How Much To Feed A Maltese Puppy? [Answered]

Have you recently brought home a Maltese puppy?

Perhaps your veterinarian advised you to adjust your elderly Maltese diet?

But, how much to feed a Maltese puppy?

Regardless of how you arrived, choosing the best dog food for your Maltese, regardless of age, should be a top priority.

You should be aware of the nutritional requirements of this small toy breed, which weighs no more than 7 pounds.

Because many Maltese have sensitive stomachs, meals with few ingredients or extra fiber or probiotics will soothe and regulate their digestive system.

They are also known to be picky eaters, so you should anticipate to try a few different kibbles before finding one that he will eat.

We'll address these issues by providing a selection of kibbles for fussy dogs.

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How Much Should A Maltese Puppy Eat?

Maltese puppies and dogs take a shockingly small quantity of food, and if you've had larger breeds in the past, you might find it difficult to believe that such small amounts are enough to properly nourish this breed.

Before we get into how much food a Maltese should eat, it's important to note that the calories in different foods vary greatly.

And that is the crux of the matter.

Some foods, especially higher-quality dog foods and home-cooked meals, are heavy in calories.

As a result, serving sizes are frequently smaller than with lesser-known brands.

Furthermore, cheaper, poorer foods may have fillers that provide less nutrients per serving, requiring a Maltese to consume more calories to achieve the same calorie intake.

Maltese Puppy Feeding Chart

How Much To Feed A Maltese Puppy?

Age, breed, health, energy levels, and weight should all be considered when determining how much a dog should consume.

As a result, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much a Maltese should eat.

Given that there are (at least) five variables at stake, this is a reasonable assumption.

That said, if we assume your Maltese is an adult dog with a healthy weight and demeanor, we can be a little more specific with our responses.

Every day, Maltese should consume between 14 and 12 cups of high-quality, complete dry dog food.

This should ideally be split into two meals, but it shouldn't create any problems if fed across three meals or even just one (except for your dog's patience if you make them wait all day for food!).

Of course, the precise weight/amount of food you should feed your Maltese will vary slightly from one manufacturer to the next, but the statistics above should serve as a good starting point.

Keeping a watch on your Maltese weight and body composition can help you assess whether or not the quantity you’re feeding him is right.

You can do this by weighing them once a month and using your hands to assess their body fat levels.

Put your hands on his body, thumbs down his spine, fingers splayed downwards; if you can feel your Maltese's ribs, he's healthy; if they're not as simple to discover as you imagined, he's likely put on a few pounds and has to go on a diet!

Your Maltese puppy will need between four and six meals every day for the first three months of their lives.

This will assist them in making the transition from their mother's milk to solid puppy food.

However, feeding them on a regular basis does more than just mirror their normal feeding habits; it also makes it easier for them to digest food and provides them with a steady supply of energy.

Because puppy nutrition is so important for development and laying the groundwork for future development, it's critical to feed your Maltese the proper quantity of food every day.

If you don't give your dog adequate calcium, he or she may develop metabolic bone illnesses or early-onset arthritis later in life, both of which are severe conditions.

Another common blunder made by new dog owners is to gradually increase the amount of food fed to their puppies month after month.

Although this is understandable because it is what we do as humans, puppies require a different approach.

Maintain the same total caloric intake and food volume for the first four to twelve months.

The fewer calories a puppy needs as it grows older (even in its first year), and if you increase your puppy's calories month after month, they will become overweight.

Dietary Guidelines and Nutrients for Maltese

Maltese will live their healthiest lives if they are provided a raw, natural-food diet.

A diet consisting solely of meat, organs, and animal fat is known as a carnivore diet.

Dogs, like humans, are living, breathing beings who thrive on natural, nutritious food.

Despite the fact that they don't look like wild wolves, their digestive systems are nearly comparable to those of wild wolves, and they require a raw food diet.

Your dog will go crazy over raw food!

If your dog consumes a high-quality raw food diet, his health will be at its best.

Because the Maltese are prone to obesity, it's critical to monitor their calorie intake and weight.

If you choose to give your dog treats, do it in moderation.

Table scraps should be used sparingly, and cooked bones and high-fat items should be avoided.

Maltese Puppies

Once your puppy has been weaned from his mother, he will be ready to eat puppy chow.

Begin by dividing 14 cups of dog chow into three meals each day.

Follow this regimen until your puppy is six months old, at which point he will be ready to switch to balanced adult food.

Taking Care of the Adult Maltese

The Maltese do not consume a lot of food due to their modest size.

Your dog will thrive if you feed him according to his size.

Every day, Maltese weighing 2-4 pounds consume 14 to 12 cups of food.

A Maltese weighing 5 pounds or more will eat 12 to 34 cups of food each day.

Divide your dog's food into two meals every day if possible.

How Many Calories Does A Maltese Puppy Need?

