Hello all, first post on here- so a little introduction.

My husband has finally agreed for me to have the little dog i've always wanted. I've always thought that it would be extremely easy and that i would always get a shih tzu. However after visiting a dog show- as soon as i clapped eyes on the sweet tiny maltese i was in love.
So i went home, read a few books, researched on the net, and overall the respnse on these adorable dogs have been good. However, there have been a few people on other forums who have said they can be very moody and snappy. Compared to the shih tzu where the worst people have said is they can be stubborn.

Is this true? Can anyone shed any light on the maltese temprement for me? And the shih tzu?

A little more about us, we are a childless couple, with two persian cats, who want an affectionate, loving cuddly type of dog!!!
If anyone can help us out on this it would be much appreciated

Cheers

Welcome!

First off, I've never had a shih tzu, only my little man... and I can say he isn't moody or snappy. You have to train them not to be Also, no matter which you choose, if you go with a reputable breeder, they will probably be able to help you pick the puppy that will fit your lifestyle and what you want!

Hopefully more people will respond with a better comparison and again, welcome.

I'll take a maltese any day! They are the best little dogs EVER. Where are you located? We love helping people find their 'perfect' dog!

I personally have never had a Shih Tzu, but Grandma has. Her Shih Tzus have never been as friendly as my Maltese. My Maltese is much more cuddly and affectionate than her Shih Tzu's. I have never heard of Maltese being called snappy and moody. Maltese are companion dogs. Most breeds were breed for specific purpose like hunting or retrieving, Maltese unlike most dogs were really just breed to be companions.

As far as cats go, my Maltese loves cats while my Gran's Shih Tzu doesn't. Both breeds require a lot coat care. I commend you on doing your research! You will have to let us know what you decide.

Temperament
"For all his diminutive size, the Maltese seems to be without fear. His trust and affectionate responsiveness are very appealing. He is among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs, yet he is lively and playful as well as vigorous. " - this is a direct quote from the AKC.org

I own both . The Shih Tzu was bred as the COMPANION to the Royal family . I've had a Shih Tzu since the age of 8 they are my very FAVORITE breed . Shih Tzu's are sweet , funny , happy , CUDDLY , affectionate and sociable little dogs . My Henry is the SWEETEST dog on earth ,and if I could only own one breed it would be a Tzu . Unlike the Maltese there are very few health concerns in the Shih Tzu breed . This is a wonderful breed with kids too . Sarah p.s NO TEARSTAINS either

Here is my Henry ( who could resist )

Oh , and that adorable baby doll face Maltese buyers obsess over ( you know , the short nose and big eyes ) occurs naturally in EVERY Shih Tzu . Sarah

My experience with Shih Tzu is limited to my Waffle and my mom's Shih Tzu who passed away last year. Although I love Waffle, he will be my only Shih Tzu as I prefer Maltese.

The main differences I found are:

1. My Maltese loves me and my family while my Shih Tzu loves everyone.
2. Maltese are smaller than Shih Tzu. The Maltese standard calls for 4 to 6 lbs while the Shih Tzu is 9-16 lbs.
3. Maltese are all white while Shih Tzu comes in a variety of colours.
4. Maltese have a single coat and are hypoallergic. Shih Tzu have a double coat. This causes a doggie smell in some Shih Tzu while Maltese rarely smells like dog.
5. Shih Tzu have a flatter face and nose. The extreme breeding makes breathing and eye problems more common in Shih Tzu. Waffle has a great pedigree and comes from a long line of champions and he is also very extreme. He is on life long eye medication.
6. Both breeds tear stain but the colour on most Shih Tzu's heads make the tear staining less obvious than in the all white Maltese.
7. Waffle is always looking to please me while my Maltese do what they want to do. I am not sure if this is breed specific or "dog" specific.

I have had experience with both. I love the Maltese. They are very good companion dogs. They were bred for Royalty and were known as healers. I have seen very few snappy Maltese. They fall in love with you and never look back. You are there's. I like the size of them better, easier to handle. My friend, Lisa, breeds and shows Shih-Tzu. Her's are smaller than most with cute, cute heads. Coat care is easier. I used to groom for a living in a life time ago, and the Shih-Tzu I groomed could be a bit snappy. But most were BYB. It looks like you are in a delema. Shih-Tzu or Maltese????

