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20 Best Foods for a Picky Eater Yorkie

| Published on February 20, 2023
We hear it all the time: “Why won’t my finicky yorkie eat the expensive food I buy them?!” Dealing with a picky yorkie can be frustrating, so we asked our I Love My Yorkie Facebook community the following question, “What’s the best food for a picky eating Yorkie?” We received hundreds of replies and summarized some of the best suggestions below.
Always remember to consult your veterinarian before making any health changes to your yorkie’s diet, especially if they have any medical issues. iHeartDogs is reader supported, so some of the links below may be affiliate links where we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

20 Best Foods for a Picky Yorkie

When I had yorkie I cooked for him. Chicken hearts… liver with veggies and little rice. Or chicken soup with veggies . He was very picky. He didn’t even like doggie treats just some doggie salami . He never was begging for food. And he had his dry food in his bowl all day … it was his snack. He was amazing dog.., good hunter.

Author: Martina Marhevska S.

Likes: 9


My yorkie only ate chicken (no beef or anything). I weaned her off of a raw diet, to regular dog food. I recommend Rachel Ray..she love chicken brown rice. Its all natural also.

Author: Maryjo C.

Likes: 0


My dogs including a yorkie just love their Pedigree little bites.

Author: Carolyn G.

Likes: 4


Who is the alpha here……they will eat eventually…, I feed my Yorkie mix ….Fromm’s food since she was a baby she is now 12:yrs old…… they are playing you cuz they can….if they don’t eat in timely manner pick up dish and don’t feed til next meal….seems like they rule you you have to be the ALPHA…..reduce your anxiety as they pick up on that….they will eat if they are hungry enough…also put a bit of topper sprinkled on food like crumps mini trainers….put the food down and walk away…..if they don’t eat, pick it up and don’t feed again ’til next meal…..trust me they will eat…..don’t let them feed off your anxiety…..good luck

Author: Gloria B.

Likes: 1


Fresh pet, cost a bit more but I also have a picky Yorkie who gets tired of food quickly but Fresh pet he has stayed with for a long period of time. We have to get at Pet Smart. Hope your Yorkie likes

Author: Sandy P.

Likes: 6


I mix up plain chicken, frozen peas and green beans, scrambled egg and her wet dog food. I make a batch big enough to last 2 days. When I serve it to her I throw in a few pieces of dry kibble and water to give it some crunch and to make sure she’s getting enough water. She loves it. So much better then her reg food and it’s super easy to make. You can even freeze it if you make a bigger batch.

Author: Louise D.

Likes: 2


Primal nuggets….very healthy food, my Yorkies love it !!!!

Author: Lisa Dockendorf K.

Likes: 3


They get hungry enough they will eat. I tell my Chloe that all the time. She gets Iams dry with a little bit of Cesar filet mignon on top. She eats twice a day if she doesn’t eat much one meal she will eat the next meal. She’s very picky and is about 6 lbs !

Author: Dawn Lazell-J.

Likes: 3


Cesar is the ONLY dog food mine will eat. He even likes the dry food but we have to vary the wet food flavors because if we give him the variety he doesn’t want at the moment he refuses to eat until we open something else. We always feed him first so if he refuses our first option we give it to our other dog.

Author: Beverly R.

Likes: 2


There’s a thing called Meal Mixers at pet store we add a little if that on food or just break up some treats. When we have chicken we will also add that to their food. Ours are picky too.

Author: Angelina LoRe M.

Likes: 1


My 3 all have cooked chicken, chicken livers, chicken hearts, lamb, sausage not one of them eat canned or dry food they also get oxtail which my butcher chops into small portions which the hard bone kps their teeth healthy. I cook everything once a wk and put it into portions in freezer n take 1 bag out per day (which had enough for the 3) they also only like cat bisc which are in a bowl on their tray. All my babies have had the same and 3 who have died of old age in past 2 yr were 15, 17 and 21.

Author: Denise B.

Likes: 0


Framers Dog for our yorkies until they tired of it all 4 of them. They love when we boil cx sweet potatoes and rice, other wise it has always been Fromm and my male yorkie has kidney disease so he has special diet RX Hills and he likes that too.

Author: Tricia S.

Likes: 0


Have you tried a little bit of grated cheese.

Tilly only really gets Royal Canin Yorkie dry kibble – but her favourite treat are the original Rancho strips that seem to be being withdrawn so buy whatever I can find but she only gets one strip a day – the other little treat she will sometimes eat are the tasty minis particularly if playing in the puzzle game. Very rarely she gets a tid-bit of what I’m eating but loves cheese

Author: Alyson G.

Likes: 0


Royal canin for yorkies. You can get it at Pet Smart. I fed that to both of mine. When we lost the first one, he had eaten this for 17 years, and then my other one came from the same father, different momma. They were 1 year apart. I had the last one 18 years,and 8 months. Both were very healthy and active. They crossed the rainbow bridge 2 years apart.

Author: Rebekah Swofford W.

Likes: 0


I’ve started making my own food in the slow cooker- they love it! I mix ground pork and beef, sweet potatoe, carrots, blueberries, apple and kale. Slow cook on high for 3 hrs. Make a cup of rice- then add to cooked foods. I like I usually have all the ingredients already on hand, I know what’s in it, and they love it. I freeze it in 2 day portions and it’s good in the fridge for 4 days.

Author: Called T.

Likes: 0


My yorkiepoo is on a special diet through her vet. It’s the EN gastrointestinal food. She stopped eating it so her vet told to me to try Science Diet for sensitive stomachs but she turned her nose up immediately. The vet then told me to boil some rice and some chicken and feed her that. I mix it with her EN dog food and she loves it

Author: Tammy Shonio G.

Likes: 3


They love great human grade food, no itch, great fur, nice teeth, good poop too. They love it, yes where picky.

Author: Daniela D.

Likes: 0


I feel for you. We have a Shorkie who is the pickiest little gal. I have tried several different brands-even a $20 bag for picky eaters that they supposedly would eat–NOT. The only thing I get her to eat without balking is meat I cook for her–chicken breasts, pork chops, roast beef, deer meat, hamburger, fish, and turkey sometimes.. I can’t get her to eat any fruit or veggies, or rice. She does like spaghetti, cheese, mac and cheese. No hot dogs, sausage, or processed foods. We did try her on Blue Buffalo canned meals. She did eat the beef stew pretty good, but not the other varieties. It was so hit and miss with her after we got home, that I gave away the last couple of cans I had, so she gets what I know she will eat. She also loves liver-won’t touch chicken liver, but will eat beef liver. GOOD LUCK! I might also add that she wants to eat only out of HER bowl or else I have to hand feed her.

Author: Carol F.

Likes: 0


I use Orijen kibble for small dogs no grains, very flavorful . Has all the freeze dried raw organ meat and fish stuff they love.

Author: Linda J.

Likes: 0


We have fed our Yorkies Natural Balance all their lives. They are 10 and 12. The local pet store there carries it. We buy the small bites.

Author: Gaynell S.

Likes: 2


Always consult your vet before making any health changes to your yorkie’s diet, especially if they frequently suffer from any medical issues. iHeartDogs is reader supported, so some of the links above may be affiliate links where we receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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