I have a question about coats

[joeysmom]

hi all... I'm just learning about the maltese breed and do not own one (or am not owned by one teehee) yet....

I notice as i'm cruising sites, that it seems like some maltese have nice coats that lay down pretty and others look finer and more fly away. Is there a variety of coats due to breeding, as in yorkies, or is it just a matter of products used, and good grooming? I'm curious about things to look for when i do choose to adopt a maltese. I won't be buying online, however. I have to meet the parents in person, as I've learned over the years of dog ownership that you can really mess up in choosing if you don't know the parents' temperament. But online is a great way to learn, that's for sure!

Also, it seems like maltese have large expressive eyes, compared to most yorkies I've seen....is this another quality to look for? Not bug eyed, mind you, but their eyes seem so expressive! Maybe it's just cuz they are so black in all that white hair. I don't know, but they are so beautiful!

Thanks!

deb

[mia's mom]

I agree they have beautiful eyes and because they are white they are more noticable. Malts can be silky or cottony like Yorkies. I always thought I had one of each before a breeder corrected me and told me both of mine where silky just one had fine and the other coarse so who knew. Products help but it is genetics that determine the coat.

[Morkie4]

Well Deb, Kallie came to us at 2 1/2 years old and the previous owners had bathed her every week in the "whitening" shampoo which I feel damaged her hair terribly and her hair was just dull, dry and poofy. So over the next 2 1/2 years, she only received the best of the best shampoos/conditioners/food/etc. and I let her hair grow to full coat. I cut her long locks about three months ago and the texture of her hair is 100% turned around to a soft coat and no signs of dryness or damaged hair........and best of all NO POOF!!! I am now letting her grow out again.

Brandy came to us filled with mats and a very coarse, dried, and poofy coat. I am sure that her coat will improve with the same care that I gave Kallie's coat. I'm letting her grow to full coat as well.

Toby's coat is much easier to maintain than the malts but does have to be bathed once a week with no exceptions. He is presently in FULL coat and looks wonderful. I can let the malts go 10-14 days sometimes. "MY" malts coats are thick and my Yorkie is thinner and silker. But I do a "daily" brush out and it keeps the coats looking good/healthy and reduces the actual time I have to spend caring for the coats, less matting.

The Eyes??? Oh yes, the eyes are how we picked our two malts. They must melted our hearts!

[Zo zo's mom]

I agree with the last two posts.

Zo zo has a silky coat, but I have seen Maltese dogs with cottony coats too. I also agree that products and food help, but genetics do play a big part.

The eyes do stand out on a Maltese because of the black on white contrast. So pretty. Zo zo gets away with anything because of her eyes.:wink5:

[joeysmom]

Thanks! It's interesting to hear all the similarities between yorkies and maltese. With yorkies it's easy to see the silk in the shine.... is it that way with malts too? I have so much to learn.

Another breed i'm in love with is the Havanese.... anyone have those? I've been to a couple of local dog shows and saw them there. We have a few breeders right here in Enumclaw, near where I live...one lady i met was sooo friendly, and liked my daughters....she invited us to come visit and just play with puppies anytime to help her socialize them! We haven't taken her up on it due to the busy-ness of our schedule, but she was so nice. her dogs were sweet too.

I'll have to check out the maltese at the next dog show. i don't know if we have any high quality local breeders here. I haven't seen any online yet. Anybody on here from WA state?

have a great day....we got another 1/2 inch of snow last night, that should be gone by evening.

deb

[bellaratamalt]

you have some wonderful breeders in your neck of the woods. Hi-lite is one of them and Senoj is another. I've met both breeders and they are both wondeful ladies with amazing dogs. Neither have websites though, unfortunately! Senoj is located in Warden, Wa and I'll have to check Hi-lite. PM me if you want their phone #'s, etc!

[joeysmom]

you have some wonderful breeders in your neck of the woods. Hi-lite is one of them and Senoj is another. I've met both breeders and they are both wondeful ladies with amazing dogs. Neither have websites though, unfortunately! Senoj is located in Warden, Wa and I'll have to check Hi-lite. PM me if you want their phone #'s, etc!


Thanks Bellaratamalt...

i don't want to call them right now and bug them till I'm serious about looking. Breeders are such busy focused people. I never could get any local breeders to call me back here.... Kimberly King, however, in Portland, has been a huge help and counselor, and that's where I got my boy.

I wish the local breeders had websites just so i could view their beautiful dogs!

deb

[Morkie4]

Thanks Bellaratamalt...

i don't want to call them right now and bug them till I'm serious about looking. Breeders are such busy focused people. I never could get any local breeders to call me back here.... Kimberly King, however, in Portland, has been a huge help and counselor, and that's where I got my boy.

I wish the local breeders had websites just so i could view their beautiful dogs!

deb

Looking at all the beautiful pics on the breeder's websites of their beautiful babies makes my heart go pitter patter...........and then I start to drool. Not a pretty sight!:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

[MyTrixie143]

I believe my Sugar has a silky coat. It doesn't matt at all except for when I am wearing clothes on her. Her coat at the moment though is on the dry side because of the dry heat we go through in winter. Candie has silky hair as well but I don't have any recent pictures of her.
I have seen some with cottony coats but usually the owners have them cut short because they can't keep up with a cottony coat.

Here is Sugar, you can actually see some shine from her coat in the pictures. She really does have a beautiful coat.
I do find that I have to bath my yorkies more frequently to keep their coats nice and all of them have silky coats. I have to bath the yorkies every week, the maltese only every other week.
And I do love their eyes, I think the black points against the white coat is what makes their eyes so stunning and beautiful.

[Zo zo's mom]

I believe my Sugar has a silky coat. It doesn't matt at all except for when I am wearing clothes on her. Her coat at the moment though is on the dry side because of the dry heat we go through in winter. Candie has silky hair as well but I don't have any recent pictures of her.
I have seen some with cottony coats but usually the owners have them cut short because they can't keep up with a cottony coat.

Here is Sugar, you can actually see some shine from her coat in the pictures. She really does have a beautiful coat.
I do find that I have to bath my yorkies more frequently to keep their coats nice and all of them have silky coats. I have to bath the yorkies every week, the maltese only every other week.
And I do love their eyes, I think the black points against the white coat is what makes their eyes so stunning and beautiful.


I love your pictures!! The middle one is my favorite. So cute

[Morkie4]

Yepper, the middle one is my favorite too........she has "the look" I just love in a maltese. She is precious and you have kept her coat looking so great!!!! I'm growing mine both out to full coat. Nothing more beautiful than a maltese in full coat running across a green yard!:hearter: :hearter: :hearter:

She is BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!

[MyTrixie143]

Yepper, the middle one is my favorite too........she has "the look" I just love in a maltese. She is precious and you have kept her coat looking so great!!!! I'm growing mine both out to full coat. Nothing more beautiful than a maltese in full coat running across a green yard!:hearter: :hearter: :hearter:

She is BEAUTIFUL!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures with us!

Oh I have to agree with you there!! It is such a beautiful sight!! I just wish I could capture it on camera like some have.

I fell in love with the yorkie and maltese breed after seeing them in full coats at dogs shows and running with their long hair flowing, it is just an amazing beautiful sight!!

[kpanycia]

With our new Trixie, I love her eyes. Especially when they are rescues you can tell they need love. And crazy how at first we were looking for maltese's or ****zu's and we oculdn't find one. We found trixie on a glich. the shelter did not put her on the petfinder website yet and we went to the shelter the day she was put up for adoption. We were the first applicants and everything was approved on the spot. Small dogs are the hardest to adopt and we were so lucky.

[joeysmom]

I believe my Sugar has a silky coat. It doesn't matt at all except for when I am wearing clothes on her. Her coat at the moment though is on the dry side because of the dry heat we go through in winter. Candie has silky hair as well but I don't have any recent pictures of her.
I have seen some with cottony coats but usually the owners have them cut short because they can't keep up with a cottony coat.

Here is Sugar, you can actually see some shine from her coat in the pictures. She really does have a beautiful coat.
I do find that I have to bath my yorkies more frequently to keep their coats nice and all of them have silky coats. I have to bath the yorkies every week, the maltese only every other week.
And I do love their eyes, I think the black points against the white coat is what makes their eyes so stunning and beautiful.


Wow! Sugar is beautiful! So how much does she weigh? she looks like she's probably about the same size as my dogs, with more hair. Phoebe's coat used to be really long, till this summer.

And yes, morkie4....sometimes i should stop looking at the sites, as it makes me want to buy another dog NOW! But it's not a good time. We will be moving in the next year and living above our new garage while we build the house. So three small dogs compared to two might put us over the top! it will only be about 1000 sq. feet and 5 of us humans....this coming down from a 4000 sq. ft. house! yikes!

It will be temporary though, and the next house will be designed around our lifestyle, which includes having the dogs in the house!

deb

[joeysmom]

as a side note...I went to your profile, mytrixie ....you are the exact age of my son (who just turned 21) and your birthday is the day after mine! wow...what a coincindence!

have a good day...

deb

[Morkie4]

I think it is the most reasonable thing to do right now given your situation, Deb..............too many bodies in too small a space for too long a time. So Stop Looking:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

When the time is right, you will be able to add your new baby and have three. I have three, it's a great number! :)

[joeysmom]

teehee...let alone the fact that in two years, my dear husband has bought me two yorkies....

I really do want to learn alot before adding on anyway. So I'll just keep lurking and asking questions!

deb

[Morkie4]

teehee...let alone the fact that in two years, my dear husband has bought me two yorkies....

I really do want to learn alot before adding on anyway. So I'll just keep lurking and asking questions!

deb

What a sweet hubby you have to buy you TWO yorkies in two years. I am sure when the time is right and you introduce him to the wonderful maltese breed, he will buy you a third baby! And please do stay with us on MT, it's been delightful having you and your thoughts on the forum! Oh, and your questions too!:D :D :D