Maltipoos were bred because of the love people have for two small species, namely Maltese and Toy Poodles. The result of this breeding is a small dog with a unique look, but with the danger of carrying a genetic predisposition for both breeds’ health issues. You can help your Maltipoo handle these issues and enjoy a healthy life. A large part of this will depend on its diet. Let’s take a look at what it will need and show you the best dog foods for Maltipoos.
Buying guide
No matter the dog you have, you need to make sure it receives the best possible food. Food determines how well they develop as puppies and their level of health during adulthood. Look out for the following ingredients on dog food packets and make your decision accordingly.
Healthy ingredients
Products which can be described in the following way are usually safe for consumption:
- Natural ingredients: This includes meat, vegetables and even herbs. These ingredients add fantastic flavors to your dog’s food. (Take note of the note about grains and wheat below).
- Nutrients: These ingredients help to keep all bodily systems intact. They also fight the effects of aging.
Risky ingredients:
- Artificial products: An excellent example is coloring or flavoring. they bear no nutritional value and can cause allergic reactions.
- Grains, Wheat, Soy: These are natural ingredients, but their presence may create digestive problems and even activate an allergic reaction. Too many carbohydrates can also cause weight issues.
- By products: Meat by products are the least nutritious parts of an animal. These ingredients may be natural, but they’re not beneficial to your pet’s health.
If you own a Maltipoo, you have more aspects to keep in mind when purchasing food. By searching for products that assist your dog in these areas, you help your Maltipoo to have quality of life and keep in shape well into its senior years.
Maltipoos health problems
A Maltipoo inherits health challenges from both breeds that make up its ancestry. Every Maltipoo is different, so it’s not a given that you’ll have to deal with all these problems. Giving your dog the best food while it’s still young will help prevent some of the problems from occurring, so pick wisely when you’re out shopping.
The following are areas of concern you need to pay attention to:
- Eyes: Glaucoma and retinal atrophy can occur, but certain dog foods do focus on providing nutrients which benefit the eyes.
- Shaker dog syndrome
- Sugar levels: Small dogs struggle to keep their sugar levels constant and some even develop diabetes. You can help control your dog’s sugar levels by giving it the correct healthy food.
- Breathing: Certain poodles’ trachea can collapse. An overall healthy system will help your dog’s body deal with the situation if it does occur.
- Cushing’s disease: This disease has a range of symptoms such as weight gain, panting, thirst and bladder infections. You can help manage some of these such as your dog’s weight. Giving it quality food with the correct amount of calories and carbohydrates will give it energy, while not producing more body weight.
- Dental: Your Maltipoo may develop dental problems due to the very small mouth it has. The teeth are crowded inside your dog’s mouth, but dog food which combats tartar build up is an excellent option to assist in this regard.
Now that you know what your dog’s food can help with, let’s look at a few options that may be the best for your Maltipoo.
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Features
Wellness is a front runner in providing dog owners with a healthy alternative. You’ll love the fact that this product contains natural ingredients which will benefit your dog’s health in many aspects. Along with this your Maltipoo will love eating this dog food because it’s designed for small dogs. This means there won’t be any discomfort at meal times.
Being able to chew kibbles benefits your dog in a variety of ways. The chewing action helps to dislodge any tartar build up. When the food moves through the digestive system, the nutrients contained in the kibbles can be absorbed instead of ending up in the stool (which can entice your dog to eat their stool). Let’s see what else Wellness offers you.
Pros
- Turkey and chicken are primary sources of ingredients. This adds a lot of protein to the food and it results in its fantastic taste which will have your Maltipoo return for more.
- Wellness products don’t contain any of the following:
- Wheat
- Corn
- Meat by products
- Artificial flavors and preservatives
- The food contains an ideal calorie level. Wellness determines this level with small dogs’ energy levels in mind. Your Maltipoo will have enough fuel for its active lifestyle, but not too much that it will gain weight. This is how much Wellness cares about the details of your dog’s life.
- Wellness products are made in the USA where strict rules govern pet food manufacturing. This is essential to ensure your pet receives food that’s safe for consumption.
Cons
- Wellness dog food is quite expensive. Make sure this is the smart option in terms of benefits for your dog, as well as wise for your pocket.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free High-Protein Dry Dog Food, Natural Ingredients, Made in USA with Real Meat, All Breeds, For Adult Dogs (Original Turkey & Chicken, 26-Pound Bag)
Summary
You’ll love the effect this packet of food has on your Maltipoos health. You’ll see the effect in its coat, energy levels and even gums. Make sure you can afford this food in the long run so you don’t have to change to another brand after a short while.
NutriSource Chicken & Pea Formula Grain Free Dog Food
Features
NutriSource gets it right to offer your dog most of the essential features quality dog food must have. It uses the correct ingredients and doesn’t allow any meat by products to decrease the food’s nutritional value. One amazing benefit of NutriSource products is that the manufacturers add a few grains with a low glycaemic index. If your dog shows signs of diabetes, this brand is an excellent one to try.
