Overview: The Maltese breed is considered by many to be the ultimate companion dog, as it is a truly people oriented breed that thrives on the attention it receives from close family members. While the Maltese will generally form a specifically close attachment to one family member, it also tends to create strong bonds with all family members, making it an ideal dog for many situations. Small and intelligent, the Maltese has been known to steal the hearts of those who own them.

If you are considering a Maltese for your family, keep it mind that it is very small (between two and six pounds is the breed standard), and so it may not be a good idea to bring a Maltese into a home with very young children, as they could easily injure the dog by accident. Unlike some small dog breeds the Maltese is generally quite patient with children, and so older, respectful children can do quite well with a dog of this breed. As a companion dog the Maltese is not suited for people who are not home often, as dogs of this breed require a good amount of attention to be truly happy.

The Maltese breed is exceptionally long lived, and is is not uncommon for them to live fifteen years and beyond. For that reason, it’s important to be sure of your continued commitment to a Maltese before bringing them into your household, ensuring that you will be able to care for them for many years.

Exercise Requirements: While Maltese are lively little dogs, they are able to satisfy the majority of their exercise needs through indoor play sessions. Provided they receive a daily walk, Maltese can do well in a variety of living conditions, and make a good choice for individuals living in apartments and townhouses. They should be closely supervised when in rural areas, as dogs of their small stature can fall victim to attacks from birds of prey.

Shedding: The Maltese breed has a long, white coat that should be rushed daily, to prevent tangles or matting. Many Maltese owners choose to have their dogs hair clipped or professional groomed in order to keep it easy to manage. However, despite this breeds abundance of luxurious white hair, it is actually a very low shedding and so is a good choice for people prone to allergies. It’s also importance to regularly clean around the eyes of your Maltese in order to prevent tear staining from occurring.

Training: Maltese dogs are intelligent, and will quite quickly learn basic commands such as sit, down and stay. They are ideal obedience training students and are often the star of any dog obedience classes they might attend. However, like many of the toy breeds the Maltese can be challenging to house train (possible due to their smaller bladders) and will require consistent and patient training until they are able to overcome this hurdle. It may be a good idea to pad or litter train your Maltese as they are often reluctant to go outside in very cold or warm weather.

Health Concerns: The Maltese breed is overall generally healthy, provided that you purchase your dog from a reputable breeder that performs health testing of their breeding stock. It’s important to ensure that the breeder has a firm understanding of the breeds health issues, as Maltese that are not well bred can be prone to an eye condition called retinal atrophy, which in its worst cases leads to blindness. Also, like many miniature dog breeds, poorly bred Maltese can suffer from a knee condition called luxating patella, which often requires an expensive surgery to correct. Furthermore, these dogs should not be raised in damp conditions, as this can cause otherwise avoidable respiratory issues.