The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the toy group. Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, a black button nose and eyes. The body is compact with the length equaling the height. The drop ears with (sometimes) long hair and, and surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a "halo"), gives Maltese their expressive look. Their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color without exposure to sunlight. This is often referred to as a "winter nose" and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.

The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. The color is pure white; although cream or light lemon ears are also common. The Maltese breed has hair, not fur, which sheds less than fur, and is considered hypoallergenic making it a better choice for people with dog allergies. The Maltese has lemon or brown markings along with the white hair. Some people prefer to have the coat short. The most common cut for the maltese is called the "puppy cut".

Adult Maltese range from roughly 5 to 12 lb and they stand normally 7-10 inches tall.

For more information, please refer to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_(dog)