Breed comparison
Yorkshire Terrier vs Maltese
Two tiny silky lapdogs — except one is a lapdog and the other is a terrier doing a lapdog impression.
These two share the tiny-dog-with-flowing-hair niche and get cross-shopped by anyone wanting a portable, low-shedding companion. The core difference is wiring: the Maltese was bred purely for companionship, while the Yorkie is a working ratting terrier compressed into a handbag-sized body — feisty, bossy, and convinced he is enormous.
Side-by-Side
| Yorkshire Terrier | Maltese | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Toy | Toy |
| Size | Small | Small |
| Height | 7-8 in | 7-9 in |
| Weight | 4-7 lbs | 4-7 lbs |
| Lifespan | 11-15 years | 12-15 years |
| Coat | Long, silky, fine single coat | Long, silky, white single coat |
| Exercise | 30+ min/day | 30+ min/day |
| Puppy price | $1,500-$3,500 | $1,500-$3,500 |
| AKC popularity | #13 | #37 |
| Energy level | ||
| Trainability | ||
| Shedding | ||
| Grooming needs | ||
| Barking | ||
| Good with kids | ||
| Good with other dogs | ||
| Good with cats | ||
| Apartment friendly | ||
| First-time owners |
The Differences That Matter
Terrier fire vs lapdog softness
The Yorkie brings genuine terrier temperament: prey drive that launches him at squirrels, a fearlessness that picks fights with dogs twenty times his size, and an opinionated, self-important streak that needs actual training. The Maltese is the gentler soul — affectionate, softer-tempered, oriented toward the lap rather than the hunt. Underestimating the Yorkie's terrier-ness is the classic mistake in this matchup.
Barking style
Both are vocal small dogs, but the Yorkie is the more committed alarm system — sharp, persistent barking at doorbells, hallway sounds, and perceived intruders is a top complaint from Yorkie owners in apartments. The Maltese barks too, especially when anxious or left alone, but is generally the easier of the two to quiet. Either way, budget training time for noise from puppyhood.
Coat and color upkeep
Both wear silky, low-shedding single coats that mat without regular brushing, and most pet owners keep both in short trims with grooming every six-to-eight weeks — call it a tie on effort. The cosmetic battles differ: the Maltese's white face shows rusty tear stains that demand daily wiping, while the Yorkie's steel-and-tan coat hides stains but can thin or change texture with age. Neither is wash-and-go despite the size.
Shared fragile-toy-breed health, different emphases
Both carry the toy-breed package: luxating patellas, dental disease from crowded tiny mouths, collapsing trachea — walk both on harnesses, never collars — and hypoglycemia risk in very small puppies. The Yorkie adds notable rates of liver shunt (portosystemic shunt), worth asking any breeder about, plus tracheal collapse as a signature concern. And for both breeds, run from anyone selling 'teacup' versions; the smallest specimens are the sickest.
Trainability and attitude
The Maltese is generally the more compliant student — eager to be near you and reasonably food-motivated, though housetraining is slow. The Yorkie is sharp-minded but independent, prone to selective hearing, and fully capable of running a permissive household within months; small-dog syndrome is mostly created by owners who never say no to a cute face. Both housetrain slowly; the Yorkie negotiates harder about everything else.
Tolerance for other pets and chaos
The Maltese generally coexists politely with calm dogs and cats. The Yorkie's ratting heritage complicates things: hamsters, birds, and sometimes cats read as prey, and his willingness to challenge big dogs is a genuine safety hazard to himself at the dog park. In multi-pet or busy households, the Maltese is usually the smoother fit — though both are too fragile for rough play with large dogs.
Get the Yorkshire Terrier if...
Choose the Yorkshire Terrier if you want a tiny dog with outsized spark — a funny, fearless, devoted little terrier for an owner who will actually train him and finds attitude entertaining. Do not get a Yorkie if you want a placid lapdog, keep pocket pets, or intend to let cuteness excuse everything; an untrained Yorkie becomes a shrieking, snapping tyrant with total sincerity.
Get the Maltese if...
Choose the Maltese if you want the softer, sweeter, genuinely lap-oriented companion and can commit to daily face wiping, dental care, and gentle-handling rules. Skip the Maltese for homes with toddlers or boisterous large dogs — under seven pounds of fine bone does not survive accidents that a sturdier dog shrugs off.
The bottom line
Same size class, different souls: the Maltese is the truer lapdog — gentler, easier, better in multi-pet homes — while the Yorkie offers big-dog personality and entertainment value in exchange for more training, more noise, and more management. First-time toy-breed owners usually have the smoother ride with a Maltese; people who secretly want a terrier but need it to weigh six pounds were always going to buy the Yorkie. Both need harnesses, daily teeth brushing, and protection from their own confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which barks more, a Yorkie or a Maltese?+
The Yorkie, in most homes — his terrier watchfulness makes him a hair-trigger alarm barker, and it is the breed's most common apartment complaint. Maltese bark meaningfully too, particularly from separation anxiety or when under-exercised, but they are usually the easier breed to counter-condition. With either, rewarding quiet from puppyhood beats trying to fix an established habit at age three.
Are Yorkies or Maltese better for allergy sufferers?+
They are comparable — both have low-shedding, hair-like single coats and sit on every 'better for allergies' list, but neither is truly hypoallergenic since dander and saliva proteins, not hair, cause reactions. Individual dogs vary more than the two breeds differ. Allergy sufferers should spend extended time with the actual dog before committing, ideally in their own home.
What is a 'teacup' Yorkie or Maltese, and should I buy one?+
No. 'Teacup' is a marketing term, not a recognized variety — it means a dog bred below the already-tiny standard, and those extreme miniatures carry sharply higher rates of hypoglycemia, liver shunt, fragile bones, dental disaster, and early death. Reputable breeders of both breeds do not use the term. If a breeder advertises teacups, that tells you everything you need to know about the rest of their program.