Bella Dolce Maltese puppies are currently weaned to Health Extensions Little Bites. Use coupon code BELLADOLCEMALTE . Please confirm with me that your puppy is on this food before buying it.
Please sign up for dog food recall alerts on one of the dog food websites listed below.
Please go to www.nuvet.com If you use Bella Dolce Maltese code #765802 when checking out, you will receive a discount (for auto ship orders) and can use this code every single time you order. You can also share this code with your friends and family members! I recommend the Nuvet Canine wafers to start. This is an excellent every day vitamin supplement.
MALTESE MUST BE ALLOWED TO FREE FEED!! DO NOT FEED YOUR MALTESE 2 MEALS PER DAY! Bella Dolce Maltese does not support this type of feeding and voids portions of the health guarantee. Feeding scheduled meals allows the blood sugar to fluctuate throughout the day. The animal then gorges at meal times causing dogs to become over weight and have health and stability issues.
Always remember to free feed your Maltese a low protein hard kibble diet that is high in carbohydrates. I suggest keeping a low protein kibble down for the dog all day. If you have a TINY Maltese, you can always supplement your dogs diet every morning with a bit of cooked rice and carrot mixture. (Just cook 1 c. rice with 1 chopped carrot or other veggies and 2 c. water until rice is cooked tender. Feed about 1 tablespoon each morning.) This is perfect for the extra tinies, but not always necessary throughout their lives.
Maltese naturally have small livers. The liver is what processes proteins (as well as medications and vaccines!!), so feeding high protein diets will overtax the liver causing poor function. Do not feel the need to “spoil” your dog with leftovers from your steak dinner! Dogs are omnivores and the Maltese diet must be varied and breed specific! They do well with small amounts of proteins and high amounts of carbs! The naturally love grains, fruits and vegetables and will do well with them in their diets! (Please stay away from ingredients that can harm a dog, such as raisins, grapes, onions, or garlic.)
Animals cannot digest corn well. Corn is typically is genetically engineered and often laden with pesticides. Because of these facts, I prefer to feed my Maltese a corn free dog food. Even the expensive dog foods or ones you see at most Vet’s offices may contain corn. The best thing you can do to provide a high quality diet for your Maltese puppy is to do your research on the different dog foods that are available in your area.
I recommend researching different dog food for your Maltese on these websites:
I recommend only feeding your Maltese puppy/dog dry kibble to maintain good dental health. Occasionally, you may need to supplement or entice you dog with some wet food. (We love Fresh Pet over here! We also love Stella & Chewy’s) But your Maltese puppy’s everyday diet should be a high quality kibble. Toy breed dogs are notorious for getting tartar on their teeth and needing regular dental cleanings, so any way you can help maintain their dental health, the better! Hard kibble helps to scrape the teeth while chewing. Yes, even toothless dogs can eat hard kibble!
Please have puppy kibble and clean water available for your Maltese puppy 24 hours a day until they are a fully matured adult dog. Clean water must be available for all of your pets at all times.
Nutri-CalPuppy Paste is an important supplement to have on hand when you bring your Maltese puppy home. Puppies, and sometimes adult dogs will go through a transition phase when they transfer from one home to another. When an animal leaves their current home, their litter mates, familiar sounds & smells of their previous home, this can cause stress on an animal. When an animal is stressed or scared, sometimes it will not eat or drink. Be gentle, give your new baby some extra TLC and let them lick some Nutri-Cal off of your fingers as you reassure them. (Force a bit on their tongue if they dont take it willingly! You must give a pea sized drop morning, afternoon and before bed when you first bring your puppy home!)
Your Maltese puppy should always have access to a good quality dry puppy food and clean water. I ‘free-feed’ my puppies. This means I leave food and water down for them 24/7. As your Maltese puppy matures and becomes an adult, sometimes it is necessary to adjust this method of feeding as to avoid letting the animal become overweight.
When your new Maltese puppy first arrives home, you want to monitor its intake and outtake. In other words, what goes in must come out. Your Maltese puppy should be urinating and defecating several times per day. If your new puppy is not producing waste, then it probably isnt eating or drinking either. You will need to encourage your Maltese puppy to eat and drink. Hand feeding is best! Try adding water to the puppy’s kibble to soften it up. Canned or wet food has a strong odor that is enticing to a Maltese puppy. Let the puppy lick some wet food from your fingers as you stroke it and tell your pup what a good dog they are. You can also try offering low sodium chicken broth, boiled chicken breast, Baby rice cereal or Baby food from a jar. If at any time your Maltese puppy acts lethargic, off balance or is salivating, this could mean the puppy has not eaten a sufficient amount and is experiencing hypoglycemia. Encourage eating & water intake and call your vet immediately. Your breeder should discuss hypoglycemia with you before taking your new puppy home.
Hypoglycemia is preventable. It is up to the new puppy owners to know how to handle it. If a new owner neglects symptoms their Maltese puppy’s symptoms of hypoglycemia, it could very well result in death.