# Maltese care: coat, tear stains and daily routine https://casatrufa.com/en/guides/maltese-grooming-and-care By Casa Trufa · Published: 2026-10-07 · For information only: it does not replace a visit to your veterinarian A Maltese needs three things every day: brushing, cleaning around the eyes and company. Its long white coat doesn’t shed, but it mats if it isn’t brushed; tears stain the hair on the face; and it copes badly with being left alone. In return it is content with short walks and lives well in any climate in Colombia. ## In short - Daily brushing if the coat is kept long; several times a week with a “puppy cut”. - Clean around the eyes every day to prevent reddish tear stains. - Teeth: it is a small breed and they need brushing. - Moderate energy: two or three short walks and play at home. - Its weak point is being alone, not exercise. ## How do you groom a Maltese? The Maltese has a single-layer coat that is long, straight and grows continuously. It has none of the undercoat that other breeds shed seasonally, so it leaves very little hair around the house. The price of that is the brush. | How the coat is kept | Brushing | Groomer | | --- | --- | --- | | Long, down to the floor | Every day, down to the skin | Every four to six weeks, for the ends and hygiene | | “Puppy cut” (short and even) | Two or three times a week | Every six to eight weeks | Most families choose the short cut: it is more comfortable for the dog and much easier to keep up. A bath every two or three weeks, with a mild shampoo, and always with **complete drying**: a Maltese that stays damp tangles, smells and, in the cool highlands (tierra fría), gets cold. ## Why does a Maltese get tear stains under its eyes? It is the most common reason owners of the breed ask for advice. Tears dampen the white hair on the face and, over time, stain it a reddish or brown shade. It doesn’t usually hurt, but it is a sign of constant moisture. - Clean the area **every day** with gauze and saline or boiled water that has cooled to lukewarm, from the inner corner outward. - Keep the hair that touches the eye short, or tie it back. - Dry well after cleaning: moisture is what stains. - If the tearing suddenly increases, the eye is red or the dog is scratching at it, that is a visit to the veterinarian, not a cosmetic problem. ## What other daily care does a Maltese need? - **Teeth.** Small breeds build up tartar early. Brush them several times a week from puppyhood. - **Ears.** They hang down and are full of hair: check them every week and dry them after a bath. - **Nails.** A dog that walks little on pavement doesn’t wear them down. - **Weight.** At 3 or 4 kg (7–9 lb), an extra hundred grams (3.5 oz) shows. Treats count. ## How much exercise does a Maltese need? Not much for a dog, but not zero. Its energy is moderate: two or three short walks a day and some playtime indoors keep it satisfied. It is cheerful and alert, and it enjoys learning tricks. It is not a companion for jogging or for long mountain hikes. If that is what you are looking for, see the Working line in [the breeds we raise](https://casatrufa.com/en/breeds). ## Do Maltese bark a lot? Can they be left alone? A Maltese barks to alert you: the doorbell, the elevator, a noise in the hallway. It is a behavior you can train from puppyhood, but it is worth knowing about if you live in an apartment building. What it really struggles with is being alone. The Maltese was bred for centuries to keep people company, and it is a dog that wants to be wherever you are. Leaving it alone for eight or ten hours every day is a recipe for barking, destruction and anxiety. > If your working day is long and nobody stays at home, think about a dog walker, daycare or waiting for another time. It is the first thing we are going to ask you. ## What changes with your city’s climate? The Maltese adapts to every climate zone (piso térmico) in Colombia, with two adjustments: - **Hot lowlands (tierra caliente)** — the Caribbean coast, Cúcuta, Neiva, the Llanos: a short coat, walks early in the morning or after dark, fresh water always within reach and no hot asphalt under its paws. - **Cool highlands (tierra fría)** — Bogotá, Tunja, Pasto: complete drying after a bath or after rain, and a light coat if its hair is cut very short. To see how your municipality suits this breed and the others, look up your city in [Delivery](https://casatrufa.com/en/delivery). ## What health problems should you watch for in a Maltese? The most common in the breed are **patellar luxation**, **dental** problems, some hereditary **eye** diseases and, with age, **heart** problems. That is why the tests we require of our parent dogs are patella, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) and a heart exam, and we publish them on each dog’s page. A well-bred, standard-size Maltese is a long-lived dog for how small it is. The problems are concentrated in dogs bred to be tiny: we explain it in [mini, toy and teacup Maltese](https://casatrufa.com/en/guides/teacup-maltese-the-truth). ## Frequently asked questions **How often should you bathe a Maltese?** Every two or three weeks is usually enough, with a mild shampoo and complete drying. Between baths, brushing is what keeps the coat clean and free of knots. **Do Maltese bark a lot?** It is a dog that alerts you: it barks at the doorbell and at noises in the hallway. This can be trained from puppyhood. Constant barking is usually a sign that it spends too many hours alone. **Are Maltese good with children?** It is affectionate and playful, but it weighs 3 or 4 kg (7–9 lb): with small children you need to supervise, because the fragile one is the dog. It gets along very well with children who already know how to treat an animal. **How do you get rid of tear stains on a Maltese?** With consistency: clean around the eyes every day with gauze and saline, dry well and keep the hair that touches the eye short. If the tearing suddenly increases or the eye is red, see your veterinarian. ## Sources 1. [FCI: estándar n.º 65, Maltés (FCI standard No. 65, Maltese; page in Spanish)](https://www.fci.be/es/nomenclature/MALTESE-65.html)