The Maltese is one of those breeds that looks deceptively simple on the table and then teaches you a lesson the moment you pick up a slicker. That long, flowing white coat is single, which changes everything about how we work it. No undercoat to blow out, no dense pile to fight through, but also no forgiveness when it comes to matting and staining. Get it right and a Maltese is a joy. Rush it and you will be clipping out mats you could have brushed through.
I want to walk you through how I approach a Maltese from the moment they land on my table, whether the owner wants a full coat kept long or a practical pet trim.
Understanding the coat first
The Maltese carries a single coat, long, dense, silky and dead straight when it is in good order. There is no woolly undercoat, so the hair behaves more like human hair than a typical dog coat. That means it mats close to the skin, it holds moisture, and it picks up staining fast around the eyes, mouth and feet.
Because it is single, this is not a coat you ever want to deshed with a rake. Rakes and stripping tools will just tear silky hair. Everything we do here is about gentle brushing, thorough drying and clean scissor or clipper work.
Step 1: Assess and pre-brush
Before any water goes near the dog, I do a full hands-on assessment. I part the coat down to skin along the back, behind the ears, in the armpits and around the sanitary area, because these are the classic Maltese mat traps.
Work through with a slicker, then follow with a fine to medium comb. The comb is your honesty check. If the comb glides, you are ready. If it snags, you are not. Never bath a matted Maltese, because water tightens mats into felt and you will end up shaving a dog that could have been saved.
> Groomer's tip: For tight but rescuable mats near the skin, a little detangling product worked in with your fingers and a bit of patience beats brute force every time. If a mat is pelted to the skin, clip it out cleanly rather than causing pain. Comfort over vanity, always.
Step 2: The bath
Maltese coats show every bit of grime, so a proper degrease and clean is worth the extra minute. I use a gentle whitening or brightening shampoo where the coat needs it, always well diluted, working it in the direction of the coat rather than scrubbing in circles, which encourages tangling.
Double shampoo if needed, then a light conditioner through the lengths to help the coat blow out straight and reduce static. Rinse until the water runs completely clear. Any residue left in a white coat will dull it and can irritate the skin.
Step 3: High-velocity dry and straighten
This is where a Maltese coat is made or lost. Towel gently, never rub, then take the dog to the high-velocity dryer. Direct the airflow in the direction the hair grows to push water out and lay the coat flat and straight.
Once the bulk of the water is gone, I finish with a stand dryer or slower airflow while brushing through with a slicker, section by section, to set that coat poker straight. A well-dried Maltese should look like a curtain of silk before you have made a single cut.
Step 4: Full coat or puppy cut
Here is the fork in the road. Most pet Maltese owners want a practical trim. A minority want the show-style long coat maintained.
For a puppy cut, I clip the body down to a comfortable, even length using a longer comb attachment over a clean blade, keeping the length soft rather than shaved. Something in the range of a longer guard comb gives a plush, teddy finish that owners love and that is realistic to maintain between visits. Round the head into a soft, balanced shape, tidy the ears and blend into the neck.
For a full coat, the work is different. You are not shortening much, you are perfecting. Trim the coat off the floor so it does not drag and stain, tidy the feet, and keep the parting clean. Full coat Maltese need committed at-home brushing, so be honest with the owner about the upkeep.
Step 5: Face, feet and finishing
The face is the signature. Scissor the muzzle and around the eyes carefully with rounded-tip scissors, keeping hair out of the eyes. Tidy the feet into neat rounds, clear the pads and trim between the toes so the dog is comfortable and clean underfoot.
Finish the whole dog with a wide comb-through, check symmetry from every angle, and lightly mist with a coat spray if you use one to reduce static on that fine hair.
Managing tear stains
Tear staining is the question every Maltese owner asks. As groomers, our job is the mechanical side. Keep the hair around the eyes short and clean, gently wipe the area with a damp cloth and dry it well, and keep the muzzle hair off the eyes so tears drain rather than sit.
What we do not do is diagnose the cause. Persistent heavy staining can point to blocked tear ducts, dental issues, ingrown eyelashes or allergies, and that is a conversation for the owner and their vet, not a bottle of miracle tonic on the shelf.
Frequently asked questions
How often should a Maltese be groomed professionally?
Every four to six weeks suits most pet Maltese, and full coat dogs benefit from more frequent bathing to keep the length clean and stain-free. The coat matts fast if home care lapses, so regularity matters more with this breed than most.
Can I deshed a Maltese to reduce matting?
No. There is no undercoat to remove, so rakes and deshedding tools simply damage the single silky coat. Matting is managed through gentle brushing, thorough drying and keeping the coat at a sensible length, not through deshedding.
Why does the coat go frizzy after a bath?
Usually under-drying or scrubbing in circles during the bath. Straight, silky results come from washing in the direction of the coat and drying it out fully with directional airflow while brushing it flat.
Is it wrong to clip a Maltese short?
Not at all. A tidy puppy cut is a perfectly welfare-friendly choice for a pet that is not being shown, and it is far kinder than letting a full coat mat. Match the trim to the owner's realistic commitment.
Written from the salon floor by Lucy, City & Guilds Level 2 & 3 qualified groomer and owner of Fluffs, a one-to-one dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York. For more professional grooming guides, explore the Fluffs grooming blog.
Further reading: the Royal Kennel Club Maltese breed standard and the Maltese coat overview on Wikipedia.