Maltese
The Maltese is a toy breed from Central Mediterranean Region, standing males 8–10 in · females 8–9 in at the withers, weighing males 3–8 lb · females 2–7 lb. Recorded lifespan is 12–15 yrs.
- Breed group
- Toy
- Origin
- Central Mediterranean Region
- Height
- males 8–10 in · females 8–9 in
- Weight
- males 3–8 lb · females 2–7 lb
- Lifespan
- 12–15 yrs
Among the 500 breeds here with recorded measurements, the Maltese is taller than 1% of the measured breeds, heavier than 1%, one of 20 in the Toy group.
Living with the Maltese
Two breed references score every breed they cover from 1 to 5 on the things an owner lives with day to day. These are the Maltese’s, with what a 1 and a 5 mean on each row.
- Affection with family
- 5 of 51 independent · 5 devoted
- Good with young children
- 3 of 51 not suited · 5 very good
- Good with other dogs
- 4 of 51 not suited · 5 very good
- Openness to strangers
- 2 of 51 reserved · 5 everyone is a friend
- Watchdog / protective nature
- 4 of 51 unbothered · 5 vigilant
- Energy
- 3 of 51 couch potato · 5 busy all day
- Exercise needs
- 2 of 51 a short walk · 5 a job to do
- Playfulness
- 4 of 51 only when invited · 5 non-stop
- Barking
- 4 of 51 only to alert · 5 very vocal
- Shedding
- 2 of 51 barely · 5 constantly
- Drooling
- 1 of 51 a dry mouth · 5 keep a towel
- Tolerates being alone
- 1 of 51 poorly · 5 well
- Tolerates hot weather
- 3 of 51 poorly · 5 well
- Tolerates cold weather
- 1 of 51 poorly · 5 well
Rated 1 to 5 by the American Kennel Club and DogTime, averaged where both rate the same thing, and read from their breed pages in 2022. Nobody at Woof & Beyond has met this breed — these are the publishers’ judgments, not ours.Maltese on AKCMaltese on DogTime
Breeds that look like the Maltese
A neural network trained to tell breeds apart by sight read all 510 photographs in this reference, and these are the 6 it placed closest to the Maltese.
Height 0–38 in
- Maltese8–10 in
- Coton de Tulear10–12 in
- Bolognese11–12 in
- Bichon Frise9–11 in
- Romanian Mioritic Shepherd27–29 in
- Bearded Collie21–22 in
- Tibetan spaniel10 in
Weight 0–220 lb
- Maltese3–8 lb
- Coton de Tulear9–13 lb
- Bolognese6–9 lb
- Bichon Frise7–11 lb
- Romanian Mioritic Shepherd100–130 lb
- Bearded Collie40–60 lb
- Tibetan spaniel9–15 lb
Lifespan 0–20 yrs
- Maltese12–15 yrs
- Coton de Tulear15–19 yrs
- Bolognese12–15 yrs
- Bichon Frise12–15 yrs
- Romanian Mioritic Shepherd12–14 yrs
- Bearded Collie12–14 yrs
- Tibetan spaniel12–15 yrs
Nothing here was grouped by hand. The ranking is an opinion about appearance, not about ancestry, which is why it sometimes puts together breeds no kennel club would — and why it is worth looking at the photographs rather than taking the order on trust.
Guides that mention the Maltese
Every guide on this site whose text actually discusses this breed.