The 5 Best Dog Foods for Yorkies with Sensitive Stomachs

Are you tired of watching your Yorkshire Terrier stumbling in pain because he or she can’t digest nearly anything? Perhaps you’re sick of your beloved pets starting to go all over the place simply because of their sensitive stomachs.

If that’s the case, then check out these tips and some of the best foods that can help to remedy this all too common problem!

The Top 5 Best Dog Foods for Yorkies with Sensitive Stomachs

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Top Pick

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Nutro Ultra Grain-Free Paté Wet Dog Food won a whole bunch of awards, but what really matters is the fact that this stuff contains no grain just like the label claims. That means you can give it to a dog that would have otherwise gotten an upset stomach with almost any other dog food.

Some pet owners naturally won’t like having to give their dogs wet food because of the inconvenience, but this food is every bit as pure as it claims so it’s really worth it. It’s made of a special blend of chicken, lamb, and salmon as well as pieces of whole vegetables that are much more wholesome than the grin blends used by most other types of dog food.

Perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners or colors. That’s one of the most important things to consider when looking for dog food for sensitive animals.

You’ll probably hear plenty of people talk about how eliminating these substances was the key to getting their dogs’ digestive systems back on track when working with this kind of food. That’s because even many so-called natural products have at least one or two artificial ingredients while this one genuinely doesn’t.

Best for Those who Need Dry Food

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Royal Canin Adult Breed Specific Dry Dog Food has a name that’s truly a pain to say, but it’s geared toward adult Yorkies who have sensitive stomachs. The kibble itself is specially shaped to fit the unique mouths of this breed, which should help to make it especially attractive to owners who have a tough time getting their dogs to not choke on dinner.

If your Yorkie needs to eat a certain amount of Calories a day according to your vet, then this might be a great pick too. Every 2.2 lbs. of food offers 3,798 Calories, so you’ll be able to figure out the amount with more precision than anyone really needs.

Apparently, Yorkies love the smell of this stuff too!

Best for Finicky Eaters

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Owners of Yorkies that have sensitive stomachs and also don’t like the tastes of most types of dog food are sort of in a double bind. Instinct Original Small Breed canned dog food was designed with those who have these kinds of animals in mind.

It’s made with cage-free chicken and offers a high protein content compared to most other dog foods, so your dog will probably think that it’s a treat. In fact, you might have to be careful not to overfeed your pooch since some dogs, especially younger ones, will go crazy for the raw chicken flavor.

While it tends to be a little more expensive than other similar products, the price might be worth it because there’s so little filler in it that it might actually help to feed your dog faster.

Best for Traveling Dogs

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Traveling with a pooch that has a sensitive stomach can be a real pain, both for you and in the literal sense for them! As a result, you might want to consider the TruDog FeedMe Superfood mix.

Sure, the name sounds ridiculous and you’ll have to special order it but this freeze-dried blend is one of the only real options you might have if you’re looking for something that you can bring with you anywhere.

A package of the food is relatively dense, so it won’t take up a whole lot of space. Considering that a couple of private pilots have actually said they can bring it along for the ride should help to drive home the fact that you can pack TruDog anywhere.

That being said, you probably won’t want to feed your Yorkshire a steady diet of it in most cases.

Best for Dogs on Restricted Diets

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Having a dog with a sensitive stomach who also has to be on a restricted diet because of something the vet said is one of the toughest things, but ORIJEN High-Protein Premium dog food might be the answer to your woes.

It’s made with fresh regional ingredients sourced from area farms in Kentucky, so it’s pretty close to what a dog might have actually eaten out in the wild. Around 85 percent of ORIJEN food by volume comes from animal protein, which is much higher than most other comparable products.

Homemade Dog Food For Yorkies with Sensitive Stomachs

You can also use ground turkey or chicken breast cooked with rice.

For this recipe, you’ll need:

• 1.5 cups white rice or brown rice
• 2 cups water (or broth)
• 1 to 1-3/4 pounds cooked chicken breast cubed into bite-sized pieces (canned chicken is fine)

Add a pinch of salt to both the meat and the water before boiling it all together for 30 minutes to an hour on high heat. Split into portions based on your dog’s weight (1/4 to 1/2 a cup per serving twice a day).

