Do Maltese dogs shed?

Maltese dogs are undeniably playful and one of the most charming lap dogs you can get. Before bringing a Maltese home, most people always want to know how bad the shedding can be. Although the Maltese dog is a hypoallergenic dog breed, it still sheds some hair like all hair animals. That these dogs are low-shedding animals does not mean that you should not groom them. 

 

If you believe before now that Maltese are non-shedding breeds, then we are sorry to inform you otherwise. Almost all dogs shed to an extent, although some shed more than the others. Unless you have a hairless dog, it is almost impossible to avoid shedding in dogs. These Maltese dogs shed and re-grow fur because it helps regulate their body temperature through different seasons. 

 

The fur is important for dogs. It helps protect them from environmental elements like cold weather, rough terrain, and scorching sun. When the hair of a Maltese stops growing or is damaged, it will shed. The growth of new hair typically accompanies the process. Now that we have answered your question, the rest of the post will be about everything concerning Maltese dogs shedding. 

 

WHEN DOES MALTESE DOGS SHED?

Maltese sheds year-round, although they may experience slightly heavier shedding during temperature rise in the springtime. Theoretically, every dog retains much of its hair during the winter periods. The reason is that these dogs need their fur to keep warm under cold temperatures. 

However, seasonal shedding is often more obvious for dogs with a double coat, but single-coated dogs experience shedding. You need to understand that this varies for different dogs. We have seen and heard of stories about Maltese dogs that shed during this period, but others didn’t see any change. 

WHAT ARE THE PHASES OF MALTESE SHEDDING?

Like every other dog breeds, the shedding of a Maltese is cyclical, and it comes in some distinctive phases. Meanwhile, the time a Maltese spends in each phase is different from s dog breed that exclusively sheds, like Husky. Here are the phases of Maltese shedding:

1. Growing phase 

This phase is also known as the Anagen phase, and it is the first phase of the hair growth cycle. It is the period when new hair begins to grow out. During the Anagen phase, the hair of the Maltese will grow to its full genetically determined length. 

2. Transition Phase

It is also known as the Catagen phase, and it is when hair follicles stop to grow on a dog. This phase starts upon the end of the Angen phase. The coat starts by shrinking and detaching from the “dermal papillae,” which is also part of the skin. This is what we call shedding. 

3. Resting phase

W e also call it the Telogen phase, and it is like the limbo phase for your dog. At this phase, the hairs have all stopped growing, and the shedding has stopped. Also, news hairs start to grow in the first Anagen phase. 

4. New hair phase

We call it the Exogen phase. As Maltese dogs shed their hair during the final stage, new hairs start to grow and take over. The amount of time that a Maltese spends in each of these phases varies. All low-shedding (hypoallergenic) dogs spend more time in the first phase. 

 

HOW MUCH DO MALTESE DOGS SHED?

Now we all know that Maltese technically shed. However, the real question is how much does a Maltese dog shed? The amount varies depending on the individual dog. After interacting with many Maltese owners, we discovered that Maltese shed hair almost like humans does. Most of these Maltese owners said they only found hairs after combing their dogs. 

Therefore, the consensus is that Maltese lose hair, but often we don’t notice them. The fact that Maltese dogs are low-shedding dogs doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t groom them regularly.

 

HOW DO YOU GROOM A MALTESE COAT?

That Maltese are hypoallergenic doesn’t mean that you don’t need to groom them well. Factually speaking, a Maltese needs regular grooming, and it feels good to know that the grooming isn’t tricky. This is huge for you Maltese lovers out there. 

HOW TO PROPERLY GROOM YOUR MALTESE?

Maltese grooming requires some techniques and skills to do it the right way. Here are the essential things to know to groom your Maltese properly:

• Bath and brush them regularly 

It is essential to regularly bathe your Maltese because it helps to keep them clean and remove loose stuck on their coat. It is also advisable that you don’t bathe them too often to result in dry skin. Depending on your dog and how often they play outside and get dirty, you can bathe them twice a month. It would be best if you used an all-natural oatmeal dog shampoo. 

 

Brushing is also important for dogs with fur; an example is Maltese dogs. Aside from removing hair from the coat, brushing also removes any debris stuck on the fur. You also brush these dogs to prevent the coat from forming densely tangled clumps. Maltese owners recommend the use of a pin brush whenever you are crushing a Maltese. 

 

• Cutting a Maltese hair

Although Maltese dogs have long and stunningly beautiful fur, some owners like to cut the coat short. Every owner has a taste he/she enjoys and wants the dog to have. There are different styles from the show cut to the puppy clip, bob cut, teddy bear cut, etc., and they are all great. Complications arise when the dog has a double coat, but thank goodness Maltese does not. 

If you live in a warmer climate, cutting the fur of your Maltese is a necessity. Also, cutting their hair during winter or in a cold climate is not a good option. 

 

SHOULD YOU HAVE A MALTESE?

Selecting a dog breed can be quite challenging, especially when you know little or nothing about dogs. Your choice is dependent on your reason for the dog in the first place. If you want a lap dog, then Maltese is a perfect choice, and you will be happy about it. Since Maltese are low-shedding dogs, they are the ideal choice for allergic dog owners. 

Conclusion 

Yes, Maltese dogs shed but not as much as other breeds of dogs. We hope that this post answers all your salient questions about Maltese. If there is anything you believe should be added, kindly share it with us in the comment section below.

References

https://www.loveyourdog.com/maltese-shed/

https://thesmartcanine.com/do-maltese-shed/

https://www.thepetsandlove.com/do-maltese-dogs-shed/




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