- This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
Yorkshire Terriers, like many Terriers, were originally bred for hunting critters smaller than them. Now, Yorkies are sweet family lap dogs and a favorite of apartment dwellers and those who need a dog with hypoallergenic fur. And like any dog, they love a good toy, particularly one that taps into their chase, search, and prey drive.
We consulted expert Audrey Folsom Nett of Just Love the Dog for the scoop on what to look for in the best toys for Yorkies and small dogs. The top line take away? “Yorkies tend to play a lot of chase and have a lot of zoomies,” says Nett. Puzzles, balls, and flirt poles are king. We’ve rounded up our favorites below.
Best Plush Toy: KONG Cozies Marvin the Moose
Cozies, KONG’s line of plush toys, are a super cuddly companion for your pup. The squeaker is meant to entice the hunter in your Yorkie, with less stuffing for less mess in the event that sharp teeth finally shred a seam. The line also includes a pink elephant, purple rhino, green alligator, and pink monkey.
Key Features:
- Comes in three sizes: small is 3 x 4 x 2 inches
- Has a squeaker
Best Ball Toy for Yorkies: Hol-ee Roller Dog Toy
This ball, which comes in small and mini sizes, packs in a lot of features. It’s non-toxic and durable, can be used for chasing and fetching, and can serve as a puzzle toy—you can hide or stuff treats in for your Yorkie to forage out.
Key Features:
- Comes in five sizes—small is 3 inches
- Durable and soft natural rubber
- Play with it as-is or use to stash treats to make a puzzle toy
Best Flirt Pole: Outward Hound Tail Teaser
Nett likes flirt poles for smaller dogs to chase. For a Yorkie, it can be an especially appealing way to play and exercise. “It can be easier on the human as well, since there is a size difference,” she says. This Outward Hound model is affordable, lightweight, and includes two faux-fur squeaky attachments. We found the Tail Teaser durable enough for our medium-sized and highly prey-driven test pup Roo.
Constructed out of sturdy plastic and reinforced with a layer of nylon cord, the Tail Teaser’s rod held up well to Roo’s energetic play. It was also compact enough to take to the park and use for training on the go.
Key Features:
- Lightweight and easy to hold, 7.2 ounces
- 52-inch rope length
- Affordable price point
- Comes with two plush squeaky attachments
Best Ball Thrower: Chuckit! Sport Small Launcher
- Nett recommends fitting in at least two to three play sessions with your Yorkie every day. The classic Chuckit! launcher can help you get there while giving your arm a rest; it remains one of the best and most-recognizable throwers on the market. The Sport model in size small fits the small 2-inch balls and allows you to get some range when you’re in an intense ball-throwing session outside.
Key Features:
- Size small is 14 inches long
- Fits 2 inch balls (like these Chuckit! brand small balls)
Best Chew Toy for Yorkies: Benebone
Chewing is another enriching activity—and Benebone offers some of the best options for super chewing Yorkies. Firm but with enough satisfying give, it comes in enticing flavors like chicken, bacon, and peanut butter. The curved shape of the wishbone in particular makes it easy for pups to grasp.
Enthusiastic Rover testers loved the Benebone Wishbone, especially the durability of the natural nylon. Benebone also has a handy guide to show you when to replace it for safety.
Key Features:
- Durable nylon with a little give
- Alternative to sticks and real bones
- Infused with chicken, bacon, and peanut butter flavors
- Available in tiny size for adult dogs up to 15 pounds
Best Puzzle Toy: Nina Ottosson Hide ‘n’ Slide Puzzle Toy
“[Small dogs] are so fun and smart,” says Nett, so engaging their brains is rewarding for both pup and human. Puzzles are a great toy for Yorkies who like to hunt for their snacks. This toy is a level two, intermediate brain teaser (there are additional levels, from one to four).
Hide treats in the round blocks; your pup will need to flip the fins and then slide the block to get the treat. Hiding different kinds of treats can help to heighten interest or to draw them through challenging parts, and you can make it easier by first flipping the fins open and having them slide the block only.
Key Features:
- Can be set at a couple of difficulty levels
- No removable parts
- Made from a food-safe plastic and wood composite—BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free
- Non-slip bottom
Best Squeaky Toy for Yorkies: Outward Hound Hide a Squirrel
One of the best toys for your Yorkie to tap into their “find it” instinct, this plush burrow hides three squeaky squirrels that your pup will enjoy pulling out and then playing toss and fetch with. You can up the ante by stashing a treat or two inside the log with the squirrels.
