Maltese Dog Breed

Small sized Maltese are really smart dogs. This dog captures the 59th spot in the dog intelligence list prepared by Professor Stanley Coren. They are good watchdogs with alert eyes and ears. They are bright enough to lighten up your day pretty quickly.

In fact, their shining eyes tell a lot about their inherent smartness. They catches at your training mechanisms rapidly. Especially, they are well aware of their job description and stick to it no matter what. They will rarely fail to get a guest aboard with their flawless social charisma.

He is good at everything that a small dog is expected to accomplish. Sweet intelligence from this dog soon melts his surroundings. He is able to send a ripple wave of his happiness along the way. His smartness often equals to the amount of treats he receives.

But a Maltese is good at drawing fabulous treats at his path. So, his earnings are just actually his dues.

At best, ½ cup of dog food will do just fine for a Maltese. Given two meals a day, this tiny amount is enough for his needs.

Notably, the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention puts his ideal weight between 4-6 pounds. His health functions wonderfully at this level. This dog walks a choosy path regarding picking up the right food. This problem occurs due to teeth and gum issues. His small size demands little amount of food.

So, do not get astonished while serving a small bowl. The National Research Council of the National Academies grants a puppy 400 calories per day.

However, this amount can be bent upward or downward based on his activity level. Most of the time, it may go below this line. This leverage depends upon your decision. There is room for 20% flexibility regarding his food amount. Once he is a full grown dog, his demand halves down to 200 calories a day.

Their closeness to their humans often turns into occasional food sharing. Remember that it is most of the time wrong for both his health and dietary practices. His digestive system may undergo some troubles because of this.

Moreover, his tastes might change and this supplement will add extra calorie to his daily intake resulting in a really fat dog.

Your chosen food really determines the health of your dog. Better food may be less in amount. But it yields the best result in terms of nutritional output. Dogs prefer wet food.

But unending wet food supply is likely to lead to stomach troubles. Mix dry items with a portion of wet food. It leaves lasting impact which is proven to be better.

Maltese dogs are reputed for quite a long life and by the way they may also manifest some of the common dog diseases. Health issues can be well covered with proper care and once or twice overall check-ups in a year. No dog will bring you a clean bill of health.

So, you have to expect some diseases along the way. Major Maltese diseases are to take place in absence of health certificates from the breeders.

But we should also keep in mind that these certificates bear no value unless we, the owners, maintain some health routines. Their tiny kneecaps are conditioned to strike a discord at anytime. This is commonly identified as patellar luxation.

In such a case, kneecap or patella bulges out of its original location. Small cavity invites some serious dental issues. Regular tooth inspection and brush will reduce its gravity.

Congested mouth area results in periodontal diseases. Toy breeds such as Maltese are prone to tracheal damage more than anything else. Tightened airways can cause breathing difficulties. This disease is often manifested through dry cough.

Your dog will face an acute problem in wearing a collar in this case. The dog might even need a surgery for complete recovery.

Progressive retinal atrophy might gradually end in his blindness. Luckily, a yearly eye checkup can detect this issue. The American Veterinary Medical Association points out portosystemic liver shunt as a diabolical disease for the Maltese. Here, his blood bypasses liver due to renal failure. Blood cleansing process fails to operate accurately in this situation.

These health problems are listed for your greater attention. All dogs are not bound to undergo these concerns. But your timely action should come into action upon these general instructions. Healthy Maltese dogs will give you a rather peaceful time in this respect.

Maltese dogs are super delicate for larger breeds.

So, you have to ensure their security from the very beginning. As part of a better planning, put on a fence around your home. Your over attention might spoil his natural character tinge and turn him into a overly dependent pet. Put some restrictions but do not overemphasize on his security details in front of the dog.

Grooming is the most important duty on your side. These dogs represent exquisite beauty around you. You must tend to his needs to keep it intact. Their lush and overflowing coat often mops up the floor. Absence of an undercoat guarantees less shedding and he is often considered as a hypoallergenic breed.

But his long coat may form tangles and mats. In that respect, a Maltese coat should have a daily brush or at least thrice a week.

Mats are difficult to remove with a bath. It is suggested that you ditch out the mats before giving him a bath. Their long coat attracts all kinds of dirt.

However, regular brush will mean all the difference between a fresh look and a jumbled appearance. You can also clip his hair for easier maintenance. Long hair prevents his clear eyesight. Regularly trim those hair in order to avoid irritation.

Tooth is a vital part of his care program. You must pay attention to his daily brush. It can also be relaxed up to thrice a week. Trim his nails and check out his ears as well. He is a companion specialist and may suffer from anxiety if left desolate or alone.

However, training and socialization will play a key role in providing you the perfect Maltese charm. Older children suit them better. As a small breed, kids are often tremendously disturbing for them.

Maltese never asks for grueling exercise sessions. They are happy dogs fond of romping around. So, a fenced area is quite okay with them.

At best, they would love to accompany you in your walking courses. Their playful character gives them plenty of indoor action opportunities. Usually, older dogs spend a serene life.

On the other hand, Maltese age cannot bind their inborn playfulness. But puppies themselves can suffice their own needs in this regard. These cutie pies dislike acute heat or cold.

So, while arranging his exercise, you have to keep it in mind. Extreme body heat will rapidly tire him out by swiftly draining energy.

In short, small distance walks are just fine for them to keep their health intact.

Maltese are small in size. But we cannot underestimate their intelligence in any way. They swiftly adapts to your core training issues. He is a companion dog and you have to instill the basics of this quality.

So, he will keep close to you most of the time. Hand signals are vital for him in this regard. ‘Stay’, ‘come’, ‘go’ and ‘leave’ commands are also important.

This is a house dog for thousands of years. For a better upkeep, you must house train him perfectly. Moreover, his cute existence will inevitably draw undivided attention from your guests.

So, guest welcome and subsequent etiquette will give him an edge in such a situation. Sitting gently beside those guests will earn him a plenty of appreciation. This calmness also becomes effective during a vet session.

Not to mention, young age turns out to be the best learning period. Outer world brings in a whole lot of challenges for him. Here, leash is the first line of defense. If you let him loose in any circumstance, teach the basic manners extensively.

So, he does not provoke a situation as the Affenpinscher often does. However, his delicate size often automatically attracts a number of bullies around. They are fine athletic dogs. You can teach them awesome moves. Their smooth agility is a superb weapon in dog shows.

However, these things should not be practised during puppyhood when their bone structure is not up to the mark.

Even in the ancient ages, Maltese held up its popularity as we come to know about it. Their story goes more than 2000 years back.

Obviously, these little dogs come from Malta. Both Egyptians and Greek civilizations are known to have the records of household Maltese dogs. Both sides of the then Mediterranean cultures enjoyed widespread Maltese adoration. Crusaders claim the honor of bringing this breed to England. These cute pups achieved fame in royal houses all over the world.

Women were especially fond of their looks and small size. Maltese attracted eyes in the USA during 1870’s and was first registered by the AKC in 1888.

The Roman Empire had a great contribution in terms of breeding this dog and putting them into perfect shape. Roman ladies’ fashion was not quite fulfilled unless a Maltese dog was hanging by the side.

Later on, the Chinese dog lovers came to their assistance in the Dark Ages of Europe. Chinese intervention kept this breed alive in the mainstream dog business.

In the Middle Ages, this dog was favored by the French, British and many other royalties. Maltese dogs often have variety in their looks. It has been mixed with the Poodle and Miniature Spaniel. So, the variation is not a surprise at all.