Maltese growth chart
The AKC standard gives up to 3.2 kg, and 17.8 to 22.9 cm at the shoulder. That places the Maltese in the toy size category, so its growth follows that curve, scaled to this breed’s own published weight rather than to a category average.
What the breed standard says
| Measure | Metric | As the source states it |
|---|---|---|
| Weight, male | up to 3.2 kg | under 7 pounds |
| Height | 17.8 to 22.9 cm | 7-9 inches |
| Life expectancy | 12 to 15 years | 12-15 years |
| AKC popularity | Ranks 37 of 210 | AKC breed registration statistics |
Figures are from the AKC breed standard for the Maltese. Its pounds and inches are converted to metric above. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the AKC.
Maltese weight by age
Percentages are the toy category curve. Weights are those percentages applied to this breed’s published adult range, so the middle column is a Maltese at the centre of its standard.
| Age | Percent grown | Expected weight | Range across the standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 weeks (2.8 months) | 41% | 1.3 kg (3 lb) | — |
| 16 weeks (3.7 months) | 50% | 1.6 kg (3 lb) | — |
| 20 weeks (4.6 months) | 60% | 1.9 kg (4 lb) | — |
| 26 weeks (6.0 months) | 72% | 2.3 kg (5 lb) | — |
| 34 weeks (7.8 months) | 82% | 2.6 kg (6 lb) | — |
| 43 weeks (9.9 months) | 88% | 2.8 kg (6 lb) | — |
| 52 weeks (12.0 months) | 91% | 2.9 kg (6 lb) | — |
| 78 weeks (1.5 years) | 97% | 3.1 kg (7 lb) | — |
| 104 weeks (2.0 years) | 100% | 3.2 kg (7 lb) | — |
When a Maltese finishes growing
- Half adult weight at around 5 months.
- 90% of adult weight at around 12 months.
- Essentially finished by around 24 months.
- Senior from about 10 years, following AAHA life stage guidance, which sets senior status by proportion of expected lifespan rather than a fixed birthday.
Height finishes before weight. A Maltese that has stopped getting taller will still be filling out through the chest and shoulders for months afterwards, which is why an apparently full-grown dog can carry on gaining.
Feeding a Maltese puppy
At six months a male at the middle of the standard weighs about 2.3 kg and needs roughly 261 kcal a day. A grown one at 3.2 kg needs about 335 kcal. Both come from Merck’s resting energy formula with the growth multiplier applied.
Across a whole first year that adds up to a real number, and the puppy price calculator works it out month by month for this size of dog.
Work out actual portions with the feeding calculator above, or the daily figure alone with the calorie calculator for a puppy. Both need the energy density from your bag, because two foods of the same weight can differ by hundreds of calories.
How much to trust this chart
- The curve is the size category, not the breed. Salt et al. grouped dogs by adult bodyweight because that is what predicts growth. There is no Maltese dimension in the source data, and any page claiming a breed-specific curve from it is claiming more than it has.
- The weights are the breed, though. They are the category percentages applied to the AKC published range, so the table ends where this breed actually ends. Our guide to how breed growth charts are actually built works through what that does and does not buy you.
- This breed sits away from the middle of its category. The category median adult is 4.5 kg against this breed’s 3.2 kg, a factor of 1.40. The weights are scaled correctly, but the timing may run differently from the category average.
- A breed standard is a target, not a census. Plenty of healthy dogs sit outside it. Steady progress along one line beats hitting any particular number.
- Mixes are a different question. If your puppy is part Maltese, the mixed breed puppy weight calculator will do better than this page.
Frequently asked questions
How big will my Maltese get?
The AKC standard gives up to 3.2 kg. The source states it as under 7 pounds.
Height runs 17.8 to 22.9 cm at the shoulder.
Those are the breed standard, not a prediction for your dog. A Maltese at the top of the range and one at the bottom are both entirely normal, and the puppy weight calculator predictor will narrow it down from your puppy's current weight.
When does a Maltese stop growing?
Around 24 months for practical purposes, with the curve passing 90% of adult weight at about 12 months.
That is the toy category curve rather than a measurement on this breed specifically. Bigger dogs finish later: filling out in the chest and shoulders carries on for months after height has stopped, so a dog that looks finished may still be gaining.
What should a Maltese puppy weigh at 6 months?
About 2.3 kg (5 lb) for a male at the middle of the breed standard. That is 72% of adult weight.
The full table above gives the rest of the first two years. Treat the figures as the centre of a range, not a target: a puppy tracking steadily along its own line matters far more than hitting a number on a given week.
How much should a Maltese eat?
At six months, roughly 261 kcal a day, using the Merck resting energy formula with the growth multiplier. A grown one at 3.2 kg needs about 335 kcal.
Turn that into portions with the puppy food calculator, which needs the energy density printed on your bag, because two foods at the same weight can differ by hundreds of calories.
Is this chart specific to the Maltese?
Half of it is, and it is worth knowing which half. The percentages come from the toy size category in Salt et al. 2017, which has no breed dimension in it at all. Any breed in this category shares that curve.
The weights are this breed's, scaled to the AKC published adult range. That is a more modest claim than a breed-specific curve, and it is the one the data actually supports.
Related calculators
References
Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Full details, including what each source is used for, are on our sources page.
- American Kennel Club. Official Breed Standards.
- Salt C, Morris PJ, German AJ, Wilson D, Lund EM, Cole TJ, Butterwick RF. Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in dogs of different sizes. PLOS ONE. 2017;12(9):e0182064. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0182064
- Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. Management and Nutrition.
- American Animal Hospital Association. AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines.