Boy #2

The Maltese, with their long hair and dark round eyes, have a unique appearance. A sociable breed they often befriend other pets and will warm up to strangers given enough time and interaction Full-grown, they typically weigh 4-7 pounds and stand 7-9 inches tall.

Malteses are generally okay with older children who know how to handle dogs. The Maltese, with their loving personalities and playful attitudes, are great around older children. They are definitely companion dogs who also get along well with other pets. They're moderate barkers — they'll alert you when something's up but aren't excessive.

The Maltese does not require an abundance of activity , but they do love to play chase and enjoy occasional walks. So strap up your tennis shoes and provide plenty of catch-toys for this toy breed! Overall, their exercise needs are low.

Maltese have a distinctive long, white, silky coat with no undercoat. Some may have cream or lemon-colored ears. They do require daily brushing to remove dead hair and require periodic dental care since they do sometimes have problems with their teeth. Grooming-wise, this breed is fairly high-maintenance. Malteses are considered hypoallergenic, which can be a plus for allergy sufferers.

Malteses are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. This breed can adapt to a rural lifestyle but does best as an indoor dog. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.

The Mal-Shi is a cross between a Maltese and a Shih Tzu. This hybrid originated in the United States. It is also known by Shih-tese, Shihtese and Malti Tzu. The Maltese is a small, fearless and very playful dog with a long, white silky coat that is hypoallergenic (very low shed cycle). Maltese do very well with other animals, but are often leery of strangers. The Shih Tzu is a medium sized and more sturdy breed with a double coat that is very people focused and literally thrives on attention and affection. The combination of these two breeds produce a cute, sturdy, intelligent, family focused dog with a slow shed cycle. Full-grown, they typically weigh 6-12 pounds and stand 10-10 inches tall.

Mal Shis are generally okay with older children who know how to handle dogs. They do well with older children, nearly all animals, and with those of whom they are accustomed. They're not overly vocal and often fearful of strangers, making them a poor candidate for watchdog. They're fairly vocal dogs that bark regularly.

Mal-Shi are house pets in need of protection from extreme temperatures and they require plenty of exercise and playtime. A brisk twenty minute daily walk may do the trick, but don't neglect to fulfill their never ending desire to run, chew and play. A bored lazy Mal-Shi is likely to become depressed, destructive, disobedient or even worse, missing. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The MalShih coat typically resembles that of a standard Shih Tzu with less, or no, undercoat. Like the standard Shih Tzu, the Mal-Shi does not shed as like most breeds do, but rather lose hair slowly like people. Most owners keep their Mal-Shi in a puppy cut (coat trimmed short) and others groom them daily using the traditional top knot and center part. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance. Mal Shis are considered hypoallergenic, which can be a plus for allergy sufferers.

Mal Shis are best suited for apartments and smaller homes. They are fairly easy to train.