# When do puppies get the classic maltese look (coat)



## giselle79

Hi, I just wonder when maltese puppies change to get the maltese full coat and the walking style. I know it's a long process that takes place gradually, but approximately at which age malts get the beautiful adult look?????
My spoiled is now 5 months and his hair is getting long, I can make his topknot and his hair is starting to blow in the wind like a real maltese, but his coat doesn't get to the ground yet and when he walks, he still has a puppy-butt-move :biggrin: 
Anyone with a similar concern or previous experience with their spoiled ones :smhelp:


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## Lil Boo Boo

Well here is Dahlia at one year and two months... and we still are working on the coat! LOL In my experience, at least a year but all malts are diffrent some members pups had coats this long as young as 10 months. Mine is just a slow grower...

[attachment=26337:boo_and_dolly_026.jpg]


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## Cosy

Silk coats typically take longer to come in and thicken.
It can be anywhere from a year to two years. Some coats
never reach the full length as they are too fragile or
wavy. At five months no dog has a full coat. Enjoy his 
puppyhood while it lasts!


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## giselle79

> Silk coats typically take longer to come in and thicken.
> It can be anywhere from a year to two years. Some coats
> never reach the full length as they are too fragile or
> wavy. At five months no dog has a full coat. Enjoy his
> puppyhood while it lasts![/B]


Yes, I enjoy him a lot, but waiting up to 2 years to have him look like a precious long coated is a long time. Right now the hair in his back is 9cm, so it might take a while to get 20 or 25 cm. :smpullhair:


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## bellaratamaltese

I'm waiting for that time myself, LOL! I'm showing my seven month old puppy and she still really looks like a puppy. She needs to grow into herself! I'm waiting for her to get that adult look. As far as her movement, she's had that prancy walk from pretty much the beginning and when she is in the ring, she really turns it on because she likes people looking at her.

I'm not sure if you're interested in seeing it, but here is a video of me showing my 7 mos old puppy a few weeks ago, and this class is all puppies 6-9 mos old, so you can see how your pup compares. The one with the barking out of control puppy is me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BtqAzVQAO8


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## Ladysmom

Well, Lady is almost twelve and never did get that full Maltese coat or the proper gait!

Seriously, not all Maltese grow up to look like the Maltese we see in the show ring. Lot's of times they end up with cottony coats and a walk that leaves a lot to be desired.


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## bentleyboy

Brie is also 5 months old now. She definitely still has the puppy butt. Her hair is still very soft and puppy like but needs a top knot in order to see where she is going. Her hair is dead straight at the moment and i am hoping it won't change that much.


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum

Harley has a cotton coat & I have never tried to grow it to the ground. It's quite wavy also so it will never in a million years look like a show coat.

Dakota was nearly 8.5 month old when I had her cut into a puppy cut for her spay (I'm STILL kicking myself over that monumental stuff up!) - Today her coat is still about 3 - 4 cm shy of the ground.

Dakota - about 8.5 months at the groomer (pre groom!) where I was to make my monumental stuff up! LOL (with her big brother Harley in the background for support)

[attachment=26345akota_8...uppy_cut.jpg]

Dakota at the weekend

[attachment=26347akota_13.5_months.jpg]

Bottom line .... just be patient, enjoy your little baby! That coat could take a while, and it's very time consuming & lots of work, time, effort - not to mention money in 'trying' a million different products until you find the right one!

I hope Sarah will post some pictures of her gang - Arabella is just a little younger than Dakota, and her coat is AMAZING! All of Sarah's pups have amazing coats!


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## mmo

To achieve a coat to touch the ground is really hard work. It takes time and sometimes professional care.
The movement of a dog is a very important tarit for the show ring but it´s not something that all maltese have, that doesn´t make them any less of a perfect pet. In my opinion, a great gait is something that they are born with, good movement can´t be taught, it´s just part of their personality.


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## starry

What type of "gait" is desirable?
I don't know if I see the differnce in Holly's walk at 3 months to now 11 1/2 months.  
What shld I look for?
She is not show quality :brownbag: but if it's a personality thing maybe she is close to that?


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## Ladysmom

> What type of "gait" is desirable?
> I don't know if I see the differnce in Holly's walk at 3 months to now 11 1/2 months.
> What shld I look for?
> She is not show quality :brownbag: but if it's a personality thing maybe she is close to that?[/B]


This is from the standard:

Gait - The Maltese moves with a jaunty, smooth, flowing gait. Viewed from the side, he gives an impression of rapid movement, size considered. In the stride, the forelegs reach straight and free from the shoulders, with elbows close. Hind legs to move in a straight line. Cow hocks or any suggestion of hind leg toeing in or out are faults.

You see "The Gait" in the Maltese in the show ring.


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## starry

Thanks Marj, I guess it's hard to tell (for me) with all the beautiful hair on them in the ring where those little feet are.
One more question, what is cow hocks or hind leg toeing?


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## Ladysmom

> Thanks Marj, I guess it's hard to tell (for me) with all the beautiful hair on them in the ring where those little feet are.
> One more question, what is cow hocks or hind leg toeing?[/B]



If you look at the breed Focus link Becky posted, it's got diagrams:

http://www.dogworld.co.za/breed_focus/Malt...breed_focus.htm


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## Cosy

In the diagram on the Breed Focus site out at the elbow is toeing in. 
You can see the feet pointing towards one another.


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## Lacie's Mom

The question about coat is pretty subjective. Some lines have very slow growing coat and some lines have faster growing coat. As previously mentioned, it also depends on whether or not the Maltese has the correct coat - i.e. silky -- not wavy, not cottony, not wirey, etc.

A Maltese puppy's coat will change from puppy coat to adult coat (texture) at about 9 months of age. This is a nightmare time for the owner that is trying to keep the puppy in long coat as there are lots and lots of mats during this 2 week - 1 month time period. You literally must demat the puppy about 3 times per day during puppy coat change.

The coat that you see at the dog shows or in the books doesn't come easily. A Maltese that is allowed to run freely will seldom get that type of coat. Show dogs are raised on wire to help keep the coat from breaking. In addition, many are kept in oil and their hair is wrapped except for show day.

In any event, it's normally between 12-18 months when a Maltese with good hair finally achieves the long flowing coat that you desire.


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## dogloverx3

> I hope Sarah will post some pictures of her gang - Arabella is just a little younger than Dakota, and her coat is AMAZING! All of Sarah's pups have amazing coats![/B]


 Thank You Jacqui - I am lucky Arabella had a full coat at 6 months , she has beautiful , knot free great quality hair . For great products Australia has a brand called Squirt developed by a human hairdresser - I like my coats shiny and long . Sarah


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum

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> I hope Sarah will post some pictures of her gang - Arabella is just a little younger than Dakota, and her coat is AMAZING! All of Sarah's pups have amazing coats![/B]
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> Thank You Jacqui - I am lucky Arabella had a full coat at 6 months , she has beautiful , knot free great quality hair . For great products Australia has a brand called Squirt developed by a human hairdresser - I like my coats shiny and long . Sarah
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Yes, I've been using 'Squirt' on Dakota for a while now - I like it too! I've also just ordered some CC Day to Day (along with a couple of brushes, a buttercomb, some After Bath, Silk Sprits - just about everything! LOL) , so we'll see how that goes


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