Any way: WELCOME TO SM

Tina

I love them both. I have never owned a pure Shih-tzu, Milly is cross. But I am a HUGE fan of all dogs, but Maltese would be first, VERY closely followed by the Shih-tzu. Or maybe they are an equal first.

Maybe you could get one of each...

I've never had a full bred Shih but a shih tzu poodle mix. Joey (the shih) was such a laid back guy. He never hurt a sole and never met a stranger. He rarely barked and he was the easiest dog to train. Oliver (malt) he likes everyone but is very excitable. Again, could be just a personality thing..but he's more energetic. Oliver likes everyone like Joey did, but LOVES his mama. Joey never really seemed to LOVE anyone in particular. I love both of the breeds and would be willing to get EITHER again. The poodle part of Joey scared me b/c I've had a few run ins with them but he was never snappy or high strung. I think you're safe with either baby.

Hi and welcome to SM

I can only comment on the Maltese as I have never had the pleasure of owning a pure bred Shih Tzu.
Maltese are a beautiful, delightfully sweet natured little baby, can't bring myself to call them a dog, even though they are, to us they are more like little toddlers, so loving and willing to please. Their little personalities are most consistantly sweet and happy yet strongly loyal, they may be tiny in size but they have the heart of a lion and don't allow their small size to get in their way to protect you if they feel they need to.
We have two boys and they are so different in nature, Scooby is the one with some attitude, can be stubborn and yes will growl if displeased, but he never bites. He is very loving and cuddly, extremely loyal to his daddy.
Koko is the clown, he cannot do enough to please, although in the beginning he was very mischievious, such a little character, always willing to play and entertain with his quirky little ways, but he is strongly loyal and loving, a real little snuggler. He never growls, he is so very cat like in many ways in how he plays and smooches on your face and around our legs.
Maltese can have health issues, but then so do other breeds, but if you choose your breeder very carefully, do your research you should be able to find a healthy happy little puppy.

I did find this site which gives some light to the Shih Tzu, I hope it helps..

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/shihtzu.html

They also have a page on Maltese if you click on 110 breeds and scroll to the Maltese
Good luck in your search, I am sure either way you will love your choice of breed, and love your puppy

It is quite a dilema..I do like the Shih tzu breed and if I had to chose a second breed it would probably be a shih tzu. With that said, I prefer the size of a Maltese as I can put my Malts in a bag and take them anywhere with me..where as a shih tzu at around a common size of 14 pounds is a little too big for that.

Good luck, hard decision. Pricing wise, I believe Malts are a lot more expensive. I could be wrong, but from the show sites I've seen, it appears they are a bit cheaper. I think Malts are a little higher in demand because of their compact size.

The temperament really depends on each individual dog. You can have a snappy shi tzu and you can have a snappy maltese. The shi tzu is a little bigger then the maltese, and yes has a doggy smell where the maltese does not smell at all. My daughter had a shi tzu and it was a sweet, sweet dog. Now her mother in law had 3. One she had to give away because he did not get along with the 2 other ones. And the 2 other ones she gave away (every time to good homes) after she got married again. The dogs did not like her husband and were mischievous, like peeing on his chair. Her son never liked them but he liked Mistie, my daughter's shi tzu. Just to tell you, character depends also on the individual dog.

Maltese are seriously the most friendly dogs I've ever met. And I don't think it's because I'm biased. Kosmo is not moody in the least and he is such a little love I hope you are happy with whatever decision you make and wish you and your new fluff to be years of happiness together

I've never owned a shi tzu so I can only comment on my maltese, Abbey's, personality. She is incredibly sweet, cuddly & would rather be on your lap than anywhere else. Very much babylike. She wants to be with me 24/7 & will even "hunt" for me if I go out of her sight! She will growl if the kids try to steal her from my lap. She loves Everyone who comes to visit. She is very vocal when she hears noises, doorbell, etc. but I have a friend who has a maltese & he is not vocal at all. He is very laid back, so it depends on the individual dog.
Plus, it is true that maltese do not stink like most dogs. I was skeptical at first when I was looking for a dog but maltese really do smell good until bath day!

