Feeding (Main Page)
Maltipoo Feeding Guidelines
Overview
There are lots of elements involved with feeding guidelines for puppies and dogs. This section will cover wet vs dry, grain vs grain-free, feeding schedules, serving size, and more. Every bite that your Maltipoo takes will be detrimental or beneficial to their health, so let's dive in.
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How Often to Feed a Maltipoo
Lily, 14 weeks old, photo courtesy of Ruth Baker, Norwich, CT
Small dogs like the Maltipoo do best when they are not allowed to have empty stomachs. Infrequent meals can lead to a Maltipoo vomiting bile (yellow liquid or foam) and/or can lead to hypoglycemia which is a rapid drop in blood sugar levels. So, let's look at the recommended feeding schedule:
From 2 months to 3 months old:
At this very young age, it recommended to free-feed a puppy. This means that fresh food should be available to the pup at all times. Be sure that you routinely empty the bowl, clean it, and then fill with new food, as opposed to just topping it off.
Puppies this young often need to be reminded of where their food bowl is, so lead your Maltipoo to their bowl throughout the day or place it right alongside them if you are using a playpen or gated-off area.
3 months and on - From this point on, the feeding schedule should remain the same, regardless if you have a growing puppy, an adult that's maintaining, or a senior: Maltipoos should be given 3 small meals per day plus 2 to 3 snacks in between meals.
This will blood glucose levels even, provide full-day energy, and help prevent the stomach from getting too empty.
The Timing of Meals
There are no exact times that meals should be given and you can feel free to have your Maltipoo's meals be in timing with your own, or just a bit earlier or later, if that makes things easier. Some general guidelines are that the first meal of the day should be within an hour of waking, a mid-day meal should still be provided even if your Maltipoo is home alone, and dinner should be several hours before bedtime.
A snack can be given between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, and then a final treat can be doled out sometime after dinner about an hour or so before your Maltipoo goes to sleep.
If you will not be home for the mid-day meal, you will find that placing kibble (optionally mixed with a bit of smooth peanut butter) into a properly sized treat-dispensing toy like PetSafe's Busy Buddy Barnacle Toy, Extra Small
is a great way to offer lunch.
is a great way to offer lunch. This has an added benefit for Maltipoos that are home alone; working food out of a treat-release toy is a great method to keep a dog busy.
How Much to Feed a Maltipoo
One of the most common issues seen with pet parents is the belief that their Maltipoo is barely eating. They will offer 3 bowls of food a day, their dog will pick at it but never finish a meal, and they'll wonder how in the world their Maltipoo is even surviving.
In the vast majority of cases, pet parents are grossly over-estimating how much their dogs should be eating and are offering serving sizes that are much larger than needed.
Portion sizes are based on a dog's weight. So, the smaller a Maltipoo is, the less food they require. The number of calories in dog food varies depending on the type of food that you're giving to your little guy or gal (wet vs dry, grain vs grain-free, low quality vs high quality). And the calories that a dog requires varies depending on age (puppies require approximately 55 calories per pound of body weight, adults require approximately 40 calories per pound of body weight), health status, activity level, and individual metabolism.
Keeping all of that in mind, the following is a general guideline for how much dry kibble to offer per day (not per meal):
2 to 4 lbs. 1/4 to 1/3 cups per day.
5 to 8 lbs. 1/2 to 3/4 cups per day.
9 to 12 lbs. = 3/4 to 1 cup per day.
13 to 16 lbs. = 1 to 1 and 1/4 cups per day.
Please note:
If you are feeding your Maltipoo a manufactured food, read the feeding guidelines that are printed on the package; these are usually very spot-on. In order to follow those feeding instructions, know how much your Maltipoo weighs (do not guess) and use a small kitchen scale to measure out the food.
Teddy, 11 months old, photo courtesy of Alauna
Wet vs Dry Dog Food
There are pros and cons to each option.
Dry kibble is much more beneficial to dental hygiene. While kibble certainly is not sufficient enough on its own to keep all plaque away and stop tooth decay, it does play a role by helping to keep the jaw strong and teeth and gums clean via some
plaque removal. It is also tends to lead to healthy, firm stools.
Wet canned food
may be better received; it is simply more appealing to some dogs. However, a diet consisting mainly of wet food can cause loose or runny bowels and is not good for a dog's teeth.