It comes in multiple sizes, but the junior is likely a good fit for smaller dogs—the next size up could work as well, since the squirrels themselves are small-dog-sized. The best part? You can buy replacement squirrels if your dog likes to de-squeak or destroy them, like some dogs we know.
Key Features:
- Smallest junior sized log burrow is 4 x 4.5 x 4.5 inches
- Comes with three squeaky squirrels to put inside, you can get additional squirrels too
Best Fetch Toy for Yorkies: KONG Ring Toy
We’ve got Rover pup-tested proof of this little ring’s endurance. The nubs offer variety and a little bit of teeth-cleaning; it works as a fetch, chew, and tug toy for your Yorkie, and the price is hard to beat.
Key Features:
- Small/medium is 3.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick, the next size up is 4.25 inches
- Varying nubs clean teeth and are interesting to chew for your dog
Best Rope Toy: Mammoth Braidys Two-Knot Rope
Rope toys are among the best toys for rough-and-tumble games with your Yorkie, and Mammoth makes cotton rope toys in a variety of sizes and styles, like this classic option. As your pup tugs and chews on the toy, the cotton fibers get in between their teeth to give them a little teeth cleaning action too. The small size is perfect for small puppers, at 11 inches long and 1.5 inches thick.
Key Features:
- Available in small, medium, and large—small is 11 inches long
- Cotton rope helps floss teeth as it comes apart during chew sessions
Best Stuffing-Free Toy: Skinny Peltz
For your Yorkie who can’t resist a squeak (or who has a high prey drive), Skinny Peltz by Zippypaws are super fun for a rip-and-shaking good time. These toys are blissfully stuffing-free, include multiple squeakers, and hold up to a lot of indoor play.
Key Features:
- No stuffing
- Each toy contains two squeakers
- Comes in a pack of three
Best Treat Dispensing Toy for Yorkies: West Paw Toppl
This is one of Nett’s favorite toys, and it’s something that works well for a Yorkie when a pet parent can’t be immediately available for playtime. “They have many different sizes and it is a very versatile toy!” Get one and fill it with different kinds of treats that your dog can work on fishing out (you can freeze treats in them for extra fun in warm seasons), or get two to interlock them and make the food puzzle just a little bit tougher.
It wobbles and has grips on the inside to create a challenge for your dog and keep them busy. If your little dog is a speed-eater, you can use it to slow down their regular meals.
Key Features:
- Three sizes available, each can interlock with next size up or down
- West Paw toys are recyclable—send old toys back to the company and they will make new toys from the material
- Non-toxic and top-rack dishwasher safe
- Usable without food too—it floats and bounces
Best Toy for Puppies: Wild Knots Bear
Yorkies will appreciate the many textures and sounds in these tough plush toys that contain a rope skeleton and internal squeakers. It comes in a just-right extra-small size, and it’s made with less stuffing than your average toy, so there’s less mess. The knotty rope offers texture for growing teeth and gums, and the floppy limbs make for a satisfying shake.
Key Features:
- Four sizes, including extra-small and small/medium
- Has squeakers and a rope inside for texture and sound interest
- Rope helps make this a durable tug toy
Best Automatic Toy: iFetch
If your Yorkie is a ball hound, automatic ball launchers offer them fun fetching plus a learning challenge: You can train them to load the launcher themselves, and they can work on playing independently. The original iFetch is made for smaller dogs and includes three small tennis ball toys measuring 1.6 inches in diameter.
We’ve tested the larger model, the iFetch Too, and it’s become a favorite in our testers’ household. It’s a very engaging tool to exercise an energetic dog. It’s weather resistant, has a long-lasting battery, and is lightweight and easy to move around.
There’s an indoor version for small dogs too, the non-electronic iFetch Frenzy. With this one, you or your dog drops the ball in the top and waits for it to roll out of one of three openings.
Key Features:
- Ideal for small dogs
- Offers three modes: 10, 20, and 30 feet
- Uses 1.6 inch balls
- Weather resistant and lightweight
- For indoor or outdoor play
How We Chose
The best dog toys for Yorkies featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with trainer Audrey Folsom Nett of Just Love the Dog. We prioritized toys that are well-made from reputable brands that have durability and interest. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.
