The Maltese

Origins
The Maltese dog has uncertain origins of existence. One of the oldest breed testimonials comes from around 500BC, being a pottery Greek element. The latter Greek writers describe this breed as being small, with origins in a Greek island named Melitaeus, near the Adriatic coast. Later on, the Maltese was brought to Europe during the migration periods and expanded in importance and fame.

Appearance
The Maltese belongs to the small dog breed category, displaying a height of 20-22 cm at the withers, and a weight of 2-3 kg. These measures can differ between the American and European standards.

The Maltese’s body is compact, equally proportionate, being covered by a silky and long coat, colored in  white. These dogs don’t have an undercoat. Depending on the grooming, the coat can be either wavy or curly.

The ears are dropped along the head sides, the small but joyful eyes and the nose strike out as black dots on a white coat. The feet are also covered by fur. The body ends in a fluffy tail, many times as long as the leg’s length.

Grooming
This is one of the most important factor, if you wish to maintain the greatest aspect for your Maltese. You should impose a daily and weekly grooming routine and you should take into account the dog’s living environment and ways to keep it clean. The Maltese is a low shedder.

Brushing and combing the coat should be done twice a week (and much more if your Maltese is a showdog). Also, you can clip some loose coat to maintain it at a certain length and proportion. You can also clean the pads and the coat that comes in contact with the earth and debree, during the walks and exercising.

Health Facts
One of the major health concern is about the warm and hot weather. Since Maltese dogs don’t have an undercoat, a sudden sunstroke or heat wave can cause problems.

These dogs can also suffer from tear staining around the eyes. This should be resolved during the daily grooming routine, using warm water while combing the hair below the eyes with a fine metal comb. This eye problem can be avoided if the Maltese eats proper food (free of any colorants), and drinks distilled or bottled water.

Temperament and Lifestyle
The Maltese dogs are small but intelligent and playful. They display courage and some degree of aggressivity (if they are not properly socialized). They have a lively spirit, a great deal of energy and interaction.

The Maltese behave very well with small children and other pets, although the small size can cause accidents to them. These dogs don’t require alot of exercising, but they enjoy running around and chasing. They prefer small spaces and adapt even in urban flats and homes.

The Maltese is known to have aggressivity issues, including biting, attacking. These facts can be caused by an insufficient dog socialization in the puppy period or rough handling from dog owners or the children.