Mary Allen
The clever and affectionate little dog is classified in the FCI Group 9, which represents the companion dogs. Here the Maltese are in Section 1 of the Bichons and related breeds. Bichon is French for a lap dog and the Maltese are the best known and most popular representative of this section.
Maltese Dog Breed
Size: 20-25cm
Weight: 06/02/2017 kg
FCI Group: 9: Companion and Companion Dogs
Section: 1: Bichons and related breeds
Country of origin: Malta
Colors: white
Life expectancy: 12-15 years
Suitable as: family, companion, and companion dog
Sports: agility, dog dancing
Personality: Active, Playful, Affectionate, Gentle, Intelligent, Lively, Trainable
Outlet needs: rather low
Drooling potential: low
The thickness of hair: rather low
Maintenance effort: rather high
Coat Structure: Dense, shiny, lustrous, heavy falling, silky
Child friendly: medium
Family dog: yes
Social: rather yes
Origin and breed history
The dog breed “Maltese” is one of the oldest and comes from the Mediterranean region. To this day it is not certain where exactly it came from. The only thing that is clear is that the name does not necessarily refer to the island of Malta, but is actually derived from the word “Malat”. “Malat” is the Semitic word for port, because the little dogs lived in many port cities at that time. There they acted as mouse and rat catchers because the rodents quickly got the upper hand wherever ship goods were stored. But there are also theories that determine the origin of the island of Mljet and other less considered theses.
What is certain, however, is that there was already a small white dog in ancient times that was known in both Greece and the Roman Empire. At that time not so noble, but the charming dog had already become a popular companion dog at that time. From the Renaissance at the latest at the beginning of the 14th century, the nobility then deliberately bred them as noble and loving companion dogs for the ladies.
Nature and temperament of Maltese
It is not for nothing that many dog lovers love the Maltese, as he is an incredibly friendly and funny fellow. A lively little four-legged friend who is incredibly affectionate and gentle at the same time. He loves his people with all his heart. The bright and clever dog therefore always wants to be there.
His curiosity and intelligence make him a very teachable and playful friend that children also have a lot of fun with. He loves to romp and learn tricks and get credit for it. Full of energy and temperament, on the one hand, he also likes to cuddle and cuddle on the sofa. An ideal family dog.
However, despite his cute looks and size, he is a very confident and alert dog with a strong personality. He is fearless, adventurous, and sometimes cheeky. That’s why the always cheerful daredevil demands a good upbringing from his owner so that he doesn’t become too haughty and above all not to bark. But this is not difficult with some consistency, since in the end the little charmer always wants to please his loved ones.
Is a Maltese a barker?
He tends to bark if not properly trained. Good education is required here, so he is a very friendly and lovable fellow.
The appearance of the Maltese
The breed belongs to small dogs. Males are usually between 21 and 25 cm high, bitches stay even lower at 19 to 23 cm at the shoulder. These dogs are fully grown at about one year old, like many small dog breeds. The average weight of an adult Maltese is 3-4 kg.
Its fur is soft, silky, and shiny. The Maltese does not have an undercoat and therefore has almost no change of coat. As a result, he generally sheds very little. The fur grows very long, reaching to the ground like a white coat. It is absolutely smooth and quite heavy. The tail also has very long, straight hair that falls well over the hind legs. The hair on the head also grows very long and falls into the beard hair.
The dogs carry their small, broadheads high and proud. The nose and the eyes are deep blacks and very distinctive. Its body is long and rather narrow. Typical of the breed, the dogs are always pure white. However, a slightly darker ivory tone or light orange is tolerated.
When is a Maltese fully grown?
They are fully grown at the age of just under a year and reach a shoulder height of approx. 20-25 cm.
Upbringing & husbandry of the Maltese – this is important to note
A small dog with a big heart is very suitable for beginners as a first dog. He has almost no hunting or herding instinct but still needs good training. The fur nose must be socialized with other dogs at a very early age and get to know many different people and places. If this does not happen, he later tends to be a stranger and, due to his protective instinct, likes to bark at everything and everyone as suspicious.
