Maltese — Newborn & Baby Care

The arrival of a Maltese puppy is both exciting and delicate. Maltese are among the smallest toy breeds, and newborns typically weigh between three and five ounces at birth. Their tiny size makes them particularly vulnerable during the first day of life, so close monitoring of the dam and her litter is essential. Ensure the whelping area is clean, dry, and free from drafts, and confirm that each puppy has been cleaned and stimulated by the mother shortly after delivery.

During the first 24 hours, each puppy must begin nursing to receive colostrum, the nutrient-rich first milk that provides critical maternal antibodies. Because Maltese litters are typically small, ranging from two to five puppies, competition at the nipple is usually manageable, but you should still verify that every puppy latches and feeds within the first two hours. Puppies that fail to nurse during this window face significantly higher health risks.

Keep handling to a minimum during this period, as the dam needs calm surroundings to bond with her litter and establish consistent nursing. Weigh each puppy using a gram-accurate scale and record the weights so you can track daily gains. A healthy Maltese newborn should not lose more than a small fraction of its birth weight during the first day, and any significant decline warrants immediate veterinary attention.

Watch the dam closely for signs of distress, excessive bleeding, or disinterest in her puppies. Maltese mothers are generally attentive, but first-time dams may need gentle encouragement to settle and allow nursing. If the mother refuses to care for the litter or shows signs of complications following delivery, contact your veterinarian without delay.

Proper nutrition during the neonatal period sets the foundation for a Maltese puppy's long-term health. For the first three to four weeks, puppies should rely entirely on the mother's milk, which provides the ideal balance of protein, fat, and immune-boosting antibodies. The dam's own diet should be high-quality and calorie-dense during this time, as nursing places enormous nutritional demands on her small frame.

Maltese puppies should nurse every two to three hours during the first week, gradually spacing out feeds as they grow. Because of their toy-breed size, Maltese newborns are especially prone to hypoglycemia if feeding intervals become too long. Keep a close watch for signs of low blood sugar, including lethargy, trembling, and weak crying, and consult your veterinarian about emergency supplementation protocols before they are needed.

If supplemental feeding becomes necessary due to an insufficient milk supply or an orphaned puppy, use a veterinarian-recommended canine milk replacer and a small nursing bottle or syringe designed for toy breeds. Never use cow's milk or human infant formula, as these can cause serious digestive upset. Feed the puppy in an upright or slightly angled position to prevent aspiration, and stimulate elimination with a warm, damp cloth after each feeding.

Around three to four weeks of age, you can begin introducing a gruel made from high-quality puppy food softened with warm water or milk replacer. This gradual weaning process should extend over several weeks, allowing the puppies' digestive systems to adjust. By six to seven weeks, the puppies should be eating softened solid food regularly, though some may continue to nurse occasionally if the dam permits.

Maltese puppies are born blind, deaf, and entirely dependent on their mother. Their eyes are sealed shut and their ear canals are closed, so their world is defined by warmth, touch, and scent. During the first two weeks, known as the neonatal period, puppies spend nearly all their time sleeping and nursing, and their primary reflex behaviors include rooting toward warmth and suckling.

Between ten and fourteen days, the eyes begin to open, though vision remains blurry for several more days. The ear canals typically open around the same time, and puppies start to respond to sounds and light. By the third week, Maltese puppies begin attempting to stand and take wobbly first steps. This transitional period marks the beginning of rapid neurological development and increasing awareness of their environment.

From three to five weeks, puppies enter the socialization period, during which they begin interacting with their littermates and dam in meaningful ways. Play behaviors emerge, including gentle mouthing and pawing, which teach bite inhibition and social boundaries. Maltese puppies at this stage also begin to develop their signature curious and affectionate temperament, seeking out human contact when handled gently.

By six to eight weeks, Maltese puppies are mobile, alert, and increasingly independent. They can eat solid food, eliminate on their own, and engage in playful exploration. Their baby teeth have emerged, and they are learning rapidly from every interaction. This period is critical for gentle, positive exposure to various sights, sounds, and textures that will shape their confidence as they grow.

Temperature regulation is one of the most critical concerns for newborn Maltese puppies. Like all neonatal dogs, they cannot regulate their own body temperature for roughly the first two weeks of life and depend entirely on the dam and their environment for warmth. The whelping area should be maintained at approximately 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the first week, gradually decreasing to around 80 degrees by the end of the second week.

Use a heat lamp, heating pad designed for whelping, or a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel to maintain consistent warmth. Always position the heat source so that puppies can crawl away from it if they become too warm, as overheating is just as dangerous as chilling. Monitor the puppies' behavior for cues: puppies that are too cold will huddle tightly and cry persistently, while overheated puppies will spread apart and pant.

