What size harness does a Maltese need?
The breed standard puts a Maltese at 1.8–3.2kg (4–7lb). Weight alone settles the size at 1 of the 5 brands. 2 brands size by girth only and are left blank rather than guessed.
What that weight means at each brand
| Brand | Size | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Julius-K9 | Baby 1 or Baby 2 | The breed's weight range spans 2 Julius-K9 sizes (Baby 1, Baby 2), so weight alone cannot pick between them. The chest measurement decides. |
| Ruffwear | measure | Ruffwear sizes by chest girth only and publishes no weight guidance, so a Maltese's weight cannot be converted to one of their sizes. Measure the chest and the tool above will answer it exactly. |
| PetSafe | no size made | A Maltese is lighter than the smallest PetSafe size, which starts at 4.5kg. This brand does not make a harness small enough. |
| Kurgo | X-Small | Every Maltese in the breed's weight range falls in Kurgo X-Small. |
| Blue-9 | measure | Blue-9 sizes by chest girth only and publishes no weight guidance, so a Maltese's weight cannot be converted to one of their sizes. Measure the chest and the tool above will answer it exactly. |
Blank entries are deliberate. Ruffwear and Blue-9 publish no weight guidance to convert, and printing a size anyway would be a guess dressed as an answer.
PetSafe publishes weight guidance, but its range does not reach a Maltese — there is no size to recommend rather than one we have withheld.
Now measure, and get the exact size
A breed weight range covers both sexes and every build, which is why it spans more than one size almost everywhere. One measurement replaces all of it.
Measure right around the deepest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs.
6 size ranges overlap here. The marker shows where your dog falls inside each one — nearer the middle means more adjustment room either way.
How to measure a Maltese
Take a soft tape right around the deepest part of the ribcage, just behind the front legs. Keep it snug against the coat rather than pulled tight — you should be able to slide two fingers under it. That single number, the chest girth, is what every brand on this page sizes by. Weight is only ever a tie-breaker.
Why the answer is a range, not a number
Every page that hands you one size for a Maltese is hiding the same problem: the breed standard covers a 78% spread in weight between the lightest and heaviest adults, and girth varies more than weight does. Two Malteses on the same scale reading can be a size apart. The honest answer is the shortlist above plus the tape.
Other toy breeds
- What size harness does a Dachshund (Miniature) need?
- What size harness does a Yorkshire Terrier need?
- What size harness does a Pomeranian need?
- What size harness does a Chihuahua need?
- What size harness does a Papillon need?
Weight range from the breed standard, read 2026-08-25. Sizes come from each manufacturer’s own published chart — nothing on this page is estimated or averaged between brands.