How to Groom a Maltese

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Metal comb
Slicker brush
Pin brush without balled ends
Matt rake
Coat conditioner
# 7F blade
# 5F blade
Scissors
Tweezers
Dog shampoo with conditioner and whitener
Cotton pads
Tear stain remover
Mink oil spray
Hair bows
Nail clippers
# 30 blade
# 1 comb
# 4F blade
# 10 blade

Step 1:
Comb and brush your Maltese at least every other day with a metal comb, slicker brush and pin brush without balled ends. To brush thoroughly, lift up a top layer of his thick coat and work through the hair closest to his skin. Then brush and comb the outer layer.
Step 2:
Use a matt rake when you find tangles. Moisten her hair with water and/or a coat conditioner to help work out her matts. This breed matts extremely easily and has problems with hair breakage. If you can't free a matt, use a # 7F or # 5F blade to clip it out.
Step 3:
Check the hair around his anus daily for matted debris, which causes blockage. Clean if necessary and keep this hair trimmed with scissors to avoid frequent blockage.
Step 4:
Trim the hair on her feet and around her pads every two weeks with scissors. Also, use blunt tweezers to pluck out excess hair growing too far inside her ears.
Step 5:
Bathe your Maltese every two weeks with a conditioning and whitening shampoo. Get recommendations from your vet or breeder.
Step 6:
Dry by hand fluffing his hair, then use a metal comb to part hair down the center of his back.
Step 7:
Keep hair out of her face, as it causes tear stains and is bothersome. If you notice stains, clean her eyes daily using a cotton pad moistened with tear stain remover.

Tips & Warnings

A Maltese's hair is easy to break and damage. Some owners prefer to use a mink oil spray to keep her coat moisturized and easier to groom.
To keep hair out of his eyes, use hair bows and buns, which should sit at the front of his head's crown just in front of his long, flowing ears.
Keep her nails trimmed using nail clippers as needed. Trim just the ends, being careful to avoid cutting the quick, as it bleeds and causes your dog pain.
Most owners, particularly of show dogs, keep their Maltese's coat at full length. If you'd rather keep it more manageable, you have several options. To give him a short trim, use a # 4F blade. For a longer trim, use a #30 blade with a #1 comb. To trim his stomach, use a #10 blade.

Resources

Click here for detailed instructions on trimming.

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