Crested Malt Dog Breed

A Chinese Crested x Maltese mix, as a crossbreed, is not an official member of any breed group--but both its Chinese Crested and Maltese parent breeds are members of the Toy group in most clubs, so these hybrids would fit nicely in that category. No real info exists about the Malt's specific origin; while a Maltese-Chinese Crested mix has probably existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its creation. The Crested Malt likely gained popularity during the designer dog "explosion" in North America in the late 20th century. These happy, adaptable little hybrids make fantastic companion pets; since their coats are hypoallergenic, they're also good for allergy sufferers.

A few facts about the Chinese Crested-Maltese cross: they're toy-sized, averaging 10 inches at the shoulders in height and nine pounds in weight; their coats can vary from hairless to long and silky--but regardless, the coats shed very little; and they're prone to separation anxiety if left alone.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Crested Malt:

A Crested Malt is the offspring of two prized companion breeds--so the Malt will surely be a great companion dog as well. These hybrids' coat length and texture can vary a lot: the Maltese has a long and flowing coat, while the Chinese Crested can be of the Hairless or Powderpuff (long and silky) variety. This means the Malt can be hairless, full-coated, or somewhere in between--and the different coat types can be found in puppies in the same litter.

The Malt is toy-sized, with height typically 9-11 inches at the shoulders and weight 7-11 pounds.

In terms of personality, it'll be hard to find a much friendlier dog! The Crested Malt usually gets along with almost everyone and everything. The problem is, the Malt uses its charm to try and get its way, and the dog will become visibly upset if things don't go its way. Early training and socialization, however, will help curb this selfish tendency. A Malt usually responds well to training, too, and can learn commands and tasks without too many repetitions. And these dogs have surprisingly good watchdog skills, as they're likely to bark at and investigate unknown sights or sounds.

A Crested Malt will be lively and energetic--but due to its small size, the dog won't need a ton of exercise. Combined with its natural tendency for playfulness, a short walk or two on a daily basis will suffice.

The Crested Malt hybrid doesn't see a lot of variation in physical features--except in its coat (see below). Breeders use symbols like P, F1, F2, and so on to represent a crossbred dog's genetic material. For the Chinese Crested-Maltese mix, the following applies:

• P: Purebred; 100% Chinese Crested or Maltese
• F1: P x P; 50% Crested, 50% Maltese
• F1b: P x F1; 75% of the purebred parent's DNA
• F2: F1 x F1; 50% Crested, 50% Maltese

(The sequence continues up to F5 or higher.)
The main variants in this mixed breed are determined by whether the Crested parent has a Hairless or a Powder Puff coat. A Chinese Crested Powder Puff x Maltese mix is more likely to have a full, long-haired coat. That said, the Powder Puff gene in the Crested is a recessive one--which means that puppies of a Powder Puff Crested may still be hairless. So a Powder Puff Crested-Maltese mix can be full-coated or hairless (or even have a thin, sparse coat).

The Crested Malt, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is very healthy. Even so, these hybrids can suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), patellar luxation, and various eye issues (the most serious of which is Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA). Toy-sized dogs like these are also prone to dental problems, so a Crested Malt will need its teeth brushed regularly. Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Crested Malt is 11-14 years.