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Maltese Grooming

Overview of All Grooming Tasks, Details of Brushing the Coat

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Overview

When you have a Maltese, you'll find that there are a lot of grooming tasks to take care of; however, knowing what to do, having the right tools and supplies on hand, and keeping a schedule will help make grooming relatively easy.

In addition, grooming your Maltese puppy or dog can be a wonderful bonding experience.

In this section we will cover the grooming basics of:
  • A list of tasks done daily, weekly, and monthly
  • Giving baths
  • Choosing the best shampoo and coat products
  • Keeping the face clean
  • Brushing and tangles

Typical Maltese Grooming Tasks

Before diving into more detail, let's take a look at what will need to be done on a regular basis:

Brushing - How often you brush the coat will depend on its length. This will vary from every day to every 3 days. 

Combing - For all Maltese, a comb is used on the face, and for those with medium to long coats, this is done in conjunction with brushing. 

Spritzing - This is done alongside the brushing.

Baths - Though there can be circumstances that call for more frequent baths, most Maltese should be bathed once every 3 weeks.
Facial wipes, eye wipes - The face should be wiped 2 to 3 times per day. 
Coat wipe touch-ups - This is done on an as-needed basis to keep the coat clean in between baths.

Nails - A trim (or filing) is typically needed every 5 to 6 weeks. 

Ear cleaning - Generally every 4 weeks. 

Teeth cleaning - Ideally, teeth are scrubbed once daily.
Summary of timeline: 

Daily - Facial wipe, eye wipe, teeth cleaning, brushing, combing & spritzing if a long coat
Every other day - Brushing, combing & spritzing for medium length coat
Every 3 days - Brushing, combing & spritzing for short puppy cuts
Every 3 weeks - Bath
Every 4 weeks - Ears are cleaned
Every 5 to 6 weeks - Nails are trimmed or filed

Facial Wiping, Eye Wiping

Since Maltese are entirely white dogs (save for those with slight lemon or tan on the ears) and the hairs of the coat are soft and silky, this means that staining can occur very easily. There needs to focused upkeep on the face, or else discoloration can quickly become a problem. 

Most common are issues with hairs around the mouth and chin taking on a yellowed tint. And facial hairs under and/or around the eyes taking on a pink, brown, or rust discoloration, known as tear stains. 

What to do: 

For maintenance, obtain quality canine wipes. These should be a good brand that is gentle yet effective, and these will be for the entire face including around the eyes. A good choice is Earthbath All Natural Specialty Eye Wipes. 

It is recommended to wipe over a Maltese's face after each meal, so this will be 2 to 3 times per day. 

Of course, if your Maltese is home alone during the day while you are away, you will not be there to do this grooming task. If so, wipe the face and eye area soon after you arrive back home. 
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Albi, at 2 years old, photo courtesy of Margaret
For stained problem areas, you will need to take things up a notch by using products to remove tear stains. In some cases, these develop due to a lack of upkeep; however, in other cases there are additional causes including excessive tearing, eating and/or drinking from plastic bowls, or even a yeast infection. 
If there are indeed rust colored, heavy stains, you may want to use a remove product in conjunction with the daily wipes. Eye Envy Tear Stain Remover Solution is an effective choice that works very well for many Maltese. 

Body Grooming Wipes - Keeping the Coat Clean 

Since you don't want to give baths too often (every 3 weeks is recommended) but solid white dogs pick up a lot of debris in between, you'll need to take steps to keep your puppy or dog's entire body clean. 

This can be accomplished with regular brushing (more ahead) and routine full-body wipes. Grooming wipes are great for several reasons:
  • Removes pollen and other airborne or contact allergens for puppies and dogs that have allergies
  • Removes fine particle debris that can get in the way of the coat looking as white as possible
  • Swipes away urine splashes and tiny bits of feces which very easily shows up on this sort of coat
  • Helps remove odors to keep a dog smelling fresh and clean
A great grooming wipe for touch-ups is Earthbath All-Natural Grooming Wipes; these are thick, soft, and have are available in several choices including tea tree oil & aloe and mango tango (both have lovely scents) or fragrance-free (if you prefer that). 

Keeping the Teeth Clean

Keeping your Maltese's teeth clean will be your job, since chewing on toys is terribly insufficient. At-home dental care will consist of daily 3 to 5 minute brushings with an effective canine toothpaste and small brush or finger-brush, a daily dental chew, and optionally a canine plaque-fighting water supplement. 

Brushing, Combing, and Spritzing

Combing, brushing, and spritzing all work together to keep the coat looking wonderful. 

How often to brush a Maltese: Short hair cuts should be brushed every 3 days, moderate hair styles should be brushed every 2 days, and long show coats require daily brushing in order to keep the coat free of tangles. 

