# Need your guys opinion on my dogs weight & siz



## Mattcrx (Feb 27, 2017)

Hey guys! 

Iv been having a read on the maltese Dog sizes and weight and I'm abit worried my little pal does not weigh enough for his size and age he is very very small... he's 5 months old.

From his withers to the base of his tail he is roughly 8.2" (21cm) and from his withers to his feet he is the same roughly 8.2" (21cm) And his weight is 3.6lb.... he gets fed Royal Canin dry food at the moment.
The pictures don't show it but he is really tiny..... 

I saw his sister the other day and she was a **** of a lot bigger than him and also has abit more weight to her. So why do you guys think? Am
I being stupid??


So here he is!





Thanks everyone 
Matt


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

He looks good to me. And I don't feel like that weight is out of line. But you should still be feeding him a puppy formula. I'm not a big RC fan. He also is small enough be still be free feeding. And the puppy formula would have more calories for him. But he's a cutie!


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## Snuggle's Mom (Jan 3, 2008)

I think he is absolutely adorable!! Some Malts are just built small and I would not worry about his size. However, as suggested in the above post, the choice of food should be a Puppy formula and not sure what brands are available to you where you live. Also, he should get a few small meals during the day and not free fed.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

My Malt is 2 years old and 3.6 lbs full grown (she's Korean), and she's about 9"x9". Some are just smaller. That seems like a good size as he isn't done growing yet. The best way to judge weight it to check the ribs and to track eating and pooping. Daisy just about eats the recommended amount for a 5lb dog. A puppy food is a good choice but there are also "all life stages" foods. We used Fromms Four Star up until recently. We're now testing for a chicken allergy so I had to switch to a single protein formula.


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## Mattcrx (Feb 27, 2017)

What do you mean by a formula? The RC food I was advised by the breader and is for puppies under 10 months old is this wrong? 

Can anyone advise me what makes of formula? Ill try and source some here. Please bare with me I am very new to owning dogs myself.

Thanks for the advise guys!!


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

As long as it's for puppies you're fine. Being in Dubai, you won't have the same choices as other people. Many owners on here feed specialty diets (like raw or dehydrated) however those are more expensive in other countries or impossible to find. Some brands that I like are Fromm's Four Star and Natural Balance (to test for food allergy). We live in South Korea and I have to order our dog food online and have it shipped. As long as your dog shows no signs of food allergy (like itching or soft stools) and they are healthy then your current food is okay. Our Maltese is allergic to grains and we are testing for a chicken allergy. We noticed it because she licked and scratched herself all day. 

When feeding dry food it may help to moisten it with water, especially as a puppy. This helps the little ones chew the food easier and increases their water intake. You can also mix in a bit of wet canned dog food. Daisy likes both of that and it helps keep her weight up.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

I don't know how true this list is but this might be a list of dog food brands available in the UAE 

Dog Food Brands Available in the UAE – Go Fetch!

Natural Balance is on there but I don't know about the other brands. My Maltese had a crazy allergic reaction to Blue Buffalo which is why we're testing for a chicken allergy. I went to switch from Fromms to Blue Buffalo Wilderness which is also grain free. She had 2 meals of half Fromms half Blue Buffalo and was licking and itching all day long. She's fine with the Blue Buffalo beef wet food. I ran out of Fromms and while the Natural Balance ships here she's eating the beef wet food. Our Sheltie eats Blue Buffalo with no problem. She isn't allergic to anything. 

Buying a formula specifically for small breed dogs may help make it easier for him to eat it as the pieces are smaller. Also, only buy bags that are about 4 lbs or 2kg as it will last a long time for a small dog and the fats in the dog food can go bad.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Steph_L said:


> I don't know how true this list is but this might be a list of dog food brands available in the UAE
> 
> Dog Food Brands Available in the UAE – Go Fetch!
> 
> ...


There have been recent recalls on Blue Buffalo so I would check that out if you are still using it. I did not pay much attention to which ones as I have never used that brand. Hope it isn't one you are using either. :thumbsup:


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## Mattcrx (Feb 27, 2017)

I have not noticed any strange itching or such yet.. he bites his foot sometimes?? 

