How to Care for a Maltese Dog - Grooming a Maltese

1. Brush your Maltese daily. Maltese dogs have long fur. A Maltese has to be groomed professionally frequently, maybe once a month, but must be brushed daily using a nice, soft brush. Remove excess fur and untangle knots.
- You may need to use a comb to get to the root of any tangles and knots. Remember to gently tease them apart. Take extreme care cutting out knots, as it is all too easy to nick the skin.[5]

2. Bathe your Maltese with a mild shampoo and conditioner made for dogs. You may need to bathe a playful puppy once a week, while a calm, older dog will only need a monthly bath.[6] Wash its fur like it's your own hair, only be very gentle! Wash don't forget to clean your pup's face with a washcloth.

3. Clean your Maltese's eyes regularly. Maltese dogs have white fur that is prone to tear staining. You will recognize this as the brown streaks down the face of a white dog. This happens when tears overspill onto the cheek and stay there for a few hours. Substances in the tear fluid oxidizes and change to that rust-colored pigment, which causes the staining.
- To avoid this, wipe your dog's eye regularly. The amount of tear overflow varies with each individual dog. If the lower lid area or cheek are constantly wet, then wipe hourly. For dogs with less moisture from the eyes, you only need to wipe twice a day or when you spot gloop in the corner of the eye.
- There are various commercial products available for wiping eyes, but previously boiled water on cotton wool is perfectly sufficient. Dampen the cotton wool with the cool water and wipe away any moisture or stickiness from the eye area. Then finish with a dry piece of cotton wool to pat the area dry.

4. Brush your dog's teeth. Many people don't do this, but it is very, very important, especially for older dogs. This will slow up tartar formation and protect your dog's dental health. Start at a young age, so the dog accepts having its teeth brushed. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs. It can be purchased at any pet store.
- Be aware the Maltese are especially prone to the formation of plaque and then tartar formation. This irritates the gums leading to inflammation and infection. Ultimately this causes gum recession and the teeth to loosen, become infected, and fall out.
- If this is your first time, rub the gums and teeth with your finger. Adding some soft dog food can make this more pleasant. Brush your dog's teeth before bed.
- Alternatively speak to your vet about small-sized kibble that has a cleaning action as the dog chews. Be aware that canned food is more likely to build tartar than dry food, and speed up tartar formation.

5. Trim your dog's nails regularly. Maltese nails should be clipped monthly so they do not overgrow and get infected. Using a regular nail clipper, slowly begin to clip the end of your dog's nails, stopping before you the live center of the nail. If you are uncertain how much nail to remove, invest in a lesson from the groomer or vet tech.
- The nail has a living center made up of blood vessels and nerves, called the quick. If you clip too much nail away you will cut the quick, which is painful for the dog and causes bleeding. If in doubt, err on the side of caution and remove the minimum amount possible.
- The dog may be scared and will struggle. If this is the case, try feeding the dog immediately after the nail trim so that it sees its food as a reward for good behavior.
- Many Maltese owners trim their dog's nails when the dog is asleep. However, you need to be very careful or it could really startle the dog awake.

6. Check the dog's ears on a daily basis. This can be done professionally, but can also be done at home. Go into the outer ears with a Q-tip, but do not stick it into the inner ear. Just use it to clean the visible part of the ear. If there is wax of any sort, be sure to clean it out.
- Never put water into the dog's ears, as this softens the skin and makes it more likely to become infected. Instead, use an ear cleaner sold for the purpose. These are designed to dissolve wax and also for an excess to evaporate away, so the ear canal is not left over wet.