Everything you need before breeding a Maltese: the all-white coat and tear staining, liver-shunt screening, the toy-breed whelping risk, and a careful buyer.
Maltese
Maltese mix
Maltese mix
Maltese
Maltese
Maltese
Maltese mix
Maltese
Maltese breeding turns on three things: the demanding white coat, the breed’s liver-shunt risk, and the care a tiny dam and her newborns need. All of it comes before color or looks.
Run the kneecap (patella) check and the heart exam on both dogs, plus a bile-acid blood test to screen for liver shunt. Add an eye exam.
The white single coat needs daily care, and tear staining is constant. Pick parents with good coats and clean, well-built faces.
Take progesterone blood draws (a hormone test that finds the fertile window) from day 6 of heat. Run the brucellosis test (a contagious infection that causes miscarriage) within 30 days.
Line up a vet for a likely C-section. Keep the box warm and feed newborns often to prevent low blood sugar in the first weeks.
Short answer
The American Maltese Association asks for a kneecap (patella) check and a heart exam on both parents, plus a bile-acid blood test for liver shunt. An eye exam is also recommended. The heart exam mainly rules out patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, a vessel that should close after birth but stays open).
The patella and cardiac checks make up the breed’s CHIC health list (CHIC is short for the Canine Health Information Center, a shared health database run with the OFA, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). A CHIC number does not mean a dog passed every test. It means the required tests were done and the results were posted, pass or fail.
The kneecap check matters most in a toy breed. A luxating patella is a kneecap that slips out of its groove, which is very common in small dogs. The heart exam checks for defects like PDA, and an eye exam looks for inherited eye disease.
The bile-acid test is the one most often skipped, and it is the one that matters most for this breed. It screens for liver shunt, which the next section explains. Run the full task list before the heat cycle starts; our pre-breeding checklist covers the brucellosis test and the timing steps that sit alongside these clearances.
Short answer
A liver shunt (portosystemic shunt) is a faulty blood vessel that routes blood around the liver instead of through it, so the body cannot clean out toxins. Studies show the Maltese is one of the breeds most overrepresented for it. There is no DNA test, so a bile-acid blood test is the main screen.
The liver is the body’s filter. Blood from the gut should flow through it to be cleaned before it reaches the rest of the body. In a dog with a liver shunt, a stray vessel skips the liver, so toxins like ammonia build up. Affected puppies can be small, slow to grow, and groggy or confused after eating, per the Merck Veterinary Manual.
This is one of the Maltese’s signature inherited problems. Because it runs in families, the goal of screening is to keep affected dogs and their close relatives out of the breeding pool. Ask the other owner about liver shunt in the line, not just in the dog in front of you.
How the bile-acid screen works
There is no gene test for liver shunt, so breeders use a bile-acid blood test. The vet draws blood after the dog has fasted, feeds the dog, then draws again two hours later. High bile-acid levels are a sign the liver is not working right. Test breeding dogs before mating, and many breeders also test each puppy before it goes home.
A dog from an affected family should be paired only with a mate from a clean line, and a dog that tested abnormal should not be bred at all. This is not meant to scare you off the breed. One simple blood test keeps the disease out of your puppies.
Short answer
White shaker dog syndrome makes a young dog tremble all over, and it shows up most in small white breeds like the Maltese. Most dogs recover well with treatment, per the American Maltese Association. GME (granulomatous meningoencephalitis) is a more serious brain inflammation, so any tremoring or wobbly dog needs a vet workup.
White shaker dog syndrome is a tremor that affects the whole body, usually starting between 6 months and 3 years. The shaking gets worse with excitement and eases with rest. It is named for the small white breeds it hits most, the Maltese among them, and most dogs respond well to steroid treatment.
GME is the more serious condition to watch for. It is an inflammation of the brain and its lining, where the immune system attacks the dog’s own nervous system, as PetMD explains. It can cause tremors, wobbliness, seizures, or sudden behavior changes, and it needs fast veterinary care.
For a breeder, the rule is simple: any tremor or balance problem gets a vet workup, not a wait-and-see. The vet will rule out other causes first, including a liver shunt, since toxins from a bad liver can also cause shaking. Be honest about any neurological history in your line when you talk to a mate’s owner.
