Great Dane vs Maltese: Which Suits Your Home?

Three to seven pounds. That's the Maltese's entire adult weight range -- less than a Great Dane puppy weighs at a few weeks old. The Dane runs 110 to 175 pounds and stands 28 to 34 inches; the Maltese tops out around 9 inches, barely past ankle height. Of every pairing in this batch, this is close to the widest size gap you'll find.

Both breeds land in a similar activity band despite the size gap -- energy level rates moderate (3/5) for each. Exercise need splits slightly: moderate (3/5) for the Dane, low (2/5) for the Maltese, which is content with short indoor play and a walk around the block. Neither dog demands the kind of daily mileage that rules out a busy schedule.

The Maltese's long white coat is the whole story here -- grooming rated high (4/5), meaning regular brushing to prevent mats and staining, but shedding rated very low (1/5). The Dane is the mirror image: almost no grooming effort, very low (1/5), but moderate (3/5) shedding you'll find on dark clothes. If a spotless couch matters more than a spotless dog, the Maltese wins; if the reverse, the Dane does.

The Maltese rates very high (5/5) for apartment suitability, the Dane very low (1/5) -- as clean a split as you'll see in this comparison. Barking runs slightly the other way, moderate (3/5) for the Maltese against low (2/5) for the Dane, so a Maltese in a thin-walled building may need more training around alert barking even though its size makes the space itself workable.

First-time owners are better served by the Maltese, rated high (4/5) against the Dane's low (2/5), and it's more trainable too, high (4/5) versus moderate (3/5). The Maltese's intelligence and eagerness to please make it a common recommendation for people who've never owned a dog before; the Dane's learning curve isn't about intelligence so much as managing a very large, very strong animal while it's still learning.

The Dane rates very high (5/5) with kids against the Maltese's moderate (3/5) -- a Maltese's small, fragile frame doesn't hold up as well to rough play from young children. The Maltese edges ahead with strangers, high (4/5) against moderate (3/5), and the two tie with other dogs at high (4/5). Households with small kids should weigh the Dane's kid rating carefully against its size.

Lifespan favors the Maltese clearly, 12 to 15 years against the Dane's 7 to 10. Unlike some pairings in this batch, these two share no conditions on their health lists at all -- the Dane's risks are giant-breed problems like bloat and Wobbler syndrome, while the Maltese's are small-breed issues like hypoglycemia, tear staining, and liver shunts. Completely different bodies, completely different failure points.

The Dane runs $200-$400 monthly and $3,000-$5,000 in year one; the Maltese runs $100-$180 monthly and $1,400-$2,300. Cost level rates very high (5/5) for the Dane and moderate (3/5) for the Maltese -- food is the obvious driver, though grooming and dental care, since Maltese are prone to dental disease, keep the small dog from being dirt cheap.