Maltese : 10 Most Common Questions

Aristotle mentioned a tiny white dog from the Mediterranean by name around 350 B.C., which gives you a sense of how far back the Maltese reaches into human history. The AKC formally recognized the breed in 1888, but the dog had already spent two millennia threading itself through Greek pottery, Roman poetry, and Egyptian burial rites. Today's Maltese — compact, charming, draped in a floor-length silk coat — is essentially the same animal that Roman noblewomen carried on their laps while the empire was still young. For apartment dwellers, empty nesters, and families looking for a spirited but portable companion, few breeds have a longer résumé.

What Is the Background and History of the Maltese?

The Maltese is one of the oldest toy breeds on record. Phoenician traders are credited with spreading the dog around the Mediterranean basin before Greece rose to prominence, and Greek scholars eventually named it the "Melitaie" — a term linked to the ancient word for Malta but also to several other harbor towns across the sea. Aristotle listed the breed by name in his writings around 350 B.C. Roman aristocrats adored them; the poet Martial wrote fondly of his Maltese named Issa in the first century A.D. Egyptian artifacts suggest the breed held near-sacred status there as well.

The dogs arrived in Britain during the reign of Henry VIII, were painted by court artists including Sir Joshua Reynolds, and reached North America in the late 1800s. The AKC admitted the Maltese to its stud book in 1888. Despite centuries of crossing through different cultures and climates, the core character — alert, affectionate, and unaware of its own small size — has barely changed. The Lhasa Apso, another ancient companion breed, shares a similarly well-documented origin story worth exploring if you're drawn to dogs with deep historical roots.

How Big Does the Maltese Get?

The AKC breed standard is precise on this point: the Maltese should weigh under 7 pounds, with the preferred range sitting between 4 and 6 pounds. Adult dogs typically stand 7 to 9 inches at the shoulder. The body is square in proportion — height at the withers roughly equals length from withers to tail root — which gives the breed a compact, balanced look even when the coat is clipped short.

Males and females fall within the same weight range; unlike many breeds, there is no meaningful size difference between the sexes. Dogs pushing 8 or 9 pounds exist and can be perfectly healthy, but reputable breeders generally consider anything over 7 pounds outside standard. The coat creates a visual illusion: a well-groomed Maltese in full floor-length coat looks considerably larger than its actual body mass suggests. Beneath that white silk is a surprisingly solid little frame.

Are Maltese Dogs Too Active for Apartment Life?

The Maltese is an energetic breed, but its exercise needs scale with its body. A brisk 20-minute walk once or twice a day satisfies most adults. Indoor play — chasing a toy across a hallway, learning new tricks — counts meaningfully toward their daily activity quota. That said, do not mistake small size for laziness. A Maltese left without mental or physical engagement will find its own entertainment, usually in the form of barking or mischief.

Training comes relatively naturally to them. The breed is people-oriented and motivated by approval, which makes trick training and basic obedience more productive than with many other toy breeds. Start sessions short — five to eight minutes — because their attention span, like their legs, is compact. Positive reinforcement with small, soft treats works well. Compare this to the Miniature Schnauzer, which shares a similar apartment-friendly profile but brings a more independent streak to training sessions.

Is the Maltese a Good Dog for Families with Allergies?

The Maltese is listed among the AKC's hypoallergenic breeds, and the designation holds partial truth. Unlike double-coated breeds, the Maltese has a single-layer silk coat with no dense undercoat to shed in seasonal clumps. Loose hair stays in the coat rather than drifting onto furniture and clothing, which reduces airborne particulate significantly. For many allergy sufferers, this difference is enough to be meaningful.

The nuance worth knowing: the primary dog allergen is not hair itself but a protein called Can f 1, produced in saliva and skin secretions. Every dog produces it, including the Maltese. Research has shown that allergen levels inside homes with so-called hypoallergenic dogs are not reliably lower than homes with other breeds. Individual sensitivity varies enormously — someone mildly allergic to dogs may live comfortably with a Maltese while someone with a severe reaction may still be symptomatic. If allergies are a serious concern, spend time with an adult Maltese before committing. A puppy visit alone is not a reliable test because allergen production increases as dogs mature.

Is the Maltese Suited to Living Indoors Full-Time?

