The Maltese wears a single, long, silky white coat, and it is as high-maintenance as it is lovely. Fine and soft, it matts close to the skin and shows every tear stain, so it needs gentle, regular hands. We groom hair coats like this every day, and your Maltese leaves comfortable, bright around the eyes, and finished the way you asked.
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A Maltese has a single coat of long, fine hair with no woolly undercoat to hide behind. It hangs straight and silky, which looks beautiful, but that same fineness means it knots quietly and close to the skin: behind the ears, under the collar and harness, in the armpits and down the back legs. The white coat also shows everything, so tear staining around the eyes and mouth needs a gentle, regular clean rather than a scrub.
A Maltese isn't a poodle or a poodle cross, but it is a hair-coat breed, and that is exactly the kind of coat we work with all day. Most salons treat every dog the same and reach for the clippers the moment a coat gets tricky. We do the opposite. We know how a fine single coat behaves, where it matts and how much length it can carry, so your Maltese is groomed to what suits it rather than rushed through a one-size cut.
Coat-health first, gentle handling throughout, and a finish that keeps your Maltese comfortable and clean around the face and eyes.
The soft, rounded look most Maltese owners picture, with a tidy, shorter face that keeps the eye area comfortable. It's hand-scissored so the shape sits right and the tear-stain zone stays open and easy to wipe.
A warm wash with a coat-suitable shampoo, a careful blow-dry and full brush-out, plus nails, ear clean, sanitary trim and paw pads. On a white coat we take extra care to leave it bright and knot-free.
A Full Groom for a clean all-over tidy, a Style Trim for a hand-scissored shape, or the Asian Style for a rounder, plush finish with a fuller face. Keep it short and easy or leave a little length, your call.
Coat-health always comes before a fast finish. If the coat has matted, we work to what's kind for the dog rather than pulling knots that hurt, and we'll always talk you through it first.
Most Maltese do best on a full groom every four to six weeks. Because the coat is so fine, it felts faster than a heavier coat if it's left, and a badly knotted coat means a shorter, kinder cut rather than the length you had in mind.
Between grooms, a gentle brush and comb every couple of days keeps the fine coat from matting, especially behind the ears, under the harness and around the face. A quick daily wipe under the eyes helps keep tear staining down. If a busy stretch gets away from you, just bring them in and we'll get them comfortable again, no judgement. If keeping to a rhythm is the hard part, The Poodle Club books each groom in for you at a members' price.
A Maltese is a small dog, usually 3 to 5kg, so a Full Groom starts from $110, with the final price depending on size and coat condition and confirmed before we begin.
Full Groom
from $110
Bath, dry, full clip and tidy, nails, ears and sanitary. A clean all-over finish.
Style Trim
from $135
A hand-scissored, styled finish for owners who want the shape kept, not clipped short.
Asian Style
from $150
A rounder, fluffier, fuller look, scissored soft. The signature poodle-family finish.
A small deposit secures your booking. Full pricing for every size and service is on our services page.
Our studio is in Sunshine North, an easy drive for Maltese owners right across Melbourne's western suburbs.
You'll find us at Warehouse 8/17 Third Avenue, Sunshine North. Directions and hours.
"Each groom is exactly as asked."
"Someone who truly understands poodles."
"Welcoming, friendly staff, we'll definitely return."
Yes. Fine Maltese coats felt close to the skin, and pulling those knots out hurts. We put the dog first, so a badly matted coat may need a shorter, kinder clip rather than a painful de-matt. We'll look at the coat and talk you through the options before we start.
Every four to six weeks for a full groom keeps the fine coat comfortable and knot-free. Because Maltese hair is so soft, a gentle brush and comb every couple of days between visits, plus a daily wipe under the eyes, makes a real difference.
The short teddy or puppy trim with a clean, rounded face is the most-asked Maltese look, because it keeps the coat easy and the eye area tidy. If you'd rather keep some length or a longer flowing coat, we can do that too. Bring a photo and we'll match it.
We do, and a calm, gentle first groom sets a Maltese up for an easy life in the salon. We keep a puppy's first visit unrushed so they learn that grooming, and the dryer, are nothing to worry about.
A small dog like a Maltese is usually quicker than a big coat, but we never rush a groom to fit the day. We'll give you a realistic time when you book, take extra care around the face and eyes, and let you know if the coat condition changes anything.
A Maltese is a small dog, so a Full Groom starts from $110 and a hand-scissored Style Trim from $135. Final price depends on size and coat condition and is confirmed before we begin. Full pricing is on our services page.
A breed-specialist studio that grooms maltese coats every day. Book a time that suits you.
