Maltese description

Maltese Info

Maltese are in the toy breed category and are one of the few breeds of dogs that have hair instead of fur. This means they do not shed and do not have the dander that causes allergic reactions from people. The Maltese are pure white with black points. You can have some slight shading of cream or lemon, but the more pure white the better. Black points refer to the nose and pads of the dog. For the show ring all the pads must be all black. The eyes are dark. The eye rims are preferred to have a dark pigmentation around them called the haloing effect. It is like you took eye liner in black and went around the eyes. This look makes the doll baby face just pop and is preferred for showing and by most breeders. The A.K.C. standard for size is from 4 pounds to under 7 pounds. For the breed show standard go to

www.akc.org or click the link below:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/maltese/index.cfm

You will see the Maltese up to 10 pounds. The coat is to be straight and silky with some cotton texture. They do not have an undercoat like the Shih Tzu, so they are considered to have a coat similar to human hair. So, the coat will grow to the ground if you let it and does require constant grooming. The cotton texture and the wave can be because of the Bischon Frise being breed into the line. The Maltese usually only had up to 2 puppies, so the Bischon was sanctioned to breed back into the line to help increase the number of puppies that were born in a litter.
The average life span of the Maltese is 17 years. The breed is called the "Diminutive Aristocrat" by Vicki Abbott in her book titled "The Maltese Diminutive Aristocrat". Both Vicki and her daughter have shown this breed for years and have dedicated their lives to this wonderful breed. Her books are full of extensive information on the Maltese.

The breed loves to be pampered and carried around. They were carried in the sleeves of European aristocrats. Even though they look dainty, this dog thinks it is a big dog when it is outside. This breed can be dated back to around 500 B.C. and thought to be the little white dogs from the isle of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Maltese is a great companion dog and loves to be where ever you are and adores the attention anyone will give them. They are prissy when they prance around and as they play you see them bounce across they yard. They are not a yappy dog, yet mouthy in my terms. Mouthy meaning they will let you know if they want or need something. If you acknowledge it, then they are completely satisfied. They really love being spoiled.