Stuff to Know About a Maltese Puppy Before Getting One

Maltese dogs are a long-haired toy breed that originated in ancient Malta. They can make great family pets, by do require a lot of care and attention. Puppies are adorable and it's easy to get carried away when considering buying one. However, before you commit to buying a Maltese puppy you should really consider its needs and whether you can fulfill them.

  1. Size

    • Maltese are a toy breed and should weigh somewhere between 4 and 7 lbs and be 7 to 8 inches tall. Before you buy a Maltese puppy, beware of any breeders advertising "teacup" or "tiny toy" puppies. Deliberately breeding a dog to be smaller than its meant to be is irresponsible and can lead to health problems. Their size makes them suitable for living in a small house or apartment, but you should ideally have a private, enclosed yard.

    Grooming

    • Although Maltese puppies have a relatively short coat, when they grow to be adults their coat is silky and long enough to reach to the ground. As such, they need daily grooming to prevent uncomfortable knots and tangles, or regular clipping to keep their coat at a more manageable length. Since they're white, they also need frequent bathing to avoid stains in their fur. Make sure you consider whether you have the time and resources to keep this up.

    Training

    • Before you get a Maltese puppy, make sure you have enough time to properly train it. In order to have a happy and well-behaved dog, you need to give it basic obedience training from an early age, and you also need to toilet train it. Maltese puppies can be harder to housebreak than many other breeds, so you'll need plenty of time and patience in order to succeed.

    Separation Anxiety

    • Something you should be aware of before you buy a Maltese puppy is that they're prone to getting separation anxiety. This means that if you leave it for more than a short amount of time, its likely to engage in destructive or unwanted behavior, such as chewing or barking. Therefore, its not an ideal dog to have if you spend a lot of time out of the house and can't take your Maltese with you.