Short answer
The Maltese has a single coat of long, silky white hair with no undercoat, closer to human hair than to fur. The breed standard calls for a pure, snow-white coat. It grows nonstop and mats fast, so it needs daily care, and tear staining (reddish-brown marks under the eyes) is the breed’s top grooming challenge.
What makes the Maltese coat special
One layer of long silky hair, no fluffy undercoat. It sheds little but grows nonstop and mats without daily brushing.
The standard wants a clean white coat. Light tan or lemon on the ears is allowed but not preferred; aim for true white.
Reddish-brown marks under the eyes, from tears and yeast. The white coat shows them clearly, so daily cleaning helps.
The coat is the first thing people picture with a Maltese, and it is real work. Because the hair grows all the time, a full show coat needs daily brushing and a bath every week or two to stay clean and free of mats, per the American Maltese Association grooming guide. Most pet homes keep a shorter "puppy cut" trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks.
Tear staining is the grooming problem owners ask about most. Tears and yeast leave a reddish-brown mark under the eyes that stands out on the white face. Some of it comes from the shape of the eye and the tear ducts, so breeding from dogs with good eye structure and clean faces helps the next generation.
Tell buyers the truth about the coat before they take a puppy home. A Maltese is a daily grooming commitment, not a wash-and-go dog. Setting that expectation up front keeps puppies from being surrendered later when the coat gets matted and the owner is overwhelmed.
Short answer
Wait until at least 18 to 24 months, on the second or third heat. A female Maltese can come into heat young, but that is too early to breed. She should weigh at least about 4 pounds and be fully grown. Most breeders retire a female by about 5 years, and 7 at the latest.
Breed on the second or third heat, at a healthy weight of at least about 4 pounds. Retire her by about 5 years, 7 at the latest.
Fertile young, but hold him back until the patella, heart, and bile-acid results are on file.
A female Maltese can cycle young, but an early cycle is no sign she is ready. Waiting for the second or third heat, around 18 to 24 months, gives her time to finish growing and lets you complete every health test first.
Weight is a real limit in this breed. A dam under about 4 pounds is at higher risk during pregnancy and birth, so do not breed an extra-small female just because she is tiny and sweet. A fully grown female in the standard range gives both her and the puppies the best odds.
The last timing step before any mating is a brucellosis test within 30 days. Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes infertility and miscarriage, and it passes between dogs during mating. Our guide to the best age to breed a dog covers the trade-offs in more detail.
Short answer
Pick a mate with a normal bile-acid (liver) result, sound knees, and a clear heart exam, from a line with no liver shunt or neurological disease. Favor good eye structure and a clean white coat. Keep the two dogs only loosely related, so they share few ancestors (a low coefficient of inbreeding, or COI). The parent club puts health, not looks, first.
Liver health leads the choice in this breed. Pair your dog with a mate that has a normal bile-acid result and no liver shunt in the close family. Two dogs from clean liver lines is the goal, since the disease runs in families and has no gene test.
The knees, heart, and nervous system come next. Favor a mate with sound knees, a clear heart exam, and no history of tremors or GME in the line. Pairing two dogs with the same weakness doubles the risk of passing it on. Use one dog’s strength to make up for the other dog’s weak spot.
Keep the two dogs only loosely related. The coefficient of inbreeding (COI) measures how many ancestors a pair shares, across 5 generations of pedigree. A lower number means a wider gene pool and a lower chance of doubling up on hidden disease. Get it from the pedigree or a DNA relatedness test.
Brucellosis testing on both dogs within 30 days of mating closes the checklist. Both owners sign the contract before the first mating. Our ethical breeding guide covers what that contract should say, and a DNA test for breeding dogs helps you check relatedness.
5 questions to ask the other owner
Short answer
No. "Teacup" is a marketing word, not a real size or a separate breed. The Maltese standard already caps weight at 7 pounds. Dogs bred smaller than that are more delicate, and more prone to low blood sugar, weak bones, and hard births. Breeding for "teacup" size puts the dam and puppies at real risk.
There is no teacup, micro, or toy-toy Maltese in any breed standard. The breed is already a small toy dog. These labels are sales words for an undersized dog, often the runt of a litter or the result of breeding two extra-small dogs together on purpose.
The smaller the dog, the bigger the health risks. Extra-tiny Maltese are more prone to low blood sugar, fragile bones, dental crowding, liver shunt, and trouble under anesthesia. A very small dam is also more likely to need an emergency C-section, which puts her life on the line.
Breed to the standard, not below it. Aim for a healthy, fully grown female in the normal range, and be honest with buyers that a responsible Maltese is a small dog, not a teacup. If a buyer asks you for a teacup, explain why you do not breed them instead of making the sale.
Short answer
Keep her on her normal adult food for the first 4 to 5 weeks, then switch to a high-quality puppy or growth food. Feed small meals often, because a tiny pregnant dam has little stomach room and can drop her blood sugar between meals. Do not add calcium during pregnancy, since it raises the risk of eclampsia (a dangerous calcium crash) during nursing.
Feeding plan by pregnancy stage
Adult food, same portions, but split into small meals. A tiny dam should never go many hours without food.
Move to a puppy or growth food over about 5 days. It packs more energy into less volume, which suits a small stomach.
Raise her intake and feed 3 or 4 small meals a day. The puppies crowd her stomach, so big meals do not fit.
Skip the calcium until whelping
Extra calcium during pregnancy switches off the dog’s own calcium control. That sets up eclampsia (milk fever) at peak nursing, about 2 to 3 weeks after the puppies arrive. Small breeds are the most at risk, so a Maltese dam is squarely in that group. Add calcium only at or after whelping, and only if your vet directs it.
Watch her weight in both directions, too heavy and too thin. A Maltese that is too heavy whelps harder, while one that is too thin can run low on energy during labor. Aim for a lean, fit body condition at mating, then feed steadily through the pregnancy.
Short answer
A Maltese litter is small, usually 2 to 4 puppies, and pregnancy lasts about 63 days. Because the dam is tiny, the chance of a stuck birth (dystocia) and a C-section is high, so keep a vet on call for every litter. The newborns are fragile and need close watching for low blood sugar.
A typical Maltese litter is 2 to 4 puppies, and first litters are often just 1 or 2. Pregnancy lasts about 63 days from ovulation. Day 28 is ultrasound day to confirm pregnancy, and an x-ray around day 55 counts the puppies so you can plan for a possible C-section.
Toy breeds need C-sections far more often than larger dogs. The puppies are large compared to the tiny dam, so a stuck birth is a real risk. Line up a vet who can do a planned or emergency C-section. Call right away for any of these: hard straining for 20 to 30 minutes with no puppy, more than 2 hours between puppies, or green discharge before the first puppy.
Keeping newborn Maltese alive
Newborn Maltese can die of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) within days, because they are too small to store much energy. Keep the whelping box warm, make sure every puppy nurses often, and weigh each one on a kitchen scale every day. A puppy that is cold, limp, or refusing to nurse is an emergency. Warm it, give a little sugar on the gums, and call your vet. Toy-breed newborn loss runs high, so this daily watch is the most important job of the first weeks, per Veterinary Partner.
Once the puppies are stable, they stay with the dam through weaning and go home no earlier than 8 to 12 weeks. Toy puppies often leave a little later than large-breed puppies, because the extra weeks help them hold their blood sugar and handle the move. Send each one home on a signed contract with a return clause.
Short answer
Budget roughly $3,000 to $7,000 for a Maltese litter. The big swing is the C-section, which toy breeds need often and which runs $1,000 to $3,000. Add the patella, cardiac, and bile-acid tests, a stud fee, and round-the-clock newborn care. With small litters, a first litter rarely turns a real profit.
Estimated cost of a first Maltese litter
Ranges are typical US pricing. The C-section is the toy-breed line item that makes Maltese breeding expensive. Budget against the litter, not the puppy. A typical Maltese litter is 2 to 4.
What can the puppies sell for?
Market range only, not a Petmeetly endorsement. Puppies from parents without the patella, cardiac, and liver clearances sell for less because the buyer takes on the health risk.
The revenue math should never be the reason to breed. With a 2 to 4 puppy litter and a likely C-section, a first litter rarely turns a real profit once you count the dam’s care and your time. Breed to improve the breed, then place puppies on a contract. Listings are free on Petmeetly, including Maltese puppies for sale.
