Maltese

The Maltese was once called “ye ancient dog of Malta” as the breed is believed by some to have originated on the island of Malta, south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea. Another school of thought is that these little dogs originally developed in Asia.

The Maltese is one of the oldest toy breeds and there are representations of Maltese-like dogs in Egyptian artefacts.  The Maltese was well integrated into Mediterranean culture prior to the Christian Era. It has been reported that the Greeks built tombs for their Maltese dogs.  The Europeans believes that Maltese had the ability to cure people who were ill and they would place these dogs on the pillow of the ill person.

During the 15^th Century the Maltese was well loved by French aristocrats and towards the end of the 16^th century the Maltese was the must-have accessory of many royal ladies.  A number of British royals owned Maltese including Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth I.  The Maltese featured in portraits with their owners that were painted by famous artists like Goya.

In spite of their popularity during the 15^th and 16^th Century, the Maltese breed was pushed to the brink of extinction when people tried to decrease the size of the dog through breeding it down to the size of a squirrel.  It is believed that dogs like the Bichon Frise, Bolognese and Havanese breeds were developed during this time as breeders used Poodles, Miniature Spaniels and other miniature dogs in an attempt to save the breed from being wiped out.

Maltese might be small but they are full of energy and require more exercise than one might think to keep them healthy and happy. Daily one-hour outings are recommended, taking different routes each day so their desire to smell new things can be pleased.  They also love to play games, so bouncing around in their fenced yard, or even indoors, is another option to keep them fit.

Maltese are very intelligent dogs and they have been used for therapy dogs and have also competed in agility and obedience events. It is important to be consistent with their training; they can be stubborn and determined, but they respond well to positive training methods.

One thing that the Maltese can be stubborn about is toilet training.  Make sure your Maltese has every opportunity to do the right thing by having an indoor litterbox or installing a doggy door.

Owning a Maltese requires a commitment to grooming, particularly if you are going to keep your dog’s hair long. This requires daily gentle brushing and combing to the skin to prevent mats and tangles. Many owners choose to have the Maltese coat clipped to a more manageable length.

Maltese should have regular baths and coat conditioning to keep their hair looking its best. They have a tendency to have tear stains on their faces.

While Maltese have plenty of hair, they do not have an undercoat and do not shed very much.  Therefore, they are considered to be hypoallergenic dogs.