Maltese Terrier
Popular Dog Breeds
All about the Maltese Terrier
The Maltese Terrier is a lively and intelligent little breed that gets along great with kids and other pets. Its lively spirit makes it an excellent companion breed.
It is friendly with strangers but it will bark if it feels threatened or suspects anything suspicious.
Because of its intelligence it is relatively easy to train and responds well to commands. However, it is prone to Small Dog Syndrome and strong leadership is required to keep the dogs behaviour in line.
Grooming a Maltese Terrier
Hair type: The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. The Maltese has lemon or brown markings along with the white hair. Some people prefer to have the coat short. The most common cut for the Maltese is called the “puppy cut,” which involved trimming or shaving the entire body to one short length.
Daily coat care: Daily cleaning of their eyes is required to prevent the risk of tear-staining. Many owners find that a weekly bath is sufficient for keeping the coat clean but it is better to not wash a dog so often. Regular grooming is also required to prevent the coats of non-shedding dogs from matting. Many owners will keep their Maltese clipped in a “puppy cut,” a 1 – 2″ all over trim that makes the dog resemble a puppy.
Recommended groom frequency: Maltese Terriers need to get professionally groomed about once every 6 weeks.
At Petmania Grooming Studios we have a full range of treatments available for your Maltese Terrier. If you get puppy, we recommend our Puppy’s First Visit at around four months, once your puppy has received all his vaccinations.
Diet
Depending on the size and age of your Maltese Terrier, you will need to feed between 114g and 150g of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Our pet advisors in-store can help you find the most appropriate food for your dog, while you can find out more about the different dog food brands we stock here.
Activity Level
Being a small breed the Maltese terrier needs only a moderate amount of exercise. A daily walk is needed for the emotional needs of the dog and a romp in an open area every now and then is enough to take care of its developmental needs. Lack of exercise may create behavioural problem in the dog and can also make it overweight. It is sensitive to very high or very low temperature so should be adequately protected.
Where to get a Maltese Terrier
There are lots of places offering dogs or puppies for sale in Ireland, but we would always ask that you consider adopting a dog first. Our animal rescue partners have 100’s of rescue dogs and puppies seeking a forever home and would be delighted to introduce you to them.
However, if a rescue dog is not for you, we do recommend that you choose a registered breeder and seek Irish Kennel Club registration papers which will confirm that the dog has been bred to their strict code of ethics.
