How big is a Maltese?
Up to 25 cm (10 in) at the shoulder, per the FCI breed standard: here it is to scale next to a person, with its weight, how long it lives and when it becomes a senior.
To scale, next to a person
Zoomed ×2: here you see the man up to 95 cm (37 in) off the ground
Photo: 칼빈500 (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The breed in numbers
- Height
- 21-25 cm
- Weight
- 3-4 kg (7-9 lb)
- Median lifespan
- 13.1 years
- Senior from
- 8-11 years
- FCI group
- companion dogs (FCI 65)
- Calories a day
- 290 kcal
Frequently asked questions
How tall is a Maltese?
21 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) at the shoulder for males, and 20 to 23 cm for females, according to the official FCI breed standard (no. 65).
How much does a Maltese weigh?
3-4 kg (7-9 lb), according to the official FCI standard.
How long does a Maltese live?
The median lifespan is 13.1 years, from a 2024 study of 584,734 dogs in the UK (McMillan et al.). Half the dogs of the breed lived longer, half shorter.
When is it a senior?
The AVMA says a dog is a senior in the last quarter of its expected life: for this breed’s weight, from 8–11 years old. From then on, a vet checkup at least twice a year.
How much should it eat?
A spayed or neutered adult weighing 3.5 kg (8 lb) needs about 290 calories a day, by the Pet Nutrition Alliance formula. The amount depends on the calories in its food: work it out from the label.
How old is it in human years?
By the formula from a 2020 DNA study: at 1 year it’s like a 31-year-old person, at 3 like a 49-year-old, at 7 like 62, at 12 like 71. The formula was found in Labradors: for other breeds it’s an estimate.
Compare it with other breeds All 42 breeds All the pets next to a person
For your dog
Always ask your vet: this site helps you understand, it doesn’t replace a checkup.
Sources
- Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), breed standards (checked on October 9, 2026)
- McMillan K. M. et al., “Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death,” Scientific Reports 2024 (CC BY 4.0) (checked on October 6, 2026)
- AVMA, “Caring for senior cats and dogs” (checked on October 6, 2026)
- Pet Nutrition Alliance, “Calculating Calories Based on Pet Needs” (checked on October 6, 2026)
- Wang T. et al., “Quantitative Translation of Dog-to-Human Aging by Conserved Remodeling of the DNA Methylome,” Cell Systems 2020 (checked on October 6, 2026)