Yorkies and Maltese are both tiny and high-energy dog breeds belonging to the toy group. They are perfect for apartments, older owners, or just someone looking for a smaller dog.
Many small dog owners own one of each and report these breeds are the best of friends. If you’re looking for two small breeds that work great as companions, a Yorkie and Maltese are great options.
Both live until about 11-16 years old and have similar basic needs. There is even such a thing as Morkies, which is a cross between Yorkies and Maltese.
These two breeds have temperaments that pair well with each other. Yorkies and Maltese tend to get along well and exhibit behaviors of playfulness with one another.
If you want to know more about the relationship between these two breeds and how to care for them together to ensure they have the best of friendship, check out below!
What is it Like to Have a Yorkie and Maltese in the Home Together?
Yorkies and Maltese are similar breeds and can often live well with each other in the home. Despite their overlapping similarities in pet care, they are still their breed, and each deserves some credit.
Yorkie
The Yorkie, more formally known as the Yorkshire Terrier, originally comes from Britain. They usually sport a black, brown, or dark gold coat with straight, long hair.
Maltese
Maltese on the other hand come from the Island of Malta, near Spain. They have curlier, long hair that is similar to a Yorkie if not groomed. They are all white, which is a stark difference from dark-colored Yorkies.
What They Are Like Together
Despite their general differences in appearance, they have personalities that bounce off of each other. Their small sizes help them to feel less threatened by one another. Both breeds are extremely loyal to their owners and also to each other once they have built a bond.
They also are both pretty high in spirit even into their old age. Sometimes, it has been recommended to get a companion friend for when your dog gets older, and these breeds make a great pair to keep each other company!
Expect both of these breeds to be all over you because they are both lap dogs. They will lick you and shower you with affection. It is common for there to be a little tension sometimes between your Yorkie and Maltese when they are both trying to get the attention and love of their owner.
They tend to get jealous of each other sometimes so just make sure you give both attention evenly. Of course, every individual dog is different, and owners know their pets better than anyone. One of the most important pieces of advice we have is to ensure they get along and make sure your Yorkie and Maltese have a proper introduction.
Introducing Your Yorkie and Maltese
Setting up a safe and proper introduction between your Yorkie and Maltese is always important before leaving them in the home together unsupervised. Especially if you already have one living in the home and plan to bring another in.
Sometimes bringing in a new dog can cause feelings of jealousy if your current dog has already established a sense of dominance over territory in the home. The good thing is that Yorkies and Maltese tend to be pretty social and affectionate creatures.
So, they are usually quick to accept new dogs in their spaces. For one, this gives them a chance to feel each other out and avoid any risks of fighting.
It is recommended to let your Yorkie and Maltese meet outside or in a more neutral territory before bringing them into the house. Then, little by little try to play with the dogs together.
It may be smart to leave one on a leash and take them around the home to establish a sense of space, and then vice versa. Also, make sure they each have their own beds and watering/food bowls. This will help establish their individual spaces and will help give them their own place where they process each other at first.
Should A Yorkie and Maltese be Adopted at the Same Time?
For owners who decide to get a Yorkie and Maltese together as puppies, these have their pros and cons. The pro is that neither will have an established sense of dominance over your home already and so, it may be easier for them to build a bond.
Since they will be growing up together too, this bond may be even closer and loving than introducing them when they are grown. Some owners report that dogs who grow up together often have stronger relationships than dogs that were brought together later.
To learn more about how dogs react when you get another dog, read our article “Do Dogs Get Sad When You Get Another Dog?”
Training Your Yorkie and Maltese Together
As mentioned above Yorkies and Maltese both generally tend to be high-energy dog breeds. Despite this, they are actually very smart. They may not be your local German Shepherd, but many are known to learn tricks pretty easily!
It may be tough to train Yorkie and Maltese puppies together as they will tend to want to play instead of following directions. If you are trying to train both a Yorkie and a Maltese puppy at the same time, try giving each of them some individual training.
