Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Salmon
    2. Ocean Fish Meal
    3. Sweet Potatoes
    4. Peas
    5. Potatoes
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Calories: 360 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 27%
  • Fat: 15%
  • Fiber: 5%

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy offers families excellent nutrition for their Maltese puppy at a price point they can easily afford. This food’s foundation is found in salmon and ocean fish meal, two excellent lean protein sources that are rich in the essential fatty acids required for coat and skin health.

A food that is grain-free, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables boost the immune systems of Maltese puppies to help them stave off disease. Each ingredient included in this food, rated among the best dog foods for Maltese puppies, has been selected for its ease of digestibility.

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy contains no grain, corn, wheat, filler, artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Probiotics have also been supplemented to assist with optimal digestion.

Pros

  • Puppies with sensitive stomachs did very well on this diet, finding relief from their ailments when fed a steady diet for Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy.
  • This diet is highly flavorful. Even the pickiest of puppies looks forward to their every meal and eagerly licks their bowl clean.
  • The stool quality of Maltese puppies fed this diet regularly was excellent.
  • Owners find the price of this diet to be very reasonable. They love that they are able to offer their puppies top tier nutrition for such an affordable cost.
  • Owners reported puppies fed this diet saw increased energy levels.

Cons

  • A few puppies found this diet’s flavor to be off putting and would not eat it. A different Taste of the Wild puppy food with another protein base may be a better option for those pups.
  • Some owners felt this diet was a little on the pricey side.
  • Several owners expressed that they preferred to feed a diet that includes some whole grains in its formulation.
  • In rare cases, some puppies’ skin and coats took on a strong fishy smell when fed a steady diet of Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy.
  • A few owners indicated they found the kibble pieces in this diet too small for toy breed puppies like the Maltese.

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Chicken & Turkey Recipe Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Deboned Chicken
    2. Chicken Meal
    3. Turkey Meal
    4. Lentils
    5. Peas
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Calories: 491 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 36%
  • Fat: 18%
  • Fiber: 5%

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy is a top quality diet that offers families excellent nutrition for their small breed pups as well as good value for their dog food dollar. This highly palatable food formulation is rich in high quality lean proteins with ample servings of amino acids to support ideal muscle growth.

Salmon oil contributes the DHA required to promote eye and brain development. The omega 3 and 6 fatty acid profile has been boosted to ensure ample assistance with maintaining coat and skin health. This diet, among the best dog foods for Maltese puppies, contains the correct proportions of calcium to phosphorus to encourage the proper rate of bone growth.

Each piece of kibble is enrobed with a probiotic coating to assist with good digestive processing. Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy is free from by-products, wheat, corn, soy, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Pros

  • Puppies fed this diet displayed coats that were soft, healthy, and shiny.
  • Owners noted that puppies that previously struggled with sensitive stomachs found relief when fed this diet on a regular basis.
  • Puppies love the taste of this food. This diet is so flavorful that owners are able to use it for their puppies’ meals and for training treats.
  • Puppies with soft stool saw a return to normal stool consistency when fed Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy on a regular basis.
  • Owners are pleased that this diet is free from grains, expressing it is a great choice for puppies that struggle with food-related allergies.

Cons

  • Some puppies were disinterested in this food and would not eat it. A different Wellness puppy food may yield better results for these pups.
  • A few puppies displayed excessive gas when fed this diet on an ongoing basis. This may be due to a sensitivity to one of the ingredients in the food, or the diet may simply be too rich for the puppy.
  • Owners disliked that the large bags of this food do not come with a resealable closure. This made them concerned they would not be able to keep their puppies’ food fresh for them to enjoy.
  • Some owners did not like that this food is grain-free. They would prefer to feed a diet with some whole grains to assist with optimal digestive processing in their puppies.
  • Several owners indicated they found this diet to be expensive.

Merrick Lil' Plates Grain-Free Real Chicken & Sweet Potato Puppy Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Deboned Chicken
    2. Chicken Meal
    3. Potatoes
    4. Peas
    5. Sweet Potatoes
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Calories: 394 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 28%
  • Fat: 15%
  • Fiber: 4.5%

Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Puppy Food is an excellent quality diet that has been carefully crafted to meet the dietary requirements of small breed puppies. This diet bases its foundation on whole chicken, a lean meat that is easy for Maltese puppies to process and utilize effectively.

A grain-free diet, Merrick Lil’ Plates Grain-Free Puppy Food, rated among the best foods for Maltese puppies, is rich in fruits and vegetables with a high fiber and antioxidant profile. These ingredients support good digestion and a strong immune system.

This premium food formulation contains no gluten, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, making it an excellent selection for Maltese puppies with sensitive stomachs or allergies. Prebiotics and probiotics have been added to boost optimal gut health.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are present in ample amounts to ensure healthy eye and brain development. These essential nutrients also assist with coat and skin health.

