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Maltese: Breed Profile, Temperament, Health, and Care Guide

A Maltese is a small Toy Group breed with a history stretching back roughly 2,000 years to the Mediterranean island of Malta, where the dogs were treasured by ancient Greek and Roman nobility as status symbols and beloved companions.

According to breed histories, travelers returning from the Mediterranean brought the breed to England by the Middle Ages, where it became a fashionable companion carried in the sleeves of upper-class women. This guide covers where the breed originated, its temperament, how big Maltese get, how long they live, the health problems they are prone to, grooming, how much exercise they need, how easy they are to train, what to feed them, the pros and cons of owning one, and what else people ask.

What Is a Maltese and Where Did the Breed Originate?

A Maltese belongs to the American Kennel Club’s Toy Group and is one of the oldest toy breeds, with evidence of dogs resembling the modern Maltese dating back over 2,000 years to the island of Malta. Ancient Greeks reportedly built tombs for their Maltese dogs, and Roman writers composed poetry celebrating the breed. By the Middle Ages the breed had reached England, where it became a fixture among the aristocracy, sometimes carried in a lady’s sleeve. The Maltese first appeared in America in 1877, and the AKC recognized the breed in 1888.

The American Kennel Club defines the breed in its “Official Standard of the Maltese”, approved March 10, 1964, which sets out the size, coat, and temperament a Maltese should have. As of September 2026, the AKC ranks the Maltese 37th of 210 breeds in popularity.

What Does the Maltese Standard Require?

Short and specific, the standard sets out a few essentials. The coat is a single layer of pure white, flat, silky hair, and light tan or lemon on the ears is permissible but not desired. Weight is under 7 pounds, with 4 to 6 pounds preferred, and the standard notes that overall quality is to be favored over size. Black eye rims and a black nose complete the classic look.

What Is a Maltese’s Temperament Like?

A Maltese’s temperament is affectionate, gentle, and surprisingly bold, combining a trusting, loving nature with real confidence that lets the breed take on dogs much larger than itself without hesitation. The standard says the Maltese “seems to be without fear” and calls it “among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs.” Maltese form close bonds with their family and strongly prefer to stay close by, which means the breed can develop genuine separation anxiety when left alone frequently. Some Maltese are aloof or wary with unfamiliar people and will bark at strange noises, making it a reasonably alert watchdog despite its tiny size.

Are Maltese Good With Other Pets?

Cats and calm dogs of any size are usually welcome company. The risk is physical rather than social: a playful large dog can injure a five-pound Maltese with a single paw. Supervised introductions, play with gentle partners, and a quick scoop into your arms when a boisterous dog approaches keep a Maltese safe, and a second small, calm dog can ease the breed’s dislike of being alone.

How Big Do Maltese Get?

Maltese are a small, compact breed known for a long, straight, silky white coat with no undercoat, giving the breed a distinctive floor-length coat when left ungroomed and a light, almost floating gait.

What Is the Average Maltese Height and Weight?

Measure	American Kennel Club figure
Height	7-9 inches
Weight	under 7 pounds
Life expectancy	12-15 years

Figures are from the American Kennel Club Maltese breed profile, retrieved September 2026.

How Long Do Maltese Live?

Maltese live 12 to 15 years, a solid lifespan for the breed’s size, with some sources citing individual dogs reaching 18 or beyond. Regular veterinary care supports a full lifespan for this healthy, long-lived breed.

What Health Problems Are Maltese Prone To?

Maltese are documented as being at higher risk for the following conditions.

What Is Patellar Luxation in Maltese?

Patellar luxation is a condition in which one or both kneecaps pop in and out of place. The dog skips or holds up a back leg for a few strides. While not painful in mild cases, it can predispose a dog to other knee injuries and arthritis, and severe cases are corrected with surgery. Keeping a Maltese lean reduces the strain on its knees.

What Is a Liver Shunt in Maltese?

A portosystemic, or liver, shunt is a birth defect in which blood bypasses the liver, so toxins are not filtered out. The Maltese is one of the breeds most associated with it. Stunted growth, drooling, confusion or head-pressing after meals, and slow recovery from anesthesia are the signs. A bile acids blood test screens for it, and surgery corrects many cases.

What Heart Problems Affect Maltese?

Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect in which a fetal blood vessel fails to close properly after birth; a vet hears a distinctive murmur in a young puppy, and surgery or a catheter procedure corrects it. In older Maltese, mitral valve disease, a leaking heart valve, is common and is managed with medication once heart failure threatens.

What Other Health Problems Affect Maltese?

An open fontanelle is a soft spot in the skull that doesn’t fully close, and hydrocephalus is a related buildup of fluid in the brain. Hypoglycemia, a sudden drop in blood sugar, is a risk for small puppies. White shaker syndrome causes generalized tremors in young white dogs and responds to medication. Dental crowding and retained baby teeth are common in the breed’s small mouth, and collapsing trachea causes a honking cough.

Which Health Tests Should a Maltese Breeder Provide?

