Maltese lapdog: description of dog breed, character and content

Ladies of past centuries carried dogs with them, not only because they were very beautiful, but also to show their worth, because such a pet was worth a fortune. Today, girls can often be seen with dogs of various breeds, but it is the Maltese lapdog or Maltese that can turn an ordinary girl into an exquisite lady. It is also a gorgeous gift for his chosen one, capable of breaking through a dam with supplies of simply endless affection. Although today such dogs are not the most expensive breed, they are clearly not the cheapest dog.

The Maltese lapdog or dwarf bichon is rightly considered one of the most ancient dog breeds. Images of tetrapods of this species are found even in ancient Greek sources, and today scientists have come to the conclusion that even at that time these cute dogs were the favorites of the Hellenic nobility.

Legend has it that for the first time they began to breed fluffy beauties on the island of Malta., from where the modern name comes - "maltese" from Italian can be translated as "Maltese" or "Maltese". Be that as it may, modern science claims that the Maltese lapdog does not owe its origin to Malta, Bologna, or any other place in Europe. The most common versions say that for the first time such a dog was bred in ancient China, although there is also a more exotic theory of origin associated with the Philippines.In any case, East or Southeast Asia is considered the homeland of the animal, and from there the lapdogs could, with numerous transfers, get to Malta, which became the springboard for the conquest of Europe.

There is another, relatively unpopular theory about where the Maltese came from. According to her, there are sources claiming that at the turn of our era, dogs of unusual beauty were found on the island of Meleda near modern Croatia. Malta at that time was called exactly the same or very similar, and in the 16th century, with the growing popularity of this breed in neighboring Italy for both regions, the names were simply confused. It is assumed that the small size of toy poodles and spaniels could have a direct bearing on the emergence of a new breed.

In ancient times, a small dog was appreciated not only for its cute appearance, but also for its practicality. - at first, it could also be used to effectively combat rodents that annoyed Europe. Over time, thanks to the work of breeders, the representatives of the breed became noticeably prettier and turned into a typical companion - in fact, a beautiful toy for rich people. Already in the Renaissance, many prominent artists of those times depicted Maltese lapdogs in their masterpieces. So, you can see this little dog in the paintings of such recognized masters of painting as Rubens, Goya or Landseer.

When purchasing dogs of expensive breeds, you must first inquire about the characteristics of the variety of interest. This requirement is due to two significant reasons at once: firstly, this is the only way to determine what you really want, and secondly, this is the only way to clearly understand whether the seller is trying to deceive a gullible buyer by selling him something cheaper. Considering that even such dogs are not so rarely bought off hand, the second argument should seem especially convincing for potential dog owners, so let's try to get acquainted with all the features of the Maltese lapdogs.

If we talk about the positive aspects of the representatives of this breed in a nutshell, it turns out that the Maltese are one of the cutest dogs in the world., and this applies equally to both appearance and behavior. Maltese are non-conflict dogs, they agree to be friends with both small children and other pets. It is not difficult to feed such a baby, because he eats very little, with diligent care of his wool, he does not shed, and his pet's disposition is also very quiet - he barks extremely rarely.

At the same time, it is probably impossible to find such a pet, which would not have any flaws at all. For example, the beauty of a maltese requires sacrifices in the form of regular grooming of the ward's coat, since in a neglected state the dog will by no means look beautiful or at its cost. Another important point is the emotionality of the doggie: he tends to take offense at the manifestations of aggression on the part of his beloved owner, his frustration is clearly visible and sometimes even pours out into tears, because of which, after a fair punishment, you can also feel guilty. Finally, the representatives of this breed are categorically contraindicated to eat everything, they are strictly forbidden to give food from the human table, since the digestive system is rather weak and often simply does not accept unfamiliar foods.

By acquiring a creature with such a cute appearance, future owners probably expect that its disposition will be appropriate. Of course, this is pure truth, otherwise a cute doggie would hardly have been associated with beautiful ladies for centuries. Briefly, the habits of the Maltese can be described as follows - this dog is very aristocratic and restrained, she is kind and loves the owner's affection... Interestingly, such a small creature has another useful characteristic inherent in any "normal" dog - it is ready to get into a fight of any scale, just to protect its owner.

