Maltese are affectionate, lively, playful, devoted, and loving dogs. While they make excellent family dogs, their delicate bone structure can be damaged by rough play, so they may not be a good option for small children. They are wary of strangers and will sound the alarm but once acquainted, will snuggle with your visitors.

A toy breed, the Maltese are true lap dogs wanting to be where you are preferably in your lap or right next to you on the sofa.

Active indoors, they are a good choice for apartment dwellers with short romps inside the house generating enough exercise. However, Maltese love going for walks, even in the snow, and will be happier if given a daily walk. Though small (about ten inches tall and usually under nine pounds), Maltese don’t know they are tiny and will fearlessly challenge other dogs. They are intelligent, quickly learn new tricks, and remain playful as they age (up to 18 years).

If you suffer from dog allergies, you may be able to own a Maltese without stocking up on antihistamines. Their hair is close to human hair, sheds little to none, and doesn’t have the troublesome dander-covered undercoat.

While the Maltese is a healthy breed not predisposed to any diseases, it’s important to keep it from getting too hot or damp.

Maltese can be difficult to housebreak. You will need to be vigilant from the moment you bring it home so that it never has the chance to make a single mistake. It’s a good idea to take the dog out after it eats or drinks, upon waking, and about every hour during the day until it is housebroken.

Maltese do not have any special nutritional requirements. Follow the feeding schedule recommended by the breeder or your veterinarian and buy the best quality dog food available.

If you keep its hair long, you can count on daily brushing and regular trips to the groomer. Otherwise, you can opt for a short puppy cut. Regardless of hair length, you will want to keep its eyes and beard clean since these stain easily.

Maltese are so small and cute it can be easy to spoil them, risking behavior problems later. Don’t overly pamper it by giving it table scraps or picking it up every time it is upset. Train it as you would a larger breed dog.