How much does a Maltese cost in Colombia?

What are people asking for a Maltese in Colombia today?

This is what others publish. We read it on October 7, 2026 and left each figure with its source so you can check it.

Why does the price of a Maltese vary so much?

“Mini”, “toy” and “teacup”

The FCI standard describes a single size, of about 3–4 kg (7–9 lb). The labels make the ad more expensive and, when they are true, what lies behind them is breeding for extreme size.

Registration and pedigree

A Maltese registered with the ACCC has a genealogy that can be verified. Without registration it may be a wonderful dog, but there is no way to check where it comes from.

The parents’ tests

Patellar luxation, PRA and a heart exam. Ask for them with a date and a document.

Who is advertising it

A private individual with an occasional litter and a breeder with a veterinarian, a contract and follow-up are not offering the same thing, even if the dog looks alike.

Which health tests should the parents have?

• Patellar luxation
• PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)
• Heart exam

Each with a date, a laboratory or clinic, and a document. Our parent dogs’ results are published in Meet the parents.

What should be included, whatever the price?

• A vaccination record with the doses due for its age, signed by a veterinarian.
• Internal and external parasite treatment up to date.
• A recent veterinary health certificate.
• A written contract, with the terms of the legal guarantee (Colombia’s Law 1480 of 2011).
• Both parents’ health tests, with date, laboratory and document.
• A stated handover age: at Casa Trufa, never before eight weeks.
• Support after the puppy goes home.

What are the warning signs in an ad for a Maltese?

• “Mini toy” or “teacup” used as a selling point.
• Puppies handed over before eight weeks “because they bond more that way”.
• A handover in a parking lot or on the street.
• A figure far below those in the table. In July 2026 Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía) warned that a price far below the market is the first sign of an online pet scam.

And after the puppy?

The puppy is the small expense. As a rough guide, the business press puts the cost of keeping a dog in Colombia at between COP 2,400,000 and COP 5,000,000 a year; we read the figure in the search engine’s summary. Food, parasite treatments and medication are calculated per kilo, so factor in the breed’s adult weight.

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