A: Probably the most common way to cut a Maltese is the "puppy cut", which is cut fairly even all over with a little length left on the head, legs and tail. However, there are also other cuts used on Maltese. There is a Poodle imitation, a Schnauzer imitation or just about any cut you like. Personally, I like the "puppy cut". I like the neck and body smooth with some length left on the ears, lower cheeks, chin and a little on the top of the head and the eyebrows--just long enough to look cute but not get in their eyes. Of course, I never cut the tail. I like a nice full tail.

A: Their baby teeth should start coming in at around 4-5 weeks, and their second teeth at around 4-6 months, depending on the puppy and its size.

A: The Maltese coat takes about a year to grow to the floor, but then only with special care. You should use good shampoos and conditioners, bathing no less than once a week and as it gets longer maybe every 4 days. Some show breeders wrap the hair so it won't break, taking it out and rewrapping it every day or two. Some put the dog in oil or do both.

A: To make a topknot for putting on a bow, you first band the hair up in a pony tail on top of the head. Take an inch, or inch and 1/2, square of netting or permanent wrappers and wrap it around the pony tail near the head. Fold the wrapped pony tail toward the back of the head making a little post about a 1/2 to 3/4 inch high and band it firmly. Now you have a topknot to put the bow onto. In the show ring, the handlers put two topknots and bows, side by side above the eyes on top of the head.

A: Yes. I would say that is unusual but not unheard of. The standard size for a Maltese is from 4 to 7 pounds as an adult. Sometimes, if they are oversized they may go to 8 or 9 pounds at most, and "tinies" can be under 4 pounds. Maltese breeders should attempt to maintain the toy size by only breeding dogs that fall within the Maltese standard.

A: Basically, tear staining is caused by a chemical reaction between tears, or saliva, and the hair. This occurs when tears run from the dog's eyes, or when drool gets on the hair around the dog's chin as they lap up water from a bowl. In essence, the key to preventing staining is to keep the affected hair clean and dry, but it seems that some staining will inevitably occur. Read on to learn some tricks that help minimize tear staining and make stain removal easier and more effective.
 
Puppies
-------
A puppy will tear more while they are teething, but will usually outgrow this by the time they are adults. While they are young, though, wash and dry their face every day and rub corn starch into the hair below the eyes to help keep it as dry as possible. Be careful not to get the corn starch in the eyes and comb away any excess powder clumps. You can also CAREFULLY clip away a little of the hair near the corner of the eyes. It may seem like a losing battle while they are a puppy, but don't worry too much, just do your best to keep the hair clean and dry.
 
Adults
------
Exposure to cold, wind or smoke can cause excess tearing in adult dogs. If an adult dog is tearing excessively for no apparent reason, you should probably have your vet check them for eye infection or clogged tear ducts. The Vet may prescribe an antibiotic for it. If the Vet does not find that kind of problem, try the following:
 
Home-made Whitener
------------------
Thoroughly mix together equal parts of Corn Starch, Milk of Magnesia and over-the-counter Hydrogen Peroxide--about a teaspoonful of each. Apply this creamy paste with a tooth brush to the affected hair, being very careful not to get any of it in the eyes, nose or mouth. AVOID APPLYING THIS MIXTURE TO ANY AREA WHERE THE DOG COULD LICK IT unless you can ensure that they won't. Hold the dogs head still for a little while until it is somewhat dry. Leave this mixture on the dog's hair for at least 10 minutes, but not more than 30 minutes--if left on too long it can damage the hair and whiskers. Wash it out and dry the hair. Wait a few days and repeat the procedure. Thereafter, use this procedure, if needed, about once a month to reduce staining to a minimum.
------------------
 
If you don't want to have to mess with home-made mixtures, we also have a Tear Stain Remover formula product available in the Grooming Supplies section of our Pet Products Catalog.

A: Coat Handler^TM Coat Conditioner helps detangle the hair by by making it smooth, soft and silky; and it leaves a very nice fragrance. It is touted as a non-toxic "leave-in" conditioner and it can even be applied full-strength in its concentrate form and worked into matted or tangled areas to aid in combing out. Whether you leave the conditioner in the coat after bathing is a matter of preference. We have found that a partial rinse helps to distribute the conditioner throughout the coat. After the final shampoo and rinse, apply the dilute conditioner to the coat by squirting it over the coat from the applicator bottle, concentrating on areas that are prone to matting or tangling, such as behind the ears, the legs, the hind quarters, and the tail; and work it in a little by smoothing the coat with the palm and fingers. (Note: we always thoroughly rinse pregnant bitches that are about to give birth and mothers that are nursing, just as a precaution.)

A: PetSilk^TM Liquid Silk applied to a dry coat makes it silky soft, smooth and more manageable, especially on thick coats, and it also aids in straightening curly coats. After bathing the dog and thoroughly drying its coat, pour a small amount of Liquid Silk--about the size of a half dollar--onto the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together and then quickly rub it thoroughly into the dogs coat. Finally, brush the coat once over to smooth it out.

A: This sometimes occurs in Maltese dogs that have less natural pigmentation and is often called "winter nose." Since skin's response to sunlight is to produce more pigment, Maltese dogs with "winter nose" will typically regain some pigmentation in the summertime when they get more exposure to the sun. Some breeders have had good luck enhancing pigmentation by giving their dogs "SeaTone," which is basically a kelp food supplement.

A: While this behavior is normal for dogs, it is a throw-back to their wild instincts for survival and should be discouraged in pet breeds. Routing around outdoors can present many hazards to a pet dog's life and health, including: choking, poisonous substances, deadly or sickening viruses and bacteria, slivers, and just plain old upset stomach and diarrhea. Aside from the instinctive eating of items that we find repulsive, Maltese have a very adventurous and playful nature, and part of this behavior derives from the sport of routing out new things to play with and chew on. This playful side should not be discouraged, but you should substitute cleaner, safer toys for the odd stuff they find.
 
The bad eating behavior can be a hard habit to break for some dogs, so you should start training them not to do it as soon as possible, being firm and consistent. Always praise your dog when they obey your command to stop. Make sure your dog has toys to play with to distract them from routing. You'd be surprised what your dog considers an exciting toy--an old discarded sock, a big bone, a toy animal--hopefully they won't get a hold of your shoe! :o) You'll have to keep an eye on your dog when they are outside so that you can catch them in the act. After a while, they'll catch on to what you want and will stop, but they may slip up once in a while. Just keep reminding them.