Combing - For Maltese with medium to long hair styles, the coat should be combed before it is brushed. This is mainly done to check for tangles (mats in the hair). If these are not detected and dealt with, they will keep pulling more hairs in, growing by the day, and can be painful as skin get pinched.  
A comb is also used on Maltese with any coat length as a way to tend to the hairs on the face since brushing this area would be difficult to do, as well as the top of the paws, and any other small areas of the body. 
A good comb to use is the Lil Pals Double-Sided Comb which is made of stainless-steel and has two levels. The side with the wide teeth are for the body and the side with the narrow teeth are for the face, paws, and other small areas. 
Brushing - Brushing will serve several purposes. It will clean the coat of debris, stimulate blood flow to hair follicles, and help disperse naturally occurring body oils. The right type of brush will also help properly separate hairs and add the right type of texture to the coat. 

It is vitally important that certain grooming tools are not used on Maltese; some that are designed for dogs with thick coats of fur could ruin a Maltese's fine coat of hair. Slicker brushes and raking combs are two that should be avoided. 
The type of brush that's best for your Maltese will depend on the coat length. For shaved or closely trimmed coats, and for young pups that still maintain their puppy coat, a bristle brush works well. The Chris Christensen Soft Tufted Boar Brush is a quality brush with a 4-inch base of 3/4 inch natural boar bristles. 
For medium length and long coats, a moderately spaced pin brush with either cushioned or polished tips works very well. This type of brush will be able to glide through the coat while being gentle to hairs. A recommended pin brush is the Chris Christensen 20 mm Wooden Pin Brush. 
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Roxie, at 1 year old, photo courtesy of Dale 
Spritzing - This refers to a quality leave-in conditioner spray. 

Using this sort of product helps protect the lovely single layer coat of this breed. It will:
  • Offer protection from sun exposure
  • Offer protection from dry arid air in the winter
  • Help prevent damage from contact friction
  • Work to keep hairs healthy and free of split ends
  • Work as a detangler to keep mats at bay
  • Help the coat repel dirt, debris, allergens, and irritants
  • As a nice bonus, some spritzes will have a nice fragrance that can keep your Maltese smelling nice and fresh
For short coats, you can simply mist in sections as you brush. For longer coats, hold the bottle approximately 4 inches away, spritz lightly approximately 1/2 inch from the roots, then brush down to the tips. 

You can use a leave-in coat spray as often as every day, but this should be done at least 2 to 3 times per week to help maintain healthy hair. 
For this, there are a few good choices. In the summer, if you wish to add the component of sunscreen (recommended for pure white dogs), Ice on Ice Conditioner with Sunscreen is a good choice. This has all of the qualities of a good coat spray with added UV protection. 
At all other times of the year, if your main goals are to keep the coat tangle-free and help it repel fine particles, The Stuff Coat Conditioner is a great choice. This has a nice, light fragrance. 
And, if you are looking for all the benefits of a leave-in but having your Maltese smell super-nice is a top goal, you can't go wrong with Nootie Daily Spritz . This has several delightful fragrance options including warm vanilla cookie, coconut lime, Japanese cherry blossom, and sweet pea and vanilla. 

If You Find a Mat

It's never fun to find a mat in the coat, but it does happen from time to time. It's important to address this right away because a mat never resolves on its own, it only grows bigger. As it grows, hairs near the skin can start to get pulled in which can cause uncomfortable pinching. 
If you find a mat, you'll first want to try to remove it by hand. Slather your hands in your Maltese's wash-out or leave-in conditioner, and patiently try to work it out by sliding out small pieces of hair. This can take quite some time, so you may need to stop now and then to give both you and your dog a break. 
If you find that you simply cannot remove it by hand, it will be time to snip it off. There are grooming tools specifically designed for clipping off tangles without damaging other parts of the coat. For example, the Hertzko Mat Remover Tool has a curved blade for safety and very sharp blades to offer a quick snip that will allow that spot in the coat to re-grow without damaged ends. 

Nails

How often you will need to trim or file a Maltese's nails will vary; there is somewhat of a natural filing that occurs when a dog walks upon hard surfaces; however, this will never completely take care of the task. 

If nails are not checked and are allowed to grow too long, they can start to turn inward back into the skin. In addition, breakage is more likely to occur if they are not kept at a proper length.

Typically nails need to be trimmed every 6 weeks or so. If you can hear the click-clack of the nails on a hard floor surface, this is a cue. 

Some owners prefer to have the groomer or vet perform this task. The price of this can range from $10 to $15. 

You may also wish to do this at home. If so, choices are a nail clipper or a filer. 

Electronic nail filers can be a good option, as this is an easy, fast method and often less stressful for dogs. A great choice is the Dremel 7300-PT Pet Nail Filer.This has 2 rotation speeds and is cordless. Since Maltese are very small, you may want to obtain their 100-120 grit banding sand, which is a good size sander for this breed. 
Related:

Bad Odors on a Maltese - There are several reasons why a Maltese may smell bad, even if you give routine baths. Read the top 6 causes and 8 best ways to keep your little guy or gal smelling nice. 
Giving a Maltese a Bath - How often to give baths and helpful techniques to make baths as beneficial as possible. 
The Best Shampoo for Maltese Dogs - The best products to use to keep the coat white and silky while being gentle and moisturizing on this breed's sensitive skin. 
How to Keep a Maltese White - With a breed like the Maltese that has an all-white coat, preventing stains or a dulling yellow tint can be challenging. See helpful tips to keep hairs as pure as snow. 
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