Visiting a dog school is a good idea for inexperienced dog owners in particular, which offers both puppy play hours for playful socialization and later help as part of group hours. At the same time, the dog owner gets to know like-minded people here and also arranges to go for walks together outside of the dog school. Basically, a Maltese needs a lot of loving consistency when it comes to upbringing and handling, but the upbringing itself is not difficult, since the little charmer wants to please his people and is always eager to learn something new.
Grooming the coat takes a lot of time, which is a little more complex for the Maltese. But he sheds very little, which benefits both the cleanliness at home and sensitive people. As an allergy sufferer, it may be worth visiting a breeder to test it for yourself. Of course, it is not entirely certain that it will work, because it is also due to the severity of the allergy, but it is worth a try.
The particularly loyal little dog does not like to be left alone at all and wants to go with you everywhere. He lives up to his status as a companion dog and loves the company of his human very much. Due to his amiable nature, he is welcome almost everywhere as a companion.
What does a Maltese dog need?
The constant proximity to his loved ones is very important to him and he needs daily grooming.
Nutrition of the Maltese
He doesn’t make any special demands on the food, he eats both wet and dry food and BARF is not a problem either. The meat content of the Maltese can be a little less than that of other dogs, but it gets more vegetables and rice. The main thing is that he eats good quality food, which ideally also contains good oils that ensure a shiny coat. However, since the Maltese tend to be overweight in some cases, they should not be given too much food!
He always needs water for a free intake. Due to the dense coat, the dogs pant a lot and therefore drink often. This becomes even more important if they also eat a lot of dry food.
Health – life expectancy & common diseases
Like many small dog breeds, Maltese live to be quite old. They have a life expectancy of around 13-15 years.
The breed is healthy and robust, with comparatively few diseases affecting them. These include, above all, the watery eyes caused by conjunctivitis. The small dogs get a lot of these, on the one hand through the dryness of the relatively large eyes, but above all through the long hair, which always hangs in the eyes and irritates them. The constant tears cause the reddish spots in the fur below the eyes on the bridge of the nose. In turn, these constantly moist spots can lead to skin inflammation. Unfortunately, this cannot be avoided completely, but it helps enormously to always keep the hair on your face short so that it does not hang in your eyes and irritate them. In order to reduce inflammation of the stressed skin, the wet areas need to be dried regularly and the skin underneath needs to be checked and, if necessary, cared for.
Also, like many other small dog breeds, Maltese are prone to luxating the patella. The kneecap is easy to move here and can therefore shift slightly and lead to sudden severe lameness. Dogs that move a lot from an early age and therefore have more muscles and stronger tendons and ligaments have these problems less often. So an active canine life without being overweight is the best preventive health care for Maltese, which shouldn’t just be a lap dog.
In addition, some of them have bad teeth. Misalignments and tartar can become a problem here, but regular visits to the vet help to prevent inflammation and other dental problems in advance.
How much does a Maltese dog cost?
A puppy from a reputable breeder should cost between 1000 and 1500 euros.
Care of the Maltese
Grooming takes a lot of time to prevent the long fur from becoming matted. This often reaches down to the ground and collects a lot of leaves, dust, and dirt. This causes the hair to become matted much faster. Daily combing and brushing keep the coat silky and shiny, preventing painful matting.
After eating, the beard is usually full of food residues, which are spread everywhere without direct cleaning. When cleaning the beard, it is always a good idea to check the wet areas around the eyes.
If the Maltese doesn’t just live as a lap dog but has a really active dog life with a lot of romping outside and forest walks, then it makes sense to keep the coat short. Regular visits to the dog groomer are very helpful here so that the hair does not hang down to the ground in the dirt and no branches or sticks get caught in it. Playing outside is much better this way, which the little adventurer likes.
Maltese – activities and training
The small dogs are very active and like to romp, but they are not very enduring due to their size. Walks are best for them, but so are hikes and games in the garden. On the other hand, they are less suitable for riding companion dogs, for example.