I too looked into the Shih Tzu, Yorkie and Maltese before deciding on the Maltese. I spent a lot of time at dog shows talking to owners of all three breeds and I have a friend who swears by her Shih Tzu (although she's never owned a Maltese) and she just recently got a 12 week old Shih Tzu that I have found to be far more wild and crazy then Nissa ever was at that age. The things I found personally that I liked more about the maltese were, 1. size, I can take Nissa ANYWHERE. 2. They are the most affectionate little "dogs" and become devoted to their families. 3. They NEVER smell like a dog because of the single coat. 4. Nissa is not snippy or moody and I can not imagine her ever being that way. She just loves everyone too much! Nissa is my 5th dog and I can honestly say while I have dearly loved all my dogs, I truly find myself loving her like a child because they are so human like.

Choosing the right breed is totally individual as it depends on what you look for as important qualities. Good luck in your search and I applaud you for all your research.

in practice ive seen more snappy shihtzus over snappy malts but they are both out their. my boss owns 2 shihs and they r very sweet. some of my fav patients are shihs but some of my least favs are too. i think u will be happy with either choice if raised and socialized well they should turn out to be a friendly pup.

I have been the breeder on some top winning Shih Tzus and now I have Maltese. I would say that from a personality side -- #1 and #7 above hit it right on the nose.

Shih Tzus, although I love them dearly, are sometimes referred to by me as "mindless wonders" because they are always sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy -- about EVERYTHING!!!!! Maltese are smarter, imo, and more discriminating about who they like, what they like and why.

Shih Tzus do have fewer health problems overall, but if you are buying from a reputable breeder, the health issues should be about even.

Either would be a good choice.

I know exactly what you are going through. When I decided to get a toy dog, I had narrowed it down to either the
Maltese or the Shih Tzu. I figured I would get the Shih Tzu since they are easier to find in my area, but really wanted the Malt since I do believe the Malt temperment to be not as snippy nor as stubborn. Most groomers I talked to said that the Shih Tzu do tend to be more snippy and the books I have read said the Shih Tzu's are more snippy with children. I wanted a pup I could confidently take with me everywhere without worrying about nipping. Zoe was my first dog ever and I wanted to be able to make sure I could train her, since I lacked experience. Thankfully I found her before I found a Shih Tzu. But I think you will probably be happy with either breed.

I recommend this site. It really tells the pros and cons of each breed and I LOVE the quiz to help you find the breed that is perfect for you. It helped me when I was deciding.

www.dogbreedinfo.com

pure breeds
dog breed quiz

I have never really owned a Shih Tzu although I did foster a male for a few weeks. Gizmo was a very sweet boy & well behaved,I thought he was just precious. He did have some skin problems(allergies) & a breathing problem which caused him to make a snorting sound, & he did smell like a dog. I have lots of friends who have Shih Tzus & Yorkies & Poms, etc, I'm the only one with Maltese. I had always thought I also would have one of the other breeds, but once I discovered the Maltese, I just knew this was the breed for me. I know I made the right choice. I love everything about my furkids. I even love that they are spoiled beyond belief. They always smell good, don't shed, aren't yappie or snappy & are totally devoted to me. That being said, I think Shih Tzus are adorable & would possibly be my 2nd choice.

awwwwwwww heart melting at ever so handsome Henry

Shih Tzu's are cute, but I think I"ll always be partial to a maltese. I"m sure they are wonderful dogs though...my neighbor has one, and she is cute as pie! I just don't know much about the breed, sorry!!

My friend wants to get a dog, preferably a boxer....well I told her to get a maltese lol. Not exactly the same category of dogs, but I'm guilty of always talking people into getting a maltese hehehe

I LOVE Maltese, but my friend has a shin tzu and he is the calmest dog I have ever met. He is very gentle, and cuddly, and loves to play. on the other hand, my Maltese Belinha is very feisty and stubborn. But I'm sure not all Maltese are like that.

Maltese...........Yes!!!! I think Abby's Mom hit the nail on the head. They ARE so baby-like. CeeCee does not like for me to be out of her site. They have this thing, they like to stare into your eyes. It is really like having a little baby. They are so sweet and loving. I am so prejudice but I can't help it. They do smell good all the time too!!!! I guess you couldn't go wrong with the Shih Tzu but go and look at both babies and then make up your mind~~~~to get a little Maltese!!!!!!

