Maltese Archives - Sweet Dog Life

There are a several things you should know before you get into your Maltese dog grooming routine. You should also be prepared to spend time and energy grooming your canine friend. After all, making your Maltese dog look his best is worth the effort!

Maltese Dog Grooming Techniques

When it comes to grooming your Maltese dog, you need to use the correct techniques and tools. A few of the basic techniques include preparing the dog’s coat, brushing the coat, and applying grooming products.

Training

To train your dog to tolerate grooming, it’s important to begin with a short and simple session. It should last only a few minutes, and you should be very patient and provide treats.

Brushing

When brushing your Maltese, you should use a wire-toothed comb and a pin brush to gently comb through the dog’s coat. Make sure to use long, gentle strokes and avoid grabbing the dog’s hair or paws. Pulling on the dog’s hair can cause discomfort and cause your pet to dislike grooming sessions.

Cutting Nails

When cutting your Maltese’s nails, make sure to clip them from underneath, toward the paw pad. Light-colored nails are easier to clip, but dark-colored ones can be more difficult. If you’re unsure about cutting your dog’s nails, you may want to hire a professional. If you accidentally cut far in, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Tools

Whether your Maltese’s hair is long or short, there are tools to help you keep them looking their best. A pin brush is an essential tool for Maltese dog grooming, as it helps straighten their coat without causing any tangles. Pin brushes come in different varieties, some of which have ball-like heads on the tips of the bristles. Pick the right pin brush for your dog based on its personality and the type of coat it has.

Stainless steel combs are a popular choice for Maltese dogs. Those with a finer coat may benefit from a blade instead. In addition, thinning scissors are a good option to tidy up your Maltese’s coat before clipping it.

Dog brushes are another essential grooming tool for Maltese dog grooming. These brushes are made to withstand wear and tear, but they also have rubber sides to provide a comfortable and secure grip. This is especially important if you have a fidgety Maltese. The rubber sides also feature a thumb rest and hanger hole to make cleaning easier. The rounded edges are great for cleaning the face and paws.

Grooming Routine

Regular and consistent grooming is essential to ensure a healthy and clean coat. They should be bathed at least three times a year and receive daily wipes to keep their skin soft and supple. They should also be brushed on a regular basis, including their face and eyes.

The grooming session should be a relaxing experience for both you and the dog. If possible, provide treats and talk in a soothing tone. During the first session, lift the Maltese’s paws. Then, slowly increase the amount of time you brush the dog. Eventually, your dog will become accustomed to being groomed on a table and will accept the routine.

A short coat should be brushed every three days; medium hair requires brushing every two days. Long coats require daily brushing and combing. During the brushing process, you should check for tangles and pull them out to avoid damaging the coat or irritated skin.

Grooming Tips

The first step is to remove any mats on your dog’s coat. You can begin by slathering your hands with a conditioner, then gently sliding the mat out of your dog’s coat. This process may take a few minutes, but it will help your dog look and feel its best.

Maltese dogs have long coats that can be prone to tangles and matts. To prevent excessive tangles, you should brush your dog’s coat regularly. Regular coat grooming will keep your Maltese clean and prevent them from shedding excessively.

When clipping your dog’s coat, make sure you don’t clip off too much of the quick. Otherwise, it may cause skin injuries and lead to infection.

Groomers who want to give your Maltese a shave should use clippers with a stainless steel blade. A comb attachment will give your Maltese a smooth, shiny finish, but thinner coats will require a blade. If clipping is not an option, use a thinning pair of scissors to tidy up the fur. Shampoos with added volume are also a good choice before clipping your dog’s coat.

Maltese Dog Grooming: Final Word

Maltese dog grooming is really important. Leaving your dog for long periods of time without grooming is dangerous. It may cause health issues and become quite costly.

Keep in mind that the investment in time and in appropriate tools will pay off over time. Your dog will be in great shape and happy, which, as a dog owner, your ultimate objective, right?

Maltese dogs have a lot of nice attributes but owners should be prepared to face some common Maltese dog health issues. In the following paragraphs we will go over them as well as provide you with tips and advice for proper care and maintenance of canine friend.

But first, let’s get to know more about this fantastic dog breed. Maltese dogs are very loyal and, despite their small size, will always try to protect their owner if they feel a threat from other animals or people. They usually bark desperately or even try to bite a perceived intruder.

Traits and characteristics

They are fearless dogs that behave like large dogs, trapped in a small body. Bold and quick to sound the alarm about suspicious noise and strangers, they are unfortunately prone to excessive barking.

maltese dog health concerns

Maltese lapdogs are very lively and intelligent dogs, they can easily be taught various tricks and commands. However, some of them can be a little stubborn and tend to get spoiled very easily.

