Maltese vs Shih Tzu: a pure white Mediterranean lapdog against an imperial Chinese lion dog

The Maltese is the smaller and lighter of the two, typically weighing 2 to 4 kg (4 to 9 lb) and standing 20 to 25 cm. The Shih Tzu is noticeably sturdier despite its similarly toy classification, weighing 4 to 7 kg (9 to 16 lb) and standing 20 to 27 cm, and it feels solid and heavy when picked up despite its modest size on paper.

That extra sturdiness matters in practice: the Shih Tzu tolerates ordinary family handling a little better than the more delicate Maltese, which bruises and fractures more easily around boisterous children or an accidental drop.

Both breeds carry a long, flowing coat with minimal shedding, rated 1 for shedding each, but both need real grooming commitment as a result, with the Maltese rating the maximum 5 for grooming difficulty and the Shih Tzu close behind at 5 as well. The clearest visual difference is color: the Maltese comes only in white or white with a light ivory tinge, while the Shih Tzu comes in a wide range of colors and patterns, including gold and white, black and white, and solid black.

Many owners of either breed choose a short puppy clip, which reduces daily brushing to a few minutes, since the alternative full length coat needs daily attention with a pin brush and comb to stay mat free.

Both breeds are affectionate and people focused, but the Shih Tzu rates lower for energy (2 against the Maltese's 3) and is generally the calmer, more laid back companion of the two, content with shorter walks and more time simply keeping you company. The Maltese carries a bit more spark and playfulness, often keeping a puppyish enthusiasm for games well past its tenth birthday.

Both breeds get on well with other dogs and are usually friendly with strangers once past initial wariness, and both do best with early socialization to build that confidence.

The Shih Tzu's shortened muzzle makes it brachycephalic, rated at the bottom for heat tolerance and needing careful management of exercise timing and intensity in warm weather, a concern the Maltese, with its longer nose, does not share to nearly the same degree. This is a meaningful practical difference for anyone in a warm climate or planning on regular summer walks.

Both breeds are fragile enough to need steps or ramps to furniture, and both do best with calm, gentle children rather than very young or boisterous ones, though the Shih Tzu's sturdier frame gives it a slight edge here.

The Maltese shares slipping kneecaps and dental disease with the Shih Tzu but is also linked to portosystemic liver shunts and a tremor condition called white shaker syndrome. The Shih Tzu carries those same joint and dental risks plus the breathing difficulties typical of a brachycephalic breed, along with a hereditary kidney condition. Lifespan runs similarly long for both, 12 to 15 years for the Maltese and a slightly wider 10 to 16 for the Shih Tzu.

Because the Shih Tzu is brachycephalic, buyers should specifically ask breeders about nostril width and quiet breathing in the parents, a check the Maltese's longer muzzle makes largely unnecessary.

A 3 kg Maltese eats about 50 to 70 g of dry food a day, less than a heavier 6 kg Shih Tzu's typical 90 to 120 g, simply reflecting the size difference between the two breeds and the extra energy the sturdier Shih Tzu burns through each day.

Grooming costs run high for both breeds regardless of size, with either dog needing a professional trim every six to eight weeks if kept short, or daily home brushing if grown to full length. Both rate at the top for apartment suitability, though the Shih Tzu's brachycephalic build means extra caution on hot days regardless of how small or cool the home is.