Maltese is a decorative dog with luxurious white hair and black button eyes. She is ideally suited for life in urban environments and will become an excellent companion to people of all ages and professions. In today's article, we will consider the features of the appearance and character of the Maltese lapdog.
A bit of history
The exact origin of this oldest breed is still a mystery. The first mention of it dates back to the VI century BC. e., because miniature maltese can be, if not the forerunner of the giant Molossians, then their same age. The ancient Greeks appreciated and worshiped these snow-white animals and depicted them in antique frescoes and vases.
Malta is recognized as the official birthplace of the breed, but some scientists believe that it was bred in China or Europe and came from miniature spaniels and poodles. The dog came to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century and quickly gained popularity. Judging by the reviews of the owners, the Maltese lap-dog is used exclusively for decorative purposes today. Although in ancient times she was not only the darling of dignitaries, but also an excellent rodent repeller.
Appearance
Maltese is a small dog whose parameters depend on the country of origin. Animals of American breeding grow up to 20-25 cm and weigh 1.8-2.7 kg. Dogs born in Italy have a weight in the range of 3-4 kg. Moreover, the Maltese boy-boys are not much larger than girls.
On a comparatively large wide head with a rectangular muzzle, an even nose, dry lips and strong jaws, there are expressive shiny eyes surrounded by dark eyelids, and triangular semi-erect ears with rounded tips.
A smooth neck smoothly passes into a weakly protruding withers, a straight back and slightly lowered croup, ending with the base of a saber-like, bent tail. Under a moderately stretched body with a deep chest and rounded ribs, there are two pairs of strong bony limbs with paws gathered in a lump. But the main hallmark of the dog is its luxurious flowing wool of snow-white color. It is this feature that is highlighted in their reviews by the owners of Maltese lapdogs.
Behavior and character
These tiny creatures, outwardly resembling plush toys, have an almost perfect disposition. They are very active, friendly and affectionate. Maltese quickly become attached to their masters and do not tolerate prolonged loneliness. These snow-white handsome men need constant communication with people and easily find a common language with strangers.
In the reviews of owners of Maltese lapdogs, it is often mentioned that representatives of this breed get along well with children. But the kids need to immediately explain that you can not offend the four-legged pet. Maltese is quite proud and vindictive. They are able to ignore a person who accidentally or intentionally hurt them until the end of their life.
Care Features
The Maltese lap-dog is a gentle creature, the content of which is considered to be painstaking, but not too difficult, which anyone can easily cope with. A luxurious animal fur coat requires the most attention. Without proper care, she quickly loses her attractiveness and becomes confused. An insufficiently overgrown puppy spine needs to be combed and straightened daily to keep it level.
During the period of changing the wool, which falls on the age of 12-18 months, you will have to use special “papillot” clips. The animal must be gradually accustomed to calmly treat these devices and not to tear them off. Those who do not plan to show their pet at exhibitions and do not want to spend time fussing with papillots can be recommended to make a Maltese haircut. The photo of the dogs who visited the grooming salon shows that the short hairstyle not only makes them attractive, but also helps to survive the summer heat more easily.
No less attention is required by the eyes and ears of the animal. They should be regularly cleaned with a cotton swab soaked in a special composition. You will also have to periodically brush your pet’s teeth and cut back its claws. The latter must be done as carefully as possible so as not to damage the blood vessels.
It is equally important to regularly vaccinate the animal and carry out scheduled treatments from external and internal parasites. These simple procedures will help strengthen the health of Maltese and prolong her life.
Training and training
In reviews of owners of Maltese lapdogs, complaints about inappropriate pet behavior sometimes slip. Moreover, many owners sincerely do not understand that they themselves are the root cause of such problems and believe that a tiny dog does not need training. In fact, miniature maltese should be brought up in the same way as its larger counterparts. Of course, you can not do IPO with it, as with a German shepherd or Malinois. But to instill in her the basics of proper behavior is possible and necessary. Moreover, it is advisable to do this from an early age.
Having shown a little perseverance and patience, after a few months you will receive a sane and obedient dog that can carry out simple commands. Maltese are naturally endowed with excellent memory and the ability to concentrate, therefore, if desired, they can be taught simple circus tricks.
