The Maltese is one of the breeds I see most often around Sami on our walks - two small white dogs noticing each other, both their owners pretending we're not slowing down to chat. From a distance they look related. They're not. The Westie is a terrier from Scotland; the Maltese is a toy companion dog from the Mediterranean. They've ended up at a similar size by very different routes, and that history shows in how they actually live.

If you're choosing between the two, the surface similarities can mislead you. Here's where Sami's breed and the Maltese genuinely overlap, and where they don't.

Quick comparison at a glance

	Westie	Maltese
Height	9-11 in (23-28 cm)	7-9 in (18-23 cm)
Weight	13-22 lbs (6-10 kg)	4-7 lbs (2-3 kg)
Lifespan	12-16 years	12-15 years
Energy level	Moderate to high	Low to moderate
Coat	Double, hard outer, hand-stripped or trimmed	Single, long, silky, no undercoat
Shedding	Low when maintained	Very low, considered hypoallergenic
Exercise need	30-60 min/day	20-30 min/day
Good with kids	Yes, with socialisation	Better with older, gentle kids
Apartment-friendly	Yes	Yes, very
Origin	Scotland	Italy / Mediterranean

The shorthand: a Westie is a small working terrier in a companion's life. A Maltese is a companion dog with no other job in its DNA. That's not a hierarchy - it's just two genuinely different setups in a similar-sized package.

Appearance and size

The Maltese is the smaller of the two by a noticeable margin. A typical Maltese weighs around 5-7 lbs (2-3 kg), which is less than half what Sami weighs. Westies are compact but solid - boxy little dogs with substance. Pick one up and you feel the muscle. Pick up a Maltese and you mostly feel coat.

The coat itself is the most visible difference. A Westie has a double coat - a hard, wiry outer layer and a soft undercoat. It's white because the breed standard requires it, and it stays scruffy unless groomed. The Maltese coat is single, long, silky, and traditionally white. Show Maltese have floor-length coats parted down the spine. Most pet Maltese live in a puppy cut, which is shorter and easier to maintain. There's no undercoat, which is one reason they're often considered a more hypoallergenic option than most dogs, though both breeds shed very little when groomed properly.

Temperament and personality

Both breeds are confident for their size. They both think they're bigger than they are. They both have opinions.

The Westie's confidence is the famous Westitude. Sami is stubborn, opinionated, and not particularly interested in pleasing me - he loves us, but he negotiates. Westies are alert, vocal when something's worth noting, and have that terrier streak that makes them chase what moves. He'd happily go after a squirrel if I dropped the leash. He'd absolutely not happily come back.

A Maltese is confident in a different way. Bred for centuries to be a lap companion, they're devoted to their person to an almost surprising degree. They're playful, sweet, and generally less independent than a Westie. Where Sami will happily go nap in another room, a Maltese typically wants to be on you. Or if not on you, in eye contact. That closeness can tip into separation anxiety if they're left alone for long stretches - a real consideration if you work outside the home all day.

Both breeds are smart. Maltese are often easier to train in formal terms - they want to do what their person wants. Westies are equally smart but, as I've written before about how they handle commands, they exercise their right to disagree.

Grooming and coat care

This is where the work lives, and it's significant for both.

A Westie's hard outer coat is traditionally maintained by hand-stripping - plucking the dead hair out rather than cutting it - which keeps the texture and the brightness right. Most pet owners use a groomer every 6-8 weeks. At home you're brushing several times a week, checking ears, and dealing with the fact that white shows everything.

A Maltese coat is silkier but more tangle-prone. Daily brushing is genuinely required - skip a few days and you get mats that can only be cut out. Eye staining (the brown tear marks below the eyes) is common and needs daily cleaning. Bathing is more frequent than for a Westie too. Most owners keep their Maltese in a puppy cut for sanity. The trade-off is real: a Maltese is the smaller, gentler dog, but the coat is the more demanding one.

Health and lifespan

Lifespan is similar - both reach 12-15+ years if cared for well.

Westies have breed-specific concerns: skin allergies are very common (Sami has them), and the breed sees conditions like Westie lung disease, Legg-Calvé-Perthes, and craniomandibular osteopathy. None of these are guaranteed, but a good Westie breeder will be testing for them.

Maltese are generally healthy but have their own small-dog issues. Patellar luxation (slipping kneecaps), portosystemic shunts (a liver issue more common in very small breeds), dental disease (the smaller the dog, the more crowded the mouth), and white shaker syndrome can all show up. The dental issue is genuinely worth planning for - small-breed teeth need real attention.

Which is right for you

A Westie suits someone who wants a small dog with some grit - confident, characterful, happy to walk a real distance, happy to entertain himself when you're working. He's a good fit for families with kids old enough not to grab fistfuls of his fur, and a good fit for active singles or couples in apartments. He's not a lap dog, though he'll cuddle on his terms.

A Maltese suits someone who wants a true companion dog - small enough to take everywhere, devoted enough to be a constant presence. They're excellent for seniors, for people who work from home, for households where the dog will rarely be left alone for long periods. They're not for households with young kids or rough handling - they're small and fragile compared to a Westie.

One specific note worth flagging: if you've fallen for both, there's an actual cross - the Westie-Maltese mix exists, and people who've ended up with one tend to be very happy. Smaller than a Westie, more terrier than a Maltese, and the coat lands somewhere in between.

For other small-breed comparisons in the same general size range, Westie vs Yorkie and Westie vs Shih Tzu cover the most common alternatives.

Frequently asked questions

Are Westies and Maltese the same breed?

No. The Westie is a terrier developed in Scotland for hunting small vermin. The Maltese is a toy companion breed from the Mediterranean with no working history. The white coat is roughly all they share.

Which is better for first-time owners?

The Maltese is usually the easier first dog - smaller, more eager to please, less stubborn. Westies are very rewarding but require an owner who's comfortable with a dog that has opinions.

Which has fewer grooming needs?

Both are high-maintenance, just in different ways. A Maltese needs daily brushing and frequent professional trims. A Westie needs hand-stripping or clipping every 6-8 weeks plus regular brushing. Neither is a low-grooming breed.

Are Maltese or Westies more hypoallergenic?

The Maltese is more commonly described as hypoallergenic because it has a single coat and minimal shedding. Westies shed very little too when groomed properly. No dog is truly hypoallergenic - it depends on the individual's allergies - but both breeds are among the better options.