feeding
Yorkie Puppy Feeding Schedule by Age
How often to feed a Yorkshire Terrier puppy from weaning to adulthood, and the low-blood-sugar warning every tiny-breed owner should know.
Yorkshire Terrier puppies are tiny, and tiny puppies have very small energy reserves. That single fact drives the whole feeding schedule: they need food frequently, and they should not go long stretches — especially overnight into morning — without eating.
Yorkie puppy feeding chart by age
Individual puppies differ, and your breeder or veterinarian may recommend something slightly different. As a general starting point:
| Age | Meals a day | Example timing | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8–12 weeks | About 4 | 7am · 11am · 3pm · 7pm | Never skip a meal; a small bedtime meal helps the youngest puppies through the night. |
| 3–6 months | About 3 | 7am · 1pm · 7pm | Growth is fast — weigh weekly and adjust portions to the trend, not the bag alone. |
| 6–12 months | 3 moving to 2 | 7am · (1pm) · 7pm | Drop the midday meal gradually once growth slows and energy stays steady. |
| Adult (about 12 months+) | 2 | 7am · 7pm | Most adults do well on two measured meals; some tiny adults stay steadier on three. |
- 8–12 weeks
- Meals a day: About 4
- Example timing: 7am · 11am · 3pm · 7pm
- What to watch: Never skip a meal; a small bedtime meal helps the youngest puppies through the night.
- 3–6 months
- Meals a day: About 3
- Example timing: 7am · 1pm · 7pm
- What to watch: Growth is fast — weigh weekly and adjust portions to the trend, not the bag alone.
- 6–12 months
- Meals a day: 3 moving to 2
- Example timing: 7am · (1pm) · 7pm
- What to watch: Drop the midday meal gradually once growth slows and energy stays steady.
- Adult (about 12 months+)
- Meals a day: 2
- Example timing: 7am · 7pm
- What to watch: Most adults do well on two measured meals; some tiny adults stay steadier on three.
Timings are only an example — any consistent routine that avoids long gaps works. Split the same daily amount across the meals; more meals does not mean more food.
How much should a Yorkie puppy eat per day?
Growing puppies need roughly two to three times their resting energy requirement (RER = 70 × body weight in kg^0.75) — toward three times while young, easing toward two times as growth slows. That gives a rough daily calorie range you can convert into grams of your puppy's own food:
| Puppy's current weight | Rough calories a day | Per meal at 3 meals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb (0.45 kg) | about 77–116 kcal | about 26–39 kcal |
| 1.5 lb (0.68 kg) | about 105–157 kcal | about 35–52 kcal |
| 2 lb (0.91 kg) | about 130–195 kcal | about 43–65 kcal |
| 3 lb (1.36 kg) | about 176–265 kcal | about 59–88 kcal |
- 1 lb (0.45 kg)
- Rough calories a day: about 77–116 kcal
- Per meal at 3 meals: about 26–39 kcal
- 1.5 lb (0.68 kg)
- Rough calories a day: about 105–157 kcal
- Per meal at 3 meals: about 35–52 kcal
- 2 lb (0.91 kg)
- Rough calories a day: about 130–195 kcal
- Per meal at 3 meals: about 43–65 kcal
- 3 lb (1.36 kg)
- Rough calories a day: about 176–265 kcal
- Per meal at 3 meals: about 59–88 kcal
These are starting estimates, not prescriptions. Younger puppies sit toward the top of the range, older ones toward the bottom; our calculator deliberately uses a more conservative 2.0×–2.6× band. To turn calories into grams, divide by your food's kcal per gram (the label's kcal/kg ÷ 1,000). Confirm with your veterinarian, and adjust to steady growth and body condition.
Worked example: a 2 lb puppy eating three meals of a kibble labelled 4,000 kcal/kg (4 kcal per gram) needs roughly 130–195 kcal a day — about 33–49 g of food for the whole day, or roughly 11–16 g per meal. That is why a gram scale matters: the difference between the low and high end is only a few grams per meal. Our calorie calculator runs this math for your puppy's weight and food.
Use a complete-and-balanced food formulated for growth (puppy) or for all life stages. Growing puppies need more calories per pound than adults, so follow the growth feeding guidance on the label rather than adult amounts, and adjust to keep the puppy growing steadily without becoming pudgy.
Why frequency matters so much for toy breeds
A large-breed puppy can coast for hours between meals. A 1.5 lb Yorkie puppy cannot — it burns through its limited glucose stores far faster relative to its size. Regular meals, warmth, and rest between play sessions all help keep blood sugar stable. Keeping meals consistent in timing also makes it much easier to notice quickly when a puppy stops eating.
