Maltese Dog Information For Dog Lovers
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| Source http://www.maltese-care.com/blog/ |
Here’s some Maltese dog information you might like. The breed has been around since long before the time of Christ, dating as far back as 600 B.C. according to finds in Egyptian ruins. There is one account, from Charles Darwin, himself, that dates the breed back to the year 6,000 B.C.
Because of the dog’s diminutive size, in the Southern European area, it was bred for hunting purposes initially. After spreading south into the Mediterranean areas and the Far East, the dog was bred with the Lhasa Apso, the Tibetan Terrier, the Pekingese and the Tibetan Spaniel to obtain the breed we now know today.
Around 350 B.C. Aristotle wrote about Maltese dog information, naming its place of origin as the island of Malta. However, his is not the only account of the breed’s origin, as other accounts name the City of Melitae as its home. Indeed, the word, Maltese, is an indication that the breed comes from the area of Malta in the Mediterranean.
The dog became very popular with royalty and aristocrats with its friendly, ebullient nature and its small, easily portable size. It even became thought of as a healer as when someone was ill, placing the dog on the stomach or chest was quite comforting.
The demeanor of this dog is as fearless and loyal companion, with a zest for life and an intense desire to please. Being a rather intelligent animal, the Maltese is easily trained, as long as patience and understanding is given. Frightening the dog with sharp scolding or physical punishment will never do, as the Maltese will simply decide that you are unstable and not to be trusted and will begin to avoid you at all costs.
The AKC’s Maltese dog information for this dog lists it as belonging to the Toy group for its small size. The breed standard lists the dog’s ideal weight as being between 4 to 6 pounds, although Maltese as large as 9 pounds do exist. He has a jaunty, smooth-flowing trot to his movement and a long, silky fur coat.
Speaking of the fur coat, since the breed has no undercoat, this places the Maltese squarely on the list for best hypoallergenic dogs, good news for allergy sufferers looking for a pet. However, because there is no undercoat, the fur tends to mat quite easily, and thus, will require daily brushing. Some owners opt to give the dog an all-over puppy cut to avoid the long fur issues.
For more valuable Maltese dog information, check out the AMA—that is, the American Maltese Association, www.americanmaltese.org, as well as www.akc.org for the American Kennel Club’s official Maltese dog information.
