theMaltese

Gentle, Playful, Charming
Toy Group Toy Group

meet theMaltese

Did you know?

The Greeks erected tombs to their Maltese.

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at aGlance

Energy & Size

medium ENERGY &
small size

AKC Dog Ranking

29th
Most Popular Dog Breed

Personality

  • Check Charming
  • Check Gentle
  • Check Playful
Gentle, playful, affectionate; fearless in a charming toy-dog way.

theBreed Standard

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Maltese Breed Standard Illustration 01 02 03 04 05 06

  • General Appearance

    The Maltese is a toy dog covered from head to foot with a mantle of long, silky, white hair. He is gentle-mannered and affectionate, eager and sprightly in action, and, despite his size, possessed of the vigor needed for the satisfactory companion. Size: Weight under 7 pounds, with from 4 to 6 pounds preferred. Overall quality is to be favored over size.

  • Head

    Of medium length and in proportion to the size of the dog. The skull is slightly rounded on top, the stop moderate. The drop ears are rather low set and heavily feathered with long hair that hangs close to the head. Eyes are set not too far apart; they are very dark and round, their black rims enhancing the gentle yet alert expression. The muzzle is of medium length, fine and tapered but not snipy. The nose is black. The teeth meet in an even, edge-to-edge bite, or in a scissors bite.

  • Body

    Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in topline, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath.

  • Legs and Feet

    Legs are fine-boned and nicely feathered. Forelegs are straight, their pastern joints well knit and devoid of appreciable bend. Hind legs are strong and moderately angulated at stifles and hocks. The feet are small and round, with toe pads black. Scraggly hairs on the feet may be trimmed to give a neater appearance.

  • Coat

    The coat is single, that is, without undercoat. It hangs long, flat, and silky over the sides of the body almost, if not quite, to the ground. The long head-hair may be tied up in a topknot or it may be left hanging. Any suggestion of kinkiness, curliness, or woolly texture is objectionable. Color, pure white. Light tan or lemon on the ears is permissible, but not desirable.

  • Tail

    A long-haired plume carried gracefully over the back, its tip lying to the side over the quarter.

A Maltese
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theMaltese of AKC

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get involved inClubs & Events

National Breed Club

theAmerican Maltese Association, Inc.

Local Breed
Club

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Meetups

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