10 Best Dog Foods for Yorkies With Allergies – 2023 Reviews & Top Picks

Choosing the right dog food for your pet is much easier these days with the guidance of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the guidance of the FDA. However, health issues can complicate matters, especially if your Yorkie has an allergy. It’s essential to realize that most conditions are caused by animal proteins¹, like chicken and beef. Grains are typically not the problem.

Nevertheless, given all your choices, we understand that it can be a daunting decision. Our guide will discuss what you should look for in a dog food for your Yorkie. We’ve also included detailed reviews to help you make an informed selection that will meet all your pup’s nutritional needs.

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The 10 Best Dog Foods for Yorkies With Allergies

1. Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription – Best Overall

Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe is a subscription-based service delivering freshly prepared meals based on your pet’s dietary needs. The recipes are nutritionally complete and meet AAFCO standards. Lamb as an alternative protein source is often a go-to item since it isn’t a common ingredient in most commercially prepared foods. That makes it a good choice if your Yorkie is allergic to beef or chicken.

It’s hard to beat the convenience of prepackaged foods. However, the recipe contains some problematic ingredients like chickpeas. Therefore, we suggest discussing this diet choice with your veterinarian. The diet is not shelf-stable, making proper handling essential.

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2. Pedigree Small Dog Complete Dry Food – Best Value

Pedigree Small Dog Complete Dry Food is an affordable diet that offers a lot of nutrition in just the right quantities. It is highly palatable and digestible, even for finicky pets. Chicken is the main protein source. It’s our choice for the best dog food for Yorkies with allergies for the money. The product is also made in the USA. The company has a Supplier Quality Assurance program to ensure all ingredients are safe for your pet.

The dog food has a high protein content that exceeds the recommendations of the AAFCO. It also has omega-6 fatty acids to help your pup’s coat look its best. The calorie count is reasonable to ensure that your pet stays fit. The only downside is the dried peas in the ingredient list. However, it’s far down the list and likely not a significant quantity.

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3. Royal Canin Yorkshire Terrier Adult Dry Food

Royal Canin Breed Health Nutrition Yorkshire Terrier Adult Dry Dog Food stands out as a diet formulated especially for Yorkies. It is rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, something dog owners will appreciate with pups with fine hair. While it has beet pulp², the food also has added taurine and high protein content to stem concerns about a deficiency in this nutrient.

Unsurprisingly, the diet is expensive. However, it includes high-quality ingredients with added vitamins and minerals. The kibble size and shape are appropriate for Yorkies and can help offset tartar issues. The food is also highly palatable for picky eaters.

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4. Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Dry Food – Best for Puppies

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Healthy Development Dry Dog Food is an excellent choice for growing pets because of its high protein content. The overall nutritional content will meet all your pup’s needs. The small kibble size is perfect for small breeds like Yorkies. We also appreciated the whole grains, which boosted the diet’s fiber content.

It does have peas and beet pulp. However, they are far down on the list of the ingredients, with the former being the last one. The food is highly palatable, with both chicken and pork flavors. It is also highly digestible, making it a good choice for pets with sensitive digestive systems.

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5. Purina Pro Plan Dry Dog Food – Vet’s Choice

Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food is an excellent choice for providing optimal nutrition for your pet. The protein content exceeds AAFCO’s standards while offering decent amounts of the necessary vitamins and minerals. It also includes omega-6 fatty acids to help your Yorkie look its best. The formula is grain-inclusive with multiple sources.

It’s worth mentioning that while chicken is the main protein, there’s also beef in the ingredients. The diet also has probiotics for pets with sensitive digestive systems. It has glucosamine for pups with mobility issues but is highly palatable for enticing picky dogs to eat.

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6. Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Adult Dry Food

Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Adult Dry Dog Food is a high-quality product with the protein and beneficial ingredients to prove it. The diet is highly nutritious, with salmon as its primary protein. However, it’s worth noting that it also contains beef fat. The manufacturer markets this food for active dogs like this breed.

We liked that it is grain-inclusive with excellent sources within the first ingredients. It also contains omega-6 fatty acids for skin health. Dogs with sensitive GI systems may fare well on this diet, too.

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7. Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Dry Dog Food

Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets HA Hydrolyzed Dry Dog Food is the only hydrolyzed diet on our list. Pet owners seeing a non-meat item as the first ingredient might wonder about its nutritional value. Corn in this form is highly digestible. The food is a complete diet when the manufacturer combines the correct concentrations of amino acids. This one meets the AAFCO’s standards.

This food is highly processed, but that is the purpose of these diets to make them more digestible. Some pets develop GI issues associated with their allergies. This product is an excellent choice for those dogs when they can’t tolerate other foods. It is pricey and requires a vet prescription. However, a pup needing this type of diet should be under a veterinarian’s care, anyway.

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8. Iams Adult Small & Toy Breed Dry Dog Food

Iams Adult Small & Toy Breed Dry Dog Food covers the bases for a nutritious diet for your Yorkie. Chicken is the main protein source and makes up the first two ingredients. The by-products are not a negative at all and add to its value. It is highly digestible with kibble just the right size for smaller pups. The fat content is a bit high. However, it’s offset by the high protein.

