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Maltese size

The American standard says a favorable size for a Maltese is under 7 lbs. My Marley is 7months old and is already 10. I dont foresee him gettin much bigger but is this unusual. He is not fat. I have heard that there is an English breed of Maltese that is larger. I was wondering if anyone can verify this for me. I have had no luck with research.
T. D'Alexander

• The American Standard for the Maltese is "under seven pounds, with from four to six pounds preferred, but with QUALITY preferred over size. You seven month old Maltese may indeed reach eight or nine pounds - that would not be inconceivable. But, so what ? If he is cute, endearing , loves you to death and lives to provide you with fifteen plus years of joy and companionship, why should size matter ? If, in fact you were interested in showing this dog then perhaps you may have reason for some concern. I don't Prefer a larger than standard Maltese, in fact, we try to breed dogs in the five pound range and often have them come in at under three pounds. Again, I'd have as much trouble, or more, making a show champion out of a three and one-quarter pound Female Maltese as I would in finishing one a little over seven pounds.

  Love your dog for what he is - not for what some book or someone else told you he should be. The Maltese standard does vary around the world - with the Far East preferring much smaller dogs and some European countries allowing for them to run a little larger than the American Standard.
  Larry Stanberry-Divine Maltese

• Thanks for the lecture on how I should love my dog no matter what his size. We needed the reassurance because we were considering getting rid of him because he's too big for a Maltese. Come on! Do you actually beleive I would love my dog less because of his size? All I wanted to know is whether or not their is a British breed of the dog. A family member also has a Maltese who is 10+ lbs. He was told it is a British line. Anyone who can help please respond. Thank you.
  T. D'Alexander

• We have a 12 lb. maltese and we have communicated with a couple in Japan who have a 13 lb. maltese. Their maltese is not fat either. I also met a lady in Paris who had a 10 lb. maltese which looked exactly like ours. I don't know if this helps, but I don't think it's a British thing.
  Veronica

• There is no British line of Maltese unless you have one that has a sire or dam that comes from one of the British kennels breeding now.

  All the Maltese breeding stock which makes much the majority of the breeding today either came from the UK -- the Suirside , Harlingen and Invicta are some of the kennel names. Theo other major influence in US Maltese were from the Electa lines from Italy. Most of these dogs wer brought in in the 40's, 50's and 60's to make up the gene pool that Maltese breeders bred from today. So, unless you have a dog that has been imported from directly from England, they all probably go back to UK somehow but is 10+ generations away.
  Bobbie Linden -- Bhe-Jei Maltese

• I read all these "size" comments. Like you, I love my pooch, no matter her size. She weighs in at about 7 lbs, and I expected her to be 4 or 5 based on what I'd read. So, I asked "folks", including the vet, what they knew about this. I was told that some breeders (I guess, not those breeding show dogs, but rather "companion dogs") are breeding larger dogs (in the 7-10 lb range) because pregnancies and deliveries are so difficult with the tiny ones. I don't know if this is verifiable infomation, but may have something to do with the issue. I must say I was surprised when Lucy just kept growing (and like your dog, she isn't fat), but what the hay, as they say. She's still my favorite person on the planet!
  cathy brown