MALTESE

The name Maltese doesn’t mean that this breed is native to the Malta island. Although its origin, because of its age, is lost in history, what does seem true is that dogs with these traits already existed in the pharaoh Egypt. From there, they went to Greece and Rome and there are documents that prove this, referring to its ancestors as canis meliteri, dogs that lived in towns along the Mediterranean shores. It was a much appreciated breed, protected by nobility in every court in the South of Europe, but was not massively spread in the past, as isn’t nowadays.

PHYSICAL TRAITS of the MALTESE
It has a small size, a wide thorax, thin torso and short stature. The eyes are lively, large and round, their gaze is attentive and intelligent. Male Maltese dogs are 21 to 25 cm tall, the females are slightly shorter, and the weigh is between 3 and 4 kg. It has a peculiar movement, with short and agile steps, which combined with the length of its fur, give the impression that it moves gliding. And the fur is precisely this dog’s great charm: it is so long that it looks like a dense cascade from head to toe, without openings or locks, with a silky and straight texture and with a homogeneous shine highlighted by the pure white color or very light ivory. The eyes are large, open and dark, they have an attentive and lively attention, and the eyelid line is black and visible.

TEMPERAMENT AND ADAPTATION of the MALTESE
Apt for those who wish for a brave companion, despite its reduced size, affectionate, loyal and obedient, lively and intelligent. It is very docile and easy to educate. It has a vigilant instinct, which makes it bark when it intends to alert its master, but only for that reason, since in general this animal is quite silent. If it had its way, it would be constantly playing with its owner, who it loves more than anyone, demonstrating its sensibility and gratitude towards any affectionate gesture it receives.

EXERCISE AND CARE required for a MALTESE
As in the Bolognese, this dog also requires the daily care its coat needs, a coat from which hairs don’t fall on their own, for which brushing is fundamental to retrieve them. The eyes should be cleaned frequently and the beard, after meals. As exercise, daily walks are enough, but it resist very well if imposed with a longer walk.