Meat & Fish

Use caution, and read the label every time. Plain single-ingredient meat baby food is sometimes used to tempt a sick or picky Yorkie to eat, but many baby foods contain onion or garlic powder — which are toxic to dogs — so the ingredient list is the whole story.

Avoid. Bacon is very high in salt and fat and is loaded with grease — for a 5-pound Yorkie that fat and salt combination is a real trigger for stomach upset, pancreatitis, and salt-related illness.

Yes — lean, plain, fully cooked beef with the fat drained is a protein-rich treat for Yorkies, served in small amounts.

No. Human beef jerky is heavily salted and seasoned, and many brands contain onion or garlic powder — which are toxic to dogs — so keep it away from your Yorkie.

Yes — plain, cooked, boneless and skinless cod with no salt or seasoning is a gentle, lean fish for Yorkies served in small amounts.

No. Cooked bones splinter, and in a dog the size of a Yorkie a splinter that a Labrador might pass can obstruct or perforate the gut. This is a physical injury risk, not a poisoning.

Yes, when cooked plain, boneless, and skinless — plain cooked chicken is one of the most reliable, gentle treats for a Yorkie.

Only a rare, tiny scrap of low-sodium plain deli meat — most cold cuts are far too salty and full of preservatives, and some contain garlic, making them a poor choice for Yorkies.

Yes — plain, fully cooked, boneless duck with the skin and fat removed is a safe protein for Yorkies in small amounts.

No — fried chicken's greasy batter, salt, and seasonings plus the cooked bones make it a pancreatitis and choking risk for a tiny Yorkie.

Avoid. Ham is very high in salt and fat and is a cured, processed meat — for a 5-pound Yorkie that combination raises the risk of salt-related illness and pancreatitis, so it is not a treat to offer.

Avoid. Hot dogs are very high in salt and fat, usually carry nitrates and onion or garlic seasoning, and their round shape is a classic choking hazard for a small dog. They are a poor choice for a Yorkie.

Yes — plain, lean, well-cooked lamb can be an occasional treat for Yorkies, but it's rich and fatty so keep portions tiny.

Yes, in small amounts — plain cooked liver is a nutritious, protein-rich treat dogs love, but it's very high in vitamin A, so keep it occasional and tiny for a Yorkie.

Yes — lean, plain, fully cooked pork can be an occasional treat for Yorkies, but never raw and never bacon, ham, or seasoned pork.

Only a tiny scrap of the plain inner white meat, skin off and no bones — the salty, seasoned skin and the garlic and onion powder in the rub make most of a rotisserie chicken unsafe for Yorkies.

Yes, when thoroughly cooked and boneless — cooked salmon is a healthy treat, but never raw, because raw salmon can carry a parasite that's dangerous to dogs.

Yes, in small amounts — sardines packed in water with no salt are a nutritious omega-3 treat for Yorkies, but they're rich so keep portions tiny.

Avoid. Sausage is high in salt and fat and is very often seasoned with onion and garlic — for a 5-pound Yorkie that means both a pancreatitis and salt risk and a real chance of allium toxicity.

Yes — fully cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp with the tail off and no seasoning is a lean treat Yorkies can enjoy in small amounts.

Yes — plain, cooked, boneless tilapia with no salt or seasoning is a lean, mild fish Yorkies can enjoy in small amounts.

In small, occasional amounts — a little canned tuna in water (not oil or brine) is fine for Yorkies, but mercury means it shouldn't be regular.

Yes — plain, cooked, skinless and boneless turkey is a lean, gentle protein for Yorkies, as long as it's unseasoned and shredded small.

No. Turkey bacon may sound like a lighter choice, but it's cured, very salty, and greasy — none of which belongs in a tiny Yorkie's diet.