Are Yorkies Picky Eaters? And What to Do About It

When you bring your Yorkie home, you may notice that they seem kind of picky about the foods that they are willing to eat. They may only eat at certain times and gravitate towards certain foods. This may cause you to wonder whether all Yorkies are picky when it comes to eating.

Yorkies are known to be picky eaters. This is true of most small breed dogs, with some Yorkies being pickier eaters than others. There are many non-medical reasons why your Yorkie does not want to eat such as not liking the texture of the food, not feeling hungry, or not being active enough during the day. Keeping your Yorkie active during the day and trying out a few different types of food will make a difference.

Yorkies are often known to be picky when it comes to eating, and this can be a challenge for their owners. Let’s take a closer look at some of the reasons a Yorkie would be picky with their food and a few ways that you can stop this behavior and make mealtime easier.

The good news is that your Yorkie is not going to starve themselves to death. They will eventually eat something that you offer if they are hungry. You can check their teeth to make sure there are no dental diseases that are preventing them from eating because they are in pain. Outside of that, your Yorkie will eat at some point when they get hungry enough.

Some Yorkies like specific textures compared to others. Since they have small mouths and small teeth, they may not be fond of having hard kibble to work with. Instead, they will go with something that is softer. You can choose to give them wet food as this seems to be a popular option to work with. If you already have some hard kibble, then consider giving them kibble mixed in with water to help soften it up.

Having a Yorkie who is a picky eater can be a challenge. You would like to have a dog that gets along and will do a good job just eating the food that you give them. But your Yorkie has a personality just like you do. They may like some foods and may want to stay away from others. Knowing what your Yorkie likes and making adjustments can help.

Why is My Yorkie a Picky Eater?

Most of the time your Yorkie is going to be a picky eater because they are just not hungry or they do not like the texture of the food that you provide to them. Many Yorkies like to have soft food to help make it easier to chew on the kibble and if you provide them with food that is hard and rough, they are not going to be happy about it.

Sometimes the problem is that your Yorkie is not that hungry when you feed them. If they were not active during the day, it is hot outside, or they were given a lot of treats while doing some training with you or the children in the home, then it is possible that your Yorkie will not be hungry enough to want to eat at all.

Knowing your Yorkie is one of the best ways to tell what is going on with them. If they were generally a good eater and then stop all of a sudden and become picky, then this may be a sign that something has changed and you should figure out what it is. On the other hand, some Yorkies just tend to be picky all the time so you will need to make adjustments for this.

Are There Medical Reasons My Yorkie is a Picky Eater?

There are some health issues that may make your Yorkie less likely to eat and can cut down on their appetite. Some of the most common health issues when your Yorkie is not interested in eating include:

• Upset stomach: If your Yorkie is struggling from an upset stomach, they may not want to eat for a few days. Let them have plenty of water and liquids and wait a few days to see if they get better.
• Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis: This is a severe stomach problem and may lead to dehydration. If your Yorkie seems to be in a lot of pain, take them to their vet to get treated.
• Pancreatitis: When there are high levels of fat in the blood, it can inflame the pancreas and loss of appetite will happen with an abnormal secretion in the stomach.
• Medications: Some of the medications that you give to your Yorkie can cause them to not feel that hungry.

The good news is that the most common reasons that your Yorkie is picky is because they just do not like the food you are serving or they want a specific texture or something else, rather than a big medical reason that is preventing it. Trying out a few different

Are There Non-Medical Reasons My Yorkie is a Picky Eater?

There are also some non-medical reasons why your Yorkie may seem to be a picky eater. If it is unusually hot outside, then your Yorkie will eat less food and can skip meals. If you think this is the problem, you should have your Yorkie drink more fluids to stay hydrated rather than worrying about them eating more.

If there is some reason your Yorkie is not getting the activity that they usually do, this will make them not want to eat as much. Without these regular activities, the digestion will slow down and your Yorkie will not feel hungry. Try playing with them outside or taking them on a walk and see what a difference it makes.

The types of foods that you feed your Yorkie will matter as well. Foods higher in protein will often fill the Yorkie up faster than normal. If you recently changed the type of dog food you give the Yorkie and they seem not to eat as much, check to see how the protein content is and see if that is part of the problem.

What Do I Do If My Yorkie is a Picky Eater?

Many Yorkies are going to be picky eaters and that is just in their temperament. If you notice that your Yorkie is becoming a picky eater and you would like to fix some of the problems, you can try some of the following:

• Keep the Yorkie in areas with mildly cold temperatures. This can help them feel more comfortable when eating.
• Avoid changing where the food station is. Your Yorkie likes to stick with their habits and will not like when things change.
• Give the proper amount of food to the Yorkie. Do not give them too much or too less. With time, you will get used to how much food the Yorkie will eat and you can make the adjustments based on that.
• Take them out a few times a day. Sometimes it is easy to forget that your Yorkie may want to go out and explore and build up an appetite before they decide to eat. Be patient with them to help them get all that energy out.
• Recognize that they do not have an appetite. Just like with humans, there are times when your Yorkie is not going to be hungry. As long as there are no signs of weight loss, weakness, vomiting, or pain, then this is not a big deal.

You should also consider changing up the type of food that you offer the dog. Your Yorkie may just want a specific type of food. They may like a specific flavor, like food that is soft, or food that is hard. You may need to go through and try out a few different types of kibble to see what your Yorkie will like the most.

Avoid giving too many treats during the day too. If your Yorkie is filling up on treats while doing tricks and more, then they will not be as likely to eat during supper time. Break treats in half or into smaller bits and give them out sparingly to make sure your puppy will have an appetite when it is time for them to eat.

Helping Your Picky Yorkie

Some Yorkies are going to be pickier than others and you may need to work with them a little bit in order to find the right food for them and get them used to it. Other Yorkies are not going to be as bad. It will take some time to adjust to food or they may not be as hungry as you think they should. Be patient and learn what your dog likes and you are set to go.