The guillotine style has replaceable blades and the scissors have a notch cut in the blade to fit the nail. Never use human clippers which can split and injure the nails. Dogs have thick nails, so be sure your clippers have sharp blades. Have a styptic pencil, flour or cornstarch on hand in case you accidentally nick a quick. Clip your Maltese nails under good lighting.
Most Maltese nails are white or light colored, and the darker area of the quick is unmistakable.
However, some Maltese have dark nails and the quick is not visible. In this case, clip only the ends of the nails. You may have to cut them more frequently to achieve a proper length. Maltese have dewclaws only on the front feet. After you clip them, filing the nails with a human or dog nail file helps to smooth the sharp edges.