French Spaniel vs Maltese: Which Suits Your Home?

A Maltese tops out around 7 pounds; the French Spaniel starts past 45. That's not a size difference so much as a different category of dog -- you could carry two or three Maltese in a bag lighter than one French Spaniel's dinner. Standing 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder, the French Spaniel out-masses a Maltese by a factor of ten or more, so this comparison comes down to whether you want a dog you can tuck under an arm or one that needs its own space on the couch.

The French Spaniel rates a full 5 out of 5 on exercise need -- it was bred to work fields all day and still expects a real outing even as a pet. The Maltese sits at a 2, closer to a dog that's happy with short walks and indoor play. Both land at similar energy levels indoors (4 versus 3), but outdoors is where they split: one wants a run, the other wants a nap on the windowsill.

Coat maintenance flips the usual small-dog assumption here. The Maltese's long, silky white coat needs more regular brushing and trimming (4/5) than the French Spaniel's medium, feathered coat (3/5), even though the French Spaniel sheds more overall -- moderate versus the Maltese's very low shedding. If allergies or hair on the furniture are the concern, the Maltese wins; if you'd rather brush less often and vacuum more, the French Spaniel is the lower-maintenance choice.

On paper the Maltese is built for apartment life -- a 5 out of 5 for apartment suitability against the French Spaniel's 2. That gap is really about exercise needs more than size; a French Spaniel confined to a small unit without daily outdoor time will struggle. Barking runs the other way: the French Spaniel is rated low (2/5) while the Maltese is moderate (3/5). Neither breed handles being left alone well, both scoring low on that measure.

Trainability is a wash -- both breeds rate high (4/5) and take to instruction well. The gap shows up in who they're suited for: the Maltese rates high (4/5) for first-time owners, while the French Spaniel sits at moderate (3/5), mostly because of an exercise load a novice owner might underestimate. If this is your first dog and you don't have a plan for daily hard exercise, the Maltese is the more forgiving pick.

With kids, the French Spaniel edges ahead -- rated high (4/5) against the Maltese's moderate (3/5), likely reflecting its sturdier build and steadier temperament around rough play. Both breeds are equally good with other dogs and equally friendly to strangers (high, 4/5, in both cases), so neither has an edge in a multi-dog household or with frequent visitors. A Maltese's small size does mean more supervision around toddlers or big dogs, tie score aside.

The Maltese typically lives 12 to 15 years against the French Spaniel's 10 to 12 -- a real difference if you're planning around a dog's whole life. Both breeds share a susceptibility to ear infections and eye issues, but the Maltese's list runs longer, including dental disease, tear staining, hypoglycemia, and liver shunts, while the French Spaniel's watch-list centers on hip dysplasia, epilepsy, and acral mutilation syndrome. Neither list is short, so budget for a vet who knows the breed.

Monthly costs land in the same range for both -- $100 to $200 for the French Spaniel, $100 to $180 for the Maltese -- and both carry a moderate (3/5) overall cost rating. First-year costs tell a similar story: $1,400 to $2,900 for the French Spaniel against $1,400 to $2,300 for the Maltese, with the Maltese's smaller size keeping food and medication costs down even as grooming bills climb from those regular trims.