[OwnedByJezebel]

I'm not a breeder, nor do I ever intend to be one, but I have had three Yorkies and three Maltese. Their temperaments are quite different. The Maltese is very gentle and laid-back.

My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) was that when the various terrier breeds were mixed in the 1800's and the Yorkie breed was developed, one thing that was highly prized (maybe more than any other trait) was the dog's ratting ability. If that were what I was trying to achieve by breeding, it would never occur to me to throw a Maltese into the mix to influence some other trait (coat texture, etc), for fear of eliminating the ratting instincts in the offspring. I would stick with dogs that have that bold, terrier, ratting attitude.