# Can my maltese have curly hair?



## carols

As she gets older (she's 6 months old now) my little Maltese has developed wavy hair on her head and her body hair is getting cottony.
Other than that she looks exactly like a Maltese. I have her paperwork stating that her parents were both Maltese.

Is this something that goes away?

She's still so cute it makes me sick, but I can't control her wavy hair!

Also, the tan hair on her head has not yet turned totally white. Is that normal?


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## Heather_Rochelle

My male has wave in his hair also. He is akc registered . The atandered says no wave but if my guccis hair air drys his is cottney as well. He is beutiful regaurdless and my be you baby was breed by an unscrupulas breeder way back when and thats why the hair has a wave

QUOTE (carols @ Sep 30 2008, 02:23 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=642718


> As she gets older (she's 6 months old now) my little Maltese has developed wavy hair on her head and her body hair is getting cottony.
> Other than that she looks exactly like a Maltese. I have her paperwork stating that her parents were both Maltese.
> 
> Is this something that goes away?
> 
> She's still so cute it makes me sick, but I can't control her wavy hair!
> 
> Also, the tan hair on her head has not yet turned totally white. Is that normal?[/B]


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## Ladysmom

QUOTE (carols @ Sep 30 2008, 03:23 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=642718


> As she gets older (she's 6 months old now) my little Maltese has developed wavy hair on her head and her body hair is getting cottony.
> Other than that she looks exactly like a Maltese. I have her paperwork stating that her parents were both Maltese.
> 
> Is this something that goes away?
> 
> She's still so cute it makes me sick, but I can't control her wavy hair!
> 
> Also, the tan hair on her head has not yet turned totally white. Is that normal?[/B]


She is probably getting her adult coat and it looks like it is going to be cottony. No, it won't go away.  

Maltese are supposed to have a straight silky coat, but not all do. If she came from a backyard breeder or pet store, chances are she will be pretty far off standard as an adult. Of course, that doesn't mean she still won't be so cute she makes you sick. :biggrin: 

As far as her paperwork, unless her papers are from the AKC they don't mean anything. There are lots of "alternative" registries out there who don't require any proof that the parents are purebred.


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## mysugarbears

My Chloe has very wavy hair. I got her from a byb when i didn't know any better. She is AKC registered and fits the maltese standard except the way hair. I keep Chloe's hair short because it's so fine and thin, with her hair cut she looks like a little lamb. It's funny that Riley and Noelle the ones that are rescues have the straight hair.


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## Cupcake2007

CupCake has wavy hair link under her neck. close by her ears... thats the place that gets the most matted..... at the curlies


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## wolfieinthehouse

Wolfie has curly hair.

Not poodle curly but curly for sure!


He has thick, cottony hair when its long and super wavy hair when its short.

He is well bred too......not a backyard breeder or petstore.


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## MandyMc65

Jax has wavy hair on the back half of his body. 

His hair, I've been told, is a "Coarse Silk". But he definitely has a wave. He is very well bred as well, out of two Champion show dogs.


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## mamamia

Bleu has very wavy/curly/cottony hair. I thought I was getting him from a reputable breeder. This woman loved her maltese and had 14 of them all living in her home. But since Ive been on this site...I'm more inclined to believe she was a BYB. Bleu is also way off standards...weighing in at 14 lbs. He is a little over weight but even still...he is a big malt. Normally he should 10 lbs. I do have AKC papers on him and he is registered. I saw both parents. Dad was tiny...3lbs. and mom was just under 7 lbs....both had silky coats. But I love him just the way he is :wub:


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## lindsay

Puck has these adorable "crimps" in his ears after he gets his bath. It's really cute!   

He also has the cottony hair on his back area, I wish he had the silky hair but I love him just the same!


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## babygirlmom

Babygirl's hair is thick & cottony & she has curls at the base of her tail. We had some friends who raised Maltese that gave her to us, so I know she is pure Maltese. At this point in time, even if I found out she was a mix of some kind, it wouldn't matter a bit to me because she has just stolen my heart!

I tried to let her coat grow out, but continually fought the tiny mats! So, I keep her cut short.


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## Theo's Mom

Theo has the same kind of hair. He is only fluffy after a bath/blowdry.
I thought it was because is always rough-housing w dogs and getting saliva on his coat. I've given up on having his hair straight. i brush him out every morning and put an oatmeal conditioner on in hopes his hair wont be wavy.


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## Hunter's Mom

I think Hunter has the 'cottony' hair everyone talks about all over his body but his head is more 'silky' but he has curlies on his body in certain areas and behind his ears. I have no idea if he is 100% or not so I can't be much help in that area. Sorry.


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## Ladysmom

Supersized Maltese with a curlier coat often have been mixed with Bichon somewhere back in their lines.

This is a great article from Foxstone Maltese:

http://www.foxstonemaltese.com/maltesesize.htm


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## nikkivong

my otis weighs in at 16.9 lbs.... he is a bit overweight but he is DEF a bigger built maltese and i got him from a byb so I KNOW that he's mixed prob with bichon somewhere down the line. He has a super soft coat but it is curly so when i try to grow it out, he looks like a fluffy polar bear!


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## Tanner's Mom

Tanner has a little bit of silky hair, the rest is cotton candy. My foster baby, Soffie, has a body full of curley hair and quite honestly looks more like a Bichon than a Malt, that and she weighs 14 pounds! Her fur is real soft, but it's also real curley.


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## bellasmummy

Bellas hair tends to look okay until she gets wet - and living in scotland that happens a lot lol when she gets wet it gets quite wavy and also gets those 'crimps' behind her ears. Once blow dried and brusher again though it goes away. Her coat also used to be a bit wooly but but seems to be in better condition these days,


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## ruready87

my Lexi is curly when she grows out before I get her groomed. SOOOO cotton like under her ears. when my sisters hair is long its super curly. since Maltese have hair I wonder if it acts just the same. she's also the runt so great personality …at a hearing my mom say "she just doesn't look like a Maltese"


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## Snuggle's Mom

Chrissy's hair tends to be on the "curly/wavy" side and more so since I like to keep is short. Also it is more like on the cotton side which mats as it gets too long.


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