Ask for a patella evaluation and a cardiac exam on both parents, and whether puppies were screened with a bile acids test. A breeder should be able to show the parents’ adult weights. Good breeders also keep puppies until at least eight weeks of age, and many toy breeders wait until ten or twelve weeks, when a small puppy is sturdier and better able to keep its blood sugar steady. Avoid “teacup” Maltese bred below the standard, which face higher risks of low blood sugar, fractures, and liver problems.

How Do You Groom a Maltese?

Maltese have a long, silky, non-shedding coat that requires genuine daily commitment, including daily brushing to prevent mats and tangles, plus professional trims roughly every four to six weeks. Many pet owners keep the coat trimmed to a shorter, more manageable puppy cut rather than maintaining the breed’s dramatic floor-length show coat.

Grooming task	Full coat	Puppy cut
Brush and comb to the skin	Daily	Two to three times a week
Wipe under the eyes	Daily	Daily
Bath and condition	Weekly	Every 2 to 3 weeks
Professional trim	Tidy only	Every 4 to 6 weeks
Brush teeth	Daily	Daily

How Do You Prevent Tear Stains on a Maltese?

The reddish-brown streaks under a Maltese’s eyes come from tears that sit on the white hair and oxidize. Wiping the area daily with a soft, damp cloth and keeping the hair trimmed or tied away from the eyes reduce staining. Heavy tearing can point to blocked tear ducts, eyelashes rubbing the eye, or allergies, so a vet check is worthwhile when stains appear suddenly.

How Much Exercise Does a Maltese Need?

A Maltese needs only moderate exercise, meaning a short walk plus playtime in a fenced yard, and the breed does well with far less activity than most dogs given its small size. Two walks of 15 to 20 minutes a day keep most adults fit, and indoor games of fetch down a hallway fill in on rainy days. Short, varied outings also give a Maltese the social exposure that keeps its wariness of strangers in check. Maltese are cold-sensitive and shouldn’t be taken out in chilly weather without appropriate protection, a reasonable precaution given the breed’s thin, single-layer coat.

Are Maltese Easy to Train?

Yes, Maltese are highly intelligent and responsive to gentle, treat-motivated training, eager to please their owner. Tricks come easily to the breed, and many Maltese enjoy rally and therapy-dog work, where their calm, friendly manner shines. Keep sessions short. Small dogs tire quickly, and crumb-sized rewards keep treats from upsetting the daily food balance while still giving the dog something worth working for. Early socialization manages the breed’s wariness toward strangers, and consistent, positive training from puppyhood produces excellent results with this attentive, food-motivated breed.

Why Is House-Training a Maltese Slow?

Small bladders and a dislike of wet grass slow house-training in many toy breeds, and the Maltese is no exception. Take a puppy out every two hours. Go out after every meal and nap as well, and reward each success outdoors at once with praise and a tiny treat, since timing is what teaches. Some owners use an indoor potty area in bad weather, which suits the breed if it stays in one fixed place.

What Should You Feed a Maltese?

Maltese do well on a small-breed formula suited to their age and activity level, and because the breed can be prone to hypoglycemia, in particular as puppies, regular, smaller meals throughout the day are commonly recommended over one or two large feedings.

How Many Meals a Day Does a Maltese Need?

Puppies eat three or four small meals a day to keep blood sugar steady, and adults do well on two. Small kibble suits a tiny mouth, and treats should be crumb-sized. Some owners find that filtered water and a stainless steel bowl reduce beard staining, though tear staining itself is not caused by food.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Owning a Maltese?

Here are the main advantages and drawbacks of owning a Maltese, side by side.

Pros	Cons
Affectionate, gentle, genuinely bold temperament	Prone to separation anxiety given intense attachment to owners
Non-shedding coat, a good fit for allergy-sensitive owners	High daily grooming commitment for the long coat
Low exercise needs, well suited to apartment living	Cold-sensitive given thin, single-layer coat
Highly trainable and eager to please	Supervision needed around boisterous children given small size

Anyone who loves the breed’s gentle temperament but would rather not search for a breeder can contact Maltese rescue organizations, which place adult dogs regularly.

What Else Do People Ask About the Maltese?

The questions below cover how much a Maltese costs, whether a family home is a good fit, how hypoallergenic the breed is, and why staying warm is so important for a Maltese.

How much does a Maltese cost?

Maltese prices vary by region, bloodline, and breeder reputation, and a puppy from a breeder who screens for patellar, liver, and cardiac health costs more than one that doesn’t. Adopting an adult Maltese through a rescue is a lower-cost alternative.

Is a family home a good fit for a Maltese?

Good family dogs in the right home, Maltese suit households with older children who understand how to handle a small, delicate breed gently. Their intense attachment to their family and tendency toward separation anxiety mean they do best in households where someone is regularly present.

How hypoallergenic is the Maltese?

Maltese are called hypoallergenic because their coat is more like hair than fur and sheds little, producing less airborne dander than many breeds. No dog is completely allergen-free, but many allergy-sensitive owners find the Maltese a genuinely manageable choice.

Why is staying warm so important for a Maltese?

Maltese have a single-layer coat with no undercoat, which means they lack the insulating layer that keeps many double-coated breeds warm in cold weather. A sweater or coat for chilly outdoor walks is a practical, commonly recommended precaution rather than an indulgence.

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