What is a Black Maltese/Brown Maltese? |Maltese Colors

Black Maltese for sale. Rare Color Maltese for Sale. You have more than likely seen the advertisement. Have you ever wondered if there is a black Maltese or maybe a brown Maltese? The answer is that unless you have painted the dog black or brown or red or blue then there is no chance that the puppy being sold is a purebred Maltese. Maltese dogs which are purebred are only permitted to have white, white with tan, white with lemon, white with cream and white with pale orange depending on the dog show criteria and which association the dog show rules are being run under. These variations in color are the only accepted colors of a purebred Maltese in dog shows. That doesn’t mean that these isn’t a Maltese cross breed with black in its coat. This article will address the common questions around the colors of a Maltese dog and remove all the rumors around the rare colors for a Maltese puppy.

What is a Black Maltese Puppy?

There is no such thing as a purebred black Maltese dog which meets the industry standards. But there are cross breeds which exist both today and historically which call themselves part of the Maltese breed. A cross breed is when a Maltese dog and a dog from another breed have mated and had puppies. These are commonly referred to as a Maltese mix. There are many different types of Maltese mix breeds and some of these can result in black puppies. This can include Pomeranian and Maltese mixes which can take the black from the Pomeranian breed.

If you see an advertisement for a Black Maltese puppy it is more than likely a cross breed or it is a dog breeder trying to catch unsuspecting people. Some breeders will use every trick under the sun to sell their puppies and will use the color variation of a cross breed to call the dog rare and then try to charge top dollar for it. If this has happened to you then you should report the breeder to the kennel clubs so that they are aware of what is happening. The industry does not need false advertising and these sort of fraudulent acts of calling a cross breed a rare black purebred Maltese puppy.

The main reason black Maltese dogs are so often mentioned is because they are the exact opposite color of a purebred Maltese puppy which is white. The striking contrast is meant to entice buyers to purchase the black Maltese which they do not realize is a cross breed.

What is a Brown Maltese Puppy?

A brown Maltese puppy is a cross breed of a Maltese dog and another dog breed. There are no brown Maltese puppies which are classified as purebred. Just as with the explanation about the black Maltese puppy it is likely to be a cross breed with a poodle or a Pomeranian or even a shih tzu. There are many dog breeds which have been cross bred with the Maltese in order to create a new boutique breed for which breeders can charge a higher price. There was a period in the early 2000’s where cross breeding was popular and a lot of breeders were creating new breeds with the idea that the new breeds were rare and therefore sought after as the supply was not abundant and there was a rising demand for them. It should always be remembered that dog shows for purebred puppies will not accept these sort of cross breeds as a Maltese and your Maltese puppy will not be able to be breed as a Maltese nor appear in dog shows classified as a Maltese breed. There is nothing wrong with having a brown Maltese puppy but you should try and become aware of its heritage so that you know which diseases and health issues to watch out for as different breeds are more susceptible to certain health issues. Your vet can do a genetics test if needed to determine the breeds which reside in your brown Maltese dog.

Has the Maltese Dog Breed always been White?

Historically we can date the Maltese breed back thousands of years. Over time there has been a lot of situations which have caused the breed to become exclusively white. The first known instance recorded of a pure white Maltese was displayed at Westminster in 1877. It was named the Maltese Lion Dog. Interestingly another Maltese crossbreed was also displayed which had black ears and was called the Maltese Skye Terrier. Black ears were due to cross breeding which happened without any one really caring or noting what was being crossbred. Eventually the Maltese dog breed was introduced to the Western society and in particular America where the breeders became obsessed with breeding a purebred white Maltese. Maltese dogs were a novelty because of their toy size appearance. In order to get to a White coat the only cross breeding which occurred was with white toy poodles. They did this to try and reduce the size of the Maltese dog and to ensure its coat was predominantly white.

During a brief 10 years the American Kennel Club allowed any color to be shown in dog shows but it quickly became apparent that those which were not white had been cross bred with other dog breeds in the past. The quality of the fur was much coarser and rough when compared to a purebred white Maltese dog. As such breeders stopped cross breeding with other breeds and slowly stopped breeding with Maltese that already had color in the fur. By 1913 the colors for a Maltese dog had been set to White only.

Fast forward to today and the Maltese dog breed has evolved in a small toy dog breed which is known for its white silky fur. Occasionally there can be traces of other colors which show but these are never used for dog shows and are kept only as pets.

In the last few years there has been a movement to crossbreed again to create new breeds with the Maltese dog. These Maltese Mix breeds can be a range of colors and sizes but they are usually marketed under a new dog breed name such as morkie or moodle.

Why is the Maltese Hair always White?

The reason that you see so many Maltese puppies which are white in color is because that is what the breeding has been targeting. Dog associations classify what a breeds colors are and this can affect marking in dog shows and being able to call your puppy a purebred Maltese. These classifications have guided breeding over decades and slowly as new generations of Maltese are born they have centered around the pure white Maltese color. historically they have had other colors mixed in but this was always due to breeding with other dog breeds such as the Pomeranian or poodle. The newest trend for breeding is to look for smaller and smaller dogs as the current trend is to have a toy dog or a handbag dog. The Maltese breed is already one of the smallest breeds available but breeders are always trying to make them smaller to match the demand of buyers.

