The Maltese are a dog breed known and loved worldwide for their soft white fur and adorable beady eyes, a staple family pet. Unfortunately, many Maltese owners struggle with using diet to combat their most common health issues, resulting in the formation of eye boogers and dental plaque. 

Using diet to combat the most common health issues in Maltese is an effective way to keep your dog’s tail wagging for longer. In this blog, we’ll cover the most common health issues you should watch out for in Maltese, which foods are best to combat them, and exactly how much they should be fed.

The Most Common Health Issues in Maltese

When feeding your dog, you’ll want to select a food that combats their breed’s most common health problems. For example, if you’re feeding a labrador retriever, whose most common health issue is obesity, a diet that combats obesity is the wisest choice.

These are the most common health issues in Maltese, so we can take a look at what foods may help:

• Bladder stones
• Breathing issues
• Collapsed trachea
• Colitis
• Dental issues and periodontitis
• Ear and eye infections
• Food allergies
• Shaking

While these health issues are the most common in Maltese, they are still prone to many other diseases and illnesses. A large part of being a dog owner is preventing the risk of infection and getting your pup vaccinated accordingly.

If you don’t know where to start with vaccinations, check outthis guide on vaccinating your dog.

What Is The Best Food for Maltese?

When looking for the best food for your Maltese, you want to make sure it hits three main requirements:

1. It is healthy and provides your dog with enough nourishment.
2. It followsAAFCO guidelines.
3. Your pup enjoys the food and will lick their bowl clean!

It may seem like finding a dog food with all three qualities is a challenging task, but there’s no need to worry! We have a diet suggestion that not only meets these requirements but exceeds them. 

The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) diet consists of about 80% raw meat, 10% bones and organs, and 10% vegetables. It is nutritionally balanced to give your dog their ancestral, biological diet- the freshest and most natural form of food they can get. Here are just a few benefits your dog will experience from a fresh diet:

• Healthy, white teeth
• Reduced risk of infection and inflammation
• Smaller, healthier stools
• Shiny, smooth, and less shedding coats
• Increased lifespan
• …and many more!

A common misconception among small breed dog owners is that, due to their size, they won’t be able to digest raw meat properly. However, that isn’t the case at all. Regardless of your dog’s size or age, they will experience some benefit from a raw diet. For example, here is a testimonial from a West Highland White Terrier and his experience with raw food:

“My very active Westie male pup embodies what a healthy, balanced diet is all about. His beautiful coat is shiny, no bad "doggie" breath, and well, his poop a breeze to pick up.”

-Babette & Massimo

Where to Find BARF Diet Food

Finding food that adheres to the BARF diet may be a challenge since you usually won’t be able to walk up to the pet food aisle and grab a pound of store-bought raw meat. Well, look no further- we’re here to tell you about the best raw dog food you can get!

Cali Raw Nutrition is a small and local Californian company with the goal of improving dog health around the world. At Cali Raw, delivering a healthy diet to your pup has never been made easier.

Various adult feeding formulas, including beef, turkey, chicken, and lamb, are offered. Depending on your Maltese’s taste and needs, any of these formulas could work for them!

Best Food for Maltese Puppies

Just like adult dogs will thrive on a raw diet, puppies can thrive too! Since puppies are at a rapid stage of growth and development, it’s essential that they receive the appropriate nutrition to build their immune and body systems. Starting your puppy on a clean diet as soon as possible is a promising way to ensure health and happiness for their entire life.

Feeding your puppy fresh food as soon as they’re weaning off of their mother’s milk is ideal. In fact, dogs weaned onto raw food grow into much healthier dogs than pups that were weaned on kibble or canned food. Luckily, Cali Raw Nutrition offers two puppy formulas,turkey and lamb orchicken and beef, designed to enhance growth.

The Best Treats for Maltese

Diet is a significant factor in your Maltese’s overall health, which is why the treats you choose are just as important as their meals! Treats should not only be delicious, but they should treat your pup’s health, too.

Crafted Dog Treats provides 100% single-ingredient healthy dog treats, so your Maltese can enjoy their treats guilt-free! Since Maltese have small mouths and may have trouble chewing on the larger treats, we recommend breaking up the organ meat treats into small pieces or giving themmuscle meat treats if they’re a chewer.

 

 

How Much Should I Feed My Maltese?

The amount you should feed your Maltese depends primarily on your pup’s size, age, and weight. Many raw dog food brands, including Cali Raw, recommend following a general rule to feed your dog 2-3% of their ideal body weight.

The average adult Maltese weighs around 6-8lbs.  If your Maltese is at a healthy weight, feeding them 2.5% is ideal. Therefore, the healthy Maltese should be eating around 0.175lbs a day, split up into two meals. If you have a puppy Maltese, this amount should be split into3 or 4 meals.

Healthy treats should be factored in your Maltese’s daily diet. Since Crafted Dog Treats are single-ingredient and guilt-free, they can be fed generously. However, Maltese generally don’t eat a lot of food per day, so limit the number of treats to avoid spoiling their dinner. Our general recommendation is to feed 2-3 treats per day, broken up into small pieces.

Foods to Avoid For Your Maltese

If possible, it’s ideal to avoid processed foods while your Maltese is still growing. Heavily processed foods, like kibble and canned food, undergo much chemical processing that alters the composition and nutrition of the food. 

Many essential nutrients are cooked out, and your dog’s body has to work much harder to digest their food. The energy spent on trying to digest processed foods could be put to much better use in the growing process- which is why processed foods should be avoided in puppies as much as possible.

Feeding processed foods when your Maltese has grown into an adult will harm their health for the same reason. The energy that could be used for exercise or disease protection is wasted to digest the harsh chemicals found in processed foods. This is especially harmful to senior Maltese- conserving as much energy as possible is extremely important as your dog enters the last few years of their life.

Avoiding kibble and canned food altogether is your best bet for keeping your Maltese healthy for longer. Read thisblog on what ingredients you should avoid in dog food for more information.

A fresh, raw diet is the best way to keep your pup’s tail wagging for longer. The sooner you start, the sooner your furry friend will be able to reap the benefits! 

 

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