How much should I feed a Yorkshire Terrier?

It depends on your dog's exact weight, age and activity level, so use the feeding guide on a small-breed food as your starting point and weigh portions rather than guessing. Given how small Yorkies are, small overfeeds add up quickly relative to their size.

Why do Yorkshire Terriers need small-breed food specifically?

Their small jaws and higher risk of dental problems mean kibble shaped and sized for larger dogs is genuinely harder to eat comfortably. Small-breed formulas are designed around exactly that mouth size and typically pack more calories per gram to suit a faster metabolism.

Are Yorkshire Terriers prone to dental problems?

Yes, this breed has a well-documented predisposition to dental disease, largely linked to crowding in their small jaw. A correctly sized dry food and regular dental chews both help, but neither replaces routine dental checks with your vet.

How often should I feed a Yorkshire Terrier puppy?

Puppies of this breed typically do best on three to four smaller meals a day rather than fewer larger ones, since toy breeds are more prone to dips in blood sugar between feeds. Speak to your vet if your puppy seems weak or lethargic between meals.

What to feed a Yorkshire Terrier

A Yorkshire Terrier's small size and tiny mouth matter more to their diet than almost anything else — most adult Yorkies weigh under 3.2kg, and a food built for a Labrador simply does not suit them, whatever the ingredients list says. A small-breed complete food, fed in measured portions across two or three meals, is the starting point for most Yorkies.

Why kibble size and shape matter

Yorkshire Terriers have small jaws and are prone to dental problems, so kibble sized for a large breed is genuinely harder for them to eat comfortably and chew properly. Small-breed formulas are shaped and sized specifically for smaller mouths, which also encourages more chewing rather than gulping food whole.

Because Yorkies also have a faster metabolism relative to their tiny size than a larger dog, small-breed formulas are typically more calorie-dense per gram, which means the actual portion looks smaller than you might expect for the number of calories your dog needs.

Portion size and meal frequency

Because Yorkies are so small, even a modest overfeed represents a much bigger share of their daily needs than the same amount would for a larger dog, so weighing food rather than guessing by eye matters more with this breed than most.

Toy breeds like the Yorkshire Terrier are also more prone to blood sugar dips between meals, particularly as puppies, so splitting the day's food across two or three smaller meals rather than one large one tends to suit them better.

Dental health and the food connection

This is a breed with a well-known predisposition to dental disease, partly down to the crowding that comes with a small jaw. A dry, correctly sized kibble does more for a Yorkie's teeth mechanically than wet food alone, though neither replaces regular dental care.

Dental chews sized for small breeds are worth building into the routine alongside meals, since they give additional chewing time that helps reduce plaque build-up between proper dental checks.

Treats and life-stage changes

Keep treats genuinely small and infrequent — it is easy to underestimate how much of a tiny dog's daily calories a single normal-sized treat represents. Look for treats specifically sized for toy and small breeds rather than dividing a treat meant for a bigger dog.

As a Yorkie moves from puppy to adult to senior, their energy needs change noticeably given how small they are to begin with, so it is worth reviewing portion size at each stage rather than assuming the same amount stays right for years.

Foods that suit this breed

Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.

Pet Dental Cleaning Wipes (50 Pack)

A tub of 50 textured finger wipes that lift plaque and freshen breath for dogs and cats without a toothbrush. Slip one over your finger and wipe teeth clean for easy daily dental care.

£9.99

Fast UK delivery

Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Turkey Treat

Forthglade Soft Bite Grain Free Turkey Treat: complementary dog treat with turkey — 90G

£2.09

Browse all of Dogs →

Common questions

How much should I feed a Yorkshire Terrier?: It depends on your dog's exact weight, age and activity level, so use the feeding guide on a small-breed food as your starting point and weigh portions rather than guessing. Given how small Yorkies are, small overfeeds add up quickly relative to their size.
Why do Yorkshire Terriers need small-breed food specifically?: Their small jaws and higher risk of dental problems mean kibble shaped and sized for larger dogs is genuinely harder to eat comfortably. Small-breed formulas are designed around exactly that mouth size and typically pack more calories per gram to suit a faster metabolism.
Are Yorkshire Terriers prone to dental problems?: Yes, this breed has a well-documented predisposition to dental disease, largely linked to crowding in their small jaw. A correctly sized dry food and regular dental chews both help, but neither replaces routine dental checks with your vet.
How often should I feed a Yorkshire Terrier puppy?: Puppies of this breed typically do best on three to four smaller meals a day rather than fewer larger ones, since toy breeds are more prone to dips in blood sugar between feeds. Speak to your vet if your puppy seems weak or lethargic between meals.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.