GROOMING YOUR MALTESE STEP BY STEP

1-              Brush the coat with a small pin brush, working in an upward motion.  Be sure to remove all mats before the bath.  A slicker brush may be used on the matted areas of the coat.  If the coat is badly matted (to the skin), use both a slicker brush and a matting comb to aid in the removal of mats.

2-              Clean the ears by dusting the inside with medicated ear powder, pulling out any dead hair with your fingers.

3-              Cut the nails with a scissors-type nail clipper, removing only the tips of the nails so as not to cut the quick.

4-              Clean the eyes by applying eye drops such as Eye-Brite to the inside of the eye.  Wipe the corners of the eye and under the eye with a damp piece of cotton to remove any eye stain every day.

5-              Remove the hair from between the pads of the feet with scissors.

6-              Clip the hair from the rectum area (about half an inch on either side of the rectum) with scissor of #10 blade.  Never put the blade in direct contact with the rectum.

7-              Clip the hair from the stomach area (from the groin to the navel) using a #10 blade.

8-              Bathe and, after the bath when the coat is still wet, apply a cream rinse to the coat and let it soak into the coat, then rinse.  Use the fluff-dry method of drying.

9-              Comb through the coat thoroughly after drying.

10-           Scissor around the outside edges of the feet to round them off.

11-           Using the edge of your comb, part the hair down the center of the back from the top of the head to the base of the tail.

12-           Comb the hair on either side of the part straight down and spray the part with a coat dressing.

13-           Comb the chest area straight down.

14-           Comb out the tail.

15-          Part the hair on the head from the corner of the eye to the ear, on one side, from ear to ear across the skull, and from the corner of the eye to the ear on the other side.  Part this gathered hair down the middle, so that you have two bunches, evenly divided on the top of the head.  WWrap a small rubber bland around each bunch of hair about three times, then fold the top portion down and wrap the rubber band around it.  Check to see if the hair is pulled too tight.  Small bows may then be placed on each divided part of the topknot.

16-           Apply an Anti-Static pray to the coat sparingly with a soft brush.