Therefore, dry kibble is the better option.
If your Maltipoo turns their nose up at dry dog food, you can make it more appealing by warming it and/or adding a bit of water or low-sodium chicken or beef broth that is mixed in very well.
Though it should be reserved for certain cases (outright refusal to eat kibble or tooth loss that limits the ability to chew), a mixture of 50/50 wet canned food and dry kibble may be given. If so, it is best to stick with the same brand.
Grain vs Grain-free Dog Food
Not long ago, the choice to switch a dog over to a grain-free recipe wasn't that big of a deal. Pet parents often did this on their own when a grain sensitivity or allergy was suspected. And in some cases, a veterinarian would recommend the change. Those dogs often did better if they previously had stomach woes or skin reactions.
However, some questions were raised about the safety of a grain-free diet for dogs. This stemmed from 4 instances of dogs that were not prone to heart issues having developed a certain heart issue called dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Rather quickly, conclusions were drawn that their diet was to blame; all four were eating grain-free formulas. Over time, the number of reported instances grew to over 100.
Soon afterward, this was looked at in more detail. And, while there are years of studies that still need to be done, the current thought is that those cases of DCM may be linked to a BEG diet, not just a grain-free diet. BEG is short for Boutique (small, local brands) that contain Exotic meats (such as kangaroo, alligator, ostrich, and venison), along with being Grain-free with peas, lentil, other legumes, or potatoes as one of the top 5 ingredients.
The latest information as summarized by the AKC's grain-free diet alert, is that there are no recalls of grain-free food and no conclusive studies as of yet. Some vets advise that breeds that are prone to DCM (Great Danes, Doberman Pinschers, Irish Wolfhounds, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, and English and American Cocker Spaniels) be given some grains.
If your Maltipoo does not
have a known grain allergy, you may want to offer kibble that has no gluten (such as wheat) but does have low gluten ingredients (like barley) or gluten-free foods (like quinoa or rice). If your Maltipoo does have a known allergy to any sort of grains, you may wish to opt for a grain-free recipe that has traditional meats (not exotic) such as chicken, turkey, duck, or fish.
Recommended brands for both grain and grain-free options are ahead under 'The Best Foods for Maltipoo Puppies and Dogs'.
The Detrimental Aspects of Low-Quality Dog Food
For your Maltipoo to be healthy today and for years moving forward, careful thought should go into which brand you choose for main meals. Inferior dog food can have ingredients that cause a wide range of issues from allergies (skin reactions, wheezing, itching) to digestive upset to serious health issues including neurological problems and even some forms of cancer.
What you want to avoid:
It is quite shocking what some dog foods have in them and what these ingredients can do to a dog.
1. Artificial additives.
This includes flavoring, chemical preservatives, and coloring. These often cause a range of issues all centered around allergic reaction. Ingesting these can cause skin problems (dry, itchy and/or irritated skin), poor coat health (brittle, dry and/or poor textured coat and/or hair growth issues), nose discoloration, and/or digestive upset (general upset stomach which can lead to decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, and/or abnormal stools).
Even worse, are the links between synthetic preservatives and coloring dyes and the major health concerns of neurological issues, organ damage, and cancer.
2. Fillers. Many of the brands that fill supermarket shelves are guilty of adding these in. Fillers are cheap ingredients made to bulk up food, but they contain little to no nutrients.When ingested, they cause a dog to feel temporarily full, then pass right out of the body. Some top culprits are corn (cattle-feed quality), hulls, husks, (peanut, corn, oat, and more), seeds, and pulp. Be on the lookout for high cereal by-products as well.
3. Meat by-products. By-product refers to ANY part of an animal that is deemed unfit for human consumption. This means that there will be beaks, brains, lungs, spleens, claws, toes, intestines, undeveloped eggs, you name it.
4. Generic meat products.
While there are many scary things in some dog foods, this may be one of the worst. Legally, anything labeled vaguely (the exact source is not identified) such as 'animal fat' or 'meat oil', can be sourced from ANY animal at all. Roadkill, expired meats from the supermarket, meat from 4D animals (diseased, dying, dead, disabled). And, don't believe that this is rare; it's a multi-million dollar business with meat processing centers around the country.
