Mal Shi (Maltese and Shih Tzu mix)
What is a Malshi? Also known by other names such as Shih-tese, Malti Tzu, Shima and Mal-Tzu, the Mal-Shi is a crossbreed designer dog between the feisty Shih Tzu and the intelligent Maltese. This adorable toy pooch is well suited for various kinds of lifestyles from countryside life to urban life in small condos and apartments attributed to its small size. It's delightful to have this small pooch in your family, as Malshi is content cuddling on your lap as well as playing with kids comfortably. Malshi dogs have average exercise requirements and don't require hours of walking. Are Malshi hypoallergenic? Designed with the objective of being a low-shedder to favor those with allergies, Malshi is suitable for a variety of different family situations. With his happy and playful personality a Mal-Shi dog will surely light up every room in your house!
Being outgoing and bold, he easily makes friends with anyone he meets, and it applies to both animals and humans. Due to his naturally perfect nature, the Malshi can also be a great therapy dog. Mal-Shi grows up while getting very attached to his family, and he'll literally want spend every minute around those they love. Do Malshi dogs bark a lot? Malshi dogs don't bark much in comparison to most other dog breeds, making them good apartment dogs. If you want a loving and loyal companion, and have the time that it takes to properly care for a demanding dog, Malshi is ideal for you!
As long as you treat Shih Tzu and Maltese mix dog well without making it a spoilt puppy, he can have a great personality. To a vast variety of prospective Mal-Shi owners, this adorable pooch has an appealing sweet nature and a personality that is adaptable. To find out if the Mal-Shi could be the ideal dog type for you, just read on...
Malshi Life Expectancy
How long do Malshi dogs live on average? Malshi crossbreed dog can have a lifespan ranging between 12 and 14 years. Malshi life span depends not only on his genetics but also on how well you care for your Mal-shi from lifestyle to regular vet checkups and feeding.
Malshi Size
How big do full grown Malshi dogs get? Hybrids such as the Maltese and Shih Tzu mix dogs are known not to conform to any breed standard, unlike the pedigree dogs. There are variations that naturally occur in their appearances as well as sizes. Generally, Malshi dogs are small in size, weighing 3 kg to 6.5 kg (6 pounds to 10 pounds) from puppyhood to adulthood, with a height of 25cm to 30cm (9.8 inches to 11.8 inches).
Malshi Coat Colors
With a possibility of growing to 8cm or 10cm if left untrimmed, the Mal-shi coat is usually silky, soft and wavy. Mal-Shis are mostly available in white color with facial markings and patches, but Malshi dogs can also inherit a wide range of colors from their parents including black, white, black and white, white and tan, brown, black and brown, brown and white.
The Mal-Shi features a skull in the shape of a dome with small ears that fold toward the front side of the head, but they are also set high. Their eyes are almond-shaped with shady brown colors, but they don't protrude like those of other dogs. Some Mal-Shi crossbreeds could inherit a Maltese tear duct that is underdeveloped while exhibiting a few tear-stains on their faces that are dark.
The Mal-Shis' muzzles are fairly short, have blunt edges and have well-sized nostrils that help to prevent respiratory issues that the Shih Tzus are beset to. They have short legs that should always be straight for your dog to be considered physically healthy. Any deviations on the posture of Malshi's legs cause joint pains in Mal-Shis' mid-ages and beyond.
Mal-Shi History
In a bid to produce a low-shedder companion dog, the Mal-Shi was developed during the 1990s. With a name as simple as the combination of the two parent breeds (Maltese and Shih Tzu), this hybrid dog has surprisingly quickly gained popularity in North America and Australia.
As most Mal-Shi litters produced are results of First-generation breeding, there are no breed standards or breed clubs for this awesome dog. Some second-generation breeding Mal-Shis have been produced, but it hasn't gone beyond this point to produce multigenerational Malshis.
Mal-Shi Pedigree
As mentioned above, the Mal-Shis available today are results of First-generation crossing Maltese with Shi Tzus, also known as F1s. Malshi dogs normally inherit the parents' traits on a 50-50 basis, but some offspring may favor either parent more. The first-generation offspring that result from crossing two purebred parents are usually very hard to predict. For instance, a puppy is likely to resemble one parent more or feature some traits that are bred-specific. Even Malshi pups from the same litter can have extreme variances in behavior and appearance. To make results more uniform, breeders are now crossing the first generation breeds amongst themselves in multigenerational breeding. Producing purebred Malshis in this way could take quite long, and that's why crossbreed dogs take longer to be classified by recognition.
How the Mal Shi Relates to Other Pets and Children
The Mal-Shi makes an ideal companion for children of all age groups. Although Malshi dog likes playing a lot with kids, he prefers the company of more considerate, older children because the small size of Malshi may make this dog vulnerable around very young kid who may not realize that the dog is not a toy and needs to be handled with respect. Parents should always supervise small kids around Malshi. Teaching kids that dogs should be treated with kindness and respect is the first step in building a happy friendship between your child and the new pet. Explain to children that a Malshi dog should not be approached while the dog is resting or eating. Also, ensure that your dog has an area where he can retreat and relax without being bothered by kids.
