My mom had one, and it was one of the few dogs in my life that I did not like. It was probably a bad breeder, and also my mom wasn't the best trainer. He was annoying, barky, and overall just not a likeable dog. It's been a long time, so I don't remember some of his other personality issues. My mom ended up rehoming him. That is only my experience, and I'm sure there are others who had better luck.

Unless you keep a Maltese in a puppy cut, their coats are very high maintenance. Daily brushing is important.

Years ago I had a tiny 3 pound maltese. She was very shy and quiet and very sweet. My neighbor has one now that is very yappy, but their family is rather loud and always yelling to each other and I suspect part of the dog's noisiness is that he's following their lead. He does seem to be good with their kids.

I've been reading about them lately and overall the info is very favorable. I am considering getting another one. They do require brushing but they have a single coat with no shedding and no doggy odor. They are rather fragile and need to be protected from dampness and cold.

I would look for a reputable breeder who shows their dogs, breeds responsibly, and does testing for the diseases the maltese is prone to, although they are a fairly healthy breed.

I just want to add that you should avoid breeders who advertise that they are selling teacups. Those people often put size before more important issues like health because they can get more money for tiny ones. If a good breeder has a puppy that turns out smaller than the standard, that's one thing, but avoid the ones who are trying to breed them smaller.

DH's aunt had one. Very yappy, it licked obsessively (itself, human ankles, hands, etc.) and it proved impossible to housebreak. They had to tear out all the carpet in the house.

I'm sure they are not all difficult, but the breed seems to have a reputation for being difficult to housebreak.

They have lovely dispositions and are lapdogs. However, like many purebreds with hair, they are prone to skin problems (allergies), and my friend's maltese (a wonderful, sweet dog) always has stomach problems.

I know it's annoying when someone doesn't answer you but instead posts links but if these links were not totally the best resources for researching breeds then I wouldn't be telling you about them.

YourPureBredPuppy.com then click on the link to reviews
and
petplanet.co.uk and click on breed profiles.
Also go into a search engine and type in "maltese FAQ"

I volunteer for a rescue and one of the breeds we get is maltese. They would not be my first choice with little children. As other posters have mentioned, I would look for a dog that is closer to 8 lbs than 3 lbs for a more stable disposition. They can be pretty yappy. You do have to get them regularly groomed. I would tend to look for a shih tzu with kids over a maltese, in my experience they are more mellow and don't bark as much, but they will still need regular grooming.

My in-laws have one. They keep her shaved down because they can't upkeep the coat. She is 5 years old and has cataracts, she is overweight, has a hernia, rotten teeth, barks non stop, not housebroken, and bites at our children.
90% of the ones I have seen either through grooming or through the vets office have problems. Most common are inability to housebreak, allergies, and dental issues. Most of them are barkers and biters. They are high on the grooming needs as well.
I have to disagree about shih tzus being a better choice- I have two. One barks and loves kids. The other bites and doesn't like kids. One likes grooming and one doesn't. Neither are 100% housebroken.
Small, long hair dogs are not usually the best choice of dogs to put with children. Small dogs are more fragile and I've seen several brought in with broken bones because little Susie and Billy (who are always good with animals) picked it up by the leg, fell on it, dropped it, or stepped on it.

Quirky gave an excellent link to check breeds- I would weigh out the ones your family likes and that would fit the best with your lifestyle and put the links to use.

I only know one -- my friend's and it is a very pesty dog that I am pretty sure only she likes.

The dog is yappy, climbs all over the furniture (and you) and is always jumping on people's legs (leaving those nice little scratches up and down your legs).

Her dog is not elderly yet, but already cannot make it the whole day without going out so they must lock her up with piddle pads on the floor.

Also, the dog nipped my friend's 2 year old right in the belly.

Now, my brother has a bichon/maltese mix and that dog is such a lover. Just a real sweet dog. Must be the bichon in her.

This isn't looking too good... :)

If I wanted a small dog (I don't want a small dog) I think I'd pick a beagle.

I groom lots of them but can only think of two that I really like and would call a happy friendly little dog. Now I am sure that all of them are from questionable breeders and there may be a huge difference in a dog from a good breeder and that isn't babied to death. One of the most aggressive dogs that has been in the clinic since I've worked there was a Maltese. All the ones I do are kept fairly short except one. He is in every two weeks for a brushout and still comes in with some matting. Luckily he is one of the good ones.

Lisa

I've only had one experience with a Maltese. My day care provider had one while she took care of my 1 year old daughter. She never bit my daughter but terrorized her so much that she was afraid of all animals, even stuffed ones for a few years. Nasty little beast!

