- Breed name: Maltese dog
- AKC list of the most popular dogs: 33 out of 193
- FCI classification: Companion and leisure dogs
- Origin: Mediterranean
- Size: Small dog
- Average lifespan: 12 – 15 years
Maltese dogs are gentle and fearless, lively and energetic. This is a dog that will consider everyone he meets as his friend. He has glamorous white fur that gives him the appearance of a significant nobleman. In addition to good looks, this breed excels in competitions of agility, obedience, tracking, and even as a therapy dog. Still, most of all, he loves being with his family.
ORIGIN
The Maltese is the oldest of all toy breeds, with a history that can be traced back at least two millennia back. Many believe that because of the name of the race, the Maltese originates from Malta, but this opinion is wrong. In the past, this small dog lived in ports and coastal places in the central part of the Mediterranean, where it was used to exterminate mice and rats that bred in port warehouses and on ships.
That the Maltese was known even in ancient times is proved by the fact that Aristotle mentions a small dog which he gave the Latin name canis melitenses. Also, in his lyrical poetry, the Latin poet Strabo sang about this trustworthy dog as famous company for ladies, and numerous Renaissance painters in their works portrayed the Maltese as a small dog in salons next to beautiful women. In addition to all this, the Maltese is still one of the most popular breeds in the world.
APPEARANCE
When it comes to the appearance of this breed, the Maltese is a small dog with a rectangular body. The body is covered with very long, silky white coat which gives it a luxurious look.
They have a slightly rounded skull, lowered ears, an elegant tail, short legs, round paws, and a black nose and eyes. The height of males is from 21 to 25 cm, and females from 20 to 23 cm. The weight of males and females is around 3.4 kg.
CHARACTER
They like to move around and play, a are very lively dogs, but cautious, and above all very attached to humans. They are quite endearing and will win everyone’s attention, which is why it can very easily happen that you inadvertently spoil them. They will approach everyone without fear to meet, be it animals or humans. They will use every moment to snuggle next to a family member. Also they can be a very good choice for a multi-member households, as they are no strangers to playing with children.
They learn very quickly, if you reward them for their efforts. As they are very connected to people, they respond well to positive training methods such as praise, treats, rewards… This breed has a long history as a family companion, which is why they require a lot of attention and can suffer from anxiety due to separation. If you leave them alone for a long period of time – they can become destructive and start barking.
In order to teach them certain rules, proper and timely training is essential. Although by their nature they want to satisfy their owners in everything, they are difficult to educate. You can consult an expert for its success.
HEALTH AND CARE
When it comes to health, the most common diseases that affect this breed are patellar luxation, portosystemic liver shunt, progressive retinal atrophy, hypoglycemia, tremor syndrome in white dogs, tracheal collapse and reverse sneezing.
They also have a very sensitive digestive tract, so you should take care of type of food that you will give to your dog. It’s very important that the diet is balanced and that it contains a lot of proteins, vitamins, fats and minerals. As a rule, their meal should be from 50 to 100 grams. If you prepare food for your Maltese yourself, the experts recommend that you always serve it warm, freshly processed and fresh. Fish and chicken should be cleaned of bones, and they should never eat too much sweet or salty food. Vegetables you can give them are kale, green beans, carrots and similar.
Due to the intolerance of extremely cold or warm weather, they are definitely indoor type of dogs. For these reasons, many owners train them to defecate at home, on a special diaper intended for dogs. Also, pay attention when they are in strong sunlight, on their back the coat is separated, and they can get sunburns.
Statistics (from 1 to 5)
- Energy level: 4
- Level of playfulness: 4
- Attitude towards other dogs: 3
- Relationship to other pets: 3
- Attitude towards strangers: 1
- Ease of training: 3
- Protection: 1
- Required maintenance: 3
- Heat tolerance: 4
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