8 Best Foods for Maltese Puppies in 2023 — Reviews & Top Picks

If you’re like most dog owners, you want only the best for your Maltese puppy, and you do all that you can to keep them happy. Feeding your pup high-quality dog food is one important thing that you can do to ensure a long and healthy life for them. The first thing to do is make sure that you choose food that was developed specifically for puppies or dogs of all life stages, as it’s higher in protein and certain nutrients than adult food in order to aid in quick growth and development.¹

There are tons of different dog food options available on the market, which can make it tough to determine what kind to choose for your pup. Luckily, we’ve done the hard work of testing out the most popular dog foods on the market so you don’t have to.

We focused on many things, such as ingredients, pricing, kibble size, and taste, during our tests. We have identified six options that we think are the best for Maltese puppies. Following are thorough reviews of the best food for Maltese puppies that you can rely on to nourish your pooch until they’re ready to move on to adult food.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

The 8 Best Foods for Maltese Puppies

1. Ollie Fresh Dog Food — Best Overall

Ollie is a dog food delivery service that provides customizable meal plans for dogs. Before subscribing, you’ll be required to complete a short survey regarding your Maltese puppy’s weight, age, activity level, and food sensitivities. Once the Ollie algorithm has considered your answers, it will provide you with personalized plans based on your dog’s needs.
Ollie has three meal plan options: fresh, baked, or mixed.

Their fresh meals are made with real meat, vegetables, and grains so you can ensure your pup is getting the nutrients it needs to grow and develop. There are four protein options: beef, chicken, lamb, or turkey. Unfortunately, the turkey recipes were unavailable at the time of writing due to a nationwide turkey shortage.

Their baked meals are considerably cheaper than their fresh options and are Ollie’s version of kibble. Since these meals are baked, not only are all the nutrients preserved, but they are also more flavorful.

Ollie’s mixed plan provides your Maltese pup the best of both worlds. You can mix and match flavors and textures for maximum variety to keep your puppy interested and curious at meal time.

All of Ollie’s recipes abide by the AAFCO standards for all life stages, which means you can continue feeding your Maltese its favorite Ollie recipes even when it’s an adult.

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2. Royal Canin Small Puppy Dry Food – Best Value

Royal Canin understands that small dogs burn more energy than larger breeds, and they tend to have a quicker growth rate for a shorter period of time. That’s why they designed this puppy food specifically for little breeds such as the Maltese. Your pooch should find the small kibble size easy to chew and the flavor irresistible.

Another reason we think this is the best food for Maltese puppies for the money is that it’s affordably priced compared to similar options you can find on the store shelves or online. This small puppy food contains protein in the form of chicken that is easy to digest for optimal nutrition absorption. The blend is lightly flavored to appeal to the finicky appetites of dogs like the Maltese. The kibble is formulated to prevent the buildup of tartar over time.

We found that the small kibble pieces easily fit into treat toys too. The downside of this food is that it contains wheat products, so if your Maltese is gluten intolerant, they may experience digestive issues.

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3. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Food

Featuring real chicken, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables, Blue Buffalo Life Protection is designed to support optimal growth as puppies quickly grow into adulthood. Brown rice, oatmeal, barley, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and cranberries all play an important nutritional role in this impressive food blend. Both DHA and ARA are featured for proper brain and eye development.

Calcium and phosphorous are included to support strong bones and teeth. Every puppy deserves healthy skin and a shiny coat, which is why this brand makes sure that omega fatty acids can be found in every serving. This food also contains a proprietary ingredient called LifeForce Bits, which is a special blend of antioxidant nutrients that supports a healthy immune system.

What isn’t included in this dog food is corn, soy, and by-products, which are all just fillers that don’t have much nutritional value. Your Maltese puppy is sure to love the real meat flavor of this kibble, and you are going to appreciate the health benefits that your pooch receives as time goes on.

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4. Rachael Ray Nutrish Dry Puppy Food

If you’re looking for a good deal that won’t sacrifice your puppy’s health, Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright puppy food might be the right option for you. This food features chicken that is raised in the United States and is slowly roasted to remove moisture, so your puppy gets more nutrients in every bite. Whole fruits and vegetables are also included, which will keep your puppy’s immune system healthy while they grow and explore their outside world. Fish meal provides an excellent source of DHA, which is needed for healthy brain development.

You won’t find any artificial ingredients, fillers, or by-products in the ingredients list, so you can have peace of mind knowing that your pup is eating only quality foods. The kibble pieces are small and easy to chew, but some puppies get bored of the flavor over time and quit showing interest in eating it daily.

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5. VICTOR Select Nutra Pro Active Puppy Dry Food

If your Maltese is like most, they enjoy a highly active lifestyle filled with walks, playtime, and adventures. So, they need a puppy food that can keep up with their nutritional needs, which is exactly what VICTOR Select Nutra Pro Active puppy formula can do. Designed specifically for active pups, this food is made up of 92% protein to ensure that your dog gets all the energy they need throughout the day.

This blend is low carb, making it easy for small puppies to digest. Green tea extract and alfalfa support a healthy immune system. Spearmint extract will help keep your puppy’s breath fresh between meals. However, this food doesn’t include as many real fruits and veggies as other options found on our reviews list.

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6. American Journey Puppy Dry Dog Food

With nutrient-dense whole foods as a focus, American Journey Active Life puppy formula will keep your pooch healthy while their bodies are busy growing. Whole chicken is the first ingredient, followed by ingredients like brown rice, peas, and flaxseed. Each ingredient offers nutritional benefits that will help protect your puppy from growth issues now and health problems in the future.

