



Before we dive into how much food a Maltese should eat, it must be pointed out that different foods vary quite a bit in regard to calories. And that is what this all comes down to.





Some foods, particularly higher quality dog foods and home cooked food, are calorie dense. Therefore, serving sizes are often smaller than with less-than-ideal brands.





In addition, cheaper, inferior foods may be packed with fillers which do not offer as much nutrition per serving, so a Maltese may need to eat more to receive the same amount of calories.





Calorie requirements: Growing puppies need about 55 calories per pound of body weight, per day. And dogs that have reached their adult size (about the 9 month mark for Maltese) need approximately 45 calories per pound of body weight, per day.





Note that this number can go up or down 20%, and depends on a dog's activity level, health, age, and individual metabolism.





Serving sizes: Dog foods list recommended feeding guidelines on the packaging which are based on their particular formula, and both a dog's age and weight and these are pretty spot-on. Do, however, keep in mind that these servings sizes are usually per day (not meal) and it is assumed that you are offering several snacks per day.





This said, in general the guidelines are:







Maltese from 2 to 4 pounds will eat about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup per day.





Maltese 5+ pounds will eat about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups per day.

Maltese puppies and dogs eat a surprisingly small amount of food; and if you have had larger breeds in the past it may be hard to believe that such tiny servings properly fuel this breed.