OVERVIEW :

Maltese have originated from the Central Meditterranean area. They are very agile and obedient. They are very gentle and fearless which make them a friend for everyone. They love tracking. They are one of the most beautiful toy breeds. They are very sweet and intelligent. They are one of the best dogs for an apartment. They cannot be alone for long and if you leave them alone they may face separation anxiety which may result in barking and biting all over. They are prone to teeth and gum issues.

HEIGHT :

• The height of female Maltese is from 21 centimetres to 25 centimetres.
• The height of male Maltese is from  20 centimetres to 23 centimetres.

WEIGHT :

• The weight of female Maltese is from 3 kg to 5 kg.
• The weight of male Maltese is from 3 kg to 5 kg.

LIFESPAN :

They will be with you for 12 to 15 years.

COAT :

• Colour: White ( earlier they use to come in other colours but now they come in white).
• They have silky white hair.
• They have straight and thick hair.
• There coat always flows on the floor.
• They shed very little.

 FOOD HABITS :

They don't need to eat in bulk. You cannot make them eat for the whole day, you have to stick to a schedule and divide the meal. They need high quality of food. They need to eat 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of food.

But with this, I would even tell that the need for a dog's body varies from one dog to another because that depends completely on their physical needs.If your dog is sporty and an active one, then, of course, he will need more food than others. So it's important to watch out your dog and accordingly develop up their eating habits.

It's important to feed your pet with the right quantity and quality of food to help them grow in the best manner they may can.

You should never share human food with your pet because that may contain elements which can be toxic for your pet for example potatoes, chocolates, etc.

TRAINING :

Training them properly is very important and in that training, it is important to socialize them as early as possible because in case if they are not socialized soon then they may develop aggression towards other animals and especially of the same gender. We know one thing very well, that is what you sow is something that you get. So be aware while training them and focus over obedience training. Socializing them is very important. They don't need a lot of exercises, a few minutes of walk daily will be more than enough. Physical exercise is important because that helps in burning stress and calories. Don't let them get bored because then they may get destructive and as a result, they may start barking and biting.

CARING :

First and the most important thing about their ears that they should be kept clean and dry always. You can clean them with baby wipes so as to keep them infection free. Yes, another thing is you cannot make them overeat because overeating will spoil their health and behaviour. You should bathe them every three weeks. Their nails should be always trimmed. They need a lot of time for grooming. They need proper exercise and play time. You should brush them two to three times a week. As they have a white coat to keep their coat clean. Their coat may have tangles so try to detangle them soon.

MEDICAL TIPS :

HIP DYSPLASIA

• In this condition, the bones don't fit into the hip joint.
• The dog will have pain and will be low on rear legs.

ELBOW DYSPLASIA

• It is caused due to the different growth rate of three bones that together makes up the dog's elbow causing joint laxity.

COLLAPSED TRACHEA

• The trachea carries air to lungs and in this disease, the trachea tends to collapse.

PATELLAR LUXATION

• It is also known as slipped stifles.
• They are common in small dogs.
• When patella, femur, patella and tibia bones either slip or goes out of place.

 TORSION

• It occurs when the stomach gets filled with gas, air and keeps twisting.

PORTOSYSTEMIC LIVER SHUNT

• This is a kind of renal problem.
• This happens when an abnormal vessel causes blood to bypass the liver.

HOW TO SELECT YOUR MALTESE :

• There are two most important things you should keep in mind if you are planning to buy a Maltese.
• First and the most important thing is to approach a reputed breeder because if you are not doing that remember you are on the verge of getting trapped and will be fooled out with a dog of the different breed. So choose your breeder wisely and smartly. Try not getting fooled up from the fake breeders. Last but not the least choose the breeder with your area of interest.
• The second thing I believe comes as being an important point of concern is the quality of pedigree and remember only a reputed or a good breeder will only know what is pedigree. Actually quality pedigree means what kind of parents, grandparents and ancestor that particular pet had, because through that only you will understand the abilities, temperament and health of that pet, as almost the same traits are passed as hereditary. Basically track record of a quality pup is very important.
• Now what mostly happens is that at times we confuse the two important terms pedigree and puppy's registration but they are too different. Through pedigree, a reputed breeder can tell you what qualities the pet must have inherited but through registration papers, you identify who are the parents and ancestors of the pup but they will not tell you about the quality.