Pros

  • Puppies love this food. They lap up each piece in their bowl with great enthusiasm. Even picky eaters look forward to their every meal.
  • Owners noted puppies regularly fed this diet had coats that were soft, shiny, and healthy.
  • Puppies that struggled with poor stool quality saw a return to normal stool consistency when appropriately transitioned to a steady diet of Merrick Grain-Free Puppy Food.
  • Owners like that this diet is grain-free, feeling it is a good choice for Maltese puppies suffering from food-related allergies.
  • Owners feel this diet is priced well. They love that they can feed their puppies premium quality nutrition at an affordable cost.

Cons

  • Some owners expressed they felt the kibble pieces in this diet were too hard for Maltese puppies to break down. They added hot water or warmed up broth to the food to help soften it for their puppies to eat.
  • Some puppies lost interest in this food after several weeks and would no longer eat it.
  • A few puppies experienced mild gastrointestinal distress when fed this diet. This is most likely related to too rapid a dietary change and will resolve in time.
  • Some owners prefer to feed a diet that includes whole grains in its recipe. They expressed they felt these grains were important to assist puppies with their digestion.
  • This diet contains potatoes and peas, two ingredients of questionable nutritional value for puppies.

CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed Grain-Free with Salmon Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Salmon
    2. Salmon Meal
    3. Lentils
    4. Peas
    5. Tapioca
  • Type: Freeze-dried raw and dry food
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Calories: 525 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 24%
  • Fat: 13.5%
  • Fiber: 4%

CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed offers Maltese puppies all of the nutrition they need to support them through each of their critical developmental phases. A limited ingredient diet, CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed is ideal for pups that can be prone to allergies or stomach sensitivities.

This food is highly flavorful, taking its taste from freeze-dried pieces of meat coupled with bits of kibble. A special blend of probiotics, antioxidants, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids has been incorporated into this recipe to ensure support for all bodily systems of a growing Maltese puppy.

This diet, considered to be among the best dog foods for Maltese puppies, hits all the high points dogs need from their daily meals to enjoy an active lifestyle.

Pros

  • Owners love the size of the kibble pieces in this food, expressing they are the ideal size and shape for Maltese puppies.
  • Puppies suffering from dry skin and poor coat quality saw a return to healthy, shiny coats and well-hydrated skin with a regular diet of CANIDAE PURE Petite Puppy Small Breed.
  • Most puppies love the taste of this food, lapping up every morsel in their bowls with hearty gusto.
  • Owners of puppies with food-related allergies are pleased that this diet is completely grain-free, believing this approach to nutrition helps their pups to find relief from their symptoms.
  • Owners love how crunchy the pieces of kibble in this food are. Their outer coating is hard and textured to help keep tartar and plaque from accumulating on the teeth.

Cons

  • Some puppies strongly dislike the taste of this food and will not eat it.
  • Some owners feel this diet is too expensive, making it difficult for them to afford to feed their puppies on an ongoing basis.
  • In some cases, some puppies experienced loose stools and mild diarrhea when transitioned to this food. This may be the result of too quick a dietary change or a sensitivity to one of the ingredients. The issue may resolve given more time.
  • Some puppies found it difficult to process the kibble pieces. Their owners noted that they were quite hard.
  • This diet includes lentils and peas, two controversial ingredients potentially associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and lowered fertility rates in adult breeding dogs.

Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Puppy Health Anchovy, Sardine & Chicken Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Anchovy and Sardine Meal
    2. Chicken Meal
    3. Chickpeas
    4. Peas
    5. Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols)
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Puppy
  • Calories: 481 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 30%
  • Fat: 20%
  • Fiber: 3.4%

Holistic Select Small and Mini Breed Puppy’s premium food formulation earns high marks for its excellent nutrition that supports the Maltese puppy through each phase of its development. A diet that is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids from its emphasis on fish-based proteins, Holistic Select Small and Mini Breed Puppy is primed to support vision and cognitive development.

This diet includes both whole grains and fruits and vegetables. Each ingredient in this food, considered to be among the best dog foods for Maltese puppies, was carefully selected for its ease of digestibility.

Holistic Select Small and Mini Breed Puppy is free from by-products, wheat, gluten, fillers, artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Pros

  • Owners were pleased to report great improvements in their puppies’ coat quality when transitioned to a steady diet of Holistic Select Small and Mini Breed Puppy.
  • This diet is highly flavorful. Puppies love the taste of this kibble and look forward to their every meal.
  • The size of the kibble in this food has been designed with small and toy breeds in mind. Owners are very happy with the size and shape of these morsels, believing they are ideal for their Maltese puppies. The kibble size also makes this diet an excellent choice for dogs that are missing teeth and seniors.
  • Puppies with sensitive stomachs did very well on this food, finding relief from their symptoms.
  • Owners of puppies with allergies are pleased this diet is free from grains, believing avoiding these ingredients is key to helping their pups attain optimal health and wellness.

Cons

  • A few owners expressed that they felt this diet had a smell that was very strong and off putting.
  • Several owners indicated they felt the cost for this diet was a little bit on the pricey side.
  • Some owners noted their puppies’ breath smelled strongly of fish after eating this diet regularly.
  • Some owners indicated they prefer to feed a diet that includes nutritious whole grains in its recipe. They feel these ingredients lay the best foundation for good digestion in puppies.
  • This diet does not contain any supplements to assist with joint health in Maltese puppies.