# Shedding



## Presley (Jun 11, 2007)

Do Maltese puppies shed? Presley is shedding real bad and I am always covered in dog hair and hair flying through the air. One of the reasons that I wanted a maltese was because they were supposed to have little to no shedding. Is she just losing her puppy coat at 15 weeks? Any info on this would be great!!

Thanks!


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## Kara (Apr 29, 2007)

Well as afar as I know they dont shed, Milly didnt and Murphy hasnt at all. Maybe its an allergy or something. Sorry I am of no help, someone else will read this and help you out.


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## MySugarBaby (Jun 28, 2006)

No maltese puppies don't shed and I think 15 weeks is early for them to be losing their puppy coat. Is she losing a lot of hair? It could possibly be allergies, this a bad time of the year for them.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Maltese don't shed becasue they have no undercoat and Presley is too young to be getting her puppy coat.

You mentioned in another post that she is 4&1/2 pounds at only 15 weeks. That's about twice what Maltese normally weigh at that age. Any chance she could be a Maltese mix instead of purebred?

I don't know where you got her, but it's possible to get a dog that isn't purebred if you aren't dealng with a reputable breeder. Most still come with papers saying they are purebred. If the papers are from any other registry than the AKC, I'd be suspicious because the alternative registries will register anything without requiring any proof that the dog is purebred. They are often used by pet shops/puppy mills and backyard breeders. 

The Continental Kennel Club (CKC), for instance, will register a dog based only on a couple of photographs and the signature of anyone (not a vet or expert in any way) stating that the dog is purebred. That person could be a neighbor or your Aunt Nellie! The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the only legitimate registry because they require DNA testing of frequently used sires, but that still isn't 100% guarentee.

The only other explanation could be some sort of metabloic problem. You're not seeing bald spots, are you? Has she been checked by a vet?

She's too young for allergies, too. They need time to develop a sensitivity/reaction to certain substances.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> Maltese don't shed becasue they have no undercoat and Presley is too young to be getting her puppy coat.
> 
> You mentioned in another post that she is 4&1/2 pounds at only 15 weeks. That's about twice what Maltese normally weigh at that age. Any chance she could be a Maltese mix instead of purebred?
> 
> ...


hmmm....Ollie was around 4 1/2 lbs when we brought him home at 12 weeks (but then again, we know the "history" behind Ollie's breeding--he may not be "legit" either, lol). anyway, he did all his growing right at the beginning and I was afraid he'd never stop. But now at 10 mos he really hasn't grown at all in months now. He's just about 9 lbs even, sometimes falls in at 8 1/2 lbs on a "skinny" day. And his measurements aren't all that big, as we know. But I do agree on taking the "shedding" dog to the vet. If it's a maltese it doesn't sound right. Good luck!!


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

I agree, a 15 week Malt puppy shouldn't be shedding if she is pure breed. Another thing I would look at is her diet, are you feeding her a proper puppy food diet? When a puppy is growing so fast she will need a good quality puppy food with extra protein to assist with the rapid growth.
I have a Malt x Shih back home in Australia, he lives with my daughter and grandson, now that little guy used to shed. He is pure white and looks like a Malt only somewhat larger in size, is it possible you have a mixed breed?
Other than all that, if it continues and you do have a pure breed, I would consider a visit to the vet to make sure there isn't something going on health wise








I sure hope it sorts out soon and you can find out what's causing her shedding


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## Eddie's Mama (Jun 10, 2007)

i have no idea why she is shedding. My Eddie has never shedded. He was really fluffy when he was your pups age. The only time i've noticed some fur on me is before he got his latest grooming. His fur was out of control! But even then it was very little.


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## luvmyfurbaby (Feb 11, 2007)

Mia & Cody leave hair on me when I groom them only. Mia is now "sheding" but she is also growing her new adult hair in. (7 months old) I would ask the vet.


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## Presley (Jun 11, 2007)

Hmmmmm, I wonder if she is older than I was told. It looks to me like she is getting a new coat. She has lost alot of hair and her upper legs are very short. She does not have any bald spots just new hair growth. She was matting it that area and the hair wasn't as silky as the rest of her, it was alittle corse. The new hair coming in is very shinny and silky. Her hair has gotten very long in the last couple of weeks. She looks different from the pictures I have posted. I need to take some new pictures of her. 

