Official Standard For The Maltese

The Maltese is a toy dog covered from head to foot with a mantle of long, silky, white hair. He is gentle-mannered and affectionate, eager and sprightly in action, and, despite his size, possessed of the vigor needed for the satisfactory companion. Head Of medium length and in proportion to the size of the dog. The skull is slightly rounded on top, the stop moderate. The drop ears are rather low set and heavily feathered with long hair that hangs close to the head. Eyes are set not too far apart; they are very dark and round, their black rims enhancing the gentle yet alert expression. The muzzle is of medium length, fine and tapered but not snipy. The nose is black. The teeth meet in an even, edge-to-edge bite, or in a scissors bite. Neck Sufficient length of neck is desirable as promoting a high carriage of the head. Body Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in topline, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath. Tail A long-haired plume carried gracefully over the back, its tip lying to the side over the quarter. Legs and Feet Legs are fine-boned and nicely feathered. Forelegs are straight, their pastern joints well knit and devoid of appreciable bend. Hind legs are strong and moderately angulated at stifles and hicks. The feet are small and round, with toe pads black. Scraggly hairs on the feet may be trimmed to give a neater appearance. Coat and Color The coat is single, that is, without undercoat. It hangs long, flat, and silky over the sides of the body almost, if not quite, to the ground. The long head-hair may be tied up in a topknot or it may be left hanging. Any suggestion of kinkiness, curliness, or wooly texture is objectionable. Color, pure white. Light tan or lemon on the ears is permissible, but not desirable. Size Weight under 7 pounds, with 4 to 6 pounds preferred. Over- all quality is to be favored over size. Gait The Maltese moves with a jaunty, smooth, flowing gait. Viewed from the side, he gives an impression of rapid movement, size considered. In the stride, the forelegs reach straight and free from the shoulders, with elbows close. Hind legs to move in a straight line. Cowhocks or any suggestion of hind leg toeing in or out are faults. Temperament For all his diminutive size, the Maltese seems to be without fear. His trust and affectionate responsiveness are very appealing. He is among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs, yet he is lively and playful as well as vigorous.

The Storybook Look Now that you are familiar with the AKC Maltese Breed Standard, you should also realize that beyond ‘Standard’, there are definitely different looks and preferences. Here at Storybook Maltese we also have our preferred ‘Look’. We do enjoy showing our dogs in AKC Conformation Shows and strive to breed Maltese that conform to ‘Standard’, but we are very partial to the shorter muzzle and larger eyes which create that adorable ‘Baby- Doll’ face. Additionally, we prefer a dog that is compact and can easily be carried around, therefore we tend toward the smaller end of the 4-7 lb Breed Standard. Maltese are a very long lived Breed and we have known numerous Maltese to live to be more than 20 years old. Because they live such a long life and bond so tightly with their ‘humans’, we strive to place our puppies in homes where they will be able to live out their long life with one owner. Maltese are very sensitive dogs that really ‘tune in’ to their people, which makes them absolutely perfect for Service Dog & Therapy Dog work and because we provide dogs raised specifically for this type of work, above all else, our dogs are bred for outstanding temperament. We provide early training and conditioning from birth to help our puppies develop into successful Service Dogs & Therapy Dogs. Because we are the only Maltese Breeder that specifically breeds for Service Dog/Therapy Dog temperament, there can be a considerable wait for one of our puppies, therefore it is suggested that anyone interested in obtaining one of our puppies be added to our waiting list by Completing a New Owner Questionnaire