The Maltese Dog Breed And The City
AppearanceThe Maltese dog breed is one of the most popular of all small dog breeds. There aren’t many breeds where the difference between a show dog and a pet dog is as obvious. The show dogs have long, straight, silky white hair (about 8 inches long), while the pet dogs all have short cut hair for ease of grooming. Long or short hair, the most important thing is that it’s straight. Wavy, curvy or kinky hair is not allowed.The hair should be a very bright white, although light ivory is also allowed.The tail is thickly covered with hair and curls over the back.The eyes should be dark, large and round and have dark rims. The nose is black.Although they are fine-boned, they are relatively sturdy small dogs.Height: 8-10 inches (20-25cm) Weight: 6,5-9 pounds (3-4kg) Temperament
Their intelligence makes it very easy to teach them new tricks, although some people seem to have problems with house breaking their Maltese. Because they’re so smart, it’s very easy for them to train you to do what they want. Be a kind but firm pack leader to prevent behavior problems a lot of small dog breeds suffer from like, snapping, jealousy, separation anxiety, picky eating, obsessive barking, house breaking problems. They’re very loyal and clingy towards their master, so it’s important to teach the dog to be alone at a young age. To avoid problems with the neighbours (and to protect your ears) teach your dog not to sound the alarm every time he hears something suspicious. The breed is good with other pets, even smaller animals shouldn’t be a problem. Though I do recommend you socialize your puppy with as many different animals and people at a very young age. If you can keep the barking in check, this dog will make an excellent furry city friend. Healthcare
Sadly enough, a little sunburn is the least of their problems. The Maltese dog breed is prone to slipped stifle, skin, eye, tooth and respiratory problems. A lot of them also suffer from weak, upset digestion. They can also get the chills and they suffer from heat strokes rather easily. Damp areas are also a big no-no for this breed. Because of the problems caused by different types of weather, it might be a good idea to house train your Maltese to use an indoor dog potty, pee pads or litter box.Despite all their health issues, these little dogs have a life expectancy between 15 and 18 years. If you want to keep their coat white as snow, you’ll have your work cut out for you in the grooming department. The long coat needs to be brushed daily. Be gentle while brushing as the dog doesn’t have an extra undercoat and the hair is quite soft. To prevent those ugly tear stains you’ll need to clean the eyes daily. After every meal you should also clean the beard. Bathe them regularly, just make sure the dog is completely dry and warm afterwards. An easier procedure is to use a dry shampoo. To avoid infection, pull out hair growing inside the ears and clean the ears. The upside, the Maltese dog breed doesn’t shed any hair. This makes it a great dog for anyone with allergies. Breed BackgroundNobody really knows how or even where the maltese dog breed originated from. Some people think the breed has Spitz anscestors, others believe it to be related to the Tibetan terrier in Asia. Most likely the dogs were first introduced in Europe by nomads travelling from the Middle East. There are several references to the Maltese dog breed in Greek and Roman literature, which means its origins go back to 500 B.C.Although there are reports of using the Maltese dog breed to hunt rats, they were more popular as companion dogs. Particularly for women, who tended to carry them around in their sleeves ( I sure hope those sleeves don’t become fashionable again). These days, they are companion dogs and very popular show dogs.
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