Just as with all small dog breeds, children should be trained on how to touch and approach these dogs. Their interactions with these pups should be supervised to prevent any incidences of biting the kids or tail and ear pulling for the case of the dogs. Ensure to teach your child to stay away from the Mal-shi when he's sleeping, eating, and should also never dare to take the dog's food away. No matter how friendly a dog may seem, there should always be supervised in case small children are involved.
Generally, Mal-Shis thrive perfectly in homes with other pets and dogs as well as in multi-pet environments. Regardless of the species involved, Maltese Shih Tzu mixes are very sociable and like playing will all. Although he doesn't view even Hamsters as a source of food, it's always advisable to keep a close eye on how he interacts with smaller pets.
Feeding the Malshi dog
The recommended daily diet for the Maltese Shih Tzu is a quarter to a half cup of dry food that's is high in quality. These meals should be divided into two, but just like individuals, dogs usually consume varying amounts of food depending on different factors. Another important point to note about feeding your Mal-Shi is that the amount of food he consumes depends on the size, metabolism, build, age and most importantly, activity level. It's definite that the more active the dog is, the more food it will demand than couch-potato dogs.
The quality of food you feed your Mal-Shi goes a long way in determining how well-nourished your dog will be. Less quality food means how frequently you will have to shake into the bowl of your dog. It's also important to note and take regular measurements of food your dog needs per day. Feed him at fixed time schedules without leaving the food out at all times for the dog to free feed. This will prevent your Mal Shi from becoming overweight, as these dogs have a high appetite and will eat throughout if allowed. You can always conduct a hands-on test as well as eye tests to determine if your dog is becoming overweight in order to take further measures.
The tests are conducted in the following way: First give your dog an aerial view, and ensure you see a waist. Next pace both of your hands on its back with fingers spreading downward and your thumbs on the spine. Without pressing hard, you should feel but not see the ribs. If you can't feel the ribs while being gentle, it means your Mal-Shi has added some excess weight and needs to be exercised more and fed less.
Malshi Exercise Requirements
Maltese Shih Tzu mixes have moderate exercise needs, and they tend to curb their habits to reflect their owners'. If you are the type of laid-back individuals, Mal-Shi will enjoy hanging out with you and will keep up with your tasks if you're an active type. Mal-Shis tend to live their masters do, and they enjoy going with the flow.
Regardless of your lifestyle, it goes without saying that your Maltese Shih Tzu mix will definitely require some exercise to remain healthy and fit. Being a lapdog, it will not consume much of your time to do it. Just a spirited catch-game or a daily walk should be enough. Although he enjoys living and playing in the house, he will also enjoy playing out around the yard. Whatever environment you wish to expose your Mal-Shi to, ensure he gets a 10 to 15 minutes exercise each day.
How to groom a Malshi
The Mal-Shi as highlighted earlier has a silky, soft and long coat. It isn't curly at all but has some waves on it. When it comes to maintenance, Mal-Shis are quite demanding in grooming. Their coats require a little bit more care by brushing on daily basis to prevent matting and tangling. Ensure to bathe your Mal-Shi regularly using a mild shampoo approved by your vet. This shouldn't be done excessively, as it could interfere with the natural oils on the Malshi's skin that keeps it soft and moistened. To ease the grooming process, ensure to clip your Malshi at least every 6 to 9 weeks and at a minimum, you can do the brushing weekly.
Just like the Maltese parent, the Mal-Shi tend to experience a few problems with tear stains under their eyes. Commercial Stain Removers do very well in treating the tear stains. Staining in this area can also be reduced by cleaning frequently. To remove lurking bacteria and tartar build-up in the teeth, brush your Mal-Shis' teeth twice or thrice a week. To further prevent bad breath and gum disease, you can brush its teeth on a daily basis.
If the Mal-Shi does not wear its nails down naturally, you can trim them monthly to prevent many problems including painful tears. You should check to see if they are clicking on the floor (a sign that they are unnecessarily long). When trimming the nails, ensure not to cut so far, as they could bleed in pain due to the blood vessels they contain. This could make your Mal-Shi not to cooperate the next time he sees you with the nail clippers. Get some pointers from the groomer or veterinarian about trimming your dog's nails if you are not so experienced.
Infection in Mal-Shis' ears shows in the form of bad odor or redness in the ears, and so you need to check on this regularly. Always wipe the ears using a ball of cotton that has been dampened with a PH-Balanced gentle cleaner to prevent further infections. Just clean up the outer part of the ear without inserting any objects into the dog's interior ear.
When your Maltese Shih Tzu is still at the puppyhood stage, endeavor to accustom it to being brushed and examined. You could also look into his mouth by frequently handle his paws- they are usually very touchy about them. To the Mal-Shi, grooming ought to be a positive experience that should be carried out alongside rewards and praises. This makes the task to be a positive experience, laying a perfect foundation for easy handling of the dog and frequent vet examinations when the dog becomes an adult.
