Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen" Compare Maltese and Cairn Terrier. Which is better: Maltese or Cairn Terrier or Lowchen?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Maltese	Cairn Terrier	Lowchen
Origins	Italy	Scotland	Spain Germany France Netherlands
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Companion Dogs	Hunting Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	33	69	169
Reviews	2	3	1
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Other Names	Maltese Dog, Maltese lion dog	Cairn, Toto Dog	Lowchen, Petit Chien Lion, Little Lion Dog, Little Lion
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1913 as a Terrier breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1996 as a Non-Sporting breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Bichons and related breeds section.	Recognized by FCI in the Terriers group, in the Small sized Terriers section.	Not recognized by FCI.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Club Espanol De Terriers	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club
Price	$600-$800	$700-$1000	$5000-$8000

General Appearance - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Size	Small	Small	Small
Weight	6.5-9 pounds (3-4 kg)	Male: 14-18 pounds (6-8 kg), Female: 13-17 pounds (6-8 kg)	Male: 13-18 pounds (6-8 kg), Female: 11-15 pounds (5-7 kg)
Avg. Weight	6.7 pounds (3.5 kg)	Male: 16 pounds (7 kg), Female: 15 pounds (7 kg)	Male: 15.5 pounds (7 kg), Female: 13 pounds (6 kg)
Height	Male: 8-10 inches (21-25 cm), Female: 8-9 inches (20-23 cm)	Male: 10-13 inches (25-33 cm), Female: 9-12 inches (23-30 cm)	Male: 13–15 inches (32–39 cm), Female: 12–15 inches (30–37 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 9 inches (23 cm), Female: 8.5 inches (21.5 cm)	Male: 11.5 inches (29 cm), Female: 10.5 inches (26.5 cm)	Male: 13.5 inches (34 cm), Female: 12.5 inches (32 cm)

Hair & Care - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Coat	Feathered	Waterproof	Dense Silky Wavy Harsh
Colors	White	Cream Red Wheaten Brindle Gray Silver Black	Black Tan Brown Blue Red Silver White Grey
Grooming	Average: The Maltese requires average grooming effort.	Average: The Cairn Terrier requires average grooming effort.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.
Shedding Level	Malteses shed none to minimal.	Cairn Terriers shed moderately.	Lowchens shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Temperament	Active Easygoing Intelligent Responsive Docile Gentle Playful Sweet Tempered	Active Courageous Intelligent Assertive Fearless	Active Friendly Playful Familiar Happy
Intelligent Rank	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.	Smart: Cairn Terrier's has great intelligence.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.
Trainability	Malteses are quite easy to train.	Cairn Terriers are easy to train.	Lowchens are easy to train.
Playfulness	Malteses, like any other dog breed, like playing.	The Cairn Terrier is a playful breed.	Lowchens, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	Cairn Terriers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Lowchens have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.
Affection Level	Malteses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Cairn Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Lowchens are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Malteses need a lot of social interaction.	Cairn Terriers need a lot of social interaction.	Lowchens need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	High: The Maltese is a very vocal breed.	High: The Cairn Terrier is a very vocal breed.	High: The Lowchen is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Malteses are average watchdogs.	Cairn Terriers are good watchdogs.	Lowchens are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Malteses strongly protect their territory.	Cairn Terriers are average defenders.	Lowchens strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Maltese has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Cairn Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Lowchen has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Malteses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Cairn Terriers have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Lowchens have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Malteses are not the biggest explorers.	Cairn Terriers have average wanderlust potential.	Lowchens have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
Prey Drive	Malteses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Cairn Terriers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Lowchens don't have an impulse to catch or chase small animals.
Apartment Friendly	Malteses are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Cairn Terriers are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Lowchens are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Malteses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Cairn Terriers adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.	Lowchens adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Malteses tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Cairn Terriers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Lowchens tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Stranger Friendly	Malteses are very stranger friendly dogs.	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards strangers.	Lowchens are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Malteses are kid-friendly dogs.	Cairn Terriers are kid-friendly dogs.	Lowchens are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Malteses are very cat-friendly dogs.	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards cats.	Lowchens are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Malteses are very dog-friendly dogs.	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards other dogs.	Lowchens are average friendly towards other dogs.
Office Friendly	No Maltese is not the best dog breed for office environment.	Yes Cairn Terrier is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Lowchen is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Malteses are usually recommended for elderly people.	Cairn Terriers are usually recommended for elderly people.	Lowchens are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Malteses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.	Cairn Terriers are generally with other pets.	Lowchens are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Malteses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	Yes Cairn Terriers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	Yes Lowchens are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Maltese breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Cairn Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Lowchen breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Health Issues	The Maltese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	Cairn Terriers tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	Lowchens tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.
Health Problems	Collapsed Trachea Hypoglycemia Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Reverse Sneezing White Dog Shaker Syndrome	Cataracts Craniomandibular Osteopathy Cryptorchidism Glaucoma Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy Hypothyroidism Legg-perthes Disease Luxating Patella Microvascular Dysplasia Portosystemic Vascular Anomaly (PSVA) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Cataracts Patellar Luxation Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)
Life Expectancy	15-18 years	12-15 years	13-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	Yes	Yes
Energy Level	Malteses have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.	Cairn Terriers are high energy dogs.	Lowchens have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.
Exercise Need	Malteses exercise need is very minimal.	Cairn Terriers need quite a lot of exercise.	Lowchens have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Malteses sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.	Cairn Terriers don't need too much sleep.	Lowchens sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	0.5 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Prefers warm weather	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Cairn Terrier can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Maltese has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Cairn Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.	Low The Lowchen has a low chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Maltese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Cairn Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Lowchen is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Maltese vs Cairn Terrier vs Lowchen

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	3-5 puppies	2-10 puppies	3-6 puppies
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