Walking and exercise
In the reviews of the owners of Maltese lapdogs (mini and standard), their temperament is necessarily mentioned. These mischievous and playful creatures love to run and jump. They feel great in motion and cannot sit still for long. With a lack of physical activity, the dog begins to get bored and even get sick. Therefore, you need to play with her regularly.
Many owners accustom their pets to the tray and believe that they do not need to be taken outside. In fact, these miniature creatures require regular walks in the fresh air. Since they do not have an undercoat, it is recommended to dress them in warm overalls in the winter season. It is important to ensure that the clothes do not hamper the movements of the dog and reliably protect from the cold.
Feeding
Maltese - unpretentious creatures that do not have a clear predisposition to allergies. Therefore, you can feed them both industrial and natural food. In the first case, it is important not to grab the first package you like from the shelf, but carefully examine the composition of its contents. It should not contain cereals, dyes or preservatives.
In the second case, the basis of the diet of the Maltese lapdogs (both girls and boys) should be low-fat fresh meat. Several times a week it can be replaced with saltwater fish and offal. It is important to ensure that cereals, vegetables, eggs, cottage cheese, kefir and yogurt appear regularly in the maltese bowl.
It is strictly forbidden to treat the dog with tubular bones, legumes, chocolate, pastry, pickles, smoked meats and exotic fruits. These products will not only not benefit the animal’s body, but will also lead to the development of health problems.
Disease predisposition
Those who do not know how many Maltese lapdogs live will be interested to know that on average this indicator is at least fifteen years old. In general, representatives of this breed are distinguished by good health. But they are also prone to certain diseases.
They are often diagnosed with a dislocation of the patella. This is a genetically caused disease, manifested in a change in the joint and accompanied by severe pain. Its treatment depends on the degree of the disease and in the initial stages comes down to taking certain drugs. In especially advanced cases, veterinarians recommend solving the problem surgically.
Another hereditary disease that Maltese is prone to is progressive retinal atrophy. This ailment is manifested in a disruption of the photoreceptors and leads to complete blindness.
Maltese lapwings also have a predisposition to hypoglycemia. The cause of this disease is a decrease in blood sugar. The disease itself can be recognized by a shaky gait, weakness, fainting, or cramping.
In addition, allergies, atopic dermatitis, glaucoma, lacrimal duct dysfunction, heart disease, dysthiasis, partial or complete deafness can be attributed to the number of diseases that are prone to maltese.
Breeding Features
To obtain offspring, it is recommended to use absolutely healthy individuals that are most consistent with the generally accepted standard. Despite the fact that the first estrus in bitches begins at the age of 6-12 months, it must be knitted no earlier than a year and a half. At this point, the dog is fully formed and reaches puberty.
Pregnancy lasts an average of 58-63 days and ends with the birth of 4-6 puppies. Kids are born with a relatively low weight. But with proper feeding of the mother, they get everything they need from her and quickly gain weight.
Pros and cons
The reviews of the owners of Maltese lapdogs sound mostly in a positive way. And this is true: after all, snow-white handsome men actually have a lot of advantages. Due to their friendly disposition, they get along well with other pets and do an excellent job with the role of companion. They are friendly, active and quite undemanding. All this makes them ideal city dogs, suitable for keeping in small-sized apartments.
However, these tiny dogs have several significant shortcomings. The main one is the relatively high cost. Therefore, everyone who wants to acquire a maltese needs to be prepared for the fact that a puppy will have to pay a considerable amount, especially if there are champions in his pedigree. In addition, the dog needs complex hair care and good nutrition.
Owner reviews
People in whose houses the Maltese lapdogs live, note not only the external attractiveness, but also the wonderful nature of these pretty creatures. According to them, representatives of this breed get along equally well with children and with the elderly. Because maltese often get as family dogs.
They also pay attention to the fact that lapdogs are the owners of a very clear voice. But this does not mean at all that they are prone to vacillation. Just because of their incredible activity, they can create a lot of noise. Therefore, those who live in an apartment and have such a dog should immediately wean her from the habit of noisily rejoicing at the arrival of the owners in order to avoid conflicts with neighbors.