I didn't have a clue where to get a maltese puupy. I looked and searched the local shelters but you just don't fing small lap dogs there, espescially maltese. So I went to a pet expo. That is were I got Presley. I fell for her and just couldn't leave with out her. I did not want to buy a dog from a puppy mill or a backyard breeder. But she may have came from that. I don't know much about her background. 

She is on a puppy kibble and she doesn't get handouts.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

She'd have to be much older as Maltese normally don't get their adult coat until to close to a year old. How old does your vet think she is?

When you say "pet expo", do you mean a fair or flea market type thing? If she came from a place like that, most likely she is from a puppy mill. What sort of papers did you get with her? Is her date of birth on them? Of course, if they aren't AKC papers, you can't believe anything that is written on them.


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## Presley (Jun 11, 2007)

It was not like a flea market or anything. It was at a convention center and had all kinds of animals, and only animals. It was a special event that was only on Saturday and Sunday.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

I think it's pretty safe to assume that the puppies being sold there came from puppy mills.

What do her papers say her age is? What did the vet guess her age to be? Even if the papers are false, the vet can tell pretty closely how old Presley is. He would certainly be able to tell if she were close to a year old.


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## Presley (Jun 11, 2007)

Her papers say that her birthday is March 22nd. The vet didn't say anything when I told him her birthday so I guess he didn't disagree. I willl ask him next we see him. Thanks for your help!


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

He'll be able to tell by her teeth, for instance, if she were really closer to a year old because her adult teeth would have already come in.

I suspect she's a mix. A gal I know got a Labradoodle because they are supposed to be non-shedding, but of course they are really mixes, too. If anyone knows Labs, you know how they shed. Anyway, her dog sheds like crazy!

Are you allergic? Is there a reason you have to have a dog that doesn't shed?


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## Presley (Jun 11, 2007)

She is a mix, she is a malte-poo, but poodles don't shed either. No reason that I have to have a dog that doesn't shed, just didn't want dog hair all over my clothes and house. I am a neat freak. But it doesn't matter, I will love her regardless of the shedding. She is here to stay. She is my furbaby!!!


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## BrookeB676 (Oct 17, 2004)

She looks like a maltese to me and even if she was mixed with something, it appears to be another white toy breed dog (could be poodle, bichon etc.) and those don't shed either, so her shedding shouldn't be normal. I would look into her diet, and external allergies (could she be scratching hair off from being allergic to sitting in grass or something outside?). Also try supplementing salmon oil, I'm not sure what age would be appropriate to give it to her, so ask your vet about it. There are definitely some supplements that should help.

Also, as far as weight is concerned, my larger yorkie is definitely purebred, but he is 4 lbs. larger than the standard. Sometimes these things just happen and it doesn't mean your dog isn't purebred, just not the standard. I supposed just like you sometimes get a runt, apparently you also sometimes get the opposite, a larger one.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

> She is a mix, she is a malte-poo, but poodles don't shed either. No reason that I have to have a dog that doesn't shed, just didn't want dog hair all over my clothes and house. I am a neat freak. But it doesn't matter, I will love her regardless of the shedding. She is here to stay. She is my furbaby!!![/B]


It is odd that she sheds, but there's probably some other breed mixed in there besides Poodle. The fact that she is a Maltipoo explains her larger size.

As you say, you love her anyway, whether she sheds or not. I'm glad you're not allergic.


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## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

The mix of two breeds could create a different type of coat that will shed because of differing textures (i.e. poodle vs. maltese). This is probably what is going on, although it wouldn't hurt to have her thyroid checked..or even a full panel work up to be safe since you don't know her origin.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

Another thing too that someone mentioned to me...you mentioned a bit of matting...Brit (cutencozytoys mom) that sometimes when their adult coat is coming in, it can mat with hair that is already there, the dog scratches and it comes out. That's what was happening with Ollie in just the last few weeks when he turned 10 months. I thought he was "shedding" but it turns out it was only little tufts of fur here and there from him scratching. Since I had him cut down WAY short I haven't seen any more hair around. I think Ollie's age could be "off" too. Since I bought him I have learned more about breeders and what I thought was a fairly reputable breeder now turns out could be a backyard breeder--it's looking that way (long story). Anyway, Ollie is 10 months old now but for all I know he could be older (or younger!) BUT he did lose his baby teeth right at the "exact" time he was supposed to and it also appeared that at 6 months his hormones still had not kicked in yet when I had him neutered. So he could be 10 months after all. I'm rambling....


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