Portion sizes and growth
Divide the day's food evenly across meals rather than offering one big serving. A gram scale helps enormously here, because the difference between a correct puppy portion and a too-large one can be just a few grams. Weigh the puppy regularly and track the trend: steady gain is the goal, not the biggest possible portion.
Fresh water and a calm routine
- Keep fresh water available at all times.
- Offer meals in a quiet spot so the puppy actually settles and eats.
- Avoid long gaps overnight for the youngest puppies; a small bedtime meal can help.
- Introduce any new food gradually to avoid stomach upset.
This is general educational information. Your veterinarian knows your specific puppy and can tailor meal frequency, portion, and diet — especially for the smallest 'teacup'-marketed puppies, which carry higher hypoglycemia risk. When in doubt about a young puppy's health, always err toward calling the clinic.
Frequently asked questions
How many times a day should I feed a Yorkie puppy?
Roughly four meals a day at 8–12 weeks, three from about 3–6 months, then transitioning toward two by 6–12 months. Frequent meals help protect against low blood sugar.
What if my Yorkie puppy suddenly won't eat?
Treat it as urgent. Tiny puppies can crash into hypoglycemia fast. Contact a veterinarian right away rather than waiting, especially if the puppy is also weak, wobbly, or cold.
How much should a Yorkie puppy eat per day?
Roughly two to three times its resting energy requirement: about 130–195 kcal a day for a 2 lb puppy, split across its meals. Convert that to grams using your food's kcal per gram, weigh portions, and adjust to steady growth with your vet's guidance.
When can a Yorkie switch to two meals a day?
Often somewhere between 6 and 12 months, once growth is slowing. Make the change gradually and keep an eye on body condition and energy.
Sources
We cite authoritative veterinary, regulatory, and nutrition sources so you can check the evidence yourself.
- Professional bodyWSAVA Global Nutrition CommitteeGlobal Nutrition Guidelines & Toolkit
Supports: Energy requirement calculation, body condition scoring, treat guidance. · Accessed 2026-07-01
- Regulatory bodyU.S. Food & Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine“Complete and Balanced” Pet Food
Supports: Nutritional adequacy statements: what “complete and balanced” means on a pet food label and when a food may be fed as a sole diet. · Accessed 2026-07-09
The Yorkiefood Editorial Team
We research Yorkshire Terrier feeding from regulatory bodies, veterinary manuals, poison-control centres, and peer-reviewed nutrition literature, then explain it plainly. We are careful researchers, not veterinarians — our pages cite their sources so you can check the evidence yourself, and we always defer to your own vet for your dog.
First published 2026-07-01 · Last reviewed 2026-09-29
Editor's picks for this guide
Specific tools we'd start with
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. This never changes our editorial picks. How this works.
Etekcity
Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale (0.1 g)
Best for: Weighing a Yorkie's small daily kibble portions to the gram instead of eyeballing scoops.
- Measures in 0.1 g increments below 1000 g — fine enough to catch the small gram differences that matter for a 4-7 lb dog.
- Has a tare/zero function so you can subtract the bowl and weigh food directly.
- Reads in grams, ounces, and millilitres with an 11 lb / 5 kg capacity.
Worth knowing: Auto-off after a couple of minutes of inactivity can shut it down mid-portioning if you pause.
Affiliate link · Info last checked 2026-07-15
PetRageous Designs
PetRageous Paws 5" Shallow Ceramic Bowl (1.5 Cups)
Best for: A shallow, wide ceramic dish so a Yorkie's face and whiskers aren't crammed into a deep bowl at every meal.
- Only 1.5 inches deep, so a short-muzzled small dog reaches food without pressing its whiskers and chin into steep walls.
- A 1.5-cup, 5-inch stoneware dish — a sensible footprint for a 2-7 lb dog rather than a large-breed bowl.
- Glazed non-porous ceramic doesn't hold odours or leach the way some plastics can, and it's dishwasher and microwave safe for warming a topper.
Worth knowing: A shallow bowl means wet or saucy food can be nudged over the low rim onto the floor by an enthusiastic eater.
Affiliate link · Info last checked 2026-07-23
Helpful feeding kit
Handy for feeding a Yorkie puppy
Small, frequent meals are easier with the right scale and bowls. Here are the categories worth a look.
Digital kitchen scale
Weigh tiny portions in grams — far more accurate than a scoop for a 5-lb dog.
Shop on AmazonSmall stainless bowl
Easy to clean, tip-resistant, and kind to sensitive chins.
Shop on AmazonSoft training treats
Tiny, low-calorie, easy to break smaller for a light training session.
Shop on AmazonLick mat
Spread a thin topper for calm enrichment without many extra calories.
Shop on AmazonThese are Amazon search links, not specific product endorsements. As an Amazon Associate, Yorkiefood earns from qualifying purchases. We don't show prices or star ratings here — check the current details on Amazon.
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