Maltese: Dog Breed Information, Facts and Pictures

Hypoallergenic: Yes
Lifespan: 12 – 15 years
Temperament: Playful, Docile, Fearless, Affectionate, MORE
Weight: Male: 6.6–8.8 lbs (3–4 kg), Female: 6.6–8.8 lbs (3–4 kg)
Origin: Italy, Mediterranean Basin
Height: Male: 8–10 inches (21–25 cm), Female: 8–9 inches (20–23 cm)

The Maltese shows a cuddly, but not at all sluggish or passive being. He builds a close relationship with his owner, but usually does not react shyly or reluctantly to strangers. Well socialized, these dogs are synonymous with other conspecifics, cats or small animals. He is particularly pleased to receive attention and petting. Although Maltese are small dogs, they are in no way inferior to other breeds. They also need long walks, games and other activities.

Here, the Maltese is not only intelligent and spirited, but also likes to use his well-developed sense of smell to follow the trail. This usually happens more out of curiosity. Because the hunting instinct is not trained strong with him, which is why he can be guided well. The Malteser shows aggressive behavior or problems, this is usually due to a lack of utilization and education - it is reduced only to its appearance as a "lap dog" and his needs are not taken seriously, this can easily lead to problems mentioned.

The Maltese is a well-behaved and socialized dog who is well suited as a family dog. Since it is very small and light, it can usually be taken anywhere without any problems. For older people, the Maltese can be a suitable dog, provided that it can be ensured that the dog is used appropriately. With its rather long life expectancy, the Maltese is a faithful and robust companion.

Unfortunately, the origin of the Maltese can not be traced to their origin. However, it is known that he is one of the oldest dog breeds and the first Maltese lived well in the Mediterranean, where they fought rats and mice. Already in the fourth century BC Aristotle describes a dog, to which he gave the name "canes maltinenses". From the land of the pharaohs are also figures known that could represent Maltese predecessors and were made more than 3,000 years ago Ramses II as a gift. Its eponymous location on the island of Malta, however, springs from a confusion. Kallimachos of Cyrene calls him Canis Melitaei in the third century BC, which indicates an origin of the island of Mljet near Dubrovnik.

For the breed standard of the Maltese, Italy has taken over the patronage. Here he can be found under group 9 "companion dogs". 

The most striking feature of the Maltese is its white, long hair. Leaving the coat long, it extends on the back parted almost to the ground. According to standard, the male reaches a withers height of 21 to 25 cm. In the female this measure is slightly smaller with 20 to 23 cm. The physique is slim, without being too narrow or petite. This brings a full-grown Maltese 3 to 4 pounds on the scales. The body length exceeds the height at the withers.

His head is rather broad, the skull goes over with a well-recognizable curve in the nasal area with a straight back. The catch ends with a black, voluminous nose. Together with the extremely large, round and dark eyes, whose edges are also darkly pigmented, the maltese's expressive facial expression is created.