No wheat, corn, soy, by-products, or artificial ingredients are ever used during the production of American Journey puppy food. But the kibble pieces are a little bigger than many other food options, so your dog might have a hard time chewing their food until they’re a few months old.

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7. Eukanuba Small Breed Puppy Dry Dog Food

Made with real chicken and beet pulp, Eukanuba Small Breed puppy food will provide your Maltese with all the nutrients they need to lead a happy and healthy life. This complete and balanced blend was designed with bone and muscle growth in mind but includes all the nutrients necessary for a healthy cardiovascular and immune system.

Calcium, phosphorous, and DHA are all present to protect and support the brain, eyes, coat, and nails. The kibble is small enough even for weaning puppies to chew. However, this product lacks many of the fruits and veggies that comparable options feature. It also contains fillers like corn and wheat.

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8. Purina Pro Plan Focus Puppy Dry Dog Food

This chicken and rice formula is designed to help growing puppies thrive as they reach adulthood. Fish oil is prominent to ensure healthy vision and optimal brain development. Omega-6 fatty acids will keep your dog’s coat shiny so you don’t have to wash it often. This food also contains eggs, which contain the essential amino and fatty acids that your dog needs to grow strong, lean, and healthy.

There are no artificial flavors or colors to worry about, and every bag of food is produced in United States facilities. Puppies seem to love the taste and texture too. However, this product does contain meat by-products that some dog owners prefer to avoid.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Food for Maltese Puppy Dogs

Choosing the right puppy food for your Maltese is one of the most important decisions that you will make for them. Without proper nutrition, your pooch can’t thrive and can even develop health conditions as they age. But you don’t have to settle for just proper nutrition. You should be searching for a dog food that provides your pooch with optimal nutrition for the entire body and mind. Our reviews list is a great place to find high-quality options that will support the health of your Maltese. Consider the following guidelines as you compare your options.

Determine Your Dog’s Activity Level

While the Maltese considered an active dog, some are lower key. So, it’s a good idea to determine your dog’s activity level before choosing a new food for them. If your dog is on the more active side, you should look for a food that is designed specifically for small, active dog breeds to ensure that they get all the protein they need. Less active dogs don’t need such a formula, which expands your options dramatically.

Understand Animal By-Products

Many pet owners stay away from dog food that includes animal by-products because they don’t know anything about them. But the truth is that by-products are made up of organs, like the liver, that provide great nutritional value to a dog food. In fact, many foods actually contain animal by-products but are labeled as organ parts in the ingredients list. So, before shunning by-products in your dog’s food, take the time to learn a little more about them. You may find that including by-products in their food optimizes their nutrition intake over time.

Talk to Your Veterinarian

It’s always a good idea to talk to your veterinarian before choosing a new food for your Maltese. Your veterinarian can provide you with important insight into the type of nutrition that your pooch needs based on information such as their health, age, and weight. Your vet might take blood tests and complete a thorough exam to determine how well your pup has been fed to date and how well they digest their food.

They might also use your dog’s health records to help you figure out what types of food to choose from. They may provide you with a list of food recommendations, which should make your job of choosing a new food easy.

Read Reviews

You can learn a great deal of information about a puppy food by reading customer reviews online. Customers aren’t shy about their grievances, especially when it comes to the nutrition of their dogs. So, you can expect to read honest feedback that gives you insight into the true nature of the food. Customer reviews should provide you with information such as:

Read reviews from more than one source to ensure that you’re getting a broad picture of the puppy food you’re researching.

Create a Wish List

You can make comparing puppy foods easy on yourself by creating a wish list to use as a guide. Your wish list should include all the features that you want to see in your new dog’s food. What kind of meat protein do you prefer? Are specific fruits or vegetables important to you? What price point are you looking for?

Referring to your wish list when shopping for new puppy food will help ensure that you don’t overlook anything important to you or your puppy’s health. If there are certain things that you want to avoid when buying new puppy food, you can always create a nix list and use it along with your wish list while you shop.

Prepare to Make Changes

A high-quality puppy food that does well for other Maltese dogs may not work well for your pup. There is always a chance that your puppy doesn’t like the new food that you offer them or develops digestive issues, even if it’s a whole food blend. If this happens, you’ll have to make a switch to another food until you find one that agrees with and supports your pup.

So, choose at least two dog foods initially to save yourself the trouble of researching more foods later. You should be prepared to gradually introduce the new food to your puppy’s diet, so consider buying your backup choice when buying your first pick so it’s already on hand if you do have to make a switch.

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Conclusion

While all the puppy foods on our reviews list deserve attention, we highly recommend our number-one pick: Ollie Fresh Dog Food. It masters the taste and texture that dogs love and provides high-quality nutrition from whole food sources that you can appreciate. The second pick on our reviews list, Royal Canin Small Breed puppy food, shouldn’t be overlooked either. It’s formulated specifically for small breed dogs like the Maltese and is an option that’s easy to digest.

But don’t limit yourself to only these two options! Take the time to learn about all of the puppy foods on our reviews list and read through our buyer’s guide before deciding which brand to choose for your puppy. What kind of puppy food have you used in the past, and what were your experiences? We’d love to hear from you in our comments section below.

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Featured Image Credit: haidi2002, Pixabay