come from animals and don’t exceed 25%.
A High-Quality Puppy Chow Is Essential for Your Yorkie
Yorkshire Terriers are wonderful little dogs with a high level of intelligence, energy, and playfulness. If you want your Yorkie pup to grow into a healthy and happy adult and live a long life, providing it with excellent, high-quality puppy chow is the way. There’s simply no better way to ensure that your furry friend stays healthy and has fewer health issues.
Final Thoughts
Our best overall puppy food for Yorkies is The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Turkey Recipe, which is truly fantastic fresh food. We recommend Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Puppy Dry Dog Food for the best value. Then there’s our premium choice, American Natural Premium Puppy Dry Dog Food, which has deboned chicken as its first ingredient. You shouldn’t overlook Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Small Paws Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food. While we highly recommend all the high-quality puppy foods on our list, these four are unquestionably our top choices. Whichever you choose, we wish you the very best of luck raising a happy and healthy Yorkshire Terrier and enjoying a long, full life with your canine companion!
Featured Image Credit: Valerie Nik, Shutterstock
