ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Mary Ellen

I'm a first time Maltese owner and am curious as to how long it takes for their hair to grow. Sebastian just turned a year old and his body hair is about 3-3 1/2 inches long. The hair on top of his head is not quite 2 inches long. Is this normal for a dog his age? I know Maltese's have a single layer of hair, but his is very fine. The groomer made a remark that she has never dealt with a Maltese with such fine hair. I'm starting to get nervous because there has not been much growth in the past couple of months. Any suggestions or support?? Thanks!!

DISCUSSION:

There are quite a few posts that were on the board fairly recently that talk about this issue. I thought one of the breeders said it took about a year to get to long hair. Also it was pointed out that letting your dog do "doggie things" like rolling in the grass, on the carpet, etc. and just in general "being a dog" leads to hair breaking off and slows this process. Take a look in the archives--I'm not sure what the topic is, but maybe you can use the search engine to find an answer. I can't help from personal experience because I've always kept Lucy short.
-cathy brown

Mary Ellen, In my experience Maltese coat growth varies from dog to dog. Depending on bloodlines,heredity, and grooming these all play a big part coat growth. Some dogs coats will be to the ground at 10 months and others 18 months or more. Finer coats tend to more fragile and can have more breakage. Proper grooming and patience can still produce a beautiful coat. One lesson I learned is to never brush a dry coat always mist with a diluted conditioner first. Also the height of the dog will affect the time it takes for a coat to reach the ground. I hope this of help.
-Cherie