This is soooo true - "mindless wonders" .. hehehhe. We always joke around that Waffle will run up to a burgular and wag his tail and give kisses. He is always so happy even to a mean person that might hate him.

Maltese are wonderful and sweet. Mine is a doll and yet they are a quirky breed. Mine won't go down steps of any kind though he will go up them. He also barks at the vacuum cleaner when it is off and not makin noise!

Shhi tzus are cute and I like the color combos they come in. I have never known one personally though.

I have a friend with three Llaso Apsos and they are the snappiest, sassiest dogs I have ever met. I am actually scared of them! Yikes!

Yorkies are small and sweet seeming. They look like awesome lap dogs too.

Other than maltese.....I am partial to poodles. Okay, I adore poodles. Miniatures (14-20lbs) are my faves. Toys are too fragile.

I had a Maltese I named Casper from 1993 until 2007. He passed away at the age of 14 1/2 last Februrary. Then I got Midis at 3 mos of age three days later. That was back in Feb of 2997. He is now 13 1/2 MONTHs old.

To address the questions about snappy and moody: As a normal, healthy dog or puppy I have never seen this in either of the two Malts I have had. When Casper got older he was jealous of my granddaughters and I ended up having to make sure they were safely apart from each other. My granddaughters were toddlers or younger and Casper was 13 - 14 years old and did not even know what a child was! Midis, on the other hand, absolutely LOVES children and loves to play with them without getting too rough with them. And neither dog was ever moody. Both loved me and followed me all over the house (I was never to go to the bathroom alone again!)

Cyndi

Baby Gizmo is crossed between a Shih Tzu and Maltese. He only weighs 7 to 8 lbs and is very lovable but yet stubborn sometimes especially when he doesn't want to be bothered. He has the Shih Tzu face and body but has the hair of a Maltese. When I first bought him I only paid 75 for him. The woman wanted to get rid of them because she had too many. He is the runt of the bunch and that is why I fell in love with him. I never owned a small dog because my parents never alowed a dog in the house and he is the first dog I have ever had in the house. Needless to say that is a long story within itself with where he came from.
I felt so stupid when I took him to the vet for the first time and I filled out the paper work and put down he was a Shih Tzu. The vet asked me if I was for sure if he was a Shih Tzu and I told him yes. I told him what his dad looked like and what his mother looked like and he told me that he was a mixed breed. And the vet told me if he was a pure breed that I would have paid several hundreds of dollars for him and would have gotten papers with him.
He is very active, lovable, sometimes moody and can be aggressive at times towards men only, not anyone in the house. I wouldn't take anything for him and so far he has had no health problems, very healthy.
He is my little angel!

I would love to see more pictures of Baby Gizmo! I love the Shih Tzu face and the Maltese hair and size! Sounds like the perfect little mixtures of both. Please post some!

Cyndi

I haven't had a Shih, but a good friend of mine has one. She is the same size as Bonnie (easy to carry around) and really has the sweetest demeanor of any dog I've ever met (don't tell Bonnie I said that ). Now, I've been poisoned by Bonnie and spoiled for any other kind of dog, so my vote would be for a Malt, but I had to weigh in about Munchkin (the Shih). She really is a love bug. Maybe "mindless wonder" is a good description, but it's all love.

A different aspect.

My experience as a groomer between the two breeds is

One, short haircuts look WAY better on a Shih Tzu, but Shih Tzu hair is REALLY thick and they tend to stink. Bad. Every Maltese I have groomed lacked that "doggy odor" most dogs carry.

Depending on the type of coat the Maltese has, I would think Shih Tzu coats, though thick, are easier to care for. Its nice, heavy, and thick so it doesn't break and frizz AS easily.

BUT, I think Shih Tzu's have poor temeraments compared to Maltese. I get snapped at WAY more by Shih Tzus than Maltese. I have NEVER had to turn away or sent a Maltese home because he/she was too aggressive. But I have had to send many many Shih Tzus home because I felt my safety and the dogs safety was in jeapardy due to aggression problems (particulary because of the breathing problems and the bug eyes and the fact that these breeds CANNOT be muzzed EVER)

Even though I love my small Maltese, I will admit that that Shih Tzus are MUCH sturdier. A good thing if you have kids or larger dogs.

