7 Foods You Should Avoid Giving To Maltese: Verified List

If you share your home with a Maltese, you know the truth: they steal your heart completely. These tiny fluff balls bring so much love and sass into your life.

But when it comes to food, even well-meaning pet parents get it wrong.

My friend learned this the hard way. She gave her Maltese one small bite of raisin bread. "Just a tiny piece," she thought. 

That tiny piece sent them racing to the emergency vet. According to the ASPCA Poison Control, raisins and grapes are highly toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure.

Her mistake taught us something huge: the wrong foods can really hurt our fur babies.

This guide lists the top foods to avoid for Maltese, so you can keep your precious pup safe, joyful, and thriving.

Before we go on, let’s understand

The Maltese breed and the nutrition that suits it best.

Source: Happy Pet

The Maltese is a dog breed characterized by its small size, silky white fur coat, and friendly personality (almost).

They have a high metabolism but can only eat small, frequent meals due to their tiny stomachs.

An adult Maltese consumes around 300 to 350 calories a day, while puppies need about 400 calories.

Most of these calories should come from

• Carbohydrates and
• Proteins

With the rest coming from

• Fats
• Vitamins
• Minerals and
• Fiber

With that being said, going further, let’s understand about the food items that can be toxic to your Maltese.

Avoid These 7 Foods Giving to Maltese

Some foods on this list might sound like good options for your Maltese at first. But in reality, they can harm your dog’s health.

For better food choices and informed decisions, always consult a vet or a pet nutritionist before introducing anything new to your dog’s diet.

1. Milk & Dairy Products

Your Maltese looks at you with those sweet eyes, and you think milk sounds perfect. Many dog parents believe milk gives dogs calcium and protein. Puppies drink their mom's milk, right? You might even share yoghurt or cheese as special treats. This feels natural.

Here's what really happens: most adult Maltese are lactose intolerant.

According to the American Kennel Club, many adult dogs are lactose intolerant and suffer from digestive issues after consuming dairy. This causes

• Stomach pain
• Gas
• Loose stools
• Throwing up

Even tiny amounts hurt them. You should skip cow's milk and dairy completely.

If you still want calcium-rich treats, pick lactose-free choices or ask your vet for safe supplements.

Always read labels before you offer anything creamy or cheesy.

2. Grapes & Raisins

Grapes and raisins look innocent. You think, "They're just fruit! How can they hurt?" They taste sweet, fit in your palm, and make easy snacks. People see fruit as healthy food.

Your Maltese faces real danger from grapes and raisins.

As confirmed by the Pet Poison Helpline, grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs, even in small doses. They start

• Throwing up
• Acting tired and
• Refusing food within hours.

Worst cases cause

• Permanent kidney damage or
• Death.

Never give grapes or raisins to your dog. Store them where your pup can't reach them.

3. Avocados

You see those creamy green avocados and think, "This has to be good for my Maltese!" After all, avocados give us humans amazing healthy fats and nutrients. Many Maltese parents toss small avocado bits into homemade dog meals. They believe this will make their pup's skin glow and coat shine. Here's the problem: avocados hide a sneaky toxin called persin.

This stuff hurts dogs when they eat too much. Even tiny amounts can make your Maltese's tummy feel awful. Your sweet pup might

• Throw up
• Get diarrhoea or
• Feel really uncomfortable.

The high fat also triggers pancreatitis, and small breeds like Maltese get this more easily.

Skip avocados completely.

Try cooked pumpkin or sweet potato instead if you want to boost your dog's skin and coat health.

4. Almonds & Other Nuts

Those crunchy almonds and mixed nuts look so innocent, right? Some Maltese owners think, "These have lots of protein - perfect training treats!" Others figure that anything healthy for humans must work for dogs in small portions. Wrong thinking here. Nuts create big trouble for Maltese dogs.

Almonds sit heavy in their tiny stomachs and won't digest properly. This leads to

• Gas
• Bloating and
• Belly pain

and makes your pup miserable. Some nuts, like macadamias actually poison dogs.

Even the "safe" nuts come loaded with salt, flavouring, or coatings full of chemicals that hurt your dog's body. Your small Maltese also faces choking dangers with these hard, small pieces.

Never give your Maltese any nuts, no matter how much those adorable eyes beg you.

5. Onions & Garlic (Raw or Cooked)

Many pet parents think they help their dogs when they add onion or garlic to homemade meals. They believe these ingredients add flavor or boost health. People especially think garlic helps the immune system because it helps humans.

Your Maltese can't handle onion and garlic like you can. Raw, cooked, or powdered. All forms hurt your dog.

The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that onion and garlic toxicity lead to oxidative damage to red blood cells, especially in small dogs like the Maltese.

Small amounts add up over time and make your dog

• Tired
• Weak and
• Short of breath.

Your Maltese weighs so little that even tiny bits of garlic or onion in table scraps can hurt them.

You need to read every label and avoid feeding leftovers that might contain these dangerous ingredients.

6. Commercial Foods Without Animal-Protein as the Base  

Some dog food companies sell plant-based or grain-heavy formulas and call them healthy, cheap, or allergy-friendly.

Health-conscious Maltese owners see these options and think they make smart, clean choices, especially when the packages look appealing or cost less money.

Commercial foods that don't list animal protein first on the ingredient list fail to give small breeds like your Maltese what they need.

Your Maltese needs high-quality protein to build muscle, keep their coat shiny, and stay healthy overall. Plant proteins alone don't provide complete amino acids.

Many cheap foods also pack in fillers and additives that upset your dog's stomach.

You must check every label.

You should choose food where real meat, like chicken, lamb, or fish, appears as the first ingredient.

7. Cherries

Cherries look like perfect little treats. They're small, sweet, and packed with antioxidants that help humans, so you might think you can share one or two with your Maltese as a fruity reward. Cherries cause more problems than they solve. The pits, stems, and leaves contain cyanide, which kills dogs quickly. Even the flesh part, though not poisonous, upsets your dog's stomach because it contains too much sugar and acid.

The pit can

• Choke your dog or
• Block their intestines

You shouldn't take this risk. When you want to give fruit, you should stick to safer choices like seedless apple slices or blueberries.