When Does Maltese Puppy Hair Change? (Explained)

Like any other breed of dog, Maltese puppies also face the hair-changing and color-changing phase. And as a Maltese dog owner sometimes you may wonder when is that time when your Maltese pup going to change his coat or change colors.

When Does Maltese Puppy Hair Change?

A Maltese puppy can have a hair transition between 6-8 months old. Some puppies can have hair change between 8-10 months old as well. The time frame may vary depending on breed to breed. However, this hair color changing or changing period is most likely to occur around their first birthday.

When Maltese dogs are around one year old, their hair transitions are noticeable. This hair/coat changing or color-changing period is between 6-8 months of age. Depending on the different Maltese dog breeds, hair changes may occur between 8-10 months as well.

Generally, other Maltese dog breeds have gradual and less prone to be noticed hair transition. But Maltese Shih Tzu breed will change hair color in this puppy to an adult transition period.

Do Maltese Lose Their Puppy Coat?

Certainly yes, Maltese dogs also lose their puppy coat because it a natural process of growing stronger hair coat as well as a process of becoming an adult dog.

Maltese puppies are born with a light, fuzzy coat considered a puppy coat. At the puppy phase, it keeps them warm and protects them from harsh elements. But as they grow up, like other puppies they start losing their coat and start growing up with new strong hair.

It is a gradual process and you may not even notice it. However, if you are a Maltese Shih Tzu puppy owner, you definitely will notice your pup losing and changing coat color when they are around one year old.

At What Age Maltese Puppy Hair Change?

Maltese puppy’s hair changing starts between 6-8 months old. Depending on different breeds sometimes it starts between 8-10 months old. Though the exact time is not certain but it is obvious that pups will have hair transition around one-year-old.

Generally, by the age of 6-8 months old a Maltese puppy reaches its adulthood phase and starts shedding and growing adult coat. If it doesn’t enter its adolescence by 6 months then don’t worry! By 8-10 months or around its first birthday your puppy will start changing coat.

Why Does Maltese Puppy Hair Change?

Maltese puppies change hairs mainly when they are entering adolescence. Except that there are few more reasons why they change hairs. 5 reasons are listed below for you.

Entering Adolescence

After 6 months a Maltese puppy enters its adolescence that time it sheds minimal hairs and grows stronger hairs and starts to become an adult dog

Groomed Freshly

After having a fresh grooming session, it is normal that a Maltese puppy will shed some hair as the brush pulls out all loose hairs.

Too Much Bathing

If you bathe your Maltese too often, it weakens their hair and causes hair fall. Therefore, Maltese puppies can face hair change.

Stress

Under stress, Maltese puppies do change hairs a lot. Because stress, anxiety, separation releases stress chemicals in their body and it shows reaction by hair changing.

Allergies

Allergies caused by bathing shampoo, food, or even the environment make Maltese pups shedding hair excessively.

Will My Maltese Puppy’s Hair Change Color?

Well no, discoloration is not a Maltese puppy thing when he is maturing. However, if you own a Maltese Shih Tzu breed dog then he will change hair color in the adolescence phase. Moreover, your Maltese dog may have slightly lemon spots or tan as he ages.

Only Maltese Shih Tzu dogs change hair color over time till they reach their maturity. In this phase, dramatic change in hair color is noticed and it is common for them.

But for other breeds like Maltese Poodles or Maltese Teacup color-changing is not usual. From born to maturity they will have the same silky, snowy white hair. Only a few dogs may have slight lemonish spots or a little tan as they are aging.

Does Maltese Puppy Hair Change The Texture?

Yes, Maltese puppy hair changes the texture slightly and matt the coat. When Maltese puppies are in their adolescence (around one-year-old), they go through hair change and it matt their coat a little.

However, it doesn’t make their coat too curly and thick unless it is a Maltese Poodle breed dog.

Generally, most pure breed Maltese dogs have silky hair and at the time of hair changing a slight matting is noticeable in their coat. And it is a part of their hair changing phase. Eventually, it won’t stay forever or grow thick and curly or wavy hairs.