Ugh, and the hair in front of Shih Tzu eyes gets DISGUSTING compared to Maltese. I think it is becasue of the folds.

Anyhow, thats my experience with them as I groom both breeds on a daily basis.

I volunteer in rescue , EVERY Tzu that comes through our doors has had a perfect temperament . Tzu hair is far easier to brush , and never looks thin . I don't know any Tzu that stinks and since my immediate family own 7 you might consider me an authority ( that and like 20 years of ownership ) . I must say I was perplexed by the folds of skin comment - it is certainly not in the breed standard to have a wrinkled muzzle or have gross hair there ( HUH ? ) . Yep , Henry is so mean a 6 month old baby can poke him in the eye and he does nothing ( except lick them ) . I think you get more understanding owning a breed than observing it for an hour or two Sarah

Oh and I forgot to add - all 7 of my families Tzu's are rescues , all these animals had a very rough start to life - and a very good reason to hate . Instead we have 7 truly SWEET and beautiful dogs . Sarah

Tough, tough decision when anyone is trying to decide which breed of dog is the one they hope is perfect for their family and individual desires. Maltese are so special to us that we are prejudiced beyond belief. We "fell" into the exposure to them about 13 years ago and just were enamored with these loveable, beautiful,smart, loyal creatures of God. But, that can be said about any breed by anyone. There is no "rule" as to the choice...it just happens and that is good.

NOTHING is perfect in life and that, of course, includes all breeds of dogs or owners or reasons for selecting a dog. We think it is your "gut-feeling" as to which breed seems appropriate to your lifestyle, family, emotions, bonds, etc. and your care in selecting the right breeder to assist you in that huge decision.

The same is true about buying a house, a car, a sweater or whatever.

Follow your hearts and it will be obvious which breed is going to sweep you away for many years to come.

Ok guys- I'm back!!!!

Thanks to all for the messages- very much appreciated.

I'm still umming and aahhing about both breeds. So i have found two great breeders, and will be visiting the shih tzu tonight, and the maltese tomorrow- I really hope this helps me finally make my mind up!!!

My worry is that i will fall in love with the tzu's today and put a deposit down without seeing the maltese. I must must must be strong!!!!!


Will keep you all updated. xxx

Ive been grooming them for only about 2 years now and I can tell you that even in my little time of experience, not everyone cares for their Shih Tzus properly, like in any other breed of dog.

Not many people clean in front of their eyes daily or even every other day. Some people tend to care less than Maltese owners do because tear staining is not as obvious. I think they tend to have alot more gunk build up compared to a Maltese because some of them do have fold of skin, regardles of breed standard. I have groomed Shih Tzus that weigh up to 25lbs with curly coats, but somehow still a "purebred" Shih Tzu. I've groomed tiny 5 lb Shih Tzus with perfects coats. I've seen Shih Tzus with wire coats, cotton coats, silky coats, single coats, bad stinky skin, folds upon folds of skin in front of the eyes, big HUGE bug eyes, blue eyes, leggy leggy legs, and every imaginable fault and un- Shih Tzu like conformation and temperaments. (Sadly, alot of these dogs are still intact and being bred). Just like in every breed, I was just expressing what I see most.

Alot of them I have groomed are not even touched in between grooms. It is really sad. I do not fault the dogs, it is the owners I blame.

Not all of them have been properly introduced to grooming either. I have had to send Shih Tzus home because they were too aggressive to work with.

I have had experience with difficult Maltese as well, just not as many. I was just expressing my experience from my mere two years of dealing with many different Shih Tzus only an average of 3 to 4 times day.


To the OP, good luck in your decision. Keep us updated! Sounds so exciting adding a new puppy to the family!

I agree that you have to make that choice on which is better but from experience I prefer the Maltese. I have never owned a shih but my Mom has had one for 14 years now. Angel is a sweetheart but she is very stubborn and a bit snappy. From seeing both breeds I think that the temperment are good on both breeds but the Maltese is better.

Of course this is my opinion from being around my mom's and like I said Angel is a big baby but the Maltese are more social then the shih. My mom's angel barks at every little thing all the time where Ralphie and Pacino, although barkers, do not bark at leaves blowing. They will only bark when they hear a specific noise. If I tell them no bark they stop where no matter what my mom does Angel will stop when she wants to stop.