Young children can treat fragile Maltese lapdogs roughly and easily injure them, so these dogs are better suited to an older, more mature crowd who knows how to correctly interact with them.

Maltese lapdogs are very friendly towards other dogs, cats and small animals. These dogs can be picky about their food. Also, due to their strong bond with to the owner, they can suffer from anxiety if left alone for a long time.

Maltese are unusually good-natured and gentle towards the owner and his family members. They are especially affectionate with children. Maltese does not unconditionally accept strangers. Maltese are very creative and playful. Due to their small size, they can easily turn an apartment into a comfortable training ground for fun and exercise.

Physical appearance

Maltese dog have a compact body with a rounded skull and a moderate transition from the forehead to a tapered muzzle with a scissor bite of the jaws. They have low hanging ears that fit snugly their head and round dark eyes. The fragile legs have a thin skeleton, and the high-set tail curls over the back. Like the rest of the body, it is covered with a long, straight white or ivory coat.

playful maltese puppy

Basic training tips

Training of Maltese dogs require the use of delicious rewards, secretly obtained from a special bag. Training sessions with a puppy should be held two or three times a day according to a set schedule, ideally tied around meal time. Ideally, this should happen 3 hours before or after a training session.

If you notice that your dog becomes tired, take a 10 minute break and then return to the training lesson.

Maltese dog health issues

The cheerful Maltese dog maintains good spirits and playful dispositions throughout its life and has an average life expectancy in the 12-15 year range.

In general, this long-haired dog has strong genetics providing him with good resistance to various diseases provides. To preserve its natural gift of health, you need to provide proper care and a balanced diet of your pet. Then the radiant appearance and affectionate behavior of the white crumb will accompany you for many years.

maltese dog health problems

The following diseases are generally observed in Maltese dogs:

Dislocated patella
Chronic valvular heart disease
Pyloric stenosis
Cryptorchidism
Hypoglycemia
Hepatoporthosistemic shunt
Hydrocephalus
Yeast dermatitis
Distichiasis
Glaucoma
Progressive retinal atrophy

In addition, Maltese lapdogs are prone to blindness, deafness, and clogged tear ducts.

Maltese dog health issues: focus on maintenance and care

Maltese dogs are brought up to be kept in an apartment and their lively character does not create difficulties even for the elderly. From childhood, start regularly brushing the smooth coat of your dog with a comb or brush. In adulthood, this procedure will have to be performed daily. To preserve a nice appearance on the tiny feet, remove any loose strands of fur.

Once a week or every ten days, the dog must be bathed and in doing so, never use cosmetics intended for humans. Maltese dogs take a long time to groom. The key thing is to wash the dog on regular basis to avoid tangling of the fur.

grooming tips for maltese dogs

Many owners prefer to keep their hair short as it makes it easier to maintain. Owners who prefer a long coat will have to spend much more time keeping their canine friend tidy.

Since this breed practically does not shed, it is imperative to get rid of dead hair, otherwise it gets tangled resulting in the skin being pulled which may create discomfort or even pain.

Grooming tips

The classic hairstyle of the Maltese dog is the split hair in the center of the back, touching the floor. To do this, you need to take a metal comb and start separating the dog’s coat from the beginning of the neck down to the end along the spine. The wool will split in two and reach the floor.

Long hair on the head is turned into a tuft, with the help of elastic bands, bows and ribbons, freeing the dog’s eyes. The hair between the claws should be trimmed every two weeks as it is usually the easiest to tangle.

Use dog conditioner to facilitate combing and prevent the from drying out. For that matter, it is important to rinse off the shampoo and conditioner very thoroughly.

Dry the dog’s fur first with a towel, and then with a hand-held hairdryer. Never set the dryer temperature too high, as this can cause the coat to break.

cute maltese dog

Maltese lapdogs often develop dark brown lacrimal pathways. The reason for this is unknown, but some owners have noticed that using bottled water can reduce the color intensity.

Diet and exercise

Maltese dogs require minimal physical activity. Playing at home and short walks on a leash are enough to keep your canine friend in good physical shape.

Small dogs are extremely sensitive to variations in their diet and you should have a consistent and stable approach for your Maltese dog. If you prefer natural food, include in dog’s menu different types of meat, fish, dairy products, vegetables and fruits.

You should not offer your dog raw freshwater fish and pork, because parasites are often transmitted through them. Boiled chicken or rabbit meat should be offered to your dog in small portions only, based on the calorie content of the dish.

Maltese dog health issues should not be a huge concern and as long as appropriate care is given on a consistent basis, you should enjoy the company of a healthy dog for a long time!

Tag: Maltese

Maltese Dog Grooming Tips & Techniques