What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Maltese?

FCI, Male: 21–25 cm; UKC, Male: 20.3–25.4 cm; FCI, Female: 20–23 cm; UKC, Female: 17.8–22.9 cm; KC, Height at the withers: under 25 cm.

Maltese breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Height at the withers, male	21–25 cm	No ruling	20.3–25.4 cm	No ruling	No ruling
Height at the withers, female	20–23 cm	No ruling	17.8–22.9 cm	No ruling	No ruling
Height at the withers	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	under 25 cm	No ruling
Weight	3–4 kg	under 3.2 kg1.8–2.7 kg	2.7–3.6 kg	No ruling	under 3.3 kg1.8–2.8 kg
Height to length	No ruling	1	1	No ruling	1

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
StopPronounced	Standard (“Fronto-nasal depression strongly defined making an angle of 90”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
StopModerate	No ruling	Standard (“the stop moderate”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“The stop is moderate.”)
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“incisors in scissor articulation”)	Standard (“even, edge-to-edge bite, or in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	Standard (“even edge to edge bite or in a scissors bite”)
BiteLevel bite	No ruling	Standard (“even, edge-to-edge bite, or in a scissors bite”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“even edge to edge bite or in a scissors bite”)
BiteOvershot	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bites.”)	No ruling	No ruling
BiteUndershot	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Overshot or undershot bites.”)	No ruling	No ruling
DentitionFull dentition	Standard (“the dentition is well developed and complete”)	No ruling	Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	Standard (“hanging close to the sides of the skull”)	Standard (“The drop ears”)	Standard (“the drop ears hang close to the side of the skull”)	Standard (“hanging close to head”)	Standard (“hanging close to the side of the head”)
Ear setHigh	Standard (“set high above the zygomatic arch”)	No ruling	Standard (“set above the zygomatic arch”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear setLow	No ruling	Standard (“rather low set”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Ears should be low set”)
Eye shapeRound	Standard (“the shape tends to be rounded”)	Standard (“very dark and round”)	Standard (“The dark brown, round eyes”)	No ruling	No ruling
Eye shapeOval	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Oval, not bulging, dark brown”)	No ruling
ToplineLevel	Standard (“Topline: Straight to the tail-set.”)	Standard (“The back is level in topline”)	Standard (“The topline is level.”)	Standard (“back level from withers to tail”)	Standard (“straight and level from the tip of the shoulders”)
ToplineRoach (arched)	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Roached back.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tuck-upModerate	No ruling	Standard (“just slightly tucked up underneath”)	Standard (“just slightly tucked up underneath”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail setHigh	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“The longhaired tail is set high”)	No ruling	Standard (“Is set high and should be long haired”)
Tail carriageCurled over the back	Standard (“Forms a single big curve, the tip of which falls ... touching the croup”)	Standard (“carried gracefully over the back”)	Standard (“carried gracefully and well arched over the back”)	Standard (“carried well arched over back”)	Standard (“carried well arched over the back”)
Tail lengthShort	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Serious Faults: Lack of tail or a shortened tail”)	No ruling	No ruling
Neck lengthLong	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Fairly long and arched at the crest”)	No ruling	No ruling
Neck lengthMedium	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Medium length.”)	No ruling
Muzzle shapeTapered	No ruling	Standard (“fine and tapered but not snipy”)	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“fine and slightly tapered, but not snipey”)

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Patch	Disqualifying (“Patches of different colours whatever their extension”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Tail docking	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“shortened tail, whether natural or docked”)	No ruling	No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Maltese colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Maltese color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Maltese in White. Standard patterns: Solid.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
White	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“White”)	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“Pure white”)
Lemon	Disqualifying	Fault (“White & Lemon”)	Not recognized	Alternate (“slight lemon markings permissible”)	Alternate (“slight lemon markings permissible”)
Cream	Alternate (“Pure white, a pale ivory tinge is permitted”)	Not recognized	Fault (“An ivory tinge, or traces of orange, are permitted but they are considered an imperfection”)	Not recognized	Not recognized
Tan	Disqualifying	Fault (“White & Tan”)	Not recognized	Not recognized	Not recognized
Orange	Fault (“Traces of pale orange shades are tolerated but not desirable”)	Not recognized	Fault (“An ivory tinge, or traces of orange, are permitted but they are considered an imperfection”)	Not recognized	Not recognized
Patterns
Solid	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“pure white”)	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“Pure white”)	Standard (“Pure white”)

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Dark brown	Standard (“they are of a dark ochre colour”)	Standard (“very dark”)	Standard (“dark brown”)	Standard (“dark brown”)	Standard (“dark brown”)
Blue	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Wall eyes”)	No ruling	No ruling

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“absolutely black”)	Standard (“The nose is black”)	Standard (“black”)	Standard (“Nose black”)	Standard (“Nose black”)
Pink	Disqualifying (“Total depigmentation of the nose”)	No ruling	Fault	No ruling	No ruling
Dudley	Disqualifying	No ruling	Fault (“Dudley nose”)	No ruling	No ruling

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Alternate: Registrable with the club but not described by its breed standard, such as an AKC alternate color.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Maltese's colors can change over its life.

Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toDark brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toBrown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toLight brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toAmber
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toHazel
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toYellow
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Maltese guide Grooming styles for the Maltese