Why Do So Many Yorkshire Terriers have Such Sensitive Stomachs?

Nobody is quite sure why this particular breed has so many troubles, but it might actually have something to do with being a lighter-weight dog in general. Small dogs naturally have less surface area in their stomachs.

Noted veterinarian Dr. Marie Haynes always asks if a dog who is experiencing these symptoms is underweight or maybe even overweight. Having a poor weight balance or being fed a diet that’s rich in artificial chemicals can really make this problem worse.

What Do You Do if Your Yorkie Ate Something Dangerous?

All dogs, to some degree, have sensitive stomachs but Yorkies can be even more sensitive than most others. Veterinarian experts like Joseph Kinnarney (DVM) usually suggest a cautious approach, because the cure can be worse than the disease in some cases.

In an absolute worst-case scenario, you might need to bribe a dog to take around 1 tbsp. of hydrogen peroxide for every 20 lbs. of body weight. Considering how light Yorkies and even Corgis tend to be, even a much smaller amount could do the trick.

Much more could be worse than that. That being said, you’re only going to want to use that for dogs who’ve invested a great deal of something as dangerous as chocolate.

Do Chocolate Cause Stomach Problems in Yorkies?

You’ve probably heard that dogs can’t eat chocolate, but accidents do happen. While chocolate is seldom lethal to larger dogs, it can cause severe pain and potentially more serious side effects in smaller animals.

In some quantities, chocolate indeed can kill your dog, and Yorkies tend to be small so this is a particular issue. Even if your dog doesn’t have a sensitive stomach, make sure not to let him or her anywhere near where you keep the chocolate.

Exercising a Sensitive Yorkie

Getting plenty of exercises is very important even for dogs with sensitive stomachs. According to Kennel Club representatives, a few may be behaviorally inclined to become overweight and this, in turn, can make the problem worse.

Try taking your dog out for short walks. Over time, you might be able to increase the amount of exercise they prefer.

Don’t ever force things, but make sure you’re not letting your dog lay around either.

Food Additives that Bother Sensitive Yorkies

Take a look at the label on your preferred dog food. Is there any ingredient that has a phony-sounding name in a dead language?

Anything with Latin-sounding names is likely to be artificial ingredients, which can make Yorkshire Terriers and other small dogs get plenty of stomach cramps.

Yorkies & Artificial Dyes or Colors

Some dog food manufacturers have been getting wise to the fact that Yorkie owners know a little more about what bothers their puppies the most, so they’ve started to write out dye names as colors. Avoid anything that has a name like “Blue #1” on it or anything even remotely similar to that.

FD&C Products that Bother Sensitive Yorkies

You’ll also want to keep on the lookout for anything that has a name beginning with the code FD&C followed by the name of a particular color.

This refers to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and has to do with legal double-speak about something being a registered dye. In other words, your Yorkie doesn’t need to be eating it!

Playing with Yorkies with Sensitive Stomachs

All dogs need to feel like they belong as part of the family, so you might be worried if your Yorkie feels too sore to touch. This is a sign of a serious problem, and you’ll probably want to go to the vet.

After switching up their food, be cautious about playing too rough with your dog. Yorkies shouldn’t receive too much fierce exercise anyway, so it’s probably best to be gentle anyway.

Usually, these symptoms are alleviated completely in a week or two after transitioning toward more of a natural diet that doesn’t have all those compounds Yorkies are bothered by.

Giving Yorkies with Sensitive Stomachs Plenty of Water

Not getting enough water is a leading cause of canine constipation. San Francisco Bay Area veterinarian Dr. Eric Barchas recommends that you never withhold water even if your dog has accidents around the house.

This is more of a training problem than anything, so make sure your dog gets access to his or her bowl at all times if possible. Noted Singaporean vet Dr. Eugene Lin recommends around 1.7 cups of water for an 11 lbs. dog, and you’d naturally want to increase consumption with every pound.