Puppies require roughly 55 calories per pound of body weight every day as they grow.

And dogs that have reached adulthood (about 9 months in the case of Maltese) require 45 calories per pound of body weight each day.

Maltese Puppies’ Best Dog Food

When it comes to grains,

1. Complete Wellness For Small Breeds Wellnes

A well-known brand that takes great care in developing its recipes.

This features a turkey and oats basis (which is great for dogs that have sensitive tummies).

Salmon and flaxseed (both healthy sources of omega-3 fatty acids), chicken, brown rice and barley (both grains are usually well-tolerated), carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and apples are among the other ingredients.

All of the remaining ingredients are either natural preservatives, flavors, or vitamins and minerals.

This meal is created in the United States and contains no wheat, maize, soy, meat by-products, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It is sized right for most Maltese.

2. Small Breeds Halo Natural Chicken & Liver

This is a holistic brand that emphasizes non-GMO fruits and vegetables, as well as cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and ‘factory-free' meats.

Meats are also complete animals, rather than meals (compressed).

The base of this formula is chicken and chicken liver, which provides a fantastic blast of flavor that most dogs enjoy.

Other ingredients include sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, green beans, carrots, cranberries, and zucchini, as well as eggs, peas, oats, vegetable broth, pearled barley (usually a well-tolerated grain), salmon (an excellent source of omega-3), flaxseed, sweet potatoes, apples, blueberries, green beans, carrots, cranberries, and zucchini.

All of the remaining ingredients are either natural preservatives, flavors, or vitamins and minerals.

There are no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, and there are no by-products or soy in this product. This item is created in the United States and is sized for little dogs.

Grain-free:

1. Small Breeds Halo Grain-Free Game Bird Medley

As previously stated, Halo is an all-natural holistic brand that emphasizes non-GMO food and cage-free, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free meats.

Local farmers provide the fruits and veggies.

This grain-free recipe is made with a base of turkey, duck, and goose, which gives it a lot of taste.

Chickpeas, egg, lentils, blueberries, cranberries (both high in antioxidants), sweet potato, flaxseed, and carrots are among the other components.

All of the remaining ingredients are either natural preservatives, flavors, or vitamins and minerals.

There are no soy, by-products, artificial additives, or chemical preservatives in this product.

This kibble is created in the United States, and the size is suitable for most Maltese.

2. Wellness CORE Natural Dry Grain-Free for Small Breed Dogs

A high-quality, calorie-dense kibble with each component serving a specific purpose.

Turkey and chicken are the main proteins, and most dogs tolerate them well.

Peas, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots, apple, blueberry, kale, and sweet potatoes are also included.

Antioxidants, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals are added.

Both salmon oil and flaxseed contain significant levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

This dog food also includes glucosamine and chondroitin (both of which are beneficial to joint and bone health), as well as no grains, corn, soy, or wheat.

There are no artificial additives, preservatives, or by-products in this product.

This item was both sourced and manufactured in the United States.

3. Merrick Lil' Plates for Small Breeds are grain-free.

If you want to follow a grain-free diet, this is another wonderful option.

It has four recipe bases, all of which include classic meats: lamb, beef, chicken, or salmon. Sweet potatoes are served with each of these dishes.

Other ingredients in the lamb recipe include peas, chickpeas, whitefish, apples, and blueberries.

All other ingredients are vitamins and minerals, including probiotics and prebiotics, or are used to naturally preserve or taste the food.

It's also free of artificial additives and by-products, and it's created in the United States for tiny dogs.

Switching From Maltese Puppy Food To Adult Food

You may want to give your new Maltese puppy a different brand than what he is used to when you first bring him home.

If you're switching to a better formula, it's also a good idea to make a modification.

However, you should make this transition gradually.

Making a sudden move can upset a puppy's tummy, and new flavors may not appeal to him.

The majority of breeders will send a new puppy home with a limited amount of his food, usually enough to last a few days.

So you'll need to figure out the exact brand and recipe so you can stock up on a bag that will last for a few weeks.

You'll also want to have a bag of the food you want your Maltese puppy to eat.

The plan is to make the transition gradually.

• Mix the two together for the first week, 1/4 new food to 3/4 old.
• Mix 1/2 old and 1/2 new during week two.
• Mix 3/4 new to 1/4 old for week three.

Your Maltese will be solely on the new food by the beginning of week four.

What Nutrients Does A Maltese Puppy Need? 

The Maltese is one of the world's tiniest breeds, which necessitates special nutritional requirements.

Toy dogs are prone to hypoglycemia due to their little bodies' difficulty in controlling blood sugar levels.

As a result, it's critical to use kibbles designed specifically for toy and small breed dogs.

They are high in nutrients, including inulin, which aids in the management of diabetes and blood sugar levels.

Tailored kibbles also ensure that the pieces of kibble are small enough to fit in his little mouth.

