Tiny puppy, small and frequent meals
A Maltese puppy is one of the smallest puppies you will ever feed, and his feeding plan should reflect how little margin a tiny body carries. Offer a complete small-breed puppy food with fine, small kibble pieces sized for a very small mouth, in four small meals spread across the day while he is young. Regular, frequent feeding keeps his energy steady in a way that two large meals cannot for a puppy of this size. Measure each serving, because at Maltese scale a heaped spoon is a big swing in his daily intake, and keep to the same food at first so his small stomach settles after the move to his new home.
Energy dips and the puppy who will not eat
Very small puppies can lose energy quickly if meals are missed or refused, so treat appetite as information. A Maltese puppy who skips a meal and seems bright may simply be settling in, but one who is wobbly, unusually sleepy, trembling, or refuses food repeatedly needs a veterinarian's advice the same day rather than home experiments. Keep mealtimes calm and close to where he rests, put food down at predictable times, and avoid overwhelming a shy eater with an audience. If he is consistently leaving food, check with your veterinarian at his next visit about amounts before assuming he needs a different recipe.
Teeth, tear staining, and bowl practicalities
Maltese mouths are small and their teeth are crowded, so a kibble he can actually crunch supports comfortable eating and early dental habits. Their white facial hair also shows food and water mess quickly, so use a shallow, clean bowl, wipe his face gently after meals, and wash bowls daily to keep everything hygienic. When you do change foods, blend over about a week and watch his stools, which in a tiny puppy will show a too-fast change quickly. Avoid feeding rich human foods or large treats broken from adult dog treats; tiny, puppy-appropriate rewards drawn from his daily allowance suit him far better.
Treats, chews, and what stays out of the bowl
Everything extra for a Maltese puppy should be miniature: rewards no bigger than a fingernail clipping, taken from his daily allowance, so a training session never amounts to an unplanned fifth meal. Offer only chews made for toy puppies and stay with him while he chews, removing any piece that could be swallowed whole. Keep human foods, especially rich or sweet items, entirely out of his routine, and store his food sealed so the tiny portions you serve stay fresh for weeks rather than going stale in an open bag his appetite will never race through.
A gentle routine everyone can follow
Because his meals are frequent and small, a Maltese puppy benefits from a written schedule that any family member or sitter can follow without guessing. Note the times, the exact amount per meal, and where he eats, and keep fresh water in a small, stable bowl he cannot tip. As he grows you can move gradually toward fewer, slightly larger meals, guided by his weight and your veterinarian's advice. KinsLe Care Teams keeps that schedule shared for this Maltese puppy, with each small feeding assigned and timestamped when done, so his little-and-often plan survives busy days.