Answer: Yes! Maltese are hypoallergenic canines as they don’t produce a lot of dander and they only shed their fur on very rare occasions and that too in a very limited manner. This is a great breed for those people who don’t want to deal with a lot of dog hair and who can easily have an allergic reaction through a canine’s fur or dander.
Answer: Well-trained Maltese canines are generally quite friendly and affectionate with small kids. These pooches have a playful personality and they enjoy playing loads of games with kids of all ages. But it is very important to properly train and socialize a Maltese with a lot of kids as an untrained Maltese may not be that suitable for a small child as sometimes these canines are not known to tolerate all the quirks of a small kid and can be a bit unpleasant with them.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are very gentle and kind to other canines. They love the company of other pooches and they are known to make new canine-friends fairly quickly. They are also happy to share most of their things like food, toys et cetera with other dogs and thus, it makes them a perfect breed for those people who want to raise two canines in their homes at the same time.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are great with most of the other household pets which also includes cats. These white-coated canines are known to remain fairly warm and friendly with the cats and they have no problem in spending their time and playing with the members of the feline family.
Answer: Maltese cannot be considered as great guarding canines, but they do in fact make pretty decent watchdogs instead. They can effectively look after their homes and property and can alert their owners in case of an intruder or a trespasser.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are excellent apartment dogs. They don’t have a lot of exercise requirements and they are known to adjust really well to the apartment lifestyle.
Answer: Maltese are minimal shedders. These canines only shed their fur on an occasional basis and when they do, in fact, shed their hair, they do it in an extremely limited manner. And, that’s why this is a great breed for the allergy sufferers.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are small-sized, sweet-tempered, and fun-loving canines that are considered to be a really good option for first-time or novice owners. These pooches are not that hard to handle, they have fairly minimal exercise requirements and they are fairly sociable in nature. The main thing that may require a substantial amount of work while raising a Maltese is its grooming needs which are fairly high. But apart from this, a Maltese should definitely make a great first pet/dog to the novice/inexperienced/ owners.
Answer: The Maltese is a fairly talkative breed. These pooches love to express their feelings through their voice and they are known to do this a lot of times a day. It is better to control this habit of excess barking initially only and the best way to do this is through proper training and gentle guidance.
Answer: Maltese require a minimal amount of exercise on a daily basis to remain in shape and healthy. Short strolls either in a park or a yard are great for these pooches. They have a playful personality; hence, they love to play loads of light-hearted games with their friends and family members. Regular play sessions are not only good for keeping these canines active and moving, but they are also great for the mental fitness and happiness of these pooches.
Answer: No! Maltese are not the type of canines that can be left alone in the house for a long time in a day. Maltese are people-oriented canines and they remain happy and pleased whenever they are in the company of their loved ones. But when they are all alone by themselves, they can suffer from separation anxiety and because of that, these pooches can become very sad, frustrated and disheartened and this can have a very bad effect on their mental health as well. Hence, it is definitely not a good idea to leave a Maltese canine all alone for very long periods of time.
Answer: Maltese are not that hard to train. These pooches remain highly agreeable and attentive during the training sessions and they are known to learn most of the things which are taught to them fairly quickly. Sometimes, they can be a bit stubborn and rigid during the training process, but if an owner/trainer is persistent and gentle with them, then it shouldn’t be much of a problem for them. Also, these canines respond really well to positive training methods such as verbal appreciation and reward-based methods, so it is better to use those techniques while training a Maltese canine.
Answer: The beautiful coat of the Maltese canines requires a lot of grooming on a regular basis to remain tidy and good-looking. It should be brushed at least once every day so as to avoid any matting or tangling issues. These canines also require regular baths to stay clean. Their ears must be checked regularly for any signs of wax formation, and if there are any, then it should be cleaned as soon as possible. Their teeth should be brushed on a frequent basis so as to maintain proper dental hygiene and their nails must be trimmed whenever it is necessary as overly long nails can cause a lot of pain in the canines especially while walking or running.
Answer: Maltese have an average tolerance to heat. These canines can live comfortably in moderately warm places but they are definitely not suitable for extremely hot and high-temperature areas.
Answer: Because these canines have no undercoat, their tolerance to cold is not that great. They require a lot of protection and care from their owners if they are living in a cold and chilly area. Jackets, Sweaters, Warmers are the best way to go if you want to keep your Maltese safe from the cold climatic conditions.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are highly intelligent and smart canines. They have awesome learning and thinking skills and they are known to understand and learn a lot of difficult commands from their owners in no time.
Answer: Yes! Maltese are fairly affable and gregarious canines that are happy to meet new people. They generally remain quite friendly and kind to most of the people that they encounter on a daily basis and thus this is considered to be a suitable breed for unreserved and outgoing people.
Answer: No! Maltese are not known to drool a lot. They mostly drool when they are having their meal or when they want something to eat from their family members, but apart from this, they don’t drool all that much.
Answer: Yes! Maltese is definitely not a very cheap canine to bring home. The total cost for bringing these canines home and then properly raising them is fairly high and is surely not very easy on the pockets of most people. Their maintenance needs are moderately high as well. They need a high-quality feeding material to properly grow and develop, they require a lot of grooming on a regular basis to look good, and they need a lot of protection and care from their owners if the weather conditions become a bit harsh and uncomfortable for them. But these pooches do make up for all of this to a certain extent with their low exercise requirements, friendly and agreeable personality and their not-so-challenging and fun-filled training sessions.
Answer: Maltese have a low to mediocre availability in India. They can be found in the bigger cities of the country like Delhi, Mumbai et cetera, but their availability is still very low in most of the smaller regions of India.
Answer: The average price of a Maltese puppy in India is around ₹30,000 to ₹50,000. But there are a lot of factors that affect their price in the country and because of that, the cost of bringing a Maltese puppy home can go fairly high.
Answer: Some Maltese do like to swim and these pooches are known to be a capable swimmer, but there are various health problems that can arise or get worse in these canines because of this water-related activity. Conditions like arthritis, chills, rheumatism et cetera may get a lot worse if the Maltese are allowed to swim on a frequent basis. Hence it is not a great idea to regularly take your Maltese to a pool as it could have some serious repercussions on its health.
Answer: Maltese only come in a single color and that is White. They do have some tan or lemon markings around their ears, but the rest of their coat is fully White.
Answer: Maltese have a decent lifespan of about 12-15 years. Some might even live longer than 15 years if they are consistently given proper care, nutrition, protection, and exercise.
Answer: Most common health issues found in the Maltese are patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), patent ductus arteriosus, portosystemic liver shunt, white dog shaker syndrome, and hypoglycemia.