This article was written by John Jackson and has been contributed by http://www.greatdogsite.com. For more information on the Maltese, please visit our page http://www.greatdogsite.com/breeds/details/Maltese/.
Remember that, when you get a Maltese, you are also getting the ongoing project of bathing, grooming, and combing. Your house may become similar to a beauty parlor. Your Maltese is a beautiful creature with floor length hair that is one of the most beautiful features of the breed. The Maltese should not become a resident dust mop. Therefore, you will need to plan the time needed to care for the silky, soft tresses if you wish to have keep your pet looking good. If the dog's hair is "let go" you may end up with a scraggly ragamuffin that no one will want to be around. The maintenance should be successful if you are consistent with the "beauty regimen."
It is likely that your Maltese will need frequent bathing because of the long hair. Care must be taken during the bath so that no water gets in the ears because this might lead to troublesome ear infections. Some Maltese owners decide to have the dog's hair trimmed in the hope of better management. However, a cut will not end the bathing issues. A conditioner must still be used on the long hair to keep it manageable after the shampoo (just like with a long haired human). Also, just as with human shampoo, you will want to use either a pet shampoo or a specialty shampoo that will add that "shine" to the coat but is also eye friendly. Basically you're looking for the "tearless" shampoo for your Maltese. Water temperature for Maltese bathing should be warm and comfortable. They don't respond well to a "hot" bath like we humans do. Your Maltese is a tad more delicate than you are.
If you have long hair, you have to take special care with combing and brushing on a frequent basis. The same is true for your Maltese. Daily combing to remove tangles and fluff is in order to keep your Maltese attractive looking. You will need to make sure that your grooming tools will not cause any pain to your dog. The grooming plan will need to be a part of the Maltese care from the day it comes home. Don't panic because, just like for humans, there are detanglers, spray on products to help make the grooming process easier. Comb your dog's hair with the same downward strokes that you would use on your own hair while making sure that you are not actually pulling out hair. After grooming, your Maltese will be a beautiful sight to behold. An added plus to regular grooming is that it is more difficult for your pet to provide a place for "bugs" to thrive.
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