5. Food sourced overseas.
Close to 1000 pets have died due to contaminated food from overseas. And this number is still climbing; this issue did not go away when the first cases were reported. Be very careful when reading labels, because some brands source their meat from China, but if they mix the food in the US, they will label it as 'Made in the US'. Look for kibble both sourced and made in the US, Canada, or New Zealand (which has safe standards).
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Bear, at 1 year old, photo courtesy of Susanne Mathers
Elements of a High-Quality Dog Food
If you want to avoid all of the issues associated with low-quality food, here is what to look for:
100% all-natural. This is a big one. There will be zero synthetic or artificial additives. Natural preservatives may include a vitamin blend (may be labeled as mixed tocopherols) and/or certain plants, herbs, and other natural sources such as rosemary and green tea extract.
No fillers. Another important quality of the best kibble is that the ONLY ingredients are wholesome foods that will be absorbed to fuel the body. Real meat, vegetables, and fruit.
Low or no gluten (wheat).
Often, when a dog is labeled as 'allergic to grains' it is gluten that is the real problem and wheat and its by-products is the biggest culprit. Most dogs do great with rice (brown or white) which has no gluten or quinoa (fast becoming a popular ingredient).
Properly sized. This is a vital but often overlooked element. With toy-sized breeds like the Maltipoo, you'll want the kibble to be appropriately sized. Struggling with large pieces can cause frustration and under-eating.
Made in the USA or North America. The best brands will be both sourced and made in the US and/or Canada. There may be one or more ingredients sourced from New Zealand.
Added extras that boost health. There are certain ingredients that lend to better health; both now and as a dog grows older.
Glucosamine and chondroitin is a big one; this is fantastic to keep joints and cartilage healthy and is very beneficial for toy-sized dogs like the Maltipoo which are prone to knee and elbow issues.
Another is omega fatty acids; these are terrific for skin and coat health; and when you have a breed like the Maltipoo that has hair
(and not fur), this is a huge plus. Fish is the best source, though this can be found in flaxseed as well.
Antioxidants are excellent for a strong immune system and helping to prevent certain diseases. And probiotics are great for keeping the digestive system in balance.
The Best Foods for Maltipoo Puppies and Dogs
Now that we've covered which types of ingredients are terribly detrimental and what to look for in a really great food, it's time to dive into specific recommendations.
With Healthy Grains:
1. Merrick Classic Small Breed Recipe
.
. This is a great brand for several reasons. It is 100% all-natural, it has wholesome ingredients like chicken, quinoa, vegetables, and fruits. There are excellent levels of glucosamine and chondroitin and also omega 3 and 6. There is no wheat, corn, fillers, or by-products. This sized nicely for most Maltipoo and it is made in the USA.
2. Wellness Complete Health for Small Breeds
.
.This is one of the better kibbles for small dogs for a reason. It is 100% all natural with zero artificial ingredients, the base is turkey and oatmeal (which is amost universally easy on the stomach), there are excellent levels of omega fatty acids via salmon, oil, there is no wheat, corn, soy, or by-products, and it is made in the USA.
3. Halo Holistic Small Breed Recipe
.
.When considering healthy kibbles, this one cannot be left out. Halo offers a purely holistic recipe with a base of chicken and liver. All produce is GMO-free and meats are hormone-free and antibiotic-free. There are no artificial additives, by-products, or fillers and the grains are oats and barley. This is made in the USA.
Grain-free:
1. Merrick Lil Plates Grain-Free Small Breed Recipe
.
.This is a great choice for several reasons, one being that aside from the classic chicken recipe, there are other great options including Texas beef, salmon, and lamb, so it's easy to please a Maltipoo's taste buds with this. As with all of our recommendations, this is 100% all-natural, has no by-products, fillers, or wheat, and is made in the USA.
2. Wellness CORE Grain Free for Small Breeds
.
.This is perhaps one of the very best grain-free dog foods available on the market. You'll find nothing but wholesome foods; top ingredients include turkey, chicken, peas, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, carrots, apples, blueberries, and kale. There are no grains, corn, wheat-gluten, fillers, or by-products. And there are lots of added extras that really make a difference: Omega fatty acids via both fish oil and flaxseed, glucosamine and chondroitin, antioxidants, and probiotics. The puppy formula has all of these elements and DHA for brain and eye development.
If your Maltipoo enjoys a bit of wet food mixed in, Wellness canned food is right on the mark as well. This is made in the USA, and is the ideal kibble size for most Maltipoos.
