Maltese vs Shih Tzu

Photo: Kevin Poh

Photo: Mostafameraji

Side by side

Maltese

Shih Tzu

Adult weight

3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb)1

4.5–8 kg (9.9–18 lb)2

Height

Males 21–25 cm; females 20–23 cm1

No sourced figure

Lifespan

Median 13.1 years3

Median 12.8 years3

Fully grown

10 months, both sexes4

Group

Companion & toy1

Companion & toy2

Coat

Long coat1

Long coat2

Shedding

Sheds through the year

Moults most as the seasons change

Grooming

Daily brushing

Exercise

A modest amount

Health

Sudden-onset diarrhoea (more likely)5

Corneal ulcers (far more likely); Dry eye (far more likely)6,7

Class

Lap dog

Which suits you

Size

The Shih Tzu is much larger: about 6.3 kg (14 lb) as an adult, against 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) for the Maltese.

Shedding

Their coats shed differently: the Maltese sheds through the year, the Shih Tzu moults most as the seasons change.

Temperament

They differ most on loyalty (Maltese: sticks close to its people; Shih Tzu: friendly with everyone) and on intelligence (Maltese: learns readily, likes games; Shih Tzu: easy-going, simple routines).

Alike

Both are rated the same on affection: a lap or leaning dog.

Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.

Take the breed matcher

What they're like

Maltese

Companion & toy · Toy

In temperament the Maltese is gentle and affectionate, lively and playful, and quick to respond to its people.

Shih Tzu

Companion & toy · Small

In temperament the breed is lively, alert and friendly, with a proud, slightly haughty bearing. It is sociable with people and playful at home, but tends to be independent rather than eager to please.

The Maltese page →The Shih Tzu page →

Breed traits

Day to day

Maltese

Shih Tzu

Activity

Happy with modest walks

Intelligence

Differs

Learns readily, likes games

Easy-going, simple routines

Handler demand

Suits a first-time owner

With people

Maltese

Shih Tzu

Affection

A lap or leaning dog

Loyalty

Differs

Sticks close to its people

Friendly with everyone

Independence

Cooperative, with its own ideas

Around the home

Maltese

Shih Tzu

Sensitivity

Differs

Needs a calm, predictable home

Average

Voice

Barks to alert, then settles

Prey drive

Usually fine with small pets

Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour8. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home9,10.

Puppy growth

Reference curves · both sexes

Summary

Detail

The Shih Tzu grows to the heavier adult, about 6.3 kg against the Maltese's 3.5 kg.

Maltese

Shih Tzu

More comparisons

Compare the Maltese with

Lhasa Apso vs Shih Tzu Bichon Frise vs Maltese Maltese vs West Highland White Terrier Havanese vs Maltese Pekingese vs Shih Tzu Bichon Frise vs Shih Tzu All breed comparisons →

Sources

1
FCI. Breed standard no. 65. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/065g09-en.pdf
2
FCI. Breed standard no. 208. Fédération Cynologique Internationale. © FCI. ↑
www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/208g09-en.pdf
3
McMillan et al., 2024. Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531 (VetCompass). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w
4
Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
doi.org/10.1093/jn/134.8.2027S
5
O'Neill et al., 2025. Epidemiology and clinical management of acute diarrhoea in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324203
6
O'Neill et al., 2017. Corneal ulcerative disease in dogs under primary veterinary care in England: epidemiology and clinical management. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1186/s40575-017-0045-5
7
O'Neill et al., 2021. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: an epidemiological study. CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13382
8
Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0639
9
Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/getting-dog/choosing-dog/finding-a-breeder
10
American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/screening-puppy-buyers-how-top-breeders-find-the-best-homes/
11
Salt et al., 2017. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLoS ONE 12(9): e0182064 (WALTHAM). CC BY 4.0. ↑
doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182064

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