Representatives of the breed have a lively character - they cannot be called completely uncontrollable, but they love to frolicespecially if there is enough space and lush green grass under the paws for this. At the same time, the dog loves the company of people - he is happy to communicate not only with the owner, but also with strangers, provided that the owner himself shows them some signs of attention. The dog senses when the owner is not in the best mood, and does everything possible so that he does not remain alone, but in such a situation he no longer demonstrates excessive cheerfulness.

Such a pet is very suitable for those people who rarely go on long trips and are ready to devote a lot of time to a dog. The fact is that you get very attached to such a baby, and he, most importantly, becomes attached in the same way in response. Maltese misses when the owner is not around, and although there is no need for constant presence, it is better not to leave him alone for a long time.

As already mentioned, the Maltese are not against dating, but the candidate must necessarily meet the fundamental requirement - he should not pose a threat either to the four-legged one or to its owners. Otherwise, a cute and friendly creature will turn on the aggression mode, and although this is not a pit bull that would make an impudent person regret his mistake, he will not let a potential enemy approach him.

Maltese lapdogs are normally compatible with children - the dog is not aggressive and normally treats most children's leprosy, realizing that they are not done out of malice. A cute little bundle of life gladly makes contact with children, however, a preliminary detailed preventive conversation should be held with the kids. Its meaning will be that animals should not be tortured, and in the case of maltese, this statement is especially relevant due to the tiny size of the pet - even if it is inaccurate, it can cause serious injury.

If, in principle, you can classify yourself as a pet lover, the question arises as to how the lapdog will get along with them. As a rule, there are no problems with this - at least from the side of the maltese itself. Representatives of the breed do not believe that they have anything to share with any other dogs - in the absence of aggression towards them, the Maltese will never provoke a quarrel first. The aristocratic attitude of this dog to other representatives of the fauna applies to almost any pets - even with cats, there should not be a problem.

It is not worth counting on the fact that a tiny cute guy will also be a trained circus animal - Maltese lapdogs are not among the most easily trained dogs. The reason is largely due to the small size of the dog - it is obvious that the level of its mental development is somewhat behind the average dog.

According to the generally accepted classification of dog breeds, Maltese belongs to group 9, which includes companions and indoor decorative dogs, and in it - to section 1, dedicated to lapdogs and dogs similar to them.The standard assumes that the weight of an adult varies from 3 to 4 kilograms, regardless of gender, although males are still slightly taller - 21–25 centimeters at the withers versus 20–23 centimeters in bitches. Such pets live most often from 13 to 16 years old.

Best of all, such a mini-lapdog can be described by the phrase "white and fluffy." The pet's coat is distinguished by its high density and considerable length, it seems to embrace the animal and form a kind of "mantle".

The dog's head looks rather large, its width is about half of the height of the entire dog at the withers. She rests on an elongated straight neck, which gives the pet a special aristocracy in appearance. The eyes on the muzzle are located in front, they have a rounded shape and are distinguished by clever expression. The color of the iris is close to dark chocolate. The head is complemented by triangular ears hanging down the length of the head and a large black nose.

In matters of determining a purebred Maltese, special attention should be paid to the shade of wool - according to the standard, it should be white and no other, the only relatively acceptable exception is the color, which is usually called ivory. For such dogs, a reddish or any other color color is possible, but such a characteristic will be considered a disadvantage, and such an individual is no longer suitable for breeding.

There are no such strict requirements for the length of wool, in connection with which there are even two varieties of the Maltese lapdog - American and English. The first option differs in that its wool does not grow too long, due to which the proportions change somewhat. So, the head of this dog seems to be somewhat smaller than that of his English counterpart.

If you have never had any experience in choosing a Maltese lapdog before, it will be easy to make a mistake. In this situation, it is often advised to ask for help from a third-party expert, but in our conditions we understand that even here it is possible to deceive or promote certain catteries and breeders not by objective estimates, but by connections. For this reason, you should have at least minimal knowledge of how to choose the right baby.

