10 Best Dog Food For Maltese: The 2020 Buying & Feeding Guide

Premium Quality Ingredients 

Although this dog food may not be suitable for pups who are sensitive to chicken, the ingredients are high-quality and super nutritious for your dog. Turkey, turkey meal, and chicken meal are the protein sources, and they’re great as they’re affordable and lean meat proteins. They account for the 36% protein level in this kibble. 

It contains plenty of veggies and fruits and no grains whatsoever. Potatoes and peas are the main carbs that provide sustained energy throughout the day.

Later on down the list, we have sweet potato, broccoli, and carrots, which provide plenty of energy and vitamins and minerals. Apple and blueberries add a nice little pop of antioxidants and different vitamins and minerals.

High In Omega Fatty Acids 

While your pup will be getting all the necessary nutrients to keep his or her body healthy and fit, their coat and skin will also be getting a dose of the good stuff to stay nourished and soft. The high levels of Omega fatty acids provide plenty of good stuff for your pup’s coat and skin to absorb.

Complete Puppy Nutrition 

The fat count is high here, at 19%, which is great to fuel energetic, excitable puppies. One of the great things is that the protein isn’t too high here – it comes in at 28%, which is perfect for dog foods for growing pups to gain muscle mass but not put too much pressure on still-growing bones. 

This Complete Health small breed dog food has a high level of DHA, which will ensure your little one’s eyes develop as they should, and their brains are well-nourished and grow properly. It’s got a great calcium/phosphorus ratio to help bones grow at the right rate, and vitamins and minerals to add some extra goodness. 

Supplement With Glucosamine 

The guaranteed analysis list doesn’t show any glucosamine or chondroitin. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that there is none (some ingredients contain it naturally), for a small breed who is prone to joint issues it’s always a good thing to see on dog foods’ lists. 

It’s really easy to supplement with glucosamine though, as you can get glucosamine treats or supplements to feed your small breed pooch separately. The best Maltese puppy food doesn’t necessarily have to contain it.

Limited Ingredient 

Seniors’ tummies may become fussier as they age, so we’ve chosen a limited ingredient Blue Buffalo dry dog food here that also avoid chicken, which is the most common allergen that pups can develop. Limited ingredient does not mean limited nutritional value – this is still loaded with goodness to keep your pup satisfied and filled with wholesome nutrients. 

Vitamin & Minerals Boost  

Blue Buffalo has created something called LifeSource Bits, which they add to many of their dog foods. These are cold-pressed little bits that you’ll see scattered throughout the regular kibble. They’re a blend of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants and have been created and approved by animal nutritionists, so you can be sure they’re little health-bombs. 

They’re cold-formed, which means no nutritional value is lost during a heating or cooking process, which means they’re filled to the brim with good stuff that can only assist in your pup’s improved health and wellness.

All A Toy Breed Needs 

The fat level is lovely in this kibble, at 20% which will keep bouncy little toys full of beans. The protein comes in at 35%, which will maintain muscle mass and support joints nicely. The addition of glucosamine and chondroitin will help keep those joints even more supported and tough, so between that and the protein your toy breed should stay pretty strong and avoid joint issues. 

There are also some really great Omega fatty acids and vitamins and minerals in this food, which will help nourish your little guy or girl’s coat and add a bit of flexibility to joints.

The mix of good stuff in this dog food ensures healthy digestion, bones, joints, and fur, which means it’s one of the most well-rounded options out there. 

Raw Nutrition 

This isn’t just your average kibble. It’s made to be high in protein and with added probiotics, but it’s also sprinkled with bits of freeze-dried raw meat. Not only will this be a treat for your pup’s taste buds, but it’s also a fantastic little dash of minimally processed, nutrient-packed protein.

This is a great option if you understand the benefits of raw feeding but don’t want to or aren’t in the position to commit to full-on raw feeding. 

The toy breed-specific kibble is only available in chicken flavor, but if you would like a couple more options, you can use the small breed food instead. It contains all the same good stuff and will prevent your pup from getting bored with chicken flavor.

High Omega Fatty Acids 

Omega fatty acids are essential for keeping dogs fluffy and soft. They moisturize the skin and coat to keep your pets super soft and cuddly, as well as being healthy. Other things in this food that contribute to the health of your pet’s fur and skin are biotin and vitamin E. 

This dry dog food is specifically aimed at nourishing skin and coat, and it’s been formulated with that in mind. So you can be sure it’s packed with all the goodness needed to maintain a flowing coat. All you’ll need to do is keep your Maltese nicely brushed and clean. 

High Nutrient Levels 

If your Maltese dog is active, they will thank you for the fat level in this dog food – a whopping 32%, the highest we’ve seen. This gives a small breed a super source of quickly metabolized fat for plenty of energy to see them through their day, and it comes from great sources too – salmon, salmon oil, sunflower oil, and flaxseed. 

