The best kind of food for a Maltipoo
A Maltipoo, being a cross of Maltese and Poodle, typically weighs only two and a half to six kilograms as an adult, which makes a small-breed kibble sized for a tiny mouth the practical starting point, alongside a recipe that supports joint health given the tendency towards patella issues inherited from the Poodle side.
Feeding a Maltipoo
A toy breed
An adult Maltipoo typically weighs 2.5–9 kg, so a healthy Maltipoo 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 Maltipoo weigh?
Adult 2.5–9 kgfully grown at 10–12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 0.5–1.6 kg | 18% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 0.7–2.7 kg | 30% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 1.5–5.3 kg | 59% |
| 10–12 months | Fully grown | 2.5–9 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 Maltipoo
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Maltipoo'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
What the cross actually brings to the bowl
The Maltese side of a Maltipoo contributes a very small, sometimes crowded mouth, which makes a correctly sized small-breed kibble more than a nice-to-have; an oversized biscuit is genuinely harder for a dog this size to manage comfortably. The Maltese side is also commonly associated with tear staining, which some owners find improves somewhat with a consistent, high-quality diet, though the evidence for diet alone fixing it is mixed.
The Poodle side brings a tendency towards certain joint issues, including patella luxation, which is common across toy and small Poodle-related crosses. A diet that supports healthy joint development, alongside sensible exercise that avoids excessive jumping in a growing puppy, is worth factoring in from early on rather than waiting for a problem to appear.
Kibble size and feeding habits
A small or toy-breed specific kibble, rather than a standard adult formula sized for a medium dog, sits more comfortably in a Maltipoo's small mouth and is easier for them to eat properly rather than gulping it down whole, which can contribute to digestive upset in small dogs generally.
Maltipoos can also be prone to becoming a little overweight given their small size relative to how much owners are tempted to treat them, so keeping to a proper feeding guide for their actual weight, rather than eyeballing portions, matters more for a breed this small than it does for a large dog.
What we'd point you towards
A small-breed dry food from a range like James Wellbeloved, built around a single named protein, suits many Maltipoos well, particularly if there is any hint of skin sensitivity from the Maltese side of their background. Puppy-specific small-breed formulas are worth using while they are still growing, given how quickly a toy-sized puppy reaches its adult size.
As with any small crossbreed, individual variation is considerable, so how a Maltipoo actually does on a given food, in terms of coat, energy and stool quality, matters more in the end than following general breed guidance too rigidly.
Common questions
- Do Maltipoos need a grain-free diet?
- Not specifically because of the breed; grain-free is a personal or vet-recommended choice for individual sensitivities rather than a universal need for this cross. A good quality small-breed recipe with or without grain can both work well, depending on how an individual dog does on it.
- Why does my Maltipoo have tear staining?
- Tear staining is common in the breed, partly inherited from the Maltese side, and has several possible contributing factors including tear duct anatomy, diet and general eye health. A vet can help rule out anything needing treatment, and a consistent high-quality diet may help somewhat, though it is rarely a complete fix on its own.
- How much should I feed my Maltipoo?
- This depends on their individual adult weight, which varies more than in a standardised breed given the crossbred nature of a Maltipoo, so following the feeding guide on your specific food matched to your dog's actual weight, and adjusting based on body condition, is more reliable than a general figure.
Related
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.