The Lovely Maltese Terrier

These little dogs have been found in the Mediterranean countries for centuries where the Maltese was a pampered lapdog. Riding around in carriages, sleeping on beds, and being fed the choicest morsels, they certainly led a charmed existence.

The Greek philosopher Theophrastus described the breed as belonging to the ‘Melita’ breed, an archaic name for Malta. It was developed in Italy with the addition of miniature spaniel and poodle blood. It is thought that they were first brought to England by Crusaders returning home from the Mediterranean. The breed became particularly popular with women, however, Publius, the Roman governor of Malta, prized his Maltese enough to commission a portrait of ‘Issa’. Today, the glamorous Maltese is an adored pet and sought-after show dog.

The Maltese is seen as a ball of hair. Glamorous, difficult and dainty. The Greeks put up tombs for their dogs and a model was found in Egypt as well. They’ve been an aristocrat for 28 centuries, with documentations of the breed as early as 40 A.D.

Maltese is a small Toy dog that stands no more than 10 inches at the shoulders. He weighs between 6 – 9 pounds and is covered in a long mantle of white, straight silky fur. Like most smart dogs they are good at learning things and indeed need to learn. A balanced attitude is needed to keep the Maltese eager to learn and yet disciplined to not learn the wrong things.

The lovely Maltese needs only moderate room for exercise. Since he is so small, he can get plenty of exercise in an apartment or a small yard. These dogs are spirited and playful, and they need lots of personal attention. They can be shy with strangers, but they are also very protective of their home and their family. They are better suited to live with adults rather than children, it’s only because they desire to be the child of the family.

This breed is susceptible to tear stain, a condition that causes the dog to have watery eyes that form goopy discharge at the corner of the eyes. It also causes the hair under the Maltese’s eye to turn a deep rusted red color. Keeping their hair out of their eyes, by tying it up on their head if it is long, and by wiping up the buildup, helps keep tear stain under control. The Maltese sheds little to no hair which is good for allergy sufferers. They do, however, enjoy a frolic outdoors and have a penchant for jumping in puddles, so be prepared for lots of baths!

This is generally a healthy breed but not without issues. Good routine preventative care is essential but there are issues that can arise even with that. “Reverse sneezing” is apt to happen when excited, eating or drinking or during exercises. Although relatively common in the breed it is not something that gathers serious concern.

However one thing that appears the same can be a collapsed trachea. This is a condition that seems to affect certain breeds of dogs leading some to believe it is genetic in origin. The dog may cough or ‘honk’ and if very light pressure is placed on the throat causes a reaction it can be a collapsed trachea. X-rays can confirm the condition as well as an endoscope. While doing x-rays it is worth taking chest shots to check for heart disease at the same time. There are treatments available but they don’t always work. Use extreme caution in corrective jerks during training to prevent damaging the trachea or lunging at the leash.

Liver shunts also affect the Maltese and should be considered especially if under a year old. Typical signs can be a puppy that doesn’t thrive despite good nutrition. Poor weight gain, weakness, depression and an apathetic attitude are indications of the disease early on. Other signs are weakness, seizures, excess salivation, vomiting, poor appetite, bladder stones, blindness and balance problems. Lab work including x-rays, ultrasound and radioisotopes can verify this genetic disorder which requires surgery.

Skin allergies, separation anxiety, car anxiety and retinal atrophy can all affect the Maltese also. These dogs also tend to shake. This could be because the dog has the chills or is experiencing a condition known as White Dog Shaker Syndrome.

Dental care is also important either with teeth cleaning by a vet or with natural methods of chewing toys and bones. Keeping the plaque and bacteria down helps eliminate not only dental issues but can lead to heart and kidney disease.

A crate is highly recommended for any puppy but especially small dogs like a Maltese. This allows a safe place to be should you travel and it’s also a place that he can retreat too during holidays and other times when the household is “too busy” for his comfort. Additionally if there should ever be emergency evacuation orders, a Maltese comfortable in his crate is much less stressed and much safer than a loose dog.

A happy, outgoing Maltese is a product of a commitment by the breeder and owner. The breeder selects the healthiest, best animals to increase the chances of quality animals rather than just producing puppies. The breeder cannot control things for life – when you purchase a puppy you pay for a companion and assume the responsibility for his training.

Expose them to as many things as possible and be consistent. Maltese are small and fluffy – the “cute” factor is in full motion and it’s important to be attentive to having discipline in place. Teaching boundaries and manners insures that your dog won’t be a training problem that results in so many dogs being dumped at shelters. Many breeders have a standing offer to always take the dog back should you not be able to keep them and it’s important to honor this agreement if it is in place.

Maltese usually live to be 15 years of age. In rare cases, they have even been known to live as long as 18 years.