AIEEEEEEEE!!! Hey, I recently adopted a beagle, and she is only still here because she is so freakin' cute. She's a somewhat stubborn, independent, NOT praise driven dog. And not really very affectionate, unless it benefits her. ie, she LOVES LOVES LOVES to have her belly and chest scratched. And she will relentlessly grab at your hand with her paw to get those things done.

OK, truth be told, other than the affectionate part, (I want dog kissies, darnit!), it's me that's the problem :) She needs more exercise and friends to play with than I've been able to provide so far. My other dog is almost 14, and plays with her, but can't keep up. I work, and although I have a neighbor who visits and lets them out daily, she needs more. Last week I signed up for doggie day camp, so she will be going every Wednesday. She loves it, and it totally wears her out.

SO, overall, I don't think a beagle is a bad choice, as long as you understand their needs, and REALLY understand that under no circumstances can they be let off leash. 99% of them DO NOT come back when called. Way too prey driven and into their own little selves. They will come back, when they're darn good and ready :)

Have you looked at the Hananese? I don't have one, but they sound like a good match for you. You'd still have the coat care, but they are a little larger and sturdier than a maltese and are supposed to love kids and be very playful, yet intelligent and easy to train.

Dont let these guys discourage you. I grew up with a Maltese (got her when I was 14) and she has always been the sweetest, nicest doggy ever! She is now 12 year old and still going strong, though living with my parents (my mom wouldnt let me take her when I moved out- too attached!).

As with children, a lot of their behavior is determined by the parents and the way they are raised.

Maltese do not shed. That was the reason my parents got this type of dog. Their hair does require grooming. My parents still keep her groomed shorter than the longhair you see on the AKC pages. She get a puppy cut ever 3-4 weeks. You must be ready to brush daily if you want to keep the hair longer. If you cut the hair around the face too short, it will poke into the eyes causing dark tears, thus staining. We keep our doggies hair in a little ponytail to keep it out of the eyes. She doesnt mind it as thats the way its always been!

Our dog took longer than we thought to be housebroken, however I must say that is partially our fault. We were all out of the house during the day, so doggy was home alone from 7am-3pm. It did take a good year before she stopped piddling in the house. Thankfully her piddle spots were less than a few tablespoons of urine, and always on the mat by the front door. Granted I dont live there anymore, but Im sure I would hear it if she started going in the house!

She has a sweet temperament and loves to sit next to you on the couch/chair while reading or watching TV. She doesnt yap, but we trained her not to bark incessantly! She loves walks, though her arthritis keeps her close to home now. She is great with all people, doesnt nip or bark or lick or chew anything or anyone. She loves to play fetch with things we cant believe her little 6lb body can pick up (pillows, big teddys etc).

If I was to get a dog of my own I would 100% get a Maltese. Dont let the other replies turn you against a Maltese. They are as smart as any other dog (although no matter the breed you can get a dumb dog!) and easy to train when you take/have the time to do it. They are affectionate and love attention, but just as happy to watch the world go by from afar.

I hope you find your perfect doggy!

If you are going with a purebred - please make sure you get one from a reputable breeder referred through a breed society or club in your area. Makes a HUGE difference with some breeds, obviously the maltese judging by these comments. You will pay the same $$, but may have to get on a waiting list. Which actually sounds prestigious, don't know why more people don't go this route and buy from the "instant gratification" pet stores.

Also another non-shed to consider is the bichon frise, they are larger, sturdier, and good with kids. Again, get from a good breeder is a MUST. And you must bring to a groomer.

Havanese are SO cute! But oh, that hair must take forever to groom.

Whatever you do, don't buy into the "designer dog" nonsense. They are $$ mutts.

"stubborn, independent, NOT praise driven dog"... welcome to the hound group... very nose driven animals!

I resued one about month ago -- She'd been found wandering.
I took her to vet for her shots & check up -no problems except for ear mites - weighs about 5lbs.
Named her "Blanca" since she's white.
Lady that fostered her had 2 cats, 4 kids ranging in age from 2yrs to 11 - said she was good with all. (In fact said her cats were more upset than little dog!)
She is very friendly, lovable & loves people but is not a licker. If I had more time believe could train her to pish & poop outside, but seems she was paper trained so using "puppy pad".
Her only bad habits are
-she missed pad at times when she poops, but tries
-will dart out door if don't watch her very closely or hold her, but we are working on this & she's getting better
-tries to "hunch/hump" at times, but she is getting "fixed" today, so hope that will stop.
Always had larger dogs, mostly German Shepherds, having
small one is new experience.
Love her already - she plays, but is equally content to lay next to me & watch TV.
Any tips, hints, helps, etc. would be welcome!