First of all, the best age to wean a puppy from its mother is two months. - at this time, the Maltese is already becoming relatively independent, but can still easily get used to the new owner. At the same time, such a young individual is still covered with children's fur, which is difficult to assess from the point of view of health status or compliance with the breed. All that can be said is that excessive fluffiness or cottoniness should not be inherent in the cover, there should not be well-visible curls either, but slight waviness is allowed.

Cleanliness and a pleasant smell are artificial criteria, but even if this is not the case, it is no longer worth taking a pet. Bald patches on the coat, redness or skin rash, traces of discharge near the eyes or ears, lethargy and passivity are all signs of a sick dog, which the owner will have to treat. Be sure to check the bite - it should be scissor bite. Excessive shyness or aggression may indicate that the animal was offended, this will affect its psyche for life. The proportions of body parts should now be the same as in an adult dog.

Decide for what purposes you need an animal - whether it will be your home joy or you plan to ride with it at exhibitions. Pets of the so-called pet class are also suitable for home breeding - they have some peculiarities, because of which they will not be allowed to the exhibition, so they are cheaper. At the same time, a layman will not even notice the difference, because the reason may turn out to be insignificant - say, the weight is less than the standard. If you buy a dog for exhibitions, do not forget that its condition depends on the correct care, therefore, the owner's task is not limited to buying the best puppy.

When deciding on what and how to feed the Maltese lapdog, many owners make so many stupid mistakes that recommendations for choosing a diet should start from the opposite - briefly going through the points of what you definitely do not need to do.

• Don't overfeed. Maltese is a dog so small that absolutely any person can give it too much food, because it is difficult to believe that a living and so active creature, even a very small one, has enough of that scanty food that he eats. Do not forget that a significant part of the visual volume of the dog's body is its lush coat, which means that it is even smaller than it seems. The pet will not refuse excess food, if you offer one, and this is precisely the problem - with regular overeating, the Maltese easily eats and grows fat, which translates into problems not only with digestion, but also with blood vessels and joints. This breed is loved for its activity and playfulness, but you run the risk of growing a lazy and painful mattress.
• Do not share food with your pet. This rule applies not only to Maltese lapdogs, and even not only dogs - it applies to almost all types of pets. What seems useful to a person and is perceived by his body without any significant consequences can cause very noticeable harm to the dog. The most common abuse in this regard is treating the Maltese with sweets - they are completely useless in his diet. Again, all these extra snacks, in the case of a tiny pet that needs to eat very little, further contribute to obesity and health problems.
• Don't be guided only by your tastes - Pay attention to the reaction of the Maltese. For an adult to always remain cheerful and cheerful, it is necessary that nothing darkens its existence, and food - first of all. A feature of the representatives of this breed is that they are quite picky in terms of food choice - some prefer to eat only dry food, others like a diet based on natural products more, others need to periodically change the menu. A specific dog may not like the type of meat or canned food that all other Maltese lapdogs like. In most cases, the most sensible tactic for the owner will be to choose exactly what the fluffy baby likes, however, you need to insist on the inclusion of useful components in the diet.

If you decide to feed the animal mainly with dry food, give preference to those that belong to the premium class and are designed specifically for small breed dogs. Natural nutrition for an adult revolves around essential ingredients such as boiled chicken or beef, cottage cheese and low-fat kefir. For a variety and greater benefit of the diet, you can periodically include additional dishes such as fish, finely chopped green apples, chicken eggs and boiled buckwheat or rice.

Any mistakes in the daily menu will quickly become apparent. - if the food is chosen incorrectly, the maltese wool will quickly lose its original appearance. Symptoms such as tarnishing and brittle coats and dandruff directly indicate that the animal's diet is not balanced.

If you have already chosen the Maltese lapdog as your pet, get ready for the fact that you will need to devote a significant part of your time to caring for it. One way or another, now your life will revolve around a tiny Maltese.