Total the numbers for your own pairing before you commit. Our breeding cost and due-date calculator adds up testing, the stud fee, scans, and the C-section in one place.
Short answer
Put the stud deal in writing and sign it before the first mating. The agreement should name the stud fee, the brucellosis test, and the exact health clearances both dogs carry, including the bile-acid (liver) result and the patella and heart checks. It should also define a successful breeding and the registration terms. The AKC recommends written, signed contracts that each owner keeps a copy of.
Clauses every Maltese stud contract should name
Put the stud deal in writing before the first mating. Verbal deals are the main reason stud arrangements end in arguments, so both owners sign and keep a copy.
Use limited registration for pet-quality puppies. A limited-registration puppy stays AKC-registered, but its own future litters cannot be registered, which discourages casual breeding of pet-quality dogs. Every puppy should also go home on a buyer contract with a return clause, so the dog comes back to you if the owner ever cannot keep it. For owners who would rather give an adult Maltese a home, our Maltese adoption page lists dogs already looking for one.
The American Maltese Association asks for a kneecap (patella) check and a heart (cardiac) exam on both parents, plus a bile-acid blood test to screen for liver shunt. An eye exam by a specialist is also recommended. The heart exam mainly rules out a defect called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, a blood vessel that should close after birth but stays open).
A liver shunt (portosystemic shunt) is a faulty blood vessel that routes blood around the liver, so toxins build up. Studies show the Maltese is one of the breeds most overrepresented for it. There is no DNA test, so a bile-acid blood test on breeding dogs is the main screen, and many breeders also test each puppy.
A bile-acid test is a simple blood test that checks how well the liver works. The vet draws blood after fasting, feeds the dog, then draws again two hours later. High levels point to a liver shunt. Because the Maltese carries high shunt risk and there is no gene test, this is the key liver screen before breeding.
White shaker dog syndrome makes a young dog tremble all over, usually starting between 6 months and 3 years. It is most common in small white breeds like the Maltese, and most dogs recover well with treatment. It is thought to be related to GME, a more serious brain inflammation, so any tremoring dog needs a vet workup.
A lot. The Maltese has a single coat of long, silky white hair with no undercoat, more like human hair than fur. It grows continuously and mats fast, so a show coat needs daily brushing and a bath every week or two. Most pet owners keep a shorter "puppy cut" trimmed every 4 to 6 weeks.
Tear staining is the reddish-brown mark that forms under the eyes on the white coat, from tears and yeast. It is the Maltese owner’s top grooming challenge. Some of it is plumbing (tight tear ducts and eye shape), so breeding from dogs with good eye structure and clean faces helps, along with daily cleaning.
Wait until at least 18 to 24 months, on the second or third heat. A female Maltese can come into heat young, but that is too early to breed. She should weigh at least about 4 pounds and be fully grown, with her health tests done. Most breeders retire a female by about 5 years, and 7 at the latest.
No. "Teacup" is a marketing label, not a real size or breed. The Maltese standard already caps weight at 7 pounds. Dogs bred smaller are more delicate, and more prone to low blood sugar, weak bones, and hard births. Breeding for extreme smallness puts the dam and the puppies at serious risk.
A Maltese litter is small, usually 2 to 4 puppies. Toy breeds need C-sections far more often than larger dogs, because the puppies are large compared to the tiny dam. Keep a vet on call for every litter, and plan and budget for a possible planned or emergency C-section.
Newborn Maltese can die of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) within days, because they are too small to store much energy. Keep the whelping box warm, make sure every puppy nurses often, and weigh each one daily. A puppy that is cold, limp, or refusing to nurse is an emergency. Feed it and call your vet right away.
Budget roughly $3,000 to $7,000. The big swing is the C-section, which toy breeds need often and which can run $1,000 to $3,000. Add the patella, cardiac, and bile-acid tests, a stud fee, and round-the-clock newborn care. With small litters, a first litter rarely turns a real profit.
You can search health-tested Maltese on Petmeetly and message the owners directly. Listings are free, and you can filter for breeding dogs. Always confirm the patella and cardiac clearances, and ask about the bile-acid (liver) result, before you commit to a mating.
Sources
Real stories from dog owners who found perfect breeding matches on Petmeetly
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Washington, US
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Massachusetts, US
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Alberta, CA
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