Maltese Colors Guide (White, Black, Brown, Lemon & More)

Malteses are famous for being a white dog, but did you know that they can come in slight coat color variations? In this guide, we will go through all the coat colors Malteses can come in, from super rare to impossible colors!

If you want to know more about Maltese coat colors, keep reading this article to find out about every color they can come in!

Cover Image Credit: @oliver_themaltese_ // Instagram

Table of Contents

What Colors Do Malteses Come In?

Maltese come in three official colors according to the American Kennel Club (AKC). These colors include:

White
White & lemon
White & tan

While lemon and tan are permissible colors, they are not desirable colors according to the breed standards. That is why white is the only standard color.

There is only one official marking according to the AKC which are black points. Be aware that black points are not black coat patches like what you see with other breeds. Black points means black paw pads, black noses, black lips and black eye rims.

Do Malteses Change Color?

Malteses can change color as a result of staining rather than genetic changes like other breeds. Often, the fur around their eyes, paws and chin changes color as they are exposed to the most elements.

Their paw fur may become an ivory, tan or brown shade from dirt build up while the fur around their mouth and chin can turn light brown from food staining. Malteses are also susceptible to tear staining which can turn their fur to a reddish-brown color near their tear ducts.

You can avoid a lot of these coat color changes by regularly washing your Maltese with a high quality dog shampoo and also regularly wiping around their eye area with grooming wipes. You can specifically get tear stain remover wipes. It’s also a good idea to ask your dog groomer to trim the fur around their paws to prevent excess dirt and debris build up.

White Maltese

The White Maltese features a pure white coat. White is the only standard coat color according to the American Kennel Club so nearly all Malteses have the this coat color. They have dark brown or black eyes and usually have dark nails however lighter colored nails are also accepted.

Are White Malteses Rare?

White Malteses are not rare at all. In fact, white is the most common Maltese coat color. If you are looking to buy or adopt a Maltese, you will quickly realise that majority that are available for sale are pure white.

White Maltese Price

White Malteses have a price range of $2500USD to $4500USD however the average price is around $3500USD. There isn’t much variation in Maltese prices due to coat color as there are hardly any coat colors to choose from in the first place. They are all about as common as each other.

White Maltese Breeders

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White Maltese Names

Coco
Ollie
Theodore
Bear
Buddy

Daisy
Lucy
Zoe
Angel
Alaska

White & Lemon Maltese

white and lemon maltese — White & Lemon Maltese via @limbanhee // Instagram

A White & Lemon Maltese features a mainly white coat with lemon coloring on their ears. The American Kennel Club (AKC) highlights that they prefer the lemon coloring to only be present on their ears but it can also be present on their snout or back in small spots.

Many Malteses are born with lemon spots on their ears which often fades as they mature into adult dogs. However, for others the lemon spots never disappear.

Are White & Lemon Malteses Rare?

White & Lemon Malteses are not rare. They are the next most common coat color after pure White Malteses and even though they are ranked second, they’re practically as common as pure White Malteses.

White & Lemon Maltese Price

White & Lemon Malteses have a price range of $2500USD to $4500USD however the average price is around $3500USD. Sometimes White & Lemon Malteses sell for slightly cheaper prices than pure White Malteses as the lemon markings are not as desirable.

White & Lemon Maltese Names

Lemon
Bailey
Biscuit
Muffin
Lulu

Mac
Buttercup
Amber
Dandelion
Dusty

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White & Tan Maltese

White & Tan Malteses feature a mainly white coat with tan markings on their ears and occasionally on other areas of their body. The tan color is usually the strongest on the tips of their ears and lightens towards their head.

Are White & Tan Malteses Rare?

White & Tan Malteses are not as common as pure White Malteses or White & Lemon Malteses but that does not make them rare. You do see White & Tan Malteses around every now and then and they are often available from breeders.

White & Tan Maltese Price

White & Tan Malteses have a price range of $2500USD to $4500USD however the average price is around $3500USD. Sometimes White & Tan Malteses sell for slightly cheaper prices than pure White Malteses as the tan markings are not as desirable.

White & Tan Maltese Names

Coffee
Hersey
Toast
Truffles
Honey

Cookie
Moose
Sandy
Peanut
Bagel

Black Maltese

Purebred Black Malteses do not exist. If you see an advertisement for a Black Maltese it is likely to be a mixed breed dog.

“Black Malteses” are usually created by crossing a Maltese with another small dark colored breed like a Shih Tzu, Pomeranian or a Poodle. In reality, your “Black Maltese” may be a:

Black Maltipoo (Maltese x Poodle)
Black Mal-Shi (Maltese x Shih Tzu)
Black Maltipom (Maltese x Pomeranian)

As they are not a purebred Maltese, Black Malteses cannot be registered under the purebred standards or be shown at dog events or shows. Nevertheless, they can be registered in other mixed breed or hybrid breed clubs.

Brown Maltese

The same goes with Brown Malteses. They do not exist like Black Malteses. If you see an advertisement for a Brown Maltese it is likely to be a mixed breed dog.

“Brown Malteses” are usually created by crossing a Maltese with another small dark colored breed like a Shih Tzu, Pomeranian or a Poodle. In reality, your “Brown Maltese” may be a: