Things to Know Before Owning a Maltese Those that share their home with a Maltese or Maltese mix often describe them highly intelligent, devoted to their families, playful and high spirited. This breed can live quite comfortably in an apartment or condo but truly loves to play outdoors and genuinely enjoys the company of other dogs and even non canine housemates. Be careful not to allow your Maltese or Maltese mix to develop ‘small dog syndrome’ or to become spoiled and bossy or it may become willful and even nippy with both children and adults. This breed is sometimes inclined to be wary of strangers and to bark to alert you to their presence. While it might not see like Maltese dogs shed, their hair can be trapped in the dog’s coat. For this reason it is essential to brush your Maltese several times weekly to avoid having the hair become tangled or matted. The Maltese breed also needs to have their coats clipped regularly as the hair will grow quite long. The shorter you keep the coat the less work it will be to brush it.