First you need to clarify that the content of a dog of this breed is possible in an apartment and only in it. There are two main reasons for this: firstly, the little pet is not a serious opponent even for a daring street cat, and secondly, in the street conditions, the pet will have problems with its coat. The fact is that the latter is devoid of undercoat and therefore practically does not warm its owner, and even on the street a beautiful dog will quickly turn into a dirty and unpleasant ragamuffin. Owners of private houses sometimes let their wards out for a short walk in the garden, but then you need to monitor it or in some other way have one hundred percent confidence that the animal will not run away and face a serious enemy.

When purchasing a Maltese lapdog, you need to immediately think about buying a number of necessary accessories.

• Sleeping place and dining room. These accessories are absolutely necessary for any pet living at home. The kid should know where to sleep - for this, buy a cozy house or a special bed, although you can independently design a soft and warm place from an old blanket.

• Toys. The Maltese are very fond of playing with squeakers, they are especially interesting for them at puppyhood. The owner will have to decide what he wants - to please the pet as much as possible or listen to the squeak constantly.

• Collar with a tag. Even today, Maltese is often used as a companion - they take it with them for walks and shopping, and although you cannot call it a full-fledged dog walk, this is also a walk. In the process, a young pet can escape or get lost, so their own contacts are indicated on the tag so that the finder has the opportunity to return the fugitive.

• Grooming supplies. The lapdog's coat requires constant and careful care, so the owner will inevitably need combs (both thick and thinner) and a hair brush. A nail clipper should be purchased separately.

• A tray and a set of disposable nappies. A young Maltese is considered a model of a cute appearance and the same external habits, therefore, until he is accustomed to the toilet, he is often dressed in special "clothes" that help the baby not to be associated with lack of culture.

Except for the rather troublesome procedures with the coat, otherwise caring for the Maltese is no more difficult than for most dogs of other breeds. The set of human responsibilities is as follows.

• Examine eyes and ears daily. From time to time, dirt that gets there is removed with a cotton pad so that it does not become a breeding ground for pathogenic microorganisms. Watery, reddened, or irritated eyes are a clear reason to seek veterinary attention.

• Cut your nails every two to three weeks. Many owners of Maltese lapdogs not only dress, but also shoe their pets.This is not very good for the claws, since they generally cease to wear out in a natural way, which means that the procedure will have to be carried out even more often.

• Take preventive measures against fleas, ticks and worms - every 4-6 months. This procedure is important both for the daily health of the Maltese, and for the successful full-fledged mating or grafting - before them, worming is mandatory.

• Get vaccinated as needed. The baby is vaccinated for the first time at puppyhood - already at two months. The procedure is repeated after just a month, then the vaccination is done at the age of one. An adult pet needs a yearly vaccination.

• Brush the coat daily. This is the most difficult and time-consuming duty, which cannot be avoided if the owners want the Maltese to remain a truly elite dog.

• Bathing - no more than once a week. The color of the coat of the representatives of this breed is such that any pollution is clearly visible on it, however, water procedures on a daily basis will become overkill - instead, it is wiser to use a combination of clothes, shoes and towels with a comb. When bathing your dog, remember that ordinary shampoos are not very good - from their use, the shade of the coat turns yellow. It is best to use special bleaching shampoos for long-haired dogs.

• Cut - at will. If you plan to take part in various exhibitions with your pet, remember that the rules themselves do not imply any haircuts there. The most that is allowed is the minimum trimming of the coat at the tips, on the feet and around the eyes. At home, lapdogs are often cut short for the summer in order to solve the heat problem and once again reduce the likelihood of a pet getting dirty, and in the winter the Maltese, on the contrary, overgrows so as not to freeze.

If you expect that you will be able to make a full-fledged service dog out of the Maltese, then you are a great optimist, because training of representatives of this breed is difficult. At the same time, the minimum education is in any case necessary for the beast, and it is advised to start as soon as it is purchased. By two or three months, the puppy is already able to respond to its own name and carry out the simplest commands.

The cute dog's memory is not very good, therefore, it is important not only to be patient, but also to make sure that the rules are followed strictly and without exception. What is forbidden to a baby once should be forbidden at all times and by all household members, whoever allows the slack - he will be to blame for the poor upbringing of a four-legged child.

