# Definitely not 100% Maltese!



## kirbyso (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi everyone,

My friend and I were talking about our puppies and she told me she beleives her maltese is a mix. It is actually her friendsbut she has been watching the puppy for awhile because the friend is in the process of moving. Her friend purchased the puppy from the puppy store and was told that it was a pure bred maltese. The puppy did look like a maltese when he was younger but his eyes were always more almond shaped than round. As he got older, (almost 1 year now) his fur became more curlier than straight. Also his legs look longer than a regular maltese. 

I've read that puppy mills always breed the bichon frise and maltese to produce a larger litter. I honestly beleive that her maltese is half bichon, or even full bichon. I tried searching for links and threads on this site that may have pictures of the dogs so I can see the difference but couldnt come up with anything. Maybe I am using the wrong keywords. 

Can anyone help?? TIA! 

P.S I have pictures of her puppy and will upload as soon as I get home today


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## hambys97 (Feb 25, 2005)

If you are just wanting to see pics of bichon do a general search on the internet. Pet stores lie more than they tell the truth. But, it would be easier to give an opinion if we could see the pup.


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

It just may be that your friend's Maltese is poorly bred. Puppy mills and backyard breeders pay no attention to the breed standard so you can end up with a purebred, but pretty off standard looking Maltese. That's what I normally see around here. I met a woman in Petsmart a few weeks ago who had the sweetest Maltese, but she made Lady look like a show dog! Buffy was twice the size of eight pound Lady and had big lemon patches all over her body. I really thought she was a Shiz Tsu. :brownbag: 

You are right that many disreputable breeders will mix bichon into their lines. That accounts for a lot of the super sized Maltese. Here is some information for you:

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


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## 3Maltmom (May 23, 2005)

Oh yes, for me it's rare to see a "well bred" Maltese.

Even the Animal Control Officer didn't realize. When she asked for the ages of Joplin and Frankie,
I told her 5 and 4. She said, "months?" I said, "No, years". She said she had never seen such
tiny Maltese. She went on to say most look like Winter and, get this, HENRY :HistericalSmiley:


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## kirbyso (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi,

Can I PM anyone the pics? Since its not my dog I don't think I should post it on an open forum. I would rather PM the pictures and see what you guys think. Please let me know if its okay to send you the pictures.

Thank You!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

*Sure, go ahead and PM some of us the photos of the cutie pie (including me!). It's quite possible either way that they are full Maltese or a mixed breed. Either way, I'm sure the little one is adorable, and being a mixed breed (if that's the case) doesn't make any less of a pet.  *


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## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

QUOTE (KirbySo @ Aug 8 2008, 03:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=617258


> Hi,
> 
> Can I PM anyone the pics? Since its not my dog I don't think I should post it on an open forum. I would rather PM the pictures and see what you guys think. Please let me know if its okay to send you the pictures.
> 
> Thank You![/B]


You can certainly pm pictures to me. Do you know how much the dog weighs? That can be an indicator, too.


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## kirbyso (Jul 15, 2008)

Hi,

I Pmed some of you the pics. Those are the only pics she gave me last night, if they are not that helpful I can try to ask her for more pics. :ThankYou:


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## jaceybaby (Sep 16, 2008)

Often times pet stores sell them younger so they look like the breed they are trying to imitate. Bichons are bigger (taller) than the Maltese! Good luck! Please PM me some pics!


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

My first girl, Mika was definitely half Bichon and was from a small puppy mill. she was an awesome dog! She had a bichon muzzle, body style, and mostly curly hair.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

I'm surprised no one has said poodle. Almond eyes, curly hair, long legs........ It is hard to say, and you probably can never know. I sympathize with the curiosity to figure out what he is, but just except that the dog is who it is and love it for who it is, not what. My Shoni has a terrificly bred pedigree--all AKC champions, but when I walk him down the street people still say Awww....isn't he cute---then "*what* is he?" :smilie_tischkante: I have the pleasure of knowing his family tree, but it sure doesn't matter to anyone else!


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## Tina (Aug 6, 2006)

This is a Maltese I bought in 2000. Her name is Moriah. She fooled even seasoned breeders to be full blooded Maltese. I even have AKC papers on her. I never registered her and she now lives in a wonderful home with an older couple who lost their poodle.

[attachment=41139:mariah3_rezized.jpg]

[attachment=41140:Moriah2_resized.png]

[attachment=41141:mariah4_..._for_web.png]

Just so you can see a mix Malt and Bischon. Her head is different. Her ears are different. Her coat and temperament was different. She was 4 months old in this picture. She was bigger and longer than a Maltese.

Tina


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## serenade84 (Nov 9, 2008)

Wow. That looks just like my dog. But mine is half shiu- tzu. This pic is after a puppy cut.


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## 1malt4me (Oct 6, 2006)

I am really sorry, it sounds to me like your friend was lied to by the pet store. Their main concern is to sell the puppy fast and young so that
it doesn't cost them any more money to mantain. Most of the time the salesperson doesn't know where the puppies are coming from
or what they are, it might be what it looks like to them. When you buy from a petstore you are taking a huge chance, that is why
so many of the people on this site try to educate others and try to discourage people from buying from BYB and petstores(who get their 
puppies from puppy mills).


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## BABYSNOWY (Jul 8, 2008)

I am not sure how to copy a link of a previous post I entered, but if you look in resues I have a picture of my Icy who is a maltese/bichon mix. You can compare from there. if I can I will copy the link


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## BABYSNOWY (Jul 8, 2008)

Here it is 
http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp68/st...585650_9975.jpg


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