Pros
- In this product NutriSource uses chicken as the main product. This is an ideal source of protein so your dog’s muscles are kept in good condition. It also enhances the taste and smell of the food.
- There aren’t any grain ingredients in this product which can trigger allergies.
Cons
- This food is made for general use with any type and size dog. This isn’t ideal for Maltipoos since their mouths are small. Depending on your dog’s size it may find the kibbles uncomfortable to chew. If dog food isn’t chewed properly its nutrients can’t be absorbed fully when it moves through the digestive tract. Keep an eye on your dog to see if they can chew these kibbles.
Tuffy's Pet Food NutriSource Grain Free Dog Food, 30 Pound, Chicken & Pea
Summary
NutriSource is an excellent option for your Maltipoos meal plan. This specific product is grain free, but browse through their whole range and pick the one which offers your pet the most benefits.
Nature’s Logic Dry chicken for Dogs
Features
This product is aimed at providing dog owners one type of dog food to use for all the dogs in a certain household. This is a terrific idea and can benefit you in terms of budget. However, you need to take into account that Maltipoos are quite unique. Their requirements may not be met by a general dog food.
The first challenge arises with the size of the kibble. If the kibbles are too big for your Maltipoo to chew comfortably it can lead to digestive problems, or your small dog simply won’t eat.
The second aspect to consider is the nutritional value in terms of a Maltipoos unique dietary needs. If you know your dog struggles with maintaining sugar levels or with its liver, the nutrients of a general dog food may simply not suffice. Let’s see what some of the benefits are so you can decide what your dog needs at the moment.
Pros
- There’s very little chance of digestive problems and allergic reactions, because none of the following are part of the ingredients:
- Wheat
- Corn
- Chemical preservatives
- Artificial coloring
- Artificial flavoring
- Man-made vitamins or amino acids
- Only natural ingredients are used such as meat and vegetables.
- Chicken used in this specific item is an excellent source of protein and also gives the food an amazing taste.
Cons
- The kibble size isn’t specifically for small dogs. It may cause discomfort for Maltipoos.
- It’s quite expensive. If it won’t benefit your small dog, it’s a more costly risk to take.
Summary
You’ll love the natural approach of Nature’s Logic. You’re guaranteed that your dog receives no harmful chemical ingredients. However, your Maltipoos unique dietary requirement may not be matched by this product, simply because it’s not designed for small dogs.
Merrick Grain Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food
Features
Merrick is another all around great choice when it comes to dog food, because they do almost everything right. They pride themselves in using quality products without chemical preservatives and flavors. This is exactly what you want to ensure long term health for your Maltipoo.
This specific product is designed for puppies of all breeds. This means the food should be comfortable to eat for adult Maltipoos, but a puppy may call for even smaller kibbles. The advantage of feeding puppy food to adult dogs is the high amount of nutrients present in puppy food.
However, you need to understand your adult Maltipoo may have different dietary needs than puppies. An adult dog has fully developed teeth and gums. They need hard enough kibbles to keep them clean and strong. The digestive system of an adult dog also functions different than a puppy’s. What are some of the benefits of this food?
Pros
- Merrick only uses natural products.
- No grain is used during manufacturing, so your dog is safe from allergic reactions and digestive irritations.
- The high amounts of fatty acids contained in Merrick’s food benefit the following areas:
- Skin and coat
- Hips and joints
- Merrick products are manufactured in the USA under very strict conditions to guarantee its safety for consumption.
Cons
- Merrick is an expensive brand.
Summary
Merrick delivers dog food of exceptional quality that your dog will love to eat. This particular product is ideal for puppies, but you can expect your adult Maltipoo to keep on benefiting from it. You’ll also have to test the kibble size on your Maltipoo puppy. If it finds it uncomfortable to chew, look for another product.
Now Fresh Grain Free for Small Breed Adult Dog Food
Features
Now offers your dog many advantages. One aspect it finds important is your dog’s energy levels. This is apt when you own a small dog such as a Maltipoo. You probably know how it loves to run all over. Your Maltipoos diet has to provide enough fuel for all these activities and Now does exactly that. It also offers you much more.
Pros
- No grain or gluten is used during manufacturing.
- A terrific taste and high levels of nutrients are obtained from using turkey, salmon and duck meat.
- Now provides antioxidants. These fight the effects of aging so your dog stays strong and healthy for as long as possible.
- Your Maltipoos coat will look shiny thanks to the Omega oils contained in this product.
- This product is specifically for small breeds.
Summary
You’ll love the natural approach to dog food that Now takes. Your Maltipoo will benefit from the many nutrients coming from the natural meat products.
Conclusion
There are two products that catch the eye on this list. Wellness and Now offer your dog healthy kibbles in an ideal size. This makes it easy and safe to consume, even for very small breeds such as Maltipoos. See which one of these brands are easiest to obtain in your area. You won’t be disappointed and your Maltipoo will love meal times thanks to you.
The post The 5 best dog foods for Maltipoos appeared first on The Bark Buzz.
