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Maltese dogs are beautiful, thanks to their silky white coat. But this exterior appeal comes with the huge responsibility of regular grooming.
Grooming a Maltese dog at home might look like a difficult task, but it is completely doable with the right tools and knowledge.
If you’re still on the fence about getting this pup as your new household pet, you may wonder what a typical home grooming session looks like.
Don’t worry, we got you sorted! In this guide, we’ll cover a stepwise approach on how to groom a Maltese dog at home to restore their pristine condition.
Maltese Dog Coat Characteristics
The long, silky, and pure white coat is one of the most known features of this little pup. Unlike most other dog breeds, Maltese have hair instead of the regular fur.
The dog’s hair continuously grows similar to that of humans, and this explains why grooming them should be ranked high in the list.
One of the best perks about owning a Maltese is that they shed minimally, which is good news for people with allergies.
But you’ll need to brush, comb, and groom them regularly to prevent knots and mats because their hair can’t seem to stop growing.
Unlike other breeds, Maltese don’t have an undercoat and this predisposes their hair to matting when kept uncombed.
You’ll want to pay extra attention to areas like behind their ears, under their arms, and around their legs, as those parts tend to get matted more easily.
The pure white coat on Maltese dogs can stain easily with dirt and secretions from the eyes. This can cause tear stains and dirt patches on the coat are kept ungroomed.
Basic Grooming tools you’ll need
Before you begin grooming your Maltese at home, it’s important to gather your supplies depending on the procedures you plan to undertake.
The following are some of the common grooming tools you will need, to make the sessions efficient and enjoyable for both of you:
- Slicker brush
- Wide-tooth comb
- Grooming scissors
- Dog clippers
- Nail clippers and grinder
- Dog-safe shampoo and conditioner
- Grooming wipes
- Styptic powder
- Detangling spray
- Ear cleaner
- Toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste
How to Groom a Maltese at Home
1. Detangle the Hair
If your Maltese dog has long hair, you’ll want to get an efficient pet detangling spray to loosen the hair before you begin brushing.
Detangling your dog’s hair will make it soft and easily manageable as you proceed with other steps in this grooming process.
Lightly mist your dog’s coat with the detangling spray and avoid over-spraying. Concentrate on the rest of the body and keep the spray from your dog’s face.
2. Comb & Brush your Maltese’s Coat
After misting the entire coat, you can then finger-comb your dog’s coat to break up the tangles and tough mats.
It’s recommended to start at the tip section of the hair and work your way downward up to the roots to remove all mats.
Once you’ve gotten rid of all those annoying mats, you can now switch over to your slicker brush. It should glide smoothly through your dog’s hair without getting caught on anything.
This will also help you catch any loose hair or small tangles you might have missed during the first phase of grooming.
If your Maltese has stubborn knots, you’ll want to use a wide-toothed brush and hold the hair close to the skin to avoid pulling.
But if those stubborn mats still refuse to come out, you might need to carefully snip them out with scissors.
Remember to brush your canine friend in the direction of hair growth, that is from the root to the head. Fine-toothed steel combs and round-pinned brushes are good for Maltese coats.
3. Bathe your Maltese
Your Maltese dog will be fine with a bathe once every two or three weeks, or whenever it’s necessary to do so.
It’s not a good idea to over-bathe your Maltese because this can dry out their natural oils from the skin and make the coat worse.
We recommend using dog-specific oatmeal shampoo or whitening shampoo when bathing your Maltese at home.
Essentially, you should choose a shampoo that protects your dog’s delicate skin, enhances their white color, and prevents staining.
After brushing your dog and removing all tangles, use lukewarm water to wet the entire coat while avoiding sensitive areas on the face.
Once your dog is completely wet, you can now lather up the shampoo while gently massaging from the neck moving downwards to lift the oils and dirt.
Let the shampoo sit on the dog’s coat for some time. You may want to read the product instructions especially if you’re using whitening shampoo.
Rinse your dog well using lukewarm water to remove all shampoo, leaving no traces of residual soap whatsoever. Leftover shampoo can cause dry skin and irritation.
Once you’re done with the rinsing, you can now apply a dog-safe conditioner to keep your pup’s hair soft and shiny.
Your Maltese is now clean, but you can gently towel off excess water to keep the coat dry. If you must use a blow dryer, make sure to tune into a low temperature to finish the process.
To make sure the dryer isn’t too hot, you can place your hand between the airflow and your dog’s coat to ensure the temperature is tolerable.
