My Maltese Dog Is Not Eating: What Can I Do to Encourage Him to Eat?

Sometimes dogs refuse to eat over simple matters, such as a change in their food or not getting their preferred food. An upsetting event, such as a move or the serious illness or death of a member of the family, can also cause a Maltese to stop eating. Some of these behaviors are learned, unwittingly taught to the dog by doting owners. It's so easy to spoil a tiny, cheerful dog such as a Maltese, but it doesn't turn out well for dog or human. Maltese are subject to hypoglycemia if they don't eat enough. Hypoglycemia is low blood glucose, which can happen suddenly and can be fatal. Loss of appetite can lead to hypoglycemia, but it can also be a symptom of hypoglycemia.

  1. Tempt With Special Foods

    • If your Maltese is just getting over an illness or is a bit depressed, sometimes tempting foods can do the trick. Offer tiny bits of cheese or chicken, tuna or hamburger. Whatever your dog really loves can be used to get some food into its system when it refuses to eat. Use the special food sparingly, and combine it with the dog's regular food.

    Hand-Feed

    • Try hand-feeding your Maltese. Use the regular food at first, since eating from your hand is the reward. Sit on the floor beside the dog's dish, and pick up a little food at a time to be licked from your hand. Hand-feeding can also be combined with highly favored foods, if your dog needs more enticement than just the special food or the hand-feeding, but try each one separately first, since both tend to cause dogs to fall into the habit of only eating the special food or only eating if you hand-feed.

    Check the Food

    • Check your dog's food for staleness, mold or other contamination. If the food has been in the refrigerator, warm it up a little before feeding, but stir it well and ensure there are no hot spots. Microwaving, particularly, causes very cold and very hot spots within the same bowl. The dog's food and water bowls should be cleaned daily, but check for any bits of old food or dirt that could cause a bad taste or smell. Your Maltese's dry food must be only the very small kibble brands that aren't extremely hard.

    Considerations

    • If you've spoiled your dog it will take considerable time and effort to get it to eat well on a regular basis. Many dogs will eat eventually if you just leave the dry food out, but not all will do so, and your Maltese is susceptible to hypoglycemic episodes, especially when it is younger than three months old. So, get advice from your veterinarian before trying to wait out the dog. Take your dog to the veterinarian if you can't get it to eat at all or if it has other symptoms, such as lethargy, dilated pupils, any unusual behavior or confusion, trembling or weakness.