Yes, and the breed's physiology helps explain why. At 4 to 6 pounds, the Maltese has a surface-area-to-mass ratio that makes heat loss rapid in cold weather. Wet, windy conditions are genuinely uncomfortable for them rather than merely inconvenient. Summer heat presents the opposite problem: brachycephalic tendencies in some lines limit their capacity to pant efficiently. Leaving a Maltese outdoors unsupervised exposes it to temperature extremes it is poorly equipped to manage on its own.

Beyond climate, the breed's small stature creates predator risk. Hawks and large birds of prey have been documented taking toy breeds from unsecured yards. A fenced garden or leashed walks cover the breed's outdoor needs safely. They do not require acreage; a city apartment suits them well provided daily walks happen consistently and they are not left alone for extended stretches — the Maltese bonds closely and does not manage solitude easily.

What Is the Best Approach to Housebreaking a Maltese?

Housebreaking is the most frequently cited challenge in Maltese ownership, and there is a straightforward physiological reason for it. A toy breed puppy's bladder is tiny in absolute terms — roughly the size of a walnut — and the smooth muscle controlling it does not fully mature until around six months of age. A two-month-old Maltese puppy may need to eliminate every two hours, including after each meal, nap, and play session. The schedule is demanding by necessity, not stubbornness.

Paper training or an indoor pee pad system works well for owners in high-rise buildings or cold climates, because it removes the barrier of outdoor weather from the equation. Crate training is the other proven method: dogs instinctively avoid soiling their sleeping space, so a correctly sized crate (just large enough to stand and turn around) creates the biological pressure to hold it until taken outside. Whichever method you choose, consistency matters more than technique. The same spot, the same command, immediate praise within three seconds of elimination — these are the mechanics that translate to a reliably housebroken dog by months five or six. Accidents cleaned with anything other than an enzymatic cleaner will leave residual scent markers that invite repetition.

Do Maltese Get Along with Other Dogs?

Generally well, particularly when introduced to other animals during the critical socialization window between three and fourteen weeks of age. A Maltese raised alongside other pets tends to be relaxed and playful in canine company. The potential complication is a personality trait breeders call "big dog in a small body" — the Maltese has no instinctive awareness of the size difference between itself and a much larger dog, which can lead to bold confrontations that do not end in its favor.

Some Maltese develop territorial behavior around food or toys, and intact males can be particularly assertive. Careful management during introductions — neutral territory, leashed first meetings, separate feeding stations — reduces conflict. Households with very large or boisterous breeds should supervise interactions closely; a well-intentioned play bow from a Labrador can injure a 5-pound dog. The breed generally tolerates cats when raised together, though a high-energy cat that swats may provoke anxious barking. See also the Basset Hound's temperament profile for a breed that typically makes a calm, low-conflict companion for smaller dogs.

Is the Maltese a Healthy Breed?

The Maltese has a lifespan of 12 to 15 years, which is long even by toy breed standards. That longevity comes with a handful of conditions worth knowing before you commit. Luxating patella — a kneecap that slides out of its groove — affects many small breeds and occurs in Maltese at moderate rates. The condition is graded I through IV; Grade I cases cause an occasional skipping gait that self-corrects, while Grade III and IV cases involve permanent displacement requiring surgical correction. Responsible breeders have their breeding stock evaluated, and OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) certification is worth asking for.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is an inherited degenerative condition in which photoreceptor cells in the retina die off gradually, eventually resulting in blindness. There is no cure, but DNA testing can identify carriers, and ethical breeders screen for it. White Dog Shaker Syndrome — episodes of full-body tremors triggered by excitement or stress — appears in white-coated breeds including the Maltese, and responds well to corticosteroid treatment when needed. Dental overcrowding is nearly universal: a jaw that small simply does not have room for a full set of adult teeth to sit properly, which accelerates tartar accumulation and periodontal disease. Daily tooth brushing from puppyhood is not optional if you want to avoid expensive dental cleanings or extractions later. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier health problems article offers useful framing for how breed-specific conditions differ from general canine health concerns.

How Do I Care for the Long White Coat?

The Maltese coat is single-layered, fine-textured silk that grows continuously — it does not shed in cycles the way a double coat does. That silk texture is both the coat's beauty and its engineering challenge. Unlike coarse guard hair, fine silk strands wrap around each other easily, and a small tangle ignored for 48 hours becomes a tight mat that must be worked out with a detangling spray and a metal comb, working from the ends inward. Let it go another day and you may face a mat pulled tight enough against the skin to cause pain and restrict circulation. The American Maltese Association recommends a daily once-over with a pin brush or steel-tooth comb as non-negotiable maintenance, not a weekend task.

