Maltese
About Breed
The tiny Maltese, ‘Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta,’ has been sitting in the lap of luxury since the Bible was a work in progress. Famous for their show-stopping, floor-length coat, Maltese are playful, charming, and adaptable toy companions.
Maltese are affectionate toy dogs weighing less than seven pounds, covered by a long, straight, silky coat. Beneath the all-white mantle is a compact body moving with a smooth and effortless gait. The overall picture depicts free-flowing elegance and balance. The irresistible Maltese face’ with its big, dark eyes and black gumdrop nose’ can conquer the most jaded sensibility. Despite their aristocratic bearing, Maltese are hardy and adaptable pets. They make alert watchdogs who are fearless in a charming toy-dog way, and they are game little athletes on the agility course. Maltese are low-shedding, long-lived, and happy to make new friends of all ages. Sometimes stubborn and willful, they respond well to rewards-based training.
History
Malta lies 60 miles due south of Sicily, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times, the island was a crossroads for pilgrims, mariners, and wealthy merchants from three continents. As far back as 3500 B.C. Malta was a thriving seaport and a seat of finance and culture. During a 2,000-year period beginning in 1500 B.C. this strategic gateway was conquered and occupied by successive waves of seafaring empire-builders-Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, and Normans-for whom the island was a clearinghouse for precious commodities, such as spices, silks, gemstones, and a certain little white lapdog favored by leisured ladies the world over. It is likely that the Maltese was introduced to Malta by the Phoenicians, who ruled the Mediterranean before the rise of Greece. The Greeks of the fourth and fifth centuries B.C. were fascinated by the Maltese’s geometric beauty and left behind a rich legacy of breed-specific treasures: The ‘Melitaie Dog’ is depicted on Golden Age ceramics, and Aristotle refers to it as ‘perfectly proportioned,’ notwithstanding a diminutive stature.