The food is packed with vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, it also contains beet pulp with no added taurine. Nevertheless, it is grain-inclusive with a decent fiber percentage. The kibble adds to its value by helping with tartar removal.

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9. Eukanuba Adult Small Bites Dry Dog Food

Eukanuba Adult Small Bites Dry Dog Food has chicken as its primary protein and fat sources. That’s reflected in its nutritional value, making it an excellent choice for optimal health. It also contains fish oil for omega-3 fatty acids and glucosamine for joint health. It has whole grains for fiber to support digestion. The kibble has a unique shape to help keep tartar under control.

You won’t have any problems getting your Yorkie to eat this food with chicken as the first two ingredients. It is highly digestible for pups with sensitive tummies. Overall, it ticks off all the boxes for an adult maintenance diet.

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10. Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food

Wellness Simple Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food offers an alternative protein source for pets that can’t tolerate chicken or beef. While it’s a high-protein diet, it also contains problematic ingredients like peas and potatoes. The calorie count per cup is also high compared to other products we reviewed. On the positive side, it has probiotics in the formula to help sensitive pets.

The food contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to support skin health. It also has glucosamine for pups with mobility issues. While salmon is an excellent alternative, some pets might not like the strong taste.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Dog Foods for Yorkies With Allergies

Dogs can have allergies or food intolerances, just like people. Often, the telltale signs include itching, ear infections, and other signs of inflammation. Scientists aren’t certain how prevalent they are in pets. Your pup can be allergic to airborne materials that can cause similar symptoms, making it even more challenging for your vet to diagnose this condition.

The best way to determine if an allergy is affecting your pet is through an elimination diet. Your vet will recommend feeding your dog only one type of food and nothing else, not even treats. Unfortunately, there aren’t any consistently reliable diagnostic tests. Feeding your pup a diet with limited ingredients can make it easier to identify the allergen.

Protein Source

The most likely culprits causing your Yorkie’s allergy are beef and dairy products. Soy, corn, and rice are far less common. Many manufacturers include multiple protein sources in their dog foods, making matters more complicated. This is one reason why veterinarians may recommend a diet with a novel source, such as lamb, venison, or fish.

We recommend reading the entire list of ingredients for your Yorkie’s dog food. It’s essential that your pet doesn’t get any other treats, supplements, or even rawhides that may contain similar items. After all, the purpose of the elimination diet is just that, to narrow it down to the specific allergens causing your pup’s discomfort.

Overall Nutritional Value

The AAFCO’s nutritional profiles set the standards while the FDA sets the labeling requirements on pet foods. It must include the obvious things, such as the brand and type of food. The label must also provide a guaranteed analysis, nutritional adequacy statement, and feeding instructions. The analysis tells you how much protein, fat, and other vital facts about the food.

A puppy needs a minimum of 22% protein for adequate nutrition, whereas an adult should get at least 18%. Animal-based sources should easily meet these requirements and provide all the essential amino acids. Fat should come in at 8% for puppies and 5% for adults. Fortunately, Yorkies aren’t as predisposed to weight gain as other breeds. However, we recommend monitoring your pup’s body condition, nevertheless.

Another option you may see is hydrolyzed diets. Manufacturers process these foods to break down the proteins in hopes that they may not trigger an allergic reaction by the immune system. They are often veterinary products that require a prescription. Some pets can tolerate these foods even if they contain the offending protein. Whether they’ll work depends on the sensitivity of your pet.

Special Ingredients

When you start looking at specialty diets, you’re entering something of a minefield where marketers label products to appeal to pet owners’ sense of taste instead of appreciable nutritional value for your dog. That’s why you’ll often see ingredients like blueberries, cranberries, and carrots that make the food seem more natural or wholesome than others without these foodstuffs.

Spikes in cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) have spiked recently, prompting the FDA to investigate these cases. The agency’s initial findings showed an association between those ingredients and DCM. You may also see foods labeled grain-free or gluten-free. While wheat is sometimes an allergy trigger, we suggest you discuss with your vet whether these diets are necessary for your Yorkie.

Life Stage

You’ll see one of four life stages listed on the dog food: puppy (growth), adult (maintenance), gestation, or all life stages. As you’ve seen, the nutritional needs of dogs vary depending on their age. However, many manufacturers will produce that latter product with detailed feeding instructions to meet your pet’s dietary needs.

Breed

You’ll also find products marketed for special breed categories, from toy to giant. The nutritional needs of small and large dogs vary because they mature at different rates. A Yorkie is an adult by 9 months, whereas a Great Dane may not reach that stage until it’s 2 years old. Formulation differences exist with the kibble size that may make choosing the diet for a small breed more appropriate for your pup.

Conclusion

Ollie Fresh Lamb Recipe is an excellent product manufactured by a company devoted to high-quality nutrition. It tops our list of the best diet for Yorkies with allergies. Pedigree Small Dog Complete Dry Food packs a welcome nutritional punch in its affordable product that is highly palatable to entice the finickiest pets. It’s a great value for the price. Hopefully, these reviews have given you some potential foods to feed your Yorkie and helped make this important decision easier.

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Featured Image Credit: Valerie Nik, Shutterstock