Feeding Notes

Guide to choose the right food for your Maltese

• Protein: Food items like chicken, meat, and lamb are sources of protein. They promote muscle development and improve immunity.
• Carbohydrates: Brown rice, barley, whole wheat, oats, and sweet potatoes are sources of carbohydrates that provide energy to cater to their daily activities. But make sure this is fed in a monitored fashion as over-feeding causes obesity.
• Vitamins and minerals: Feed your dog vegetables like cucumber, carrots, beans, potato, broccoli, cabbage, and celery to provide adequate amounts of vitamins like A, K, C, etc.
• Anti-oxidants & Fibres: Feeding fruits like apples, bananas, strawberries, peaches, pears, and pineapple to provide anti-oxidants and fibres that promote the overall digestion process.
• Hydration: Make sure you provide enough fresh water to your dog to keep them hydrated. This helps in maintaining body temperature and helps the internal organs function smoothly.
• Now, you have an idea about all the necessary food items that are needed for your dog’s health. It becomes your responsibility to know what are the food items that can cause harm to your dog’s well being. In the next section, we shall have an overview of all the harmful food items for your dog.
• Food items that are toxic for your Maltese dog
• Look for labels of commercial dry food; if the food is not animal-protein based, avoid it as it can cause digestive issues in your dog.
• Do not feed your dog human foods like chocolate, grapes, onion, garlic, raisins, cherries, avocados, and almonds; these cause severe digestive issues and sometimes can be fatal.
• Avoid all kinds of fried or over-processed foods like mutton, fried meat, etc, because they lead to obesity and digestive issues.
• Foods that have a high level of salt and sugar should be avoided. These can cause high blood pressure and diabetes in your dog.
• Some dogs are lactose intolerant, so make sure you consult your vet before feeding any dairy products to your dog.
• Maltese are small-sized dogs, usually, the metabolism rate is high in small dogs, including Maltese. Even though they have a small stomach, they eat in small amounts but often. Here is a quick guide to the nutritional needs of a small dog breed -
• While designing a diet for your dog, please keep in mind factors like their age, size, activity level, whether they are spayed/neutered, and health conditions.
• Their food should contain high-quality proteins to promote muscle development and overall well-being.
• Some pet food brands have specialised small-dog food that meets all the AAFCO standards. These foods have all the nutrient requirements for a small dog.
• Proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and fiber should be the main components of your dog’s diet.
• Make sure you have a balance when it comes to feeding your Maltese because over feeding leads to obesity and other health issues and feeding less causes deficiency of nutrients.
• You have got an overview of nutrition for your Maltese dog in this section; next, we shall cover in specific what all the food that you can feed your dog.

Grooming Routine

• Maltese, despite having long luxurious coats, are low-shedding dogs. Hence, their grooming needs are comparatively less. However, regular grooming is a need to maintain hygiene. Below are some of the effective tips for you to groom your Maltese dogs -
• Daily brushing is required to prevent matting of hair. Use soft bristle brushes while brushing to avoid any skin irritation and discomfort.
• Regular bathing will keep their coat clean and shiny. Use specialized shampoo and cleansers to avoid any kind of skin allergies and irritation.
• Eye cleaning should be done regularly using vet-recommended eye-cleaning liquids.
• Clean their ears regularly to avoid the accumulation of dirt and debris. Going further, this can cause ear infections in dogs. Be very mindful and use vet-recommended ear-cleaning liquids to prevent any side effects.
• Nail trimming is also a vital part of grooming. Overgrown nails can cause discomfort in walking; hence, use nail trimmers and clippers designed for dogs to trim their nails.