spots on maltese puppy nose

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Archived Message

spots on puppy's nose
by martha mcwilliams
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
spots on puppy's nose I've been reading this site in the older records for hours and need to know if it's true that pink spots on the new puppy's nose will blacken with age. These spots are very clearly pink and various shapes and sizes and are more than one. This not just a faded nose. The puppies are three weeks old (don't worry, they are still with their mom). I wanted to buy one, but I want it to be as close to meeting the "standard" as possible. Although it is "just" pet quality, I still like my "pets to ge as close to their standard as I can afford to buy for pet quality. Most responses on this site talk about not caring what the animal has or has not if it is a pet and loved. That is fine if that is what one wants. I happen to want all of its black points and silky hair and weight requirements met and don't think that should be hard to find in "pet" quality. If these little pink spots do not come out of the nose of the dog, I want to continue my serch, but if they do come out and turn solid black, then I would like to know that. Thanks for you help.

DISCUSSION:

I'm pretty certain that all Maltese puppies start out with pink noses and the black develops as they get older. I know mine did. We got here at 12 weeks and she still had some pink spots. The breeder assured me the black pigment would develop as she grew and after a month or so she had a beautiful , very black nose.
Sandee M.

Both my previous Maltese (who passed in Oct) and my present little guy, Buster (7 mos) had pink noses. Busters is almost totally black now.
Libby & Buster

Martha, I'm not a breeder and I can only speak for my two boys. Baxter at 12 weeks had pink blotches that disappeared in a month or so. Rudy, had a jet black nose already when he was 12 weeks. This blackness, by the way, fades somewhat throughout the year depending on the amount of sun to which they're exposed.
Marie

My two older maltese have always had black noses. My youngest who is 4 month's has a little pink on her nose. I'm sure it will turn black as she grows, but even if it doesn't I don't care - I will love her the same no matter what color her nose is. I think the pink is cute!
Angel

Martha, Maltese develop the points with age. When I got Phoebe at fourteen weeks she still had pink foot pads and her eye rims were just barely there, now at almost six months she has all her points with the exception of one tiny foot pad spot and she is gorgeous. Most breeders determine 'pet quality' as a dog who does not meet all the standards. This may mean the coat is not quite right, or size may be off - etc... Even if a breeder breeds nothing but one champion to another there is still only a small percentage of pups that will be born meeting all the standards. I understand that you want a Maltes that looks like a Maltese, I did as well - but if the dog is of that caliber then it will most likely be sold as a show prospect and the breeder may very well require that you show the dog and or allow for breeding.
Leslie R

Martha, my Bailey had pink spots on her nose when I got her. It was only a month or two before it was completely black.
Ellyn

thanks folks for your helpful and informative responses. I really do appreciate your input. I feel sure that I will be able to find a pup that makes me happy and that I can make happy and if it's nose turns blue, it won't matter, it will be mine and I'll love it. I just want to start out with a black nose! I know it won't be perfect, but it may just be off standard a tiny little instead of a whole lot.
martha