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Archived Message

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
by Carol A

Can someone help me with the Question can you trim the Maltese feet to neaten up for showing. I've had a fifty-fifty response on this issue in our class. One of our class members who raises Shih Tzu told me I should trim Jaz's feet then everyone chimed in pro and con, course no one there shows Maltese so I just listen to all and told them I would research the issue. This is the best place I have found to get sound advise on what to do with the little stinker.

DISCUSSION:

According to the standard the only place that may be trimmed are the feet to give a neater appearance. We trim our maltese feet every other week since he was a puppy. I think this makes their footing better.
-Donna

You do not shave the feet like a poodle's, but trimming off excess length of hair coming from the foot itself is both permissable and preferable. It does provide a cleaner neater appearance and does not interfere with the dog's gait.

As important, if not more so, is the trimming done of the hair between the toe pads on the bottom of the foot. It is imperative that this be kept trimmed as short as possible - as well as the toe nails themselves. Again it provides better footing and also prevents the toe pads from becoming splayed.
-Larry Stanberry Divine Maltese

Thank you both for your answer, I have kept the hair between her toes trimmed but was sure if I could trim the hair on her feet or not. We have our second show next week-end so I'll work on the feet in the morning, sure she'll love that! Actually she has gotten pretty good about letting me do with her what I want, she probably thinks mom is a little crazy some of the time.
-Carol A