[babi1542]

Originally Posted by Luvmypupster

I have one of each. When I first started searching for a pup I was torn between the 2 breeds as I had wanted one or the other for years. I did lots of research and finally decided on a malt because they are suppose to be very sweet natured, gentle, friendly and playful but not hyper. Everyone kept telling me how yorkies were hyper, yappy & hard to housebreak and they kept say the "they are Terriers" like it was something horrible. My sister-in-law also talked me out of a yorkie because she had one years ago that was in her words "the dog from hell". Her yorkie was hyper, aggressive, destructive, etc ( I never met her dog so I don't know what that was all about). So all that info spooked me about getting a yorkie. Bentley (maltese) will be 4 years old in Oct. And he is a beautiful dog but he is not the typical sweet natured gentle dog that I was expecting. He is very much a one-person dog and has little to do with anyone but me and is very yappy. He's very devoted to me and follows me around like a shadow, he's a Mamma's boy and a lap dog. He is not playful but was easy to housebreak. Did suffer from major separation anxiety when I would leave the house. Maltese hair care is very labor intensive, tearstains are very common and their hair is nothing like a yorkie's. You can not neglect brushing and grooming or you will have major mats! It wasn't long after I got him that I still yearned for a cute little yorkie. I decide to get one to help with Bentley's anxiety about being home alone while I worked and because wanted a cute little yorkie. I brought Mia home on Bentley's second birthday. She is much sweeter natured than him, more playful but not hyper, she is not yappy. She's probably more of a lap dog than him and likes to be held more and she loves being babied, rocked, snuggled with etc. Her hair care is so much easier. She was more of a challenge to housebreak and still isn't perfect in that area. Yorkie grooming is a breeze. I believe that each dog has it's own personality be it yorkie or maltese and the "breed" itself may not impact what it's temperament or personality will be. Grooming alone is the reason I caution people about maltese and the reason I will not get another. It takes work to keep them pretty , mat free and white. There are a few maltese forums where you can gain more info. Let me know if you need links. Good luck

VERY WELL SAID!