4. Use grooming wipes for touch-ups
You can use grooming wipes in between baths to keep your Maltese looking good and free from stains.
We recommend these wipes for cleaning areas that can frequently get dirty, such as the paws, belly, and around the face, especially after meals or outdoor play.
When choosing wipes for your Maltese, make sure they’re specifically made for dogs and free of any harsh chemicals like alcohol that could irritate their skin.
Look for grooming wipes with soothing ingredients like aloe vera or chamomile – those are extra gentle for everyday use.
5. Remove the tear stains
Just like all other pure white breeds, Maltese dogs can develop reddish-brown marks under their eyes because of secretions.
Invest in a good tear stain cleaner to remove such marks on your Maltese. Such products are safe for use around your dog’s eyes.
6. Trim the coat
One of the most popular Maltese grooming styles is the teddy bear dog haircut, which leaves the hair shorter around the body while keeping a rounded, fluffy look on the face.
This style, along with other Maltese dog haircuts, not only looks adorable but also makes daily maintenance much easier for busy owners.
Depending on the look you prefer, you should aim to trim your dog’s coat every 4 to 6 weeks to maintain its shape and manageability.
For those who love the teddy bear dog haircut style, the goal is to keep the body hair short while maintaining a rounded appearance around the face, resembling a “teddy bear”.
When trimming your dog, feel free to experiment with various Maltese haircut hairstyles, depending on your preference and what you can do.
Maltese puppy haircuts, for instance, keep the coat short and easy to care for, while greatly reducing the risk of matting and tangling.
We recommend you use rounded-tip grooming scissors to safely trim the hair around sensitive areas like the face and paws.
Regular and consistent Maltese dog grooming helps prevent hair overgrowth, especially in areas prone to matting, such as the chest and underbelly.
7. Trim and grind your Maltese’s nails
On average, you can expect to trim your dog’s nails after about 3 weeks, but we recommend doing regular paw care whenever needed.
If you’re unsure about the timing, you should always plan a nail trim whenever you hear your Maltese clicking on the floor while walking.
Invest in high-quality nail clippers specifically for small breeds like Maltese. Trim your dog’s nails carefully while avoiding the quick (sensitive area with blood vessels).
If you accidentally cut the quick, just dab a bit of styptic powder on the nail, apply a little pressure, and the bleeding will stop within minutes.
Follow the trim with a nail grinder for a smoother and more polished finish. Grinding not only smooths out any sharp edges but also allows you to shorten the nails more precisely.
You’ll also need to trim the hair between their paw pads. You can do this yourself if your pooch stays still, but it’s best left to a groomer to avoid nicking the skin.
8. Wipe or clean your dog’s ears
Invest in a good vet-approved ear cleaner to clean your dog’s ears whenever needed. Make sure to read the product instructions before using.
Generally, you’ll need to put a few drops in the dog’s ears and use your finger to massage gently for about 20 seconds then wipe it out with a clean cotton wool.
Stay away from Q-tips because they can push the dirt and debris further into your dog’s ears. Remember to work on one ear at a time during this process.
While cleaning your dog’s ears, remember to check for early signs of infections such as excessive wax, redness, or foul odor.
Book an appointment with your vet straight away if you notice anything suggestive of a bacterial infection.
A professional groomer is best placed to pluck the hair inside your dog’s ear canals, so we recommend avoiding this at home.
9. Brush their teeth
Many owners overlook the importance of oral hygiene in dogs, but it should form part of your Maltese comprehensive at-home grooming.
Maltese dogs can be prone to dental problems, so regular brushing can help reduce plaque buildup, gum disease, and bad breath.
Use a dog-specific toothbrush and flavored toothpaste formulated for pets to clean your dog’s teeth at least thrice a week.
Small circular motions while moving the toothbrush up and down are helpful when brushing your dog’s teeth.
Pay more attention to the back teeth, because they have a high affinity to form plague and tartar without being noticed.
Your Maltese might be resistant to brushing if you have never introduced this procedure earlier on in their routine.
As your dog gets used to teeth care, you can use other strategies such as dental chews, water additives, and dental wipes for optimal oral hygiene.
Conclusion
Having a dog that doesn’t shed too much is an advantage for many, but you can enjoy this benefit to the fullest if you groom your Maltese regularly.
Aim to understand the unique coat makeup of your Maltese puppy or adult dog and follow the above 9 steps to effectively groom them at home.
In addition to improving the dog’s exterior appeal and health, grooming them at home can also make your bond even stronger.
Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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