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| Please bear in mind when reading topics pertaining to health issues, that most of these questions were answered by helpful Maltese owners with no formal education in veterinary medicine. When in doubt seek a professionals advise. |
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| All this silky white fur by kris buja |  ORIGINAL MESSAGE: |
 DISCUSSION: |
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Dear Kris! Yippee!! Another happy Maltese owner! Well, I brush out Otto daily. And I wash his face and fu-manchu mustache, and put collyrium in his eyes daily for tearstaining. If his feets get dirty I wash them whenever. He gets a bath and ear-clean and toenail trim every two weeks. His hair is long and I don't cut it except for his face and bangs. (no topknot and bow for him.) I cut it myself and he sits still for me.
The bath part I have questions on and have posted a question today. Maybe others will give us advise! valan |
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I groom Phoebe every day, wash her face in the morning and do her top knots, brush her in the afternoon. Her toenails get trimmed every two weeks and I do her ears once a week. Bathing - well so far it's once a month because I am using a flea control product that says not to bathe and frankly I will probably switch that over to one that will allow bathing, because I think she needs a bath! )My Yorkie got a bath every week... I had a Shih Tzu for a while (kidney failure killed her) and so far I can see very little difference in Maltese and Shih Tzu grooming procedures.
You will love your new baby! Maltese are wonderful! |
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Kris, I've kept my 2 yr old Baxter in a puppy cut for the past year. He gets groomed every 6-7 weeks. It's soooo much easier than the long hair. Their hair changes when it goes from puppy hair to doggy hair. It got really difficult to keep the knots out and every time I went towards him, he would run thinking he was in for that ordeal so it just wasn't worth it. I've kept his ears long and his leg hair semi-long. His body hair is about two inches and his belly is pretty much shaved.
In between, I bath him every week to two weeks (he doesn't go outside at all till summer). I comb him every day - once in a while I miss that. I use the Collyrium for his eyes every time I comb him. The groomer takes care of all the rest - nails, hair in the ears, trims, and gives me a break on the bath.
I'd wait until you see what kind of coat your baby will have. My 4 month old Rudy's is straight as a stick and silky, so I might try to grow his coat. We'll see. Good luck! |
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I have had maltese for 22 years...one reason i have always kept their long hair besides how beautiful it looks is that every morning when i comb my girls, i find it sooo relaxing to make my girls beautiful before i get out of bed. the only time i gave a maltese a puppy cut was when a new puppy was torturing my 13 year old boy...i couldn't stand to hear him yell when the baby pulled his hair...i have to say he looked so pathetic and insulted without his hair...but remarkably it grew back within 6 months...unlike his mother (me) who's hair still grows very slowly. to me there is nothing more beautiful than a little malty walking briskly with his or her hair flowing. i can relate to resistance from the dog...my 8 year old girl used to snarl and snap when i tried to comb her as a puppy....my vet at the time told me that some dogs just won't let you do it...i refused to accept that and with time she started to enjoy it...now as she has gotten older she is giving me a hard time again...so, slowly and gently we go through our morning ritual together...she does have her pride and vanity,you know. i have found that a daily combing or combing on an every other day basis keeps the coat well groomed..i also make sure they have a bath every 3 weeks. gail b. |