TanyaL

I have always raised dogs. When my daughter was in high school we bought her a regular Maltese. Petey weighed 6 lbs. soaking wet. I think a Maltese any smaller would possibly be a little fragile for robust girls as young as 7 . Our Maltese had an allergy problem which at times was bad. We loved the dog, but he was hard to house break. LOTS of energy, lots of grooming and lots of fun. Make sure you buy from a reputable breeder, not from a store or puppy mill. Be sure to see both parents and watch them interact with people. Know how many litters the mother has had. Don't buy from an over bred bitch. Some Maltese are very excitable and won't calm down - jump around a lot and pee when a stranger comes in the house, etc. Most traits will pass down from one generation to another. If you like the way both the dam and sire behave you will probably like the offspring. If you can only see the puppy, pass on the deal. EVERY puppy is cute - you need to see the parents to judge what type of dog your puppy will grow up to be. Every Maltese looks like a little snowball that fits into your pocket. Good luck in picking out the right puppy for your family.

Unless you have a lot of experience with small puppies and small children, you need a good book on how to handle both or your puppy will be ruined through no fault of the children, but through inexperience on handling small children and puppies. Children can just be too much for puppies, and they are inconsistent by nature. You will need firm rules for the children but the training will have to be done by you.