healthy diet for maltese
by vita
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Our breeder suggested feeding our new puppy mighty dog and eukanuba mall breed puppy food. He likes it, but there is staining on his face already. Believe it is mostly from the might dog, it has caramel color, ech. So I am willing to cook for this dog:I am willing to do anything to keep him healthy. I need suggestions of diet that are centered , not around commercial dog food preparations. Suggestions of what supplements are best, etc. I don't want his face stained, but more than that I want the healthiest diet I can provide and am willing to go out of my way to provide it. Any ideas?
DISCUSSION:
Hi Vita - So, you're willing to cook - I started cooking for Bailey because he HATES (for lack of a better term) canned dog food. So, I feed him dry neutro-max puppy kibbles lamb & rice formula (for his teath), boiled (in filtered water) chicken breast (ground in a food processor) with FRESH peas & carrots (I don't know, he loves them) and I give him daily supplements (a vitamin & a half teaspoon of Linatone) - He's not into any treats except Neutro chicken & rice sticks (they're soft & kind of smelly so I keep them down to a minimum). Ask your vet before you switch, and switch gradually - It has become a little Sunday night routine, I cook for a weeks supply and leave in a tupperware container in the fridge. He's still eating his three meals a day (he's only 4 and a half months & almost four pounds). The vet said this food is fine as long as no spices, etc are added and I give him dailey supplements. Also, there is a recipe page on Jay's home page, so check that out too.
Mary & Bailey
Mary, do you cook the peas and carrots? I've tried to give Ahzsie fresh carrots since so many Malts seem to like them, but he doesn't chew on them. I've tried to give him fresh red peppers. Nothing. Green peppers? Nothing. He looks at me like "what's this???" I've cut off a tiny piece and he takes it in his mouth and then places it somewhere else. Very neatly. Such a picky eater!!! He does go crazy for fresh blueberries in season (not now, too tart) and sunflower seeds and almonds. He loves italian bread. I've tried to mix in brown rice with his chicken but he picks out the chicken and leaves the rice. All the naural type recipes in the books seem to apply to other dogs and not Ahzsie. Which is why I use plant based vitamins. It's driving me crazy. I don't want to give him the high fat commercial dog foods -- more like doggie junk food -- but he likes some of it. I don't know what to do and would also like some advice here. Anybody else have veggie hating dogs?
Isabel
Hi! Yes, I cook the peas and carrots, boil them in bottled water until they are mushy - and (I know this will sound nuts) I peel the skin off of the peas so he doesn't choke on the skin - He loves them!! He especially likes to play with the pea before he eats it (breaks it in two, pushes along the floor with his nose, front paws down, butt up & attacks) it's actually pretty humorous (kind of what he does with his kibbles). Try it, your pup may like it (Bailey is a VERY picky eater).
Mary 4 Isabel
Hill's Science Diet is what all my dogs eat. They all have beautiful coats and skin. They are all healthy. I have 3 maltese and 2 shih tzu. Their coats need minimal care and the hair is soft and tangle free. Susan.
Susan
Isabel I cook Alexs' vegetables also (I steam them in a steamer). I tried to give him some raw ones, but he does not want them. He likes the carrots, peas, green beans, red pepper, green pepper, cauliflower, squash. BUT NOT SPINACH. He does not like lamb meat. He prefers beef, pork, veal, venison, liver. I don't mix them in a food processor. I cut everything in little pieces. He likes it better that way. Last time a did a batch, I put the meat and vegetables in the processor and after added rice. He did not like my mixture. He only ate the thing when he was hungry. He is now 5.4 lbs and almost 2 years old. Besides tearstaining he is very healthy. I don't give him any supplements. I believe that if their diet is varied they don't need them.
Janine
Hello again. I want to thank people for their wonderful suggestions on diet. Boris is 13 weeks old. As of today no Mighty dog food, because I have thrown out the cans. He ate chicken and eukanuba for lunch and cooked chopped meat and dry food for dinner. He was thrilled. I have a vetappointment in a week and will consult with her on vitamins. So many people use rice . Is brown rice a good starch to mix with the food? Thanks for keeping this discussion going. I am learning each day
vita
Ahzsie loves fish. So yesterday, I picked up a small can of CAT food and he dived into it like crazy. His head didn't come up for air until the dish was clean. I've heard that other Maltese also like cat food. Any thoughts on this? I don't imagine it's not good for them. But since it's designed for a different species, I want to make sure I'm not doing harm.
Isabel
Vita - my first Maltese ChiChi lived till 13 with bad heart murmur and finally died of congestive heart failure - she never ate dog food after 5 months old - I tried every trick and every type no luck - I fed her raw veggies such as green peppers, carrots, snow peas, cauliflower, brocolli(stock only) asparagus, lettuce - she didnt like mushrooms or raw tomatoes - she also ate grapes & cherries, mandarin oranges and loved cashews and salty junk food like potato chips ( I didnt let her have these in later life when she got congestive heart problems) I made her roast beef, roast lamb, steak, liver, roast veal - no roast turkey or pork as she didnt like it also no ham - she loved bacon and homemade pasta and soup. She would eat any shape of pasta if it had homemade meat or marinara sauce - no alfredo or carbonara- also stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls. For treats we bought her liver chips - girl at store slow roasted pork liver then sliced it and next day dehydrate it - she made these for ChiChi and another dog with health problems. I made it a few times for her with sliced beef liver - she preferred the pork. Other than her heart problem she had no other problems - no kidney, liver, joint, eye, teeth or ear problems - my vet was amazed how well she did and was sure love kept her going for so long. I used very little salt and only herbs like basil, thyme chives,oregano in cooking. Travelling was often a problem - we would have to find restaurant that would do take out steaks - one time owner couldnt believe after eating we wanted a steak to go asked if we wanted baked, mashed or fries - we told him just the steak and could you cut it up in bite size pieces - we got the takeout for 1/2 price. Vet said variety of veg along with lean meat and rice or pasta would keep her healthy.
Shirley
Please don't feed your precious furball cat food. I had a dog who ate cat food as a regular diet, because I did not realize that the protein content was toxic to my precious baby's kidneys. I lost Casanova at age 8 because of my ignorance! I thought I was just giving him something he liked. I did not know I was killing him. What a sad day when we had to bury our precious little boy. Now all of our babies eat only Hill's Science Diet dry food. This food was developed in the 1940's by a veterinarian who had a dog with multiple health problems. Every puppy that leaves my home goes with a full 5 lb bag of this food. It comes in different formulations for each stage of your dog's life. If anyone is in doubt about this, ask your veterinarian what a prescription food can do for your pet. Thanks for letting me get on my soapbox! Susan...
Susan
Thanks, Susan. I guess no more cat food for Ahzsie! So sorry to hear about your baby.
Isabel
| Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advice. |
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