Good luck in your search!

Marie & the Boys

Well what happened here? Does the end of the posts mean a Shih Tzu was chosen?

i have one of each.... my maltese is cupcake... muffin my baby shih tzu...


i can see the difference in my two... cupcake is like MY sister.. loud.. bossy... wants control over everything...

Muffin is like me.. quite.. lovable... cuddly... nice... sweet...lol....etc..


muffin is def more calmer than cupcake... so far she hasnt shown any signs of mean-ness....



Dont get me wrong..... I love maltese... i love my cupcake...

but i think it all depends on how YOU raise them..


with cupcake. she was my first.. so i let her do whatever she wanted... which i learned to be a big no no... but with muffin.. i had expirience.. and i went a different way with her... which now.. i can see a difference


either way... u will be satisfied with both breeds!

I had a Shih tzu when I was a kid, and have a Maltese now.

The shih tzu we had was the hardest dog to potty train that I have ever experienced. It could have just been that one dog, I don't know.
Shih have easier coats to manage. A LOT easier in my opinion.
Our Shih loved pretty much everyone, but was more tempermental and not terribly easy-going.
Our shih didn't affect _my_ allergies, can't say that would be the same for other people, but I do have very terrible allergies in general.
Our shih was terribly barky, and no matter how hard we tried we couldn't train that out of her. Again, may just have been that particular dog.
Shih has doggy odor, and I don't care for that too much.

My maltese was surprisingly pretty easy to potty train.
She loves EVERYONE and is very easy going. You can poke and prod her all day long, and she never gets snippy or very upset. She has taken to NAPPING through her grooming sessions!
She doesn't affect my allergies.
She isn't barky much, she does alert us when the neighbor dogs bark and when she hears strange noises outside. She has taken to training on this very well, when I tell her "enough" she does a cute little "wind down" bark and stops.
She never, ever smells icky like most other dogs. Even our yorkie stinks way worse than she does, and yorkies aren't supposed to have much doggie smell.
Grooming a malt is a big responsibility, and much more time consuming than most people would want to deal with...even if she is cut short, I still have her topknot to do! If that is a concern, the shih is a better choice, but still a lot of work.
Chloe is much more of a lapdog than our Shih was.

My fav is the Maltese. It is more work to take care of her, but she is so easygoing that it helps make up for it. She has SO much more personality and affection for people in general than any other breed I have met. I LOVE my Chloe to bits.

I HAVE NEVER HAD A SHIH TZU HOWEVER I HAVE MANY IN MY AREA THEY ARE SWEET DOGS .THE REASON I GOT A MALTESE IS I HAD A FRIEND THAT I WOULD VISIT THAT HAD ONE HE WAS THE SWEETEST ,SMARTEST HUMAN LIKE DOG HE WOULD GIVE ME A BIG WELCOME THAT I JUST FEEL IN LOVE WITH .ALSO I HAVE ASTHMA SO HIS HAIR DIDN'T BOTHER ME AND BEST OF ALL HE DID NOT SMELL THAT DOGGIE SMELL.SO ALL I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS GETTING ONE. BACI IS MY THIRD DOG MY FIRST MALT.I DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN AND HE IS TOTALLY MY BABY .

I'm a 100% maltese person! I have three and one yorkie! Hubby says we will always have a maltese...........he is in love with the breed, but then so am I!!

I vote you get one of each!

This thread was from January....

I agree!!!!!!!!!

I was foiled again by not looking at the date on the original post!

In general the Maltese may be a gentle and loving breed, with that said, I agree with others on here when they say alot of it is the dog's individual personality.

Choo-Choo is always estatic to see me. She will follow me into another room when I go get something. If I lay down and watch TV she'll jump up on my chest and lay down and watch TV with me (She likes NCIS). However, she is very protective when strangers come near our house or vehicles. If they stay for awhile, she'll eventually warm up to them. With all her little quarks, I would not trade her for any dog in the world.

Hmmm, this is a very interesting post for me. I'm trying to decide between those two breeds right now, plus Yorkies, Mini Schnauzers and maybe Toy/Mini Poodles. To make matter more complicated my bro brought his Standard Poodle with him for Thanksgiving and I'm in love. I keep trying to narrow the list down, but somehow more of them keep popping up.