Then, work on training them together. As some may expect, they require a lot of exercise. Like a lot. These dogs should be walked at least once a day.
Once they are trained, they tend to do pretty well with each other on walks. Neither breed needs a ton of space for exercise, this does make them perfect for apartments.
As a pet owner, it is extremely important to give your dog play time but for owners who don’t have as much time having these breeds will ensure they always have a sidekick.
Do They Mark Their Territories?
Marking territory is a way dogs establish their dominance and visibility in a space. It’s like saying “Hey, I am here. This is mine, too.”
To mark their territory, they will usually spray out a small amount of urine, but not entirely peeing in a distinct spot. Males of both breeds tend to mark territory more than females.
Some owners opt for 1 female and 1 male Yorkie/Maltese or 2 females of each breed to avoid this potential problem. Both breeds are capable of marking their territory, but if they are each properly trained then it should be too much of a problem.
Yorkie males also tend to mark their territories more than Maltese. Malteses usually don’t mark too much if they are neutered.
Feeding Time for Yorkie and Maltese
Feeding time is a necessary part of responsible pet ownership and a time of day your dogs will really look forward to! When it’s time to feed your Yorkie and Maltese together it’s important to give each dog their own separate food bowls.
Dogs are social creatures and often choose to eat when their owner or another dog is eating. But, this does not mean they don’t establish territory over their foods. Make sure to always keep things equal when giving your Yorkie or Maltese a treat. This is the best way to help build their bond with each other.
It’s important to be mindful about what you feed your Yorkies and Maltese as they both have very sensitive digestive systems. Both are prone to digestion problems.
Experts recommend not feeding your dogs foods like garlic, onion, chocolate, and grapes, especially in both of these toy breeds. Xylitol is an ingredient sometimes found in things such as peanut butter that your Yorkie and Maltese should absolutely avoid. Even the smallest amounts can be toxic to their small systems.
Will Yorkies and Maltese Fight Each Other?
While both of these breeds are generally peaceful dogs, they can fight. This is usually caused by improper introductions to each other or lack of training.
It’s also important to be able to distinguish between playing and fighting. Sometimes, dogs that are playing with each other may growl or bite as a way of expressing companionship.
It’s good to become familiar with what it looks like when these breeds are playing with each other versus when they are not. For example, if both dogs are wrestling around on the floor, growling at each other but still being friendly with you then they are probably playing.
If one dog looks visibly hurt or weak and the other dog is continuing to bite and growl where blood is drawn, then this is probably fighting. Fighting can often happen around feeding times. It is important to keep their food bowls separate from one another.
If your Yorkie and Maltese are extremely incompatible and continue to fight even when you establish dominance, many dog trainers and behavior specialists are professionally trained to help with this.
Additionally, your dogs may need some extra time to get accustomed to one another. Check out our article: “How Long Does It Take For A Dog to a New Dog?”
Will Your Yorkie and Maltese Get Along with Other Dogs?
Both breeds tend to get along with dogs relatively well. Sometimes these guys think they are smaller than they are, so they try to bark pretty loud.
One thing that may happen when your Yorkie and Maltese develop an extremely close bond is the formation of a “pack.” They will look to their owner as the leader.
This may heighten how they react to other dogs if they are together. They may show more dominance to establish their place in the pack. With Yorkie and Maltese breeds, this typically is all bark and no bite.
It also usually only happens when you are entering their space or if they feel threatened by a large dog when they are with each other. In general, though, both breeds’ temperaments are extremely social and friendly.
Yorkies and Maltese Are Companion Breeds
These small and cute dogs are the perfect addition to your home if you are looking for two breeds that work well with each other. With the right training and care, they will keep each other company and become the best of friends!
Being mindful that every dog has their own personality, just like humans, is super important as a pet owner. No matter what kind of home you plan to bring your Yorkie and Maltese into, make sure it’s a loving one because these sure are two affectionate dog breeds.