Maltese Costs 2023: Purchase Cost, Vet Bills, and More!

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If you’re looking for a highly affectionate, sweet, small dog, the Maltese may be your right choice. The little dogs originated in the Mediterranean island nation of Malta. They’ve been loved by royalty and commoners alike since their existence. These deeply loyal dogs can be expensive, though, so calculating out the Maltese costs before bringing one home may be essential for your financial health.

Let’s take a look at the overall initial costs, monthly costs, and more to find out if a Maltese dog is right for you.

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A variety of factors impact the costs for a Maltese. For one, if you’re getting a pure-bred puppy, the costs will be much higher than an adopted undocumented lineage Maltese adult.

Three basic places offer Maltese puppies for new owners.

Many folks opt to bring home a puppy from a breeder or pet shop. This enables folks to ensure the puppy’s pedigree and family health history. These purchases for Maltese puppies typically run between $600 and $2400. The more “superior” the lineage, the more expensive the puppy is likely to be. So, if you’re looking for a more affordable pup, don’t worry about the excessive lineage factors. Instead, focus on finding the right puppy personality.

Most puppies will be closer to the $600 — $1000 range, rather than the massive $15,000 price tag. Just be sure the breeder is verified and reputable or you may wind up with a pup that has poor health or other problems.

If you’re not sure where to look, find the best pet shop near you that deals with dogs. They’re likely to have a breeder they work with, if they don’t have any Maltese puppies available currently.

When you visit a rescue society or shelter, you’ll find an adoption fee comes into play. These can run anywhere from a mere $50 to a whopping $500. It just depends on the shelter’s policies, the number of dogs they have, regulations, the dog’s age, temperament, or health. These adoption fees typically cover costs of spaying or neutering, vaccinations, medical treatments, or similar while the dog has remained at the rescue.

Though you’re not super likely to come across one, occasionally there may be a free Maltese at a shelter or online. Occasionally, folks realize they can’t afford to keep a dog, have some kind of other life change, or some disaster leaves an animal homeless. In these cases, you’ll find a Maltese may be looking for a new home from a shelter or ad.

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One of the major expenses of any pet’s life is health care and insurance. In this case, Maltese dogs have several needs that must be dealt with early on and some on-going needs.

In their first year of life, Maltese puppies require specific, unique care in their medical lives. This starts with vaccinations, routine check-ups, and basic treatments. Additionally, puppies should be spayed or neutered around the fourth month of their lives for best results. It can be done any time after this, as well, but four months is ideal. Typically, these initial Maltese costs will run you between $195 and $510, depending on specific needs.

Per month, Maltese dogs may require basic medical care running between $25 and $100. This covers things like flea and tick treatments, and similar.

However, Maltese dogs tend to be more prone to genetic disorders than many other small breeds, especially if you have a Teacup Maltese or toy. As Maltese age, they may well encounter any of the following conditions, and require expensive treatments for them.

Since your Maltese is likely to develop some serious conditions in their lifetime, you may well want to consider getting pet health care insurance. The fees usually run between $25 and $50 monthly.

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Not everyone opts for this, but it’s recommended that you get your Maltese microchipped when you first take them to the vet. This helps ensure their safety. They’re also more likely to be returned to you if they get lost somehow.

Microchipping usually runs between $50 and $75.

Essential care for your Maltese includes vaccinations. They need these to help protect against common diseases. During the first year of life, Maltese puppies need a series of shots to boost their immune system. These come in a series of three visits over the year, running about $75 to $100 per visit.

In many cases, the initial vaccines are all your Maltese needs. In some states, though, annual rabies vaccines are required. Check with your vet and see if they recommend boosters annually or not.

These fluffy pups love to play outdoors, so they’re prone to insects invading all that fur. They’ll need flea and tick treatments on a regular basis along with deworming medications. These together will run between $50 and $200.

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When you’re not at home, you’re going to likely need to keep your pal in a crate for safety and sanity’s sake. They can get into a bit of mischief otherwise. A small crate typically runs between $30 and $200, depending on the brand you choose.

It’s always recommended that you opt for the best, highest-quality pet food you can find. This helps reduce health problems throughout your pup’s lifetime and generally helps them feel better.

Small breeds like Maltese don’t eat as much as larger breeds like Great Danes or even Labrador Retrievers. This means their food won’t be quite as costly per month. In most cases, dog food for a Maltese will cost between $100 and $200 annually.

Maltese dogs do have some good energy in them, but they don’t tend to play as hard or intensely as larger breeds. You’ll need some toys to start out and occasionally replace them over their lifetime. You’ll likely just need about $20 to $40 to start out, as they can enjoy cheap toys. They don’t shred them like others, so they don’t need to be super well made. You’ll likely replace the toys every couple of years for about $5 a piece.

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Dog treats should also come from high-quality food sources. This means that you’ll likely spend between $10 and $30 a month on dog treats during training. To maintain their training, treats will more likely cost between $10 and $20 monthly.

Every day, your dog uses food and water bowls. You’ll need a set initially, as well as a backup set to trade out during cleaning times. Over the years, you’ll need to replace them occasionally, as well. Initially, you’ll find $10 to $25 should cover this, with probably another 3 to 4 more purchases over their lifetime.

Comfortable, easy-to-clean dog beds help make your life and your Maltese’s way better. Choose high-quality bedding for better sleep. You’ll find these may run anywhere from $40 to $150.

Since your Maltese needs plenty of exercise and walks benefit you both, you’ll need to purchase leashes and collars. A quality set will likely start at about $30 and reach up to $80.

Purchasing a dog license is a good idea for your Maltese’s safety. These usually run between $10 and $20.

A few miscellaneous supplies needed mostly pertain to hygiene. You’ll need poop bags, potty pads, odor remover, poop scoopers, and similar. Expect to spend about $15 to $30 initially on these, with a consistent refill running about $20 a month in most cases.

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Some folks think that a small dog shouldn’t require much training. However, even small poches like Maltese benefit from training. They’re fairly easy to train, too, which helps. The main thing is that you need to be patient with them.

Group classes are best for Maltese, as this also provided socialization with other dogs and humans. Group classes typically run between $100 and $300 for a series of classes. Prices vary mostly on the trainer, size of the class, and location.

You can also help train your Maltese at home, using treats, games, and toys. If you’re disciplined and patient, you may be able to save money by fully training at home. You should always invest time in socialization, though. Consider taking your Maltese to dog parks and set up some play dates.

Depending on how frequently you groom your Maltese at home versus taking them to the vet, you’ll see costs in this area run between $0 and $75 monthly. Purchasing a kit for home use will keep this cost lower after the initial purchase. Most kits on Amazon or similar stores run between $30 and $150. These include shampoo, clippers, eat powder, combs, slicker brushes, scissors, and de-shedding tools. Choose your kit wisely for a higher price now and you’ll save more money in the end.

Be sure to bathe and trim nails on your Maltese about once monthly, as well, to help improve overall life and appearance. This also helps reduce allergens.

Throughout the lifetime of your Maltese, some other costs may arise. Your lifestyle will largely impact these. You could be looking at any of the following.

All said and done, bringing home a Maltese dog will run you between $ and $, including the purchase of the dog, initial medical care, and supplies.

Save in the event of medical emergencies or chronic conditions, the average monthly cost of raising a Maltese will run you between $80 and $200. If you employ money saving methods, this may decrease the cost as much as $40 monthly.

Although Maltese dogs can be expensive to raise, there are a few ways you can save money.

Maltese dogs are an amazing breed with an interesting history and loads of fun facts.

For more amazing Maltese facts, check out an article all about them.

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