However, the enthusiastic and intelligent dogs are very enthusiastic when it comes to dog dancing or agility, for example. With the latter, a whole group of like-minded smaller dogs is important, since the obstacles are of course smaller. They can also enjoy mantrailing, as they love to look for tracks, even if they don’t really have a hunting instinct.
In all dog sports, they definitely contribute what makes them special: the joy of movement, intelligence, and fun together with their loved one, who admires and praises them. A great joy for the little dog.
Good to know: Special features of the Maltese
Many dogs of this breed are actually very fond of swimming and love to play in the water. Before visiting a lake, it is definitely advisable to get a short hair cut at the dog groomer at the latest, so that the long hair does not get soaked and the little swimmer dries well and quickly.
Maltese often tremble. Usually with excitement, but also when it’s cold and wet. They tend to tremble, but this is usually not a health concern.
The small dogs are above all special in their character. This unbelievably great love for their people is inherent and desired in all lap dogs and companion dogs. In this dog, it is particularly large. Many stars also succumbed to her charm. Frank Sinatra, Merilyn Monroe, and Elvis already owned a Maltese, but even today the little dogs live with a few celebrities such as Halle Berry, Demi Lovato, Eva Longoria, Lindsey Lohan, Dieter Bohlen, and Jennifer Lawrence.
Can a Maltese dog swim?
Yes, they are good swimmers and love to do so.
Disadvantages of the Maltese
It’s actually hard to talk about cons with this charming little dog with a big heart. Mention should be made here of the rather complex fur care, which takes up some time every day and also requires regular visits to the dog groomer. In addition, there is his strong protective instinct with a tendency to bark, which requires careful and consistent training. However, this disadvantage can be eliminated with a good education.
The most problematic thing is that he suffers a lot when left alone. But depending on the circumstances, this is not a disadvantage at all. After all, many people want a real companion dog that can go with them everywhere. This is wonderfully doable due to its character and also its size and the true destiny of the Maltese.
Is the Maltese right for me?
Before buying a dog, it is always important to clarify how much space there is how much time and which dog character fits into your own life.
A Maltese lives just as well in a small city apartment as in a house with a garden but then needs regular exercise. Because as cute as he looks and as much as he likes to cuddle and lie with his people, he still wants to have enough exercise and be kept busy. In any case, he does not want to be left alone often or even for long, that is the most important thing for the small faithful dog. He is also very happy to accompany his owner to work, where the charming little dog certainly contributes a lot to the good working atmosphere.
He is very well suited for families even with small children, as the patient dog likes the hustle and bustle and playing with the children as well as the lots of attention and cuddles from all his people. He is the born family dog who has enough love and happiness in his big heart for everyone.
Seniors also have a lot of fun with him as long as they guarantee his movement and utilization. This can also be a little quieter, as long as there is always time for games. It is important that the dog does not become overweight.
So if you have enough time, whether young or old, single or with a family, and for whom the very close relationship with the little heartbreaker in everyday life is not a problem, but joy and who does not fear the effort of grooming, this little dog is for you a wonderful companion.
If you want one of these happy little dogs, you need to find a reputable breeder. The dogs live here with family members and the parent animals can be viewed. There are tests from the parents for hereditary diseases, the puppies are of course dewormed, vaccinated, and handed over with a health check. A puppy shouldn’t be cheap if it’s raised properly. In the best case, it also gets some of its usual food to get used to in the new home.
Of course, every now and then one of the little fellows is waiting for a new home in an animal shelter, but more training work may be necessary here and the dogs are not necessarily suitable for beginners. An employee of the animal shelter will be happy to provide information if the worst comes to the worst. A small loyal dog heart would certainly be very happy about a new person to whom he can give all his love and who will turn his world back into a positive one. Because that is exactly what the world means to the Maltese, to give all his love to his human.
Are Maltese family dogs?
The cheerful four-legged friends are excellent family dogs and are also well suited for families with small children.