The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the toy group, known for its silky white hair, though many owners of pet Maltese give them a short "puppy cut" for ease of grooming. The Maltese breed is descended from dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area.
Though the name appears to refer to the island of Malta, the origins of both the breed and its name are unclear. Various writings have also described the name as deriving from the Adriatic island of Mljet, and the Sicilian town of Melita. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale, states the name of the dog does not signify that he originates from the island of Malta because the adjective »Maltese« comes from the Semitic word, màlat, a common root of the name of all three places.
Though the name appears to refer to the island of Malta, the origins of both the breed and its name are unclear. Various writings have also described the name as deriving from the Adriatic island of Mljet, and the Sicilian town of Melita. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale, states the name of the dog does not signify that he originates from the island of Malta because the adjective »Maltese« comes from the Semitic word, màlat, a common root of the name of all three places.
The Maltese had been recognized as a FCI breed under the patronage of Italy in 1954 at the Annual meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland. The current FCI standard is dated November 27, 1989, and the latest translation from Italian to English is dated April 6, 1998. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1888, its latest standard being from March 10, 1964.
Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a one-finger-wide dome and a black nose that is two finger widths long. The body is compact with the length equaling the height. The drop ears with long hair and very dark eyes, surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a "halo"), gives Maltese their expressive look. Their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color without exposure to sunlight. This is often referred to as a "winter nose" and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.
The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. The color is pure white and although cream or light lemon ears are permissible, they are not desirable. Also a pale ivory tinge is permitted. Traces of pale orange shades are tolerated but not desirable and considered an imperfection.
Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a one-finger-wide dome and a black nose that is two finger widths long. The body is compact with the length equaling the height. The drop ears with long hair and very dark eyes, surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a "halo"), gives Maltese their expressive look. Their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color without exposure to sunlight. This is often referred to as a "winter nose" and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.
The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. The color is pure white and although cream or light lemon ears are permissible, they are not desirable. Also a pale ivory tinge is permitted. Traces of pale orange shades are tolerated but not desirable and considered an imperfection.
Adult Maltese range from roughly 3 to 7 lb (1.4 to 3.2 kg), though breed standards, as a whole, call for weights between 4 and 7 lb (1.8 and 3.2 kg). There are variations depending on which standard is being used. Many, like the American Kennel Club, call for a weight that is ideally less than 7 lb with between 4 and 6 lb preferred.
Maltese are bred to be cuddly companion dogs. They thrive on love and attention. They are extremely lively and playful, and even as a Maltese ages, his or her energy level and playful demeanor remains fairly constant and does not diminish much. Some Maltese can occasionally be snappy with smaller children and should be supervised when playing, although socializing them at a young age will reduce this habit. The Maltese is very active within a house, and, preferring enclosed spaces, does very well with small yards. For this reason the breed also does well with apartments and townhouses, and is a prized pet of urban dwellers. Maltese have a bad reputation as yappers.
An Australia-wide research project (but not in Tasmania) in conjunction with RSPCA found owners likely to dump their Maltese terriers, citing their tendency to bark constantly. This breed is Australia's most dumped dog.
Maltese are bred to be cuddly companion dogs. They thrive on love and attention. They are extremely lively and playful, and even as a Maltese ages, his or her energy level and playful demeanor remains fairly constant and does not diminish much. Some Maltese can occasionally be snappy with smaller children and should be supervised when playing, although socializing them at a young age will reduce this habit. The Maltese is very active within a house, and, preferring enclosed spaces, does very well with small yards. For this reason the breed also does well with apartments and townhouses, and is a prized pet of urban dwellers. Maltese have a bad reputation as yappers.
An Australia-wide research project (but not in Tasmania) in conjunction with RSPCA found owners likely to dump their Maltese terriers, citing their tendency to bark constantly. This breed is Australia's most dumped dog.
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