Maltese Guide

Maltese Puppy Care: What to Do in the First Weeks

Good Maltese puppy care comes down to a few habits: a calm, warm, predictable home, careful handling, regular small meals and a vet you trust. A puppy that weighs a couple of pounds has very little margin, so small mistakes matter more than they would with a larger breed.

This guide covers the first days, daily routines, handling, health checks and basic first aid. For the detailed topics, see the Maltese feeding guide, the house training guide and the puppy-proofing guide.

How do I care for a Maltese puppy in the first few days?

Keep the first days quiet. Your puppy has just left its mother, littermates and the only home it has known, and a tiny dog can be overwhelmed by a crowd of new faces. Let family members meet the puppy one or two at a time, sitting on the floor, and save the visitors for the second week.

Pick one small, warm room for the first week, with a crate or pen, water, a bed and a few safe toys.
Keep the food the puppy was already eating. A change of food on top of a change of home often causes an upset stomach.
Offer food and water soon after arrival and watch that the puppy eats. A very small puppy that refuses meals needs attention quickly.
Let the puppy sleep. Young puppies often nap for most of the day, and interrupting naps makes them cranky.

What does a Maltese puppy need every day?

A daily rhythm helps a puppy settle. Meals, short play sessions, toilet breaks and naps at roughly the same times teach the puppy what to expect, and they make house training much easier.

Small meals several times a day, with fresh water always available.
Short bursts of play, followed by rest. Ten minutes of gentle play is plenty for a very young puppy.
A brush through the coat every day, even a quick one. A Maltese has a long, silky, single coat that tangles easily, and a puppy that learns to enjoy brushing is far easier to groom as an adult. The Maltese grooming guide explains the routine.
Face and eye wipes after meals if the hair around the eyes gets damp. See the tear stain guide for what is normal.
Sleep in the crate or pen at night, close enough that the puppy can hear you.

How do I handle and pick up a tiny Maltese puppy safely?

Maltese are small enough to be injured by a fall from a sofa or from a child's arms. Teach everyone in the house the same method: one hand under the chest and the other supporting the hindquarters, with the puppy held close to your body. Never lift a puppy by its front legs or by the scruff.

Young children should sit on the floor when they hold the puppy, so that a wriggle does not turn into a drop. A puppy that is stepped on may be hurt or become fearful, so teach children to watch where they walk. Also watch for doors, rocking chairs and recliners, which injure toy dogs every year.

Many Maltese puppies have a soft spot on top of the skull that closes slowly, which is one more reason to handle the head gently and to avoid rough play.

When should a Maltese puppy first see the vet?

Book a check within the first few days. Having the puppy examined by your own vet within about the first week is a sensible habit, and many breeders ask for it in their health guarantee. Bring the puppy's vaccination and worming record, the registration papers and a stool sample if the vet asks for one.

Your vet will plan the rest of the vaccine series, parasite control and, later, spay or neuter timing. Ask about heartworm prevention, dental care and when to start brushing teeth, because small breeds are prone to dental disease. Keep the puppy off grass, sidewalks and dog parks where unvaccinated dogs go until the vet says the series is complete. A carrier in a quiet waiting room is safer than a floor that many dogs have crossed.

How warm does a Maltese puppy need to be?

Toy puppies lose body heat fast because they have little body mass and, in the Maltese, no undercoat. A chilled puppy is also at risk of low blood sugar. Keep the home at a comfortable room temperature, keep the bed away from drafts and air conditioning vents, and give a very young puppy a soft blanket to burrow into.

Short trips outdoors in cold or wet weather call for a light sweater or coat. In hot weather the opposite applies: never leave a puppy in a parked car, even for a minute, and keep walks short and shaded. Heat stroke can develop in a small dog far faster than owners expect.

What should a Maltese puppy first aid kit contain?

Put a small kit together before the puppy arrives, and keep your vet's number and the nearest emergency clinic's number somewhere visible.

Gauze pads, self-adhesive bandage and blunt-tipped scissors.
A digital thermometer made for pets, with lubricant. A normal dog temperature is roughly 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Saline eye wash and a soft towel.
Plain corn syrup or honey. Ask your vet at the first visit whether they want you to use it for a puppy with low blood sugar, and how.
Styptic powder for a nail cut too short.
The number for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, written down.

First aid buys time; it does not replace the vet. Never give human pain medicine, much of which is toxic to dogs.

When should I call the vet about a Maltese puppy?

With a puppy this small, the safe rule is to call early. Call the vet the same day for any of these:

Vomiting or diarrhea more than once or twice, or any at all in a very young puppy, because dehydration comes quickly.
Refusing food for a meal or two, or seeming unusually quiet and sleepy.
Trembling, wobbling, glassy eyes or pale gums, which can signal low blood sugar. Treat this as an emergency: call your vet or an emergency clinic at once and go straight there. Some vets advise rubbing a little honey or corn syrup on the gums on the way, so ask yours in advance, and never put liquid in the mouth of a puppy that is limp or cannot swallow.
Limping, or skipping on a back leg, which may be kneecap trouble. See the Maltese health problems guide.
A fall, a bite from another dog or being stepped on.
Coughing, labored breathing or blue-tinged gums.
Swallowing something that is not food. Call even if the puppy seems fine.

How do I socialize a Maltese puppy without overwhelming it?

Socialization means gentle, positive exposure to new people, sounds, surfaces and handling while the puppy is young. For a Maltese, the aim is calm confidence, not a busy schedule. Let the puppy hear the vacuum cleaner from another room, walk on tile, carpet and grass, ride in a carrier, and be touched on paws, ears and mouth with a treat afterward.

Meet only vaccinated, gentle dogs until your vet clears wider contact, and avoid big, boisterous dogs that could hurt a puppy by accident. Maltese tend to be affectionate and people-oriented, as the Maltese temperament guide describes, and they can become clingy or noisy when left alone. Practice short separations from the first week, starting with a minute or two in the pen while you are in the next room.

What should I know before bringing a puppy home?

Prepare the house and the people. Everyone in the home should agree on the rules: who feeds, who takes the puppy out, and what the puppy may and may not chew. Look at the Maltese puppy growth stages to know what to expect over the coming months, and remember that a Maltese can live twelve to fifteen years, as the lifespan guide explains. If you are still choosing a dog, see the puppies available at Divine Maltese.

Ask the breeder for the puppy's vaccination and worming record, the food it eats and any instructions, and keep that paperwork where you can find it on the first vet visit.

Quick Answers

How much sleep does a Maltese puppy need?

Young puppies often sleep sixteen to twenty hours a day, in many short naps. Let them rest in a quiet spot, because a tired puppy is a fussy and clumsy one.

Can a Maltese puppy be left alone?

Only for short periods at first, and never for long stretches while very young. Build up slowly with a safe pen, a toy and a quiet routine, and have someone check in during the day.

Is it normal for a new Maltese puppy to cry at night?

Yes, for the first few nights. A warm, snug bed close to you, a last toilet trip before bed and a calm, boring response to whining usually settle it within a week or two.

When can a Maltese puppy go outside?

For toilet breaks in a clean, private yard, usually soon after arrival. Wider outings and public places wait until your vet confirms the vaccine series is complete.

Do Maltese puppies need a bath right away?

Not in the first days. When a bath is needed, use warm water and a dog shampoo, dry the puppy thoroughly and keep it out of drafts, because chilling is a real risk for toy puppies.

How do I know if my Maltese puppy is healthy?

A healthy puppy is bright, curious, eats well, has a clean nose and eyes, firm stools and steady energy between naps. Any change in appetite or energy is worth a call to your vet.