Grains & Starches

In small amounts — a little plain baked bread won't harm most Yorkies, but it's empty calories, so keep it rare.

Only a few pieces of a plain, low-sugar cereal, dry — and only if it has no chocolate, raisins, or xylitol. Most cereals are too sugary for a tiny dog.

Yes — plain, fully cooked chickpeas can be a small fibre- and protein-rich treat for Yorkies, but never raw or dried, and never as hummus.

Best avoided — a plain cracker crumb won't poison a Yorkie, but crackers are salty, refined, and often seasoned, offering nothing good for a tiny dog.

Only maybe — and only after checking every ingredient. Granola is often packed with raisins, chocolate, nuts, and sugar, so most of it isn't safe for a Yorkie.

Yes — plain, fully cooked lentils with no salt, onion, or garlic are a fibre- and protein-rich treat for Yorkies, served in tiny amounts.

Use caution — and check the packet first. A plain sugar marshmallow isn't toxic, but it's pure sugar with a sticky, round shape that can choke a small dog. Critically, a sugar-free marshmallow may contain xylitol, which is a poisoning emergency.

A tiny bite of plain, fully cooked pancake now and then is usually fine — but never with chocolate chips, and never anything topped with sugar-free syrup.

In small amounts — plain cooked pasta is fine for a Yorkie, but skip all sauce, garlic, and salt.

Yes — plain, fully cooked pearled barley with no salt or seasoning is a gentle, fibre-rich grain Yorkies can have in small amounts.

Best avoided. A plain crust crumb will not poison a Yorkie, but real pizza combines several things that are bad for a five-pound dog — onion and garlic in the sauce, a lot of salt and fat in the cheese and toppings, and a rich, heavy dough.

Yes, when cooked plain with water — plain oatmeal is a gentle, fibre-rich food that suits sensitive or senior Yorkies, served cooled.

In small amounts — a few pieces of plain air-popped popcorn are fine, but skip butter, salt, and any unpopped kernels.

Avoid. Pretzels are coated in salt and are empty carbohydrate with no benefit for a dog, and hard pretzels add a tooth-fracture and choking risk for a tiny mouth. They're a poor snack for a Yorkie.

Use caution — and read every label. Protein and energy bars are a mixed bag of ingredients that can be dangerous to dogs: many contain xylitol, chocolate, raisins, macadamia nuts, caffeine, or a lot of fat. Several of those are toxic to a Yorkie.

Yes — plain, rinsed, fully cooked quinoa with no salt or seasoning is a protein-rich grain Yorkies can have in small amounts.

No. Raw yeast dough is dangerous twice over: it keeps rising inside the warm stomach, and the yeast ferments into alcohol. Both are serious problems for a dog as small as a Yorkie.

No — classic holiday stuffing is made with onion, garlic, butter, and salt, all of which are genuinely harmful to a tiny dog. Skip it entirely.

Yes, when cooked plain — cooked sweet potato is a nutritious, fibre-rich treat, but never serve it raw and watch the calories.

A tiny piece of plain, fully cooked waffle occasionally is usually fine — but skip all the toppings, and never anything with sugar-free syrup.

Yes — plain cooked white rice is safe and easy to digest, which is why it's a staple of the vet-suggested bland diet.