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Originally Posted by Maximo  Welcome to Yorkietalk.  How long has your Yorkie boy been with you? Has he has a wellness check recently with the vet? Any other changes in behavior?
The best way to gauge proper weight is to check the ribcage. You should be able to feel his ribs easily. If the his ribs are sticking out, he may be underweight.
I believe the best way to combat picky eating is to reduce or eliminate treats, do not give table food, and have scheduled feeding times. Put the bowl down at the given time and leave it down for 20 minutes. If he doesn't eat, pick it up until the next meal time. A healthy dog will not starve itself. Do not continuously offer food alternatives, otherwise you are training your dog to hold out until he gets "good stuff."
Sometimes a food change is required to find the right one. However, constant changes, in my opinion, can encourage picky eating. |
Excellent post! We have never had a report of a dog that has truly starved himself. I think we cater to them to the point we teach them to be picky. I know we love these little ones so much we want to do whatever will make them happy, but sometimes the best thing is just holding fast with what we are doing and not changing a thing.
A healthy yorkie does appear on the thin side to most people. My vet has described my dogs as lean and I asked him about it -- he said they are PERFECT! Lean is healthy and means longer lives. I am trying to cut back with Ben right now as he gained a pound after neutering. He is no longer "lean" and I want to keep him around for a very long time -- so he gets his treats micro-sized.