Changed hair texture is widely visible in the Maltese Poodle breed dogs. At their hair changing phase, their hair begins to matt and turns into a poof ball. Also, they grow stronger, thicker, and a little more curly hair which is permanent.

So if you are a Maltese Poodle puppy owner, you will see an apparent change in hair texture. Or if you are a pure breed Maltese owner, you will notice a little change only in the adolescence period.

How To Treat Maltese Puppy Hair Change?

Maltese puppies normally shed less than other dogs breed but you have to treat their hairs gently during the hair transformation period. Because it will help them to grow detangled, healthy, and shiny coats.

Therefore, a step-by-step guideline to treat Maltese puppy hair change has been given below for your convenience.

Un-matt The Matts

It is normal for Maltese puppies to develop matts slightly to a heavier manner. So first, you need to detangle them using your fingers. Don’t brush it out at once without in-matting the hairs and detangling spray.

You can mix dog hair conditioner and water as detangling spray and then brush it out with a metal or a sticker brush to un-matt.

Detangling their hairs in the hair change period will help then to grow un-matt hairs.

Bathe Your Maltese

Bathing is the next important step, it keeps the changing hair clean and shiny, and free from detangling or matting. So, after un-matting thoroughly bathe your Maltese dog with suitable dog shampoo and conditioner and rinse it off.

Dry Fully

Drying them is an essential step, as during the hair changing period dried hair will catch little dirt. So after bathing pat down your Maltese with a towel but don’t fully dry it out with a towel.

Keep the hairs damp and brush them with a metal comb. With a blow-dryer or a hands-free canine dryer, dry the hairs fully.

Brush The coat

Brushing is a significant step, it keeps the hair knot-free, tangle-free, and brushes out expired hairs.

After bathing brush your pup with a metallic brush to brush out of all expired hairs, remaining little matts, tangles, and knots. Remember to brush slightly damp hairs. During hair change, brushing every day helps puppies to have no expired hairs.

Visit Veterinarian

All of these were home treatments during hair change. But if your Maltese is suffering from heavy shedding during the hair changing period ,visit a veterinarian as soon as possible. Because heavy hair change is not a Maltese kind of thing. So an expert’s suggestion is required.

How Long Does It For Maltese Hair To Grow?

It can take three to six months for a Maltese to grow its hair back fully to its original length. And every month he will grow 1/4 inch hair. This hair growing time is not fixed though.

Because different Maltese breed has different physical traits and hair growing back partially depends on that.

Sometimes a Maltese can even grow hairs in 2-3 months, sometimes it can take a year as well. You can adopt various fast hair growing methods if you want your pup to grow hair faster than normal time.

When Should I Get My Maltese Puppy Groomed?

You should first start grooming your Maltese puppy by professionals by the age of 12 weeks. And after their adolescence period grooms them every 6-8 weeks by professionals.

However, you must keep them on regular home grooming, it is vital for Maltese puppies.

You are required to groom your Maltese puppy regularly at home. Daily wipe them, brush their teeth, and coat. Bathe them every 3 weeks and clean ears every 4 weeks. Trim and cut nails every 6 weeks.

And for a proper grooming session take matured dogs to a professional groomer every 6-8 weeks as experts can do it better. And a Maltese puppy should get groomed at the age of 12 weeks.

Why Is My Maltese Hair Thinning?

Maltese dogs are prone to various underlying health issues such as thyroid problems and flea allergies. These two can cause hair thinning. Extreme stress is another major reason behind Maltese dog’s hair thinning.

When you will see your Maltese dog has started having thin hair it is probably because of hypothyroidism. As the body can’t make enough hormones to grow healthy hair. Or your pup is suffering from anxiety and stress.

For thyroid and allergy issues visit a vet soon and for stress issues, avoid doing all of those activities that arouse stress in them.

The adolescence or maturing period is the time when your Maltese puppy hair change. And during that time you will notice less hair shedding unless your dog is suffering from underlying health issues or stress.