Breeds / Small
Malshi puppies
The Malshi is playful, affectionate and outgoing, a companion cross that bonds closely with their household. They need less than an hour of walking a day, and they do not cope well with long spells on their own.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Maltese and Shih Tzu
- Country of origin United States
- Adult weight 4.1 to 7.3 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 9 to 16 lb
- Adult height 25 to 28 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming High
- Coat type Long silky
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Usually good
About the Malshi
The Malshi, a Maltese crossed with a Shih Tzu, was bred in the United States purely as a companion animal. Adults are around 4.1 to 7.3 kg and 25 to 28 cm, with a long, silky, low shedding coat. Temperament is playful, affectionate and outgoing, and because both parents are lap breeds rather than working ones, most are content with a modest walk and a long evening on the sofa beside somebody.
Grooming is the daily commitment: brushing right down to the skin, eye and face cleaning, and a professional trim on a regular cycle. Teeth need attention several times a week. The trap with this cross is the flat face. A Malshi that takes after the Shih Tzu can inherit that breed's breathing difficulty, so watch the parents in warm weather and after exercise rather than judging from photographs on a website.
A cross, not a breed. The Malshi is a cross rather than a recognised breed, so there is no published standard and the figures here simply describe the dogs being produced. Coat, size and face shape all vary within a litter, and any puppy can favour the Maltese or the Shih Tzu. First crosses are reported as the more consistent option, with later generations spreading out again, and muzzle length in particular is worth judging puppy by puppy rather than by the name of the cross.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Malshi puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Brachycephalic airway problems from the Shih Tzu side, assessed on conformation and an exercise tolerance test
- Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
- Portosystemic liver shunt, screened with a serum bile acids test
- Patent ductus arteriosus, heard as a continuous murmur on auscultation and confirmed by echocardiogram
- Periodontal disease, found at annual dental examination
- Dry eye, cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy, found on eye examination and tear production testing
- Hip dysplasia, screened by hip scoring radiographs
Your Malshi puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Malshi.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 4.1 to 7.3 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 7.3 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other small breeds
More on the Malshi
Previous: Lurcher · Next: Maltese
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- petmd.com for adult weight and height, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
- petmd.com for life expectancy
- purina.co.uk for coat type and country of origin
- Health notes from Malshi breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/malshi. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Lucymck23, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.