Maltese

Temperament

The Maltese is a companion breed par excellence: affectionate, alert and very attached to its family. Despite its small size and delicate appearance, it has a self-assured temperament and a notable alerting instinct — it will let you know when someone approaches the door, but it is not a breed that barks out of anxiety. It adapts easily to seniors looking for a calm and affectionate dog, and gets along well with children provided they are respectful of its size. It learns quickly, responds to positive reinforcement and enjoys constant physical contact with its owners. It is a breed that does not cope well with prolonged solitude: if the home is empty for many hours a day, it is worth considering another option.

Care

The Maltese's long, straight, white coat is its most distinctive feature and requires daily dedication. Brushing should be gentle and daily to prevent mats, especially behind the ears, in the armpits and on the tail. Many families opt for the puppy cut — a short, uniform trim that reduces maintenance to brushing every two to three days without losing the breed's characteristic appearance. Monthly bathing with a specific neutral shampoo is sufficient; over-bathing dries out the skin. Tear stains are common in the breed and are managed with daily cleaning of the eye area using a specific solution. At our kennel in Dénia we accustom puppies to brushing, face and ear handling, and drying from five weeks of age, so they arrive home with basic care routines already established.

Adult size

The FCI standard sets the height at the withers between 20 and 25 cm for males and between 20 and 23 cm for females, with an ideal weight between 3 and 4 kg. The silhouette is slightly longer than it is tall, and the head, with medium proportions, gives the breed its characteristic elegant air. The coat is always pure white or ivory white, long, straight and without undercoat — this trait reduces seasonal shedding and makes the breed considered low-shedding, although it is not strictly hypoallergenic. Its small size and lack of undercoat make it especially well suited to flat living and warm climates such as that of the Costa Blanca.

Family life

It gets along very well with seniors and with families with children from six or seven years old, who are able to treat a small dog with respect and not grab it roughly. It gets on well with other dogs if socialised from puppyhood and accepts living with cats without difficulty when the introduction is gradual. It is an ideal breed for flat living: its small size, moderate activity level and coat without undercoat make it compatible with urban spaces and the climate in Dénia, Valencia, Alicante or Benidorm. Many of the families we serve live in apartments and choose puppies of this breed precisely for this reason. It needs two to three gentle walks a day and, above all, constant human companionship.

History and origin

The Maltese is one of the oldest documented companion breeds. Its origin lies in the Mediterranean — the island of Malta and the Italian coast — more than two thousand years ago, with references in Greek and Roman texts that already described a small white companion dog among the Mediterranean aristocracy. The FCI classifies it in Group 9, Companion dogs, section 1 (Bichons and related breeds), with official standard no. 65. The breed has remained very stable in silhouette, size and character over the centuries, which makes it easy to predict what the adult dog will be like when choosing a puppy.

Nutrition

A quality kibble formulated for toy or miniature breeds is recommended, with animal protein as the first ingredient and small kibble suited to the mouth. Puppies eat three to four times a day until four months, three times until six months, and twice a day as adults. In toy breeds it is critical not to leave long gaps between meals during the first months due to the risk of hypoglycaemia — a puppy weighing less than 2 kg can easily become destabilised if it goes too many hours without food. Excessive treats, table scraps and small bones that could splinter should be avoided. Weight management helps prevent the dental and joint problems typical of toy breeds.

Breed-specific health

The conditions most commonly associated with the Maltese stem from its toy size and white coat. Specific checks include patellar luxation (orthopaedic test), hypoglycaemia in the first weeks after delivery, tracheal collapse and portosystemic shunt (liver test available). Dental health requires preventive care: brushing several times a week from puppyhood to prevent tartar build-up, which is common in toy breeds. Tear stains, while not a medical problem, are managed with daily hygiene. Puppies are delivered with vaccinations and deworming up to date, an official veterinary booklet, microchip and health certificate — full details of our protocol can be found on the guarantees page.