Best dog food for a Maltese
The right food for a Maltese comes down to their size more than anything else — a small, toy-sized kibble a tiny mouth can manage comfortably, a food that supports dental health given how prone small breeds are to tooth and gum problems, and a recipe gentle enough for a breed that can run a sensitive stomach.
Feeding a Maltese
A toy breed
An adult Maltese typically weighs 3–4kg, so a healthy Maltese eats a small amount — often under 100g of dry food a day compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A toy breed is usually done growing at 10–12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–15 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
Small mouths, crowded teeth
Smaller breeds get dental disease more often than big ones, largely because the same number of teeth are packed into a shorter jaw. Kibble size is worth checking, and a dental chew counts towards the daily 10% of calories from treats.
How much should a Maltese weigh?
Adult 3–4kgfully grown at 10–12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 0.5–0.7 kg | 18% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 0.9–1.2 kg | 30% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 1.8–2.4 kg | 59% |
| 10–12 months | Fully grown | 3–4 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a toy breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Maltese
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Maltese's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Pedigree Can in Jelly Puppy 6 Pack
Complete Pedigree puppy food in jelly with chicken, lamb and poultry recipes
£10.15
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Why size changes what to look for
A Maltese is a toy breed, typically only a few kilograms as an adult, and a kibble sized for a Labrador is genuinely awkward for a mouth that small — many toy-breed owners find their dog either struggles to pick up larger biscuits or gulps them without chewing properly. Foods labelled for small or toy breeds are usually shaped and sized with exactly this in mind.
Portion sizes matter more than usual too, simply because the margin for error is smaller. A few extra biscuits a day makes far less difference to a Labrador's weight than it does to a dog who should only be eating a modest handful in total, so following the feeding guide on the specific food matters more for a breed this size.
Dental health is a genuine consideration
Small and toy breeds are well known for being more prone to dental problems than larger dogs, partly because their teeth are proportionally large for a small jaw and can be more crowded. A kibble with a texture that encourages some chewing, or a dedicated dental chew alongside meals, is a reasonable thing to build into a Maltese's routine from early on.
Wet food and very soft diets don't do anything to help with this the way a food that requires some chewing can, so it's worth balancing softness against dental benefit rather than choosing on texture alone, and raising any dental concerns with your vet at a regular check-up.
What to watch for with a sensitive stomach
A Maltese with a history of loose stools or picky eating may do better on a sensitive-formula food built around a single named protein and simpler ingredients, rather than a recipe with a long, varied ingredient list. This isn't unique to the breed, but it comes up often enough in toy breeds to be worth trying if standard food doesn't agree with your dog.
Introduce any new food gradually over several days rather than swapping overnight, mixing increasing amounts of the new food in with the old. This matters for any dog, but a smaller stomach tends to show an abrupt change more visibly than a larger one does.
Common questions
- Does a Maltese need a small-breed specific food?
- It's not strictly compulsory, but a food formulated and sized for small or toy breeds is usually a more comfortable fit than a standard-sized kibble, and small-breed formulas are often built around the higher energy needs small dogs have relative to their size.
- How much should I feed a Maltese?
- Follow the feeding guide on the specific food you're using, since it varies by brand and recipe, and weigh out portions rather than guessing — a small margin of error matters more for a dog this size than it does for a large breed. Ask your vet if you're unsure what's right for your dog.
- Is wet or dry food better for a Maltese?
- Both can work, but a dry kibble that requires some chewing offers a dental benefit a purely wet diet doesn't. Many owners feed a mix, or use dry as the main diet with wet as an occasional addition, but there's no single right answer for every dog.
- Why does my Maltese have a sensitive stomach?
- Toy breeds are reported by owners and vets to run sensitive stomachs more often than some larger breeds, though the exact reason varies dog to dog. If loose stools or picky eating are ongoing rather than occasional, speak to your vet before changing food repeatedly on your own.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.