Maltese: Breed Characteristics, Care & Exercise Needs

Group: Gun Dog, AKC Toy Dog Group

Also known as

Bichon Maltiase, Often wrongly referred to as Maltese Terrier. Previously known as 'Melitae Dog' , 'Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta','The Roman Ladies' Dog' , 'The Comforter', The Spaniel Gentle', 'Shock Dog,' and 'Maltese Lion Dog'     

About Maltese

Country of Origin, History of the Breed The history of Maltese dates back to the ancient times. There are references to this breed in the ancient writings and art works of 5000- 2000 B.C. Maltese, as its name suggests, is believed to have originated from the Isle of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea . There are, however, evidences which show that Asia is the actual land of origin of this breed. Those who believe Asia to be its place of origin, argue that this breed eventually migrated to Europe through trade.

Maltese was initially imported to Britain and then made its appearance in the U.S. The popularity of this tiny, cute and loveable breed as a companion and showdog has always been on the rise and in 1990's Maltese featured in the list of top 15 breeds of all times.

A General Description of the Dog

The Maltese is a cute and tiny breed. The general appearance of the Maltese is compact and square with a slightly rounded head and neck, proportionate to his size. Its neck distinguishes him from other breeds because of its high carriage. He has close set expressive, black eyes with dark fringes and beautifully feathered drooping ears. His nozzle is black and teeth are close knit. Maltese have fine-boned legs with black rounded paws. A long hairy tail dangling over the back makes a Maltese look all the more graceful.

Coat

The Maltese wears a purely white coat. Slight ivory tans and occasional lemon tints are also permissible.

The Maltese is clothed with a single silky thick coat which should ideally not be wavy and generally flows straight to the ground.

Height

Male : 9-10 inches
Female : 8-9 inches

Weight

Male: 4-7 pounds
Female: 4-7 pounds

Personality

Temperament of the Dog

The Maltese is a bold and trustworthy breed. He is a cute and classic companion dog. All Maltese are generally playful and love it outdoors. They take delight in barking but are quite reserved with strangers. Almost all the members of this breed are intelligent and enjoy learning tricks when lavishly praised for their deeds. The Maltese may be difficult to housebreak and are choosy about food and thus, should be fed only with stuff that would help to keep their teeth strong.

It is not right to over pamper or overindulge a Maltese pup as he may become distraught or unstable. One should not overprotect a Maltese as it may make him overprotective about his owners.

Good with other dogs/ and other animals?

Maltese are generally friendly with other animals and dogs.

Are they suited to homes with kids?

Maltese are loveable breeds but may be cross at times with naughty children. If taken by surprise or agitated , they might get snappy.

Better suited to an indoor or outdoor lifestyle?

Maltese are very active indoors and are best suited to the apartment lifestyle. However, it is good to have a small terrace or lawn for them to romp about because they are very funloving.

What kind of home would they do best in – one with kids, or any such specifications?

Maltese love homes with a lot of people. They do well with children but one should not irritate or scare them.

Male Maltese are quite aggressive and should not be allowed to be around little kids.

How to take care of the breed as a Maltese Puppy? Owners should start training their Maltese at an early age. One should follow a specific schedule for training one's puppy. There are three traps which often ensnare puppy owners and lure them into making blunders. These are – Punishment Trap, Food Treat Trap and Spoiling Trap.

Punishments often prove effective initially but enforcing such treatments may be harmful in the long run.

Using food treats to lure the pup may also make the pup addicted. Finally, it remains to be said that the owners of the Maltese breed should not spoil their pups with over indulgence.

Training

Maltese is a loveable breed which can be trained perfectly if one follows a specific schedule. When a maltese is young,say 3-6 months old, he should be taught to locate food and water dishes. He must respond to correction words like-'no' or 'ah-ha' etc. Praise should also be heaped on him generously. One should use words like 'good' to acknowledge his good deeds.

Owners should be careful while crate-training their Maltese. They should learn to sleep quitely in their crates at night and defecate elsewhere. When the pup develops sufficient control over himself his system, he should learn to locate his potty spot. T

he puppy should pick up acceptance words like 'sit','stand','open your mouth' etc. He should also acquire manners like 'easy grabbing'. However, one should not be harsh with one's Maltese as that would only make him aggressive.

Activity Level

All Maltese are extremely active and playful. They enjoy a regular session of walk outdoors and retain the playful spirit even in their old age. Some Maltese love jumping in small pools of water.A bath, however, is necessary afterwards. Little effort is needed to keep this breed active even if the pup has to accommodate himself in an apartment.

How much exercise does the dog need at every stage of its life?

The Maltese are hardy little dogs and should get adequate exercise outdoors on a regular basis.

Grooming

It is important to comb and brush the hairy coat of the Maltese regularly; but with gentle care as the coat is very soft. Eyes should be checked and cleaned to prevent staining. One should make it a point to bathe or dry-shampoo the Maltese regularly but its coat should be kept dry. The hairy growth over the eyes is often tied in a knot by the owners to keep it away from the eyes. It is also possible to keep the hair short, for easy grooming.

Health and Care

Genetic Problems

The Maltese are prone to sunburn and often suffer from cold. They have skin, eye and respiratory problems. Slipped stifle is also a serious problem with them and may require surgery if the problem persists. Malteses also suffer from hypoglycemia,teeth and gum related problems.

Breeding the dog and any cautions

One needs to protect the breed from water and it is a good idea to paper-train this breed as Maltese are vulnerable and can not brave weather extremes.

Litter Size: Litter size should be proportionate to the size of the breed.

Life Span

The Maltese generally live for 15 years ; but their life span may go upto 18 years if they are taken good care of.

National Breed Club:

British – Maltese Club - carmick @ tiscali . co . uk
U. S. – The American Maltese Club – www.americanmaltese.org

Recognition: AKC,CKC,KCGB,AWKC,APRI,ACR,UKC,FCI