Best Food for Maltese (2026 Guide)
A breed-specific food guide for Maltese owners — what to look for, what to avoid, and our top picks based on this breed's size, energy and known health profile.
Photo: Joe Caione / Unsplash
The Maltese is tiny, elegant lapdog with a flowing white coat. devoted and brave for their size. Their nutritional needs reflect their 3–4 kg body weight, 12–15 years lifespan, and the breed-specific health considerations covered below.
Why feeding a Maltese is different
Feeding the Maltese well is mostly about avoiding the classic mistakes: overfeeding (especially in food-driven breeds), cheap fillers, and inappropriate life-stage food.
Lower-energy Maltese dogs gain weight fast. The portion on the bag is for an active dog; cut by 20–30% for a couch-loving individual and weigh portions, don't eyeball them.
The Maltese's coat needs omega-3 + omega-6 in roughly a 5:1 ratio for skin + coat condition. Fish-oil supplementation or a salmon-first food are the cheapest ways to get this right.
Below: a specific list of what to look for, what to avoid, plus our daily-calorie estimate for an average Maltese.
What to look for in food for a Maltese
- A complete-and-balanced food labelled for dogs that meets FEDIAF or AAFCO nutritional standards.
- Named animal protein as the first ingredient (e.g. "chicken", "salmon"), not "meat derivatives" or "animal by-product".
- A moderate-calorie maintenance formula — these breeds gain weight easily.
What to avoid
- Free-feeding (food always available) — choose scheduled meals.
- Anything containing onion, garlic, raisins, xylitol or chocolate flavouring (common kitchen toxins for pets).
For an exact daily portion based on your dog's weight and activity, use our food portion calculator. To check current weight is healthy, use the body condition score.
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Health overview — Maltese
Patellar luxation. Liver shunts. Hypoglycaemia (puppies). Dental disease. Tracheal collapse — always use a harness, never a collar.