maltepoo diet and digestive system

Question
QUESTION: What is the best diet for a maltepoo?  Our 3-year-old pet tends to get more than his share of "people" food in addition to his dog food.  And is it true that maltese dogs have a more sensitive digestive system than most other breeds?

ANSWER: If you are feeding one of the common brands of dry dog chow, likely the best thing for your dog is to continue it while cutting the people food back to no more than an occasional small tidbit.  Any stomach problems you are seeing may be from the rich additional food.  The truth is, most dogs will thrive on most dog chows.  The worst thing you can do is to keep changing.  If he is doing Ok on what you are feeding now, stick to it.  Some of the sensitive stomach thing is people worrying their dog sick.  If you are tense when he is eating, he will be too.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: That was very helpful.  Thank you.  My daughter is telling me the vet claims Maltese dogs have a differently constructed digestive system so that whatever he/she eats or drinks processes much more quickly.  This, she claims, means the dog shouldn't be eating anything but dog food.  Of course, ours is mixed with poodle.  Just want your thoughts on this.  Thanks.

Answer
I never heard anything like that.  I do hear some outlandish things even from vets.  I do agree that dogs should be eating dog chow and very little else.  With such a small dog, very little else is very little, spoonfuls a week.  The dangers of being fed other stuff may be over stated, but dogs do perfectly fine on nothing except dog chow.