It also contains 32% protein, which comes from lamb, salmon, lamb heart, and lamb liver. Organ meat adds a nice bit of protein and amino acids and ensures a very well-rounded protein experience for your pup.

The ingredient list also shows kelp, which helps immensely for Malteses as they’re prone to hypothyroidism. That, and the fact that this dog food avoids chicken and beef, makes this a super dog food for Maltese dogs in all ways.

Healthy Nutrition 

The ingredient list is super quality, using salmon as its main protein source (which is also super for Maltese dogs’ hair), and adding chicken and turkey meal to pump up the protein, which sits at 32%. The fat level comes in at 14%, which is a nice amount for moderate to highly active pups. 

The Omega fatty acids in this dog food are great too, and it also includes some DHA which is a special Omega 6 fatty acids that helps keep eyes and brain tissue healthy and functioning optimally. 

Helpful Additions For Small Breeds 

The glucosamine and chondroitin levels are high, and that combined with the Omega fatty acids will help strengthen and keep joints flexible and healthy.

Also added is dried kelp, giving a boost of iodine that will help fight off thyroid problems that Maltese dogs can be susceptible to.

Combats Under-Active Thyroid 

One of the biggest things that affects the functioning of the thyroid is an iodine deficiency. Kelp contains iodine and can up your pup’s level quite nicely. Brown rice and barley are easy-to-digest healthy carbs for energy.

This Blue Buffalo Life Protection dog food also avoids beef products, which have been known to be a problem for pups with low thyroid function. These two facts, in addition to the high-quality ingredient list and great digestibility of the dog food, makes this a good option for pet parents whose small breed fluffs need something to combat low thyroid activity. 

Great Nutrients For Toy Breeds  

The protein and fat contents here are great for moderately active little dogs – 26% protein and 15% fat. The calorie count is at 415 per cup, which is all right considering you’ll be giving your tiny dog a small amount. 

In addition to the useful thyroid-related ingredients, there are also super Omega fatty acids, vitamins and minerals and a nice dose of glucosamine, so this really contains all your little guy or girl will need to stay as healthy as possible and keep the symptoms of hypothyroidism to a minimum.

Human-Grade Healthy 

The ingredients in this food are all things that you may use in your own recipes – you can feed this to your (human) kid in good conscience, knowing that it’s chock full of healthy, wholesome, perfectly nutritious ingredients with natural vitamins and minerals. It’s super digestible for your pup too, so if they’re the sensitive type, this should be a fantastic option for them. 

Best For Less Active Pooches 

The protein and fat levels are lower than most, even once you’ve doubled the amount to make sure your pooch gets enough in. This isn’t necessarily a problem, especially if you have a couple of high fat, high-protein treats you can surprise your pup with between meals. 

2 cups of this will push your dog’s meal up to about 320 calories, with 22% protein and 10% fat. This is the perfect food for Maltese dogs who are less active and need a less readily-available energy source. If your pup is highly active, don’t brush this food off. You can add some extra fat in there by way of treats.

8 Key Ingredients 

The main ingredients in this dog food are salmon, salmon meal, peas, lentils, tapioca, canola oil, garbanzo beans, and freeze-dried raw salmon.

These are premium quality ingredients, and you can be happy knowing that your pooch is getting nutrients from these in their everyday meal. You may be surprised to see the length of the ingredient list considering this is limited ingredient, but the rest include chelated minerals (which help with digestion), and vitamins and minerals.

Raw Boost 

Each bite-sized piece of kibble is raw-coated and laced with probiotics, which have been added post-cooking to ensure they keep their nutritional value. The raw coating is highly nutritious and also tasty (so we’ve been told).

Maltese-Specific Nutrients 

This dog food is made for Maltese dogs and contains some useful things for these tiny pups. It’s high in fat, making it great for them as small breeds tend to metabolize energy pretty quickly.

It also contains DHA and glucosamine and chondroitin, which keeps their brains sharp and their joints tough, combating hip and knee dysplasia from the start. 

It’s also quite high in Omega fatty acids, which is helpful for pups who have hair instead of fur. This will keep your Maltese dog’s hair healthy and shiny, as well as their skin hydrated and supple. 

Lower Quality Ingredients  

The ingredient list begins with brewer’s rice, corn, and chicken by-product meal, all of which are considered to be low-quality ingredients in dog foods that contribute to allergies. The first decent ingredient and protein source, pork meal, only appears at ingredient number 6, although chicken fat (ingredient number 4) is not a bad fat source at all. 

One thing that is quite noticeable is the lack of real-food ingredients. There are no fruits and vegetables, which automatically puts it below the others on this list, and the only grain carb source is corn, which is a notoriously hard-to-digest form of grain.

If your pooch has a tough stomach, they may be totally okay with these ingredients, but if they’re a sensitive one, we wouldn’t suggest choosing this dog food for Maltese dogs.