Adorable Accents Maltese
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Adorable Accents Maltese
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Maltese Growth and Development 
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So you're looking for a teacup Maltese?
Here's the reality of it...there is no such thing as a teacup Maltese. Maltese are a toy breed that, according to AKC standard, should be up to 10" at the withers, and up to 7 lbs, with 4 to 6 lbs preferred. Other phrases to look out for are: tinies, pocket Maltese and micro Maltese. These are terms used by so-called breeders that only mean one thing...dollar signs. Here are the facts: Many of these "breeders" attempt to breed their dogs down in size. This can lead to a world of health problems, such as, but not limited to, open fontanels, soft pallet, hypoglycemia, heart problems, lack of teeth or improper bite, and a plethora of other issues. Not only can they be unsound physically, but mentally as well. Pups should be started on food at about two weeks of age. There are people who won't put them on food in order to keep them smaller. These are the pups you see that have a brownish/reddish/orange color all around the muzzle area, the extent of the color indicates how bad the situation truly is. Letting pups go before they are 12 weeks of age, or lying about their age are other ploys are used. Even if they're going to be 15 lbs adult weight, a 6 week old puppy looks awfully small. In short: when people contact me asking if I have any teacup or tiny Maltese, my answer is, "There is no such thing", followed by a somewhat lengthy explanation. ANY good breeder will answer basically the same way. If they don't, it's time to look elsewhere.
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