Can Yorkies eat duck?

Duck is a nutritious protein that's fine for a Yorkie when it's prepared simply. It's actually a common ingredient in dog foods, often chosen for dogs with sensitivities to chicken. The catch with duck is that it's a fattier meat, so the skin and visible fat should be trimmed off before serving — too much fat is hard on a tiny dog. Cook it all the way through, take off every bit of skin and fat, remove all bones, and serve it completely plain, with no salt, oil, onion, or garlic. A small piece of plain lean duck meat, cooled and cut small, makes a tasty treat or topper for a 4-7 lb dog.

What Yorkie owners need to know

• Remove the skin and visible fat — duck is a fatty meat and too much fat is hard on a tiny dog.
• Only plain, fully cooked, boneless duck; never raw, and never with the bones in.
• Serve it plain with no salt, oil, onion, or garlic — skip roast duck cooked with seasonings.

How preparation changes the answer

Safe preparation

• Cook a skinless piece of duck fully by baking, boiling, or dry-pan cooking with no oil or seasoning.
• Trim off all skin and visible fat, and remove every bone.
• Let it cool, cut it into small pieces, and offer a little as a treat or topper.

Nutrition at a glance

Possible benefits

• A source of complete protein plus iron, zinc, and B vitamins.
• A useful alternative for dogs sensitive to chicken.
• Rich, tasty flavour that appeals to picky eaters in small amounts.

Risks & things to watch

• Duck is fatty, so skin and fat left on can cause stomach upset or, with a lot, pancreatitis risk.
• Cooked bones splinter and are a serious choking and gut-perforation hazard.
• Salt, oil, onion, or garlic used in cooking are harmful to a tiny dog.

If your Yorkie ate too much

A little extra plain lean duck may just cause soft stools. If your dog ate a lot of skin and fat, or a seasoned version, or you think a bone was swallowed and they're gagging, drooling, or seem unwell, contact your vet.

Frequently asked questions