Do not demand circus tricks from your pet, but be sure to memorize basic commands. These usually include six teams: "no", "fu", "next", "place", "to me" and "sit". For some reason, it is widely believed that the training of small breed dogs is not necessary, in many respects this is due to the fact that they do not respond very well to it, but training them, of course, is necessary. The owner is interested in this not only because he needs a well-bred dog, but also because of ensuring the safety of the animal, because the executed voice command during a walk can prevent the animal from escaping, getting it under the car or eating something completely unnecessary. Therefore, it is advisable to train the dog so diligently that it fulfills all orders unquestioningly and instantly.

Although the Maltese are often credited with the ability to get along well with other people and animals, this property cannot be inherent in them a priori - if the baby has never seen his own kind, his reaction to them at the first meeting can be the most unpredictable. The same applies to any other meetings - for a stay-at-home puppy it can be a real discovery that, in addition to the owners, there are other people. For this reason, young Malteses, already trained in basic commands, begin to walk in places where there are many people and other dogs - this is a process of socialization, that is, involvement in society.

Those buyers who have Maltese in order to become breeders in the future should pay special attention to bitches - there are traditionally more males, so there is less demand for them. The females' first estrus begins at approximately 6–12 months, but no one sends them to mate so early - the young body of the bitch simply will not last the pregnancy, and the babies will be born weak and unhealthy. For this reason, breeding is usually expected until the third estrus.

During estrus, the bitch shows an increased interest in males on the street, so it is worth keeping an eye on her if you do not need offspring yet. According to the rules of the Russian Cynological Federation, the first mating for a female is allowed no earlier than the age of 1 year and 3 months.

Remember that pregnancy and childbirth deplete the animal's body, therefore, you cannot use every estrus as a reason for pregnancy. With the regularity of estrus, once every six months, mating is considered the norm once, as an exception, you can skip only every third heat, but this is only if both pregnancy and childbirth pass without the slightest complications. If a pet's estrus occurs only once a year, then the time between two such periods is enough for the dog to recover - accordingly, every opportunity can be used.

The average gestation period for representatives of this breed is 63 days from the moment of mating. Maltese women sometimes need help from a person during childbirth, so you need to either prepare for this mentally and theoretically, or carefully monitor the signs of the imminent birth of babies and look for opportunities to invite a more experienced person. The simplest way to determine the approach of a miracle is to change the behavior of the dog - she senses that she will soon have cubs, and begins to equip a nest for them.

Be prepared for the fact that the birth of a lapdog is notable for a significant duration - it can easily take 6-12 hours. In fact, the beginning of the process is considered the moment when the bitch begins to show obvious anxiety and increased attention to her own crotch. At the same time, puppies are born one at a time with an interval of about 15-30 minutes.

If you suspect a deviation from the norm, you should immediately call a veterinarian or take the dog to the clinic. Childbirth in Maltese lapdogs is usually not accompanied by complications, but the owner must be prepared for unforeseen situations, so you should stock up on at least a specialist's phone number.

The overwhelming majority of owners leave extremely positive reviews about their own malteza, which is not too surprising - it's not for nothing that such a dog costs a lot of money.It is noted that the doggie of this breed is active and playful, but at the same time affectionate and benevolent to everyone he knows well. A curious comment was left by a woman who had a child a couple of years after the introduction of the dog - she was afraid that the pet would be jealous of the owners for the new object of adoration, but the fears turned out to be unjustified.

They also write that even those who do not believe in the possibility of training their pet should not give up. As an example, there are clever individuals of Maltese lapdogs who quickly learned how to use the tray, and some even knew how to dance on their hind legs, which, when performed by such a beautiful creature, looks simply bewitching. At the same time, really smart dogs are a little more endowed with feelings and their own psyche, therefore they are advised to pay more attention to them. This is justified from a logical point of view, because with a good memory, the animal remembers absolutely everything.

For more information on the Maltese lapdog dog breed, see the next video.