The whelping box should be placed in a quiet, low-traffic area of the home where the dam feels secure. Avoid locations near exterior doors, open windows, or air conditioning vents. Use clean, soft bedding that provides traction for the puppies' developing legs, and change it frequently to maintain hygiene. Newspapers alone are too slippery and can contribute to splayed legs in tiny breeds like the Maltese.

As the puppies grow and begin to regulate their own temperature around three weeks of age, you can gradually reduce supplemental heating. Continue to monitor the environment, however, as Maltese puppies remain more sensitive to temperature extremes than larger breeds throughout their development. A comfortable room temperature of 72 to 75 degrees is appropriate once the puppies are mobile and active.

Socialization during the neonatal and transitional periods looks quite different from what most people imagine. In the first two weeks, socialization is limited to gentle handling by the caregiver. Brief, calm sessions of holding and touching each puppy for a few minutes each day help build neural pathways associated with human contact and begin conditioning the puppies to accept handling without stress.

From roughly three weeks onward, the window for meaningful socialization opens wider. Maltese puppies at this age are becoming aware of their surroundings and can benefit from carefully introduced novel stimuli. Soft sounds such as quiet music or household noises, different textures under their paws, and gentle handling by multiple trusted people all contribute to building a confident, well-adjusted temperament.

Because Maltese are a companion breed with a strong orientation toward people, early positive interactions with humans are particularly important. Puppies that receive consistent, gentle socialization during these early weeks tend to develop the trusting, outgoing personality the breed is known for. Conversely, puppies raised with minimal human contact can develop fearfulness or anxiety that is difficult to overcome later.

Keep all socialization experiences positive and brief. Overstimulation can be just as harmful as under-stimulation, especially for tiny toy-breed puppies who tire quickly. Allow the puppies to retreat to the comfort of their dam and littermates between socialization sessions, and never force an interaction if a puppy shows signs of stress such as whimpering, trembling, or attempting to hide.

A veterinary examination within the first 48 hours of birth is advisable, particularly for toy breeds like the Maltese that are prone to certain congenital conditions. The veterinarian will assess each puppy for obvious birth defects, check for cleft palate, evaluate hydration, and ensure the umbilical cords are clean and drying properly. This initial check also establishes a baseline weight and health record for each puppy.

During the first few weeks, your primary health monitoring tool at home is a gram-scale. Weigh each puppy at the same time every day and record the results. Healthy Maltese newborns should gain weight steadily, roughly doubling their birth weight within the first ten days. Any puppy that fails to gain weight for two consecutive days or loses weight should be evaluated by a veterinarian promptly, as this can signal infection, inadequate milk intake, or congenital issues.

Maltese puppies are predisposed to certain health concerns that your veterinarian will monitor for during early visits. These include liver shunt, patent ductus arteriosus, and hypoglycemia. While not every puppy will be affected, awareness of these breed-specific risks allows for early detection and intervention. Your veterinarian may recommend specific screening tests as the puppies grow.

Deworming typically begins at two weeks of age and is repeated at regular intervals as directed by your veterinarian. Vaccinations generally begin between six and eight weeks of age. Your veterinarian will outline a schedule tailored to your puppies' needs and local disease risks. Keep detailed records of all treatments, weights, and observations to share at each visit.

Caring for newborn Maltese puppies requires vigilance, and knowing the warning signs of trouble can save lives. One of the most common emergencies in toy-breed neonates is hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar. Symptoms include extreme lethargy, limp or unresponsive behavior, trembling, and in severe cases, seizures. If you suspect hypoglycemia, contact your veterinarian immediately for guidance on emergency intervention.

Persistent crying is another red flag that should not be ignored. While newborn puppies do vocalize, continuous high-pitched crying often indicates pain, hunger, or chilling. Check that the puppy is warm, attempt to facilitate nursing, and examine the puppy for any visible injuries or swelling. A puppy that continues to cry despite intervention needs veterinary evaluation.

Watch for fading puppy syndrome, a catch-all term for neonates that fail to thrive without an obvious cause. Affected puppies may nurse poorly, lose weight, feel cool to the touch, and become progressively weaker. Fading puppy syndrome can progress rapidly in toy breeds, and early veterinary intervention offers the best chance of survival. Do not adopt a wait-and-see approach if a puppy appears to be declining.

Other signs that warrant prompt veterinary attention include diarrhea, nasal discharge, labored breathing, bloated abdomen, and rejection by the dam. The dam herself should also be monitored for mastitis, eclampsia, and signs of infection following delivery. With Maltese being such a small breed, both the mother and her puppies have less physiological reserve, making early detection and treatment critically important.