I know all dogs are different but what do you guys suggest is a good or beat Food to feed him??

My wife works for emirates so she flys a lot, I can always get her to bring back special food.


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## Steph_L (Jul 20, 2015)

edelweiss said:


> There have been recent recalls on Blue Buffalo so I would check that out if you are still using it. I did not pay much attention to which ones as I have never used that brand. Hope it isn't one you are using either. :thumbsup:


Thanks Sandi. There was a recall for the beef Wilderness wet food we get but a different expiration/sell by date. Blue Buffalo isn't my top choice but she was on horrible shelter food when we got her so this is a step better. We move back to the States in about 6 weeks so she'll get something different then I think. I'd like for both of them to be on the same food because Daisy steals from Ellie's bowl but financially it doesn't make sense to feed Ellie the same limited ingredient/more expensive food as Daisy considering she doesn't have any dietary restrictions and needs a food for her energy level. Maybe when we move we'll have better options.

Matt, Daisy was a foot chewer as well. I'm not sure if it's a puppy thing or grain allergy. With the tiny breeds, I think grain free is always a good choice because they don't need the extra fillers and empty calories. There will always be some scratching and chewing. That's just what dogs do. If your wife flies to the U.S. a lot then she may be able to get some Fromm's Four Star however you'd have to make sure she goes back regularly so that you can get more. Ideally you'd have a food that you can buy locally.

For instance, I have to order Daisy's food. Because of the allergy to the food I just ordered and because I ran out of her old food, she now has to eat a wet food for a week while a different brand gets shipped. If I had local options that were grain free and single protein then I could have just gone and buy a bag and not wait a week.


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## littlefluffbabies (Apr 17, 2013)

Your pups weight sounds fine to me. My katie weighed 2 lbs when I brought her home and she eventually (3 years) later seems to have found the perfect weight for her frame. She is just over 4lbs now. Like Pam said, he should have access to food whenever he needs it at this age. If your wife is able to buy food elsewhere, then I would recommend checking out this site which rates dog foods. 
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com

Your little Louie is adorable!


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## LOVE_BABY (May 5, 2015)

Growing puppies should usually get to 3 meals a day if my memory serves me right. I think that is what the vet told us to do when Baby was a puppy about 4 years ago. As Baby got a bit older we were instructed to cut it down to 2 meals a day, breakfast & dinner which is what we do now. 'Free Feeding' which means leaving food out all of the time is not recommended, It will make potty training impossible because he won't eliminate on a schedule and when he is older could become over weight.


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## Mattcrx (Feb 27, 2017)

I am leaving his food out... which is a very bad thing to do. I'm going to start eliminating chicken and grain and also limit his food portions as I do feel I'm feeding him too much and with too many treats.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I have not had a puppy in a very long time, but I have fed several of my older dogs Natural Balance "Limited Ingredient" Potato and Duck kibble and the dogs seem to have done well on it! They get the small breed kibble which is a small size. One of my dogs, a rescue, has not had any teeth since befor I got her, so I put a little water on the kibble, let it soak for a while, and she eats it very fast.  The company also make a wet (canned) Potato and Duck formula (recipe), but I haven't tried it.

I think we tried a Blue Buffalo kibble and a Wellness kibble and neither of those were good or her digestion.

It looks like the company makes a Potato and Duck kibble intended for puppies, so perhaps that would be one you could try.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Well he looks healthy and adorable to me. ...but then I'm partial to the little ones. My Asia just turned one in the beginning of February and she is still 3 1/2 lbs. ...that's exactly what she weighed when I got her last August. She eats like a piggy and she has very long legs and long body.

They're all different. ...just like people. Ava is 8 years old and is very little, but she weighs a lot (4 1/2 lbs) - but she's just very over weight! :w00t:

Enjoy him. :thumbsup:


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## starry (Sep 4, 2006)

Mattcrx said:


> I am leaving his food out... which is a very bad thing to do. I'm going to start eliminating chicken and grain and also limit his food portions as I do feel I'm feeding him too much and with too many treats.


Why is this bad if you feel he needs to have more weight and also being a puppy.


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