Before any brushing session, mist the coat lightly with a diluted conditioner — brushing dry silk snaps the hair and creates frizz that worsens tangling. Bathe every one to two weeks using a shampoo formulated for white coats (bluing agents prevent yellowing) followed by a moisturizing conditioner. Never let the coat air-dry; towel off excess water, then blow-dry on low heat while brushing through each section. High heat damages the protein structure of the hair. Many owners opt for a shorter "puppy cut" trimmed every six to eight weeks by a professional groomer — the coat is more manageable and the dog is cooler in summer, though the iconic floor-length look disappears. For grooming technique comparison, the longhair Dachshund grooming guide covers similar fine-coat principles.

Are Maltese Safe Around Small Children?

The Maltese is affectionate with children it has grown up around and generally seeks human contact rather than avoiding it. The concern is not temperament but fragility. A 5-pound dog can be seriously injured by a toddler who picks it up and drops it, sits on it accidentally, or squeezes it in the way toddlers squeeze stuffed animals. The bones of a toy breed are fine and the joints are small; falls from arm height can fracture a leg. This is a physical reality, not a breed behavior problem.

Families with children under six should maintain direct supervision during all interactions and establish early that the dog is not a toy to be carried around. Teaching children to sit on the floor when holding the dog eliminates the drop-height risk. Once children are old enough to understand and follow rules consistently — typically around age seven or eight — the Maltese makes an engaged, playful companion. The breed is alert and communicative; it will signal discomfort with body language before it escalates to a snap, giving attentive owners time to intervene. For families with multiple breeds and young children, the Rottweiler guide covers the opposite end of the size spectrum and the different supervision dynamics involved.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average lifespan of a Maltese?

Most Maltese live between 12 and 15 years, making them one of the longer-lived toy breeds. Good nutrition, consistent dental care, annual vet visits, and maintaining a healthy weight all contribute to reaching the upper end of that range. Obesity is a genuine concern in small dogs — even a single extra pound represents 20% or more of their body weight and stresses joints and organs accordingly.

Do Maltese bark a lot?

The Maltese is a vocal breed with a sharp, carrying bark relative to its size. They were historically valued partly as alert dogs, and that instinct remains. Barking triggered by visitors, noises, or separation is common. Consistent training from puppyhood — teaching a reliable "quiet" command and rewarding calm behavior — keeps it manageable. Left untrained, the barking can become habitual and difficult to interrupt. Apartment dwellers should factor this in before choosing the breed.

Can Maltese be left alone during the workday?

Not comfortably for eight or more hours. The Maltese bonds intensely with its people and is prone to separation anxiety when left alone for extended periods — vocalization, destructive behavior, and housebreaking regression are the most common signs. Dogs that must be alone during work hours benefit from a dog walker midday, a companion animal, or doggy daycare a few days per week. Gradual alone-time training started in puppyhood builds tolerance up to about four hours; beyond that, additional support is usually needed.

What should I feed a Maltese?

A high-quality commercial kibble formulated for small breeds works well for most Maltese. Small-breed formulas have smaller kibble size (appropriate for a small jaw) and calorie density calibrated for a faster toy-breed metabolism. Adult Maltese typically eat a quarter to a half cup of dry food per day split into two meals; exact portions depend on the food's calorie content and the dog's activity level. Avoid free-feeding, which makes weight monitoring difficult. Tear staining — a common cosmetic issue — can sometimes be reduced by filtering drinking water and avoiding food with artificial dyes or fillers.

How do I find a reputable Maltese breeder?

The American Maltese Association maintains a breeder referral service and sets ethical standards its members are expected to follow, including health testing for PRA and luxating patella. Reputable breeders will invite you to meet both parents, provide OFA and CAER (eye registry) certifications, and ask you questions in return — they want to know where their puppies are going. Avoid breeders who offer puppies under eight weeks, will not allow a visit to their facility, or have multiple litters available at once with no waiting list. The AKC breed page also offers a marketplace with registered breeders.

The single most useful thing a first-time Maltese owner can do is commit to daily coat maintenance before the puppy comes home — purchase a steel-tooth comb, a pin brush, and a diluting spray bottle, and practice a brushing routine from day one. A Maltese that grows up accepting grooming as normal will be a far easier and less expensive dog to own than one that has to be sedated for mat removal at the groomer.

Chiara Bradshaw

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