What Colors for a Maltese Puppy are accepted today for Dog Competitions?

There are a set of acceptable colors for a Maltese dog breed. These colors are set by the controlling kennel associations where the dog competition is being held. While the accepted best color is to be pure white there are a few other allowances.

According the the American kennel Club (AKC) there are three acccepted colors. These colors include

• White
• White and Lemon
• White and Tan

The preference for any non-white colors are that they only appear on the ears. The standard color under the AKC rating is white.

For the world Canine organisation the colors are as follows

• White
• Cream
• White with traces of orange

White is again the standard color and points are deducted for the other colors.

What this means is that if you want to breed Maltese show dogs or compete with your Maltese dog in a show then you will need a White Maltese to ensure maximum points.

How does Cross Breeding affect the Maltese Puppy Color?

Breeding Maltese dogs with other breeds will create a Maltese mix breed. Technically these are new breeds and will have new names such as morkie and moodle. But some breeders will advertise that they have Maltese rare colors such as Maltese brown puppies and Maltese black puppies. This is a new advertising tactic used by breeders to draw in buyers to get exclusive puppies. There is nothing wrong with having a Maltese mix which looks like a Maltese but is a different color but they should be called a Maltese mix and not a Maltese dog.

When cross breeding there is a number of colors which can come out and they include:

• brown
• black
• white
• patchy colors
• tan

There may even be more exotic colors depending on the breeds combined and dominant genes which come into play. Colored Maltese are not show dogs and will not be able to be registered as a Maltese dog. They can still be loved and enjoyed as a family pet though and I think this is what matters the most.

What is the Cost of these Rare Colors in a Maltese Puppy?

Cost is a very subjective thing when purchasing a puppy. People will pay more for certain characteristics. If you want a purebred then you will pay more for a purebred. if you want a small toy size dog then you will pay more for the smallest dog you can find. If you want a dog that is black that looks like a Maltese because its rare you will pay more for the cross breed Maltese mix because that is what you want. It all comes down to supply and demand. Generally though a cross breed Maltese mix will cost slightly more than a purebred Maltese because they are currently in fashion. Celebrities with toy sized dogs have promoted the industry and caused a massive rush so demand has increased but there are only so many puppies which can be born per litter.

I would suggest if you are looking for a new Maltese puppy then you should try a rescue dog. You will find Maltese pure bred and Maltese mix breeds which have been surrendered and are looking for a new home. You will then lessen the demand for the breeders which will help reduce the overall price for everyone and at the same time you have saved a beautiful puppy that just wants someone to love. Always look at the rescue dogs first if possible and if you do not find one that fits then move to the breeders. This will save you a massive amount of money on the price of a black Maltese because your not chasing the latest fad being promoted by the breeding industry,

What is an Albino Maltese Puppy?

Albino dogs also known as Albinism is caused by a lack of melanin and pigmentation in the skin. Because of this the black points and dark halos are actually pink which makes them look like an Albino dog. This can happen to Maltese dogs but it is uncommon. Maltese dogs have been bred to remove the albino characteristics and are prized for having striking contrast between their black points and the white fur. An Albino Maltese can still happen though but it is never used in dog shows and will usually be a family pet. They are never used for breeding either.

Albino Maltese puppies will have pink rings around their mouth and eyes. There nose may be pink and their paws will likely also be pink. They will rarely have any markings or spots on their skin unless these are also pink in color.

Everything you need to know about Different Colored Maltese dogs?

If you are not interested in breeding or parading your dog to compete in a dog show then the color of your Maltese is not going to matter one bit. Even though it may not be a true purebred Maltese based on its color there will always be love and devotion from your rare Maltese puppy that can not be replaced. The most important thing to remember is that cross breeds can have some health issues and your vet will need to keep a close eye on the susceptible illnesses from both breeds. if you want to know which breeds your Maltese mix has a heritage to then you can get the vet to do a blood test and it will work out the linage of the parents. This isn’t necessary unless you do not know the cross breeds and you want to know for health reasons particularly to identify which diseases your Maltese mix may be susceptible to. There is no reason you should ever think less of your Maltese if it isn’t a purebred as some of the best and most lovable dogs are cross breeds. Today there is an entire market dedicated to the Maltese mix with other breeds to try and diversify and create new breeds for people to love.

Did we Miss anything about Maltese Dog Colors?

Did we miss any important topic on the colors of a Maltese dog including the black Maltese dog and brown Maltese dog? Remember these colored Maltese dogs are actually cross breeds but they are still cute, adorable and very lovable. If we missed any topic you think is important let us know in the comments. We are always looking to improve and add to our articles to help educate people about the Maltese dog breed.