That famous pure-white coat sits on a genuinely fragile toy dog prone to a congenital heart defect, dental disease serious enough to affect other organs, and a skeleton delicate enough that a bad fall off a sofa is a real injury risk, not just a grooming project.
13.1years, median
0.6 years above the all-dog median of 12.5.
Measured, not estimated: the middle age at death across 584,734 UK dogs, 284,734 of them deceased. Based on 2,687 dogs of this breed. 95% confidence interval 12.6 to 13.5 years. Half lived longer than this, half did not. UK dogs, so treat it as the best available figure rather than a promise about yours.
In the same study, small breeds as a group had a median of 12.7 years and medium-muzzled breeds 12.8. This breed is small and medium-muzzled.
McMillan et al. 2024, Scientific Reports 14:531 — open access · CC BY 4.0Health tests to ask the breeder for
American Maltese Association sets the tests a Maltese needs for a CHIC number in the OFA's open database. A CHIC number means the tests were done and the results are public. It does not mean the dog passed them: ask for the results for both parents, or look them up yourself on ofa.org.
- Patellar Luxation (OFA Evaluation)
- Congenital Cardiac (OFA Evaluation; screens mainly for patent ductus arteriosus)
When to spay or neuter a Maltese: the UC Davis study of 35 breeds has a suggested guideline for the breed. For males it is any age. For females, any age. The spay and neuter page has the numbers behind it and what the guidelines say for a dog this size.
- Serum bile acid test (liver shunt / microvascular dysplasia screening)
Test names as the club lists them; checked September 2026. OFA CHIC breed page. How to use this at the breeder: check a breeder.
Adopt a Maltese near you
Shelters and rescues list Malteses and Maltese mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Maltese
Maltese are gentle, affectionate lap dogs that do not need much exercise and do well in apartments, but the coat is a genuine daily commitment, brushing most days or regular short trims, and the famous white fur shows every bit of tear staining, which needs ongoing face cleaning. Because they are so small and fine-boned, this is not the toy breed to leave unsupervised with young children, since falls and rough handling are a real injury risk.
Health you should know about
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) — a congenital heart defect present at birth that can lead to heart failure if undiagnosed and untreated; among the more commonly cited heart defects in the breed.
- Dental and periodontal disease — small, crowded jaws make tartar buildup and tooth loss especially common; advanced dental disease can go on to affect the heart and kidneys if left untreated.
- Luxating patella — a slipping kneecap common in small and toy breeds, which can predispose to arthritis.
- Liver shunt (portosystemic shunt) — an abnormal blood vessel that bypasses the liver's filtering function, causing stunted growth and neurological symptoms in affected puppies.
Read the full Dog Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a dog needs before you choose a breed.
Sources — 2 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 2 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.