During the grooming process, also ensure to look out for rashes, sores, possible signs of infection such as tenderness, inflammation, and redness of the on the skin, in the mouth, eyes, nose and on the feet. A healthy Maltese Shih Tzu mix dogs should have clear eyes with no discharge or redness whatsoever. By sticking to regular weekly examination, it will be absolutely possible to spot any arising health problems on time.
Malshi temperament
The Maltese Shi Tzu breed is an intelligent and adaptable dog. He's boisterous and outgoing, but the dog occasionally shows a quiet and laid-back personality. The aspect of this dog that matters most to him is his family. The dog likes being company with you, and when you acquire a well-bred Mal-Shi, he will definitely have a perfectly-rounded temperament.
The Mal-Shi tends to be very curious, which is likely to lead him to occasional problems. He's always in a happy mood and looking forward to active play sessions. However, the temperament of this adorable pooch could be affected by several factors including socialization, training and heredity. Mal-Shi puppies that have good temperaments are very playful and curious and are always willing to approach anyone and be held. When acquiring a Mal-Shi pup, don't choose one that's always hiding in a corner or that which beats up his fellow littermates, but get a puppy that is somewhere in between so that you can have a Mal-Shi with a balanced temperament.
To have some added confidence in your Mal-Shi pup, you can get to meet one of the parents (mother's availability is always guaranteed). This will give you some insights into the temperaments of the pup you may own so that you can determine if you are content. Meeting other parents' relatives and siblings could help you evaluate further what kind of Mal-Shi adult you will have.
As Maltese Shih Tzu has a tendency of becoming timid when not properly socialized at a tender age, this dog will need early training and socialization to curb this. To get more assistance in obedience training, enroll your Mal-Shi in a puppy kindergarten class. Additionally, you could also take your Mal-Shi to busy dog parks, take leisure strolls with your Mal-Shi and also invite visitors to your home regularly. All these will assist your Maltese Shih Tzu in polishing his social skills further.
Malshi potty training
Potty training your Mal-Shi is by far the most significant time-investment for the new addition to your family. A perfectly housetrained and trained Mal-Shi pup becomes a trusted and beloved companion. Small puppies, in general, have small bladders, and just like 2-year old kids, you don't have to wait for their commercial to come so that they can relieve themselves. Therefore, you should begin the potty training process as soon as your pup gets home.
The most important aspect of this process is knowing how to observe your Mal-Shi puppy. This is very simple, as it's quite charming to watch your new adorable puppy. To house train a Shih Tzu, pick up on their body language and watch out for the following signs:
Circling
Squatting
Sniffing
New puppies are also fond of leaving little messes all around the house, including chewing shoes and eating other things in cats' litter boxes. The potty training process plus all these menaces will be curbed by confining your pup occasionally in a crate. You should always avoid punishing your Mal-Shi pup for these messy actions.
Housebreaking a Malshi dog
First identify a spot outside the house where your Mal-Shi to be relieving himself. You will then be taking your dog to this spot whenever you take your Malshi outside after:
Playing
Eating
Sleeping
You could also watch out for the signs indicated above and take your Malshi pup outside to the designated potty area. After Malshi relieves himself, give him rewards inform of treats accompanied with praises. After Mal-Shi is done with the business, take him back to the house in the crate, as he should actually identify the crate as his resting area where he can take a nap when tired or bored. The praises you give your Mal-Shi could be accompanied by commands such as ‘Good Pottying, Go Potty, Goooood, and so on!' After repeated such actions, your Maltese Shih Tzu mix will eventually identify the pottying activity with a positive experience and will learn to do it himself. You just need to be consistent and patient!
Malshi training
It's always a pleasure to train the Mal-Shi especially if you have lots of patience that will likely be needed. Malshi dogs are intelligent but some Mal Shi may inherit the stubborn streak from their Shih Tzu parent. Due to their social and friendly behavior, Malshi are ideal for being used as therapy dogs.
Mal-Shis may portray a little stubbornness before getting used to the training. But through consistent and positive training, this small issue becomes easily sorted out. Training and becoming accustomed to the training tasks depend on how early you introduce your pup. With the deployment of positive techniques, your Mal-Shi pup will become a well behaved and obedient companion. We recommend reading some helpful books on dog training before you get the Malshi puppy in order to be prepared for any challenges that you may encounter during obedience and potty training process.
Always endeavor not to treat your Maltese Shih Tzu pup like a small baby but rather like a dog. Otherwise, he may turn to become a monster that is bratty! Avoid carrying him everywhere and make him walk as much as he can. As an extra precaution, don't establish yourself like a doting parent, but as the master of the house rest the Mal-Shi will develop a tendency to always overcome you. Being so adorable, controlling these pups in the way you want could prove to be a big issue, as you will always enjoy to hold him and cradle him at all times. Being lapdogs in most times during their lifetime, you shouldn't waste these puppyhood years of establishing training your Mal-Shi.
Pros and cons of owning a Malshi
Shih Tzu dog
Shih Tzu dog life expectancy
Maltese dog
Maltese and Shih Tzu comparison
Maltese Mix dogs
Malchi dogs
Maltipoo dog
Maltipom dog
Morkie dog
Crossbreeds with Shih Tzu
Shih Poo dog
|
