History of origin
Maltese dogs are one of the most ancient on earth. Moreover, their main purpose – to bring positive emotions to the owners, to please with a cheerful disposition and exquisite appearance – they mastered almost immediately. Historians cannot indicate for certain when the Maltese acquired their status – attributes of a luxurious and rich life, but already in ancient Egyptian chronicles there are references to these snow-white beauties, and in the tombs of the nobility – their clay figurines.
Roman matrons played with the Maltese in their beautiful homes, and in ancient Greece, the Maltese dogs were even buried in the cemetery, putting tombstones for them. Most likely, their homeland is the islands of the Mediterranean, and not only Malta, as the name implies. In the Hellenic and Roman era, many Mediterranean islands were called Melita and initially these charms were called “Meletian dogs”, in any case, Aristotle calls them.
Malta, as one of the largest Mediterranean ports, served to spread these cute creatures around the world. Together with merchants who sailed on ships, the Maltese dogs reached the most remote corners of Europe. And the Great Silk Road helped them even reach China, where the beauty and sweet nature of snow-white beauties were appreciated by the local nobility. For a long time, the Maltese dogs have been companions of crowned persons – from Cleopatra to Catherine the Great. They were presented as a gift as a jewel and they paid devotion to their owners. According to legend, during the execution of Queen Mary Stuart, her faithful lapdog hid under her skirt.
Queens have been replaced by show business icons. Today it is difficult to find a celebrity in whose expensive handbag a charming Maltese would not be hidden. Paris Hilton, Jennifer Lopez, Halle Berry – the list of star owners of the Maltese is huge. And the pet of Patricia Kaas – the Maltese lapdog Tequila – became famous, no less than her French singer, because the “mademoiselle blues” never parted with her.
Breed description
For a long time, the Maltese dogs were just pets, until they were purposefully bred in England. In 1873, the Maltese received the breed standard for the first time. Today, there are two types of standard of these dogs. The first – according to the International Cynological Federation (FCI), the second – according to the Kennel Union of America. Their differences are in the size of the dogs. If the European standard allows the weight of the Maltese up to 3 – 4 kg, then the American one is focused on smaller dogs – up to 2,7 – 3 kg.
Maltese dogs are small, but their skeleton and limbs are well developed, have moderate waste paper. Paws are straight with black pads. The body is elongated, with a rather large head, the skull is square, the nose is completely painted in black. The lips are also completely black.
Eyes stand out on the muzzle – brown, round, shiny. Triangular ears are tightly pressed to the head. The tail is saber-shaped: thick at the base and tapering towards the tip, arched, touching the tip of the back.
The main wealth of the Maltese is snow-white wool. Maltese dogs have no undercoat at all, and their snow-white hair is long, straight, dense, falling down in an even veil. According to the standard, a shade of ivory is allowed, but the color of pure snow is preferable, it is not for nothing that Maltese lapdogs are called “snowflakes”.
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Character
– Not only the appearance, but also a wonderful character helped the Maltese dogs to become the “favorite lapdog of the queen”. This is, indeed, a real companion with a cheerful disposition and lack of aggression. – Maltese dogs are bred for the sole purpose of getting positive emotions. And these balanced and smart dogs pay their owners with devotion, obedience and a cheerful disposition, – says Lina Hani, vice-president of the National Maltese Breed Club in Our Country, judge-expert in service dog breeding, expert cynologist, owner of the Honey Club Maltese kennel. – Maltese are sanguine, the transition from excitement to calmness and back takes them an equal amount of time. One glance of the owner – and the dog understands that now we are playing. Another look – and the Maltese becomes calm, takes her toys and occupies herself. Over the centuries, the Maltese dogs have developed an accommodating character, they were selected not only for their exterior, but also for their ability to be loyal friends. Maltese, of course, can make independent decisions, but only within the limits of what is permitted. They know the owner, are devoted to him, but are also open to communication – they love all family members, do not show aggression towards strangers and even dogs.
“If, having decided to get a Maltese puppy, you see that the baby is avoiding you, trying to hide or, conversely, showing aggression, this indicates the depravity of his psyche,” continues Lina Hani. – The Maltese dogs should be sociable, friendly, contact – the task of the Maltese breed is to please the owners, and not bring them problems.
Care and maintenance
According to cynologists, in the conditions of city apartments, the Maltese dog is the most comfortable breed that does not require large financial and psychological investments from the owner. And, if you travel a lot, you can not part with your pet, as all airlines in the world allow you to take these miniature adorables on board.
“Caring for a Maltese is not at all difficult if you have a dog for love and affection, and do not prepare it for victories at exhibitions,” says the expert. – Maltese lapdogs have no undercoat at all, so even wet, they will never smell like a dog. But in order for their snow-white coat to be well-groomed, dogs need to be bathed and combed. If you comb every day, then there will not be enough time for yourself, so this procedure can be carried out once or twice a week, after wetting the Maltese coat from a spray bottle. Dogs need to be bathed once a week with special shampoos. It is important to slightly wet and comb her coat before bathing, so that during washing it does not fall off and turn into felt. The hair of the Maltese lapdog grows at the same rate as that of a human – 1 cm per month. Therefore, lapdogs definitely need a haircut. And what and how often, the owners decide. If the dog has long hair, then you need to cut it once a month. If the haircut is short (under a puppy), it will be enough to shorten it once every 1-1 months.
Maltese dogs are easy to litter train, but dog walks are essential – they are very social animals and enjoy meeting new people and places. Maltese love to play with their owners, but they also need a lot of sleep to recuperate.
Education and training
Despite the fact that the Maltese dogs are small companions, they must be trained in elementary commands that will protect them during walks and help the owners build relationships with the pet correctly.
– Maltese looks at the family as a pack and often we see poorly educated, capricious dogs. To prevent this from happening, the puppy must be brought up from the first day of appearance in your apartment, – explains Lina Hani. – A dog of any breed is trying to climb higher on the social ladder and from the first moment it is necessary to explain to the puppy that there are higher members in his “pack”. For example, we first eat ourselves and only after that we feed the puppy. So he understands that his place is the last. If the dog asks to sit on the sofa where you are lying at that moment, we give the command “give a paw” and only after its execution, we take the baby in our arms or let him lie next to him on the sofa. The dog must understand that all good things must be earned.
If the Maltese on the couch or bed lies above your head, then we always lower it to your feet – this is how we lower the status of the dog and it will know its place in the pack and behave correctly. This way we will avoid unpleasant consequences for ourselves and the dog. After all, if the Maltese considers himself the main one, then she decides that she is responsible for all family members. And, when you leave and leave her alone, she will whine and bark not because she is bored, but because she is worried about her “subordinate” – where is he, what is wrong with him?
Health and disease
Maltese dogs do not have genetic diseases, they are a healthy breed. The only problem with snow-white dogs is teary eyes.
– Until now, cynologists have no clear explanation for the occurrence of tearing. But, they are inclined to think that the food may be the reason for this. Therefore, they recommend to all owners: both those who choose industrial feeds for their pets, and those who choose natural ones, pay attention to their ingredients, the dog handler explains. – There should be one source of protein and one source of carbohydrates in the feed. This way you can avoid tearing. The main thing is not to mix industrial and natural feed. And also exclude from the diet of dogs sweet, smoked meats, flour.
Well, if your Maltese still has such a problem, then every day you need to devote 5 minutes to the eyes of the Maltese. Every morning, bury your eyes with special drops and wipe the fur around the eyes so that there are no yellow marks left on it.
Many future owners believe that if the Maltese does not have an undercoat, then these dogs are hypoallergenic. This, alas, is a delusion. Allergies to Maltese can occur in the same way as to any other breed of dog and cat. Therefore, before you make a snow-white friend, you need to spend several hours with the puppy in the kennel, and then look at your well-being. If there are no problems, then you will be lucky enough to become the owner of the most beautiful and gentle, reverent and cheerful dog of the planet – the Maltese.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about Maltese lapdogs with veterinarian Yegor Zion.