# Maggie 12 inches at withers, 10 lbs, 7 months old



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

I would be interested to hear from other Maltese owners whose dogs are on the larger size. She was very small and charting to be 7 lbs when she was 12 weeks old…..then she exploded!!! She is sn awesome girl, we were just surprised at her growth.


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

Dora G said:


> I would be interested to hear from other Maltese owners whose dogs are on the larger size. She was very small and charting to be 7 lbs when she was 12 weeks old…..then she exploded!!! She is sn awesome girl, we were just surprised at her growth.





Dora G said:


> I would be interested to hear from other Maltese owners whose dogs are on the larger size. She was very small and charting to be 7 lbs when she was 12 weeks old…..then she exploded!!! She is sn awesome girl, we were just surprised at her growth.


----------



## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I had a rescued dog that sure looked like a Maltese, but he was pretty large, too. He might have had European background. He had a microchip of a type issued in Europe which seemed to trace back to Eastern Europe. A breeder who checked out my home to approve me as a foster said that larger Malt!ese are preferred in Europe. I haven't confirmed this with anybody else, though. You could have your pup's DNA checked if you have any doubts that she is all Maltese! But I'm sure she will be loved for what she is. My vets liked 'em bigger in case they needed surgery (which mine did, after eating part of a toy).


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

mss said:


> I had a rescued dog that sure looked like a Maltese, but he was pretty large, too. He might have had European background. He had a microchip of a type issued in Europe which seemed to trace back to Eastern Europe. A breeder who checked out my home to approve me as a foster said that larger Malt!ese are preferred in Europe. I haven't confirmed this with anybody else, though. You could have your pup's DNA checked if you have any doubts that she is all Maltese! But I'm sure she will be loved for what she is. My vets liked 'em bigger in case they needed surgery (which mine did, after eating part of a toy).


Thank you for your input. I’ll check out the European connection! We just absolutely love Maggie, just curious about the size since we had never had one and understood them to be smaller.


----------



## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

She is adorable. Does the vet say she is overweight? The one thing you might have checked would be the thyroid.


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

wkomorow said:


> She is adorable. Does the vet say she is overweight? The one thing you might have checked would be the thyroid.


Thank you. She is not overweight for height and size. She is over "standard" measurements for her breed.


----------



## Ladyditexas (Dec 6, 2020)

We have a Maltese who is about 12 pounds. We thought she was going to be 6-8 pounds but she kept growing! There are lots of larger Maltese pups and I think that she is healthier than some of the tiny ones. Don’t mind the owners of tiny pups who disparage the larger Maltese. It shouldn’t be a competition for the smallest one. They are all adorable and we just love ours so much!


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

Ladyditexas said:


> We have a Maltese who is about 12 pounds. We thought she was going to be 6-8 pounds but she kept growing! There are lots of larger Maltese pups and I think that she is healthier than some of the tiny ones. Don’t mind the owners of tiny pups who disparage the larger Maltese. It shouldn’t be a competition for the smallest one. They are all adorable and we just love ours so much!


Thanks for the input. Your "baby" is beautiful. I have left Maggie's hair long, since it is such a pleasure to pet her. It does take daily combing, but I just call it our "bonding" time! LOL! I believe by the time she has filled out her adult shape, she will actually be about 12 lbs. We also have a toy poodle whose parents were 6 & 7 lbs respectively, and she is also 12 lbs!!! But, I agree, I think they are both healthier than the very small ones. Have a good day!


----------



## Sarahamin9 (Nov 21, 2021)

Hello! You're not alone. I have a Maltipoo (3/4 Maltese, 1/4 toy poodle) whose parents are not more than 7 lbs, but my little guy is 11 months old and already 9 lbs! He had a growth spurt and grew very long out of the blue. He's in perfect health, though!


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

Sarahamin9 said:


> Hello! You're not alone. I have a Maltipoo (3/4 Maltese, 1/4 toy poodle) whose parents are not more than 7 lbs, but my little guy is 11 months old and already 9 lbs! He had a growth spurt and grew very long out of the blue. He's in perfect health, though!


LOL!!! Life's "little" surprises!! Thanks for the info!


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

Update! We did an Embark DNA test on our "Maltese" girl, Maggie Mae, and it turns out she is a Maltipoo (51% Maltese/49% Poodle); not only that.....but she is second generation Maltipoo---both sets of grand parents were Maltipoo! This explains why her legs kept getting so long. She is gorgeous. We also did the health portion of the DNA test, and out of 300+ genetic markers for health problems, she has none (great news!). Mystery solved!! Thanks for all your input.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I lived 43 years abroad & a good deal of that time was in Europe & the other part in UK & Greece. I can affirm that maltese (esp. Eastern Europe) are larger there. They always called mine "toys." I do think a small dog can be as healthy as a large dog---sort of like people of different sizes. Your pup is adorable! 
Welcome to SM.


----------



## Dora G (10 mo ago)

edelweiss said:


> I lived 43 years abroad & a good deal of that time was in Europe & the other part in UK & Greece. I can affirm that maltese (esp. Eastern Europe) are larger there. They always called mine "toys." I do think a small dog can be as healthy as a large dog---sort of like people of different sizes. Your pup is adorable!
> Welcome to SM.


Thank you!


----------

