The Maltichon is a fairly well-known mixed breed dog, a deliberate cross between two closely related breeds of small white companion animals, the Maltese Terrier and the Bichon Frise. Both of the parent breeds are affectionate, lively, and playful, with the Maltese being a touch more gentle and peaceful and the Bichon Frise being slightly more cheerful and outgoing. The mix of the two is generally sociable and pleasant with all ages and with other animals, but care should be taken to ensure injury does not occur to this somewhat dainty canine during interactions. This canine is adaptable due to its lowered exercise requirements and does well in either an apartment setting or a larger home. The Maltichon is a tiny but well-built dog with soft white fur that can be either silky or velvety in texture. They have small, slightly rounded heads with square, medium-length muzzles which may be tapered if the crossbreed happens to take after the Maltese more than the Bichon Frise. This hybrid has dark, round eyes that have black rims that amplify their soft but alert expressions, as well as drop ears that are set moderately high on the head and may be covered by copious amounts of hair. Although the color of the parent breed is generally a pretty uniform white, the Maltichon may occasionally have markings in apricot, buff, and cream colors, and the length and texture of the coat can vary quite a bit from dog to dog, even within the same litter. The coat of the Maltese is a long, straight, single-layer coat that can grow quite long and the Bichon Frise has a double-layer coat comprised of a short, dense undercoat covered with a layer of medium length wavy or curly hair that has a texture that is more like plush or velvet. Crossbreeds may inherit qualities from either of the parent breeds. This dog requires a little more effort than most when it comes to grooming. Both parent breeds need fairly frequent bathing, every three to four weeks, and this is true for the Maltichon dog as well. Conditioner formulated for canines should be applied to the coat after bathing as well to help keep this dog’s hair healthy and supple and brushing and combing should occur on a daily basis in order to remove tangles and to prevent mats from forming. Both the Bichon Frise and the Maltese are low-shedding dogs that have been classified as hypoallergenic and Maltichon dogs share this classification.