Maltese vs West Highland White Terrier
Side by side
Maltese
West Highland White Terrier
Adult weight
3–4 kg (6.6–8.8 lb)1
Males 8.3–11.9 kg (18–26 lb); females 7.4–10.6 kg (16–23 lb) (measured in UK vet records, n = 6,605, mean ±1 SD)2
Fully grown
10 months, both sexes4
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out
Grooming
Daily brushing
A brush once a week
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
Sudden-onset diarrhoea (more likely)6
Class
Lap dog
Companion
Which suits you
Size
The West Highland White Terrier is far larger: about 9.6 kg (21 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 West Highland White Terrier holds loose hair until it is brushed or clipped out.
Grooming
The Maltese needs more grooming, daily brushing, where the West Highland White Terrier needs a brush once a week.
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the West Highland White Terrier, and a modest amount with the Maltese.
Temperament
They differ most on sensitivity (Maltese: needs a calm, predictable home; West Highland White Terrier: hardy, takes a busy home in its stride) and on prey drive (Maltese: usually fine with small pets; West Highland White Terrier: likely to chase small pets).
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
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.
West Highland White Terrier
Terriers · Small
In character the breed is confident, alert and cheerful, with the independence and persistence of a working terrier and a strong urge to dig and chase.
Breed traits
Day to day
Maltese
West Highland White Terrier
Activity
Differs
Happy with modest walks
A good daily walk and play
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Suits a first-time owner
Needs steady training
With people
Maltese
West Highland White Terrier
Affection
Differs
A lap or leaning dog
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Decides for itself
Around the home
Maltese
West Highland White Terrier
Sensitivity
Differs
Needs a calm, predictable home
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Voice
Differs
Barks to alert, then settles
Very vocal
Prey drive
Differs
Usually fine with small pets
Likely to chase small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The West Highland White Terrier grows to the heavier adult, about 9.7 kg against the Maltese's 3.5 kg.
Maltese
West Highland White Terrier
More comparisons
Compare the Maltese with
Sources
- 1
- 2VetCompass UK. Primary-care veterinary records. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 10Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 11American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 12
Parts of this page were written by AI ·