Homemade Food
There are some owners who prefer to prepare their dog's meals themselves and this can be a good choice if you take the time to select great ingredients and offer a balanced diet. One of the pros to this is often cost saving (particularly if you can buy in bulk) and you have full control over what your Maltipoo eats.
Please note, that commercial dog foods add needed vitamins and minerals to the mix; so, if you are home cooking, this needs to be added to meals, no matter which ingredients you are using. A canine vitamin and mineral powder is often a good option, as this is easy to sprinkle over the food and mix it in.
Some of the ingredients can include:
- Organs - Livers and hearts
- Fish - Salmon, pollock, cod, haddock
- Lean Cuts of Meat - boneless white breast chicken and turkey, lean beef, lamb, veal, and bison
- Vegetables - Spinach, broccoli, peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, carrots
- Healthy grains (if you choose) - Quinoa and brown rice. With no gluten issues, pasta can be included.
- Fruits including blueberries, raspberries, banana, and mango
- Some great add-on foods include eggs (scrambled is often best for the tummy), whole white yogurt, and cottage cheese
Read more
about home cooking for a Maltipoo
for helpful tips and the introduction of an awesome full-color cookbook.
Water Intake
On average, a dog of any age and size will drink 1/2 to 1 ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. This can increase to as much as double this volume due to heavy activity and/or hot weather.
Normally, if water remains in the bowl, it should be switched out for fresh water every few hours.
Be aware of the toxins normally present in tap water. Everything from asbestos, to pesticides, to chromium-6 (a known carcinogen) can be found in tap water across the US. Just in regard to chromium-6, this has recently been found in the water of over 200 million Americans. In addition, many water supplies add fluoride, which is toxic to canines.
Since your Maltipoo will be drinking water and nothing else, prevent your puppy or dog from ingesting these terrible cancer-causing agents and other toxic materials by installing a filter on your kitchen tap, using a filtered water pitcher like the Aquagear Water Filter Pitcher
which filters chromium-6, fluoride, and a host of other contaminants, or offer only bottled spring water.
which filters chromium-6, fluoride, and a host of other contaminants, or offer only bottled spring water. A Word about Food and Water Bowls
Steer clear of plastic bowls. Even those that are BPA free are not a good choice.
Plastic bowls can cause a contact allergy reaction that leads to a dog's nose becoming discolored. This often happens over the course of months and years, so owners may assume that their dog's nose is naturally fading; but, there is nothing natural about this.
In addition, plastic bowls tend to scratch easily, which creates small crevices where bacteria can breed, and these bowls are rather lightweight which causes them to slide.
The best choice are appropriately sized stainless-steel bowls, and a set of two that are held together in a sturdy base like the Internet's Best Bone Dog Bowl Set | Double Stainless Steel
can be a great option if you want both dishes to stay together or if your Maltipoo is messy when he eats.
can be a great option if you want both dishes to stay together or if your Maltipoo is messy when he eats. Toxic Foods
Some of the foods on this list may surprise you:
- Chocolate: The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is.
- Grapes and raisins: This healthy fruit for humans can be very dangerous to your Maltipoo, causing serious kidney damage in even small amounts.
- Onions: These can destroy a dog's red blood cells. This is one reason why giving tablescraps is not a good idea; onions are found in many foods.
- Coffee, tea and soda: It is the caffeine in these drinks that can produce seizures, coma, and eventual death
- Salt: While some sodium is needed, a large quantity of salt will cause kidney issues.
- Macadamia nuts: This expensive nut can do great harm to a dog. The results of ingesting this can be muscle tremors and paralysis.
- Fruit pits and seeds: While it is alright to offer pieces of fruit, it is potentially fatal for a small dog to ingest any seeds or pits. This will cause a range of medical issues including breathing difficulty and a condition in which fluids fill up in the dog's abdomen and heart.
Related:
Best Snacks and Treats for a Maltipoo
- The top 100% all-natural snacks for in between meals and training treats for rewards. Also includes top dental chews.
My Maltipoo is refusing to eat
- The 6 top reasons why a Maltipoo will seem to eat less, and steps to resolve this.
You may also like:
Maltipoo Safety Tips
- The top ways that you can keep your Maltipoo safe from dangers and risks that are common with small dogs.