Muscle mass is maintained by protein.

It also gives your dog energy and ensures that he receives the necessary building blocks for his body to develop properly.

Small breed puppies, according to the MSD Veterinary Manual, require a kibble with a minimum protein content of 22%.

Puppy formulas are essential because this is more than an adult's needs.

It also suggests that for good growth, a minimum fat level of 8% is required.

This is critical for the immune system's growth.

Select nutrients such as fish oils, flaxseeds, and other vitamins, in addition to fats, will encourage nourished skin and a lustrous coat.

Because of his hypoglycemia demands, the Maltese should be fed 4 to 6 times per day, but once he reaches the age of 3 months, this can be reduced to 3 to 4.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and arachidonic acid (ARA) are other critical nutrients for a puppy because they support proper brain development and ocular function and are amino acids naturally contained in mothers' milk.

When the Maltese reach adulthood at around 12 months, he should be gradually moved to adult kibble.

Unless your Veterinarian specifies otherwise, he should be fed three meals each day now that his fully grown body has learned to stabilize his blood sugar levels.

The MSD Veterinary Manual recommends lowering the protein and fat level to 18% and 5%, respectively, which is still more reason to transfer him to adult kibble.

His adult nutrition consists primarily on a well-balanced diet.

High-quality protein sources, such as real meat, should be sought.

Meat and fish meals not only supply him with additional protein, but they also provide nutrients like glucosamine and DHA, as well as added flavor.

His long, smooth coat will require sufficient of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids to nourish his skin and hair, which is especially crucial if he's a show Maltese, since his coat is his most recognizable characteristic.

The Maltese's nutrient requirements fluctuate as he ages, and between the ages of 9 and 10 years, he is considered a senior.

As he grows less active, he will require less energy, so seek for a kibble that will give him everything he requires while still being low in calories.

He also needs to lose weight.

Not only will too much fat make him fat, but his already sensitive digestive system will be unable to absorb fat effectively as he gets older.

It's still crucial to feed him high-quality, lean protein, but it's even more critical now to make sure he gets enough glucosamine and chondroitin to help support his aging bones and joints, which meat and fish meals may provide.

Antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals are particularly vital to include because they boost his aging immune system and keep him fighting fit.

He may become pickier as he gets older, and the kibble pieces may become more difficult to crunch, so adding chicken broth to his bowl may assist.

Should You Feed A Maltese Puppy Supplements?

The nutritional status of your dog will be improved through dietary supplementation.

Supplements can be added to food to treat specific Maltese ailments or to fulfill your dog's unique requirements.

Additional assistance to strengthen, fuel, and nourish your faithful companion, as well as fine-tune their nutritional intake.

Particular health disorders are more prevalent in certain breeds than in others.

It's important to remember that a balanced diet that includes all essential vitamins and minerals will go a long way toward preventing and alleviating breed-related ailments.

The key is to choose natural, whole-food supplements that are free of chemicals, synthetics, and non-species-appropriate ingredients.

A simple and straightforward method for increasing the nutrient density of their meals, providing you peace of mind that you've covered all of your health and happiness bases.

How Much Water Should A Maltese Puppy Drink?

Adult dogs need one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day on average.

Growing pups consume more than their adult counterparts, despite their small stature.

However, a lot depends on your puppy's age, size, and amount of activity.

All of a puppy's hydration comes from his or her mother's milk.

As they are weaned and begin to eat solid food, they will require fresh water.

On average, puppies require half a cup of water every two hours.

You'll need to keep a watch on your puppy to ensure that he gets enough water… but not too much.

Weaned older puppies require one half ounce to one ounce of water per pound of body weight every day.

For example, if your dog weighs 20 pounds, he'll need between 10 and 20 ounces of water every day.

He may need even more water on really active days.

How Much Daily Exercise Does A Maltese Puppy Require?

They are vibrant, active little pups, despite their little size!

Maltese dogs enjoy staying active at home and only require 30 minutes of exercise per day, according to the Maltese Club of Great Britain.

As a result, the breed is well-suited to city and apartment living.

Maltese Background Information

Since the Bible was a work in progress, the little Maltese, ‘Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta,' has been living in luxury.

Maltese are energetic, charming, and versatile toy companions known for their show-stopping, floor-length coat.

A tiny body moves with a smooth and fluid step beneath the all-white mantle.

The overall effect is one of fluid beauty and balance.

With its huge, dark eyes and black gumdrop nose, the attractive Maltese face may win over even the most jaded sensibility.

Maltese, despite their aristocratic appearance, are tough and adaptable dogs.

They make vigilant watchdogs who are fearless in a cute toy-dog sense, and they are competitive tiny agility athletes.

Maltese are low-shedding, long-lived dogs who like meeting new people of all ages.

They react well to reward-based instruction, despite being difficult and defiant at times.

Frequently Asked Question Maltese