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Maltese Personality traits and Temperament
They are lively, vigorous dogs who are extremely devoted to their masters. They are the perfect lap dogs and love to cuddle with their masters. In fact these dogs are so attached to their owners that they can suffer from panic attacks and separation anxiety in the owner’s absence. They are housedogs and do not tolerate extreme climates.
A Maltese can also be a super therapy dog. With their charming personality and goofy nature they can bring joy into the owners’ lives. They are said to be a perfect companion dog. They only have moderate energy levels and are good dogs for apartment life. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard, though they do enjoy their occasional time outdoors.
They are not suitable for households with children. Due to their delicate frames they can get hurt easily if roughly handled by the kids. They can also snap at the children when they are hurt. They tend to do well around other dogs and are excellent around cats.
They are very alert dogs and can pick up strange noises and smells very fast. But they are not great as watchdogs as they tend to befriend strangers and become extremely social with them. These dogs require a lot of attention and energy on the owners part and are not suitable for novice owners.
Grooming, Haircuts and Shedding
They are high maintenance dogs and require extensive grooming. The breed is single coated, having no undercoat. The silky, straight, flat coat hangs long over the sides of the body. The coat should be groomed daily with a pin brush or a stainless steel comb to prevent or remove any mats and tangles. If the hair develops mats, try to work out the mat gently with your fingers, using a detangler spray oil. After the mats are pulled apart, use the end tooth of the comb to loosen individual hairs.
The hair around the face can be made into a cute topknot or trim it so it doesn’t fall into his eyes. Tear stains are a huge problem and the areas around the eyes must be cleaned regularly
Maltese become dirty easily and usually must be bathed weekly. Before bathing, comb the coat out thoroughly to remove all tangles. Use a whitening shampoo, followed by a conditioner for dogs with long hair. Rinse thoroughly, and then rinse again to make sure you’ve removed all the shampoo and conditioner. Use a towel to soak up as much moisture as possible, then blow the coat until it is completely dry. Never let your Maltese air-dry. Services of a professional groomer would be required regularly.
Check ears regularly. They grow a lot of hair in their ears that needs to be removed. Nails should be trimmed regularly and proper oral hygiene must be maintained.
Size and Characteristics
Price Range: this dog for sale may cost between $600-$800
Life expectancy: the life span is generally of about 12-15 YEARS
Weight: 2-8 pounds
Height: 8-10 inches
Colors: White
How to Train this dog
Because of their eager to please nature, they take well to training. They excel in dog sports, including agility, obedience, rally and tracking. They are very intelligent and can learn a lot of commands real fast. Keep the training sessions mixed and short. Never let the dog get bored with these sessions. Positive reinforcement in the form of praise and treats would also boost their interest. They can house break easily. Crate training is recommended.
Health Issues and Food
Diet: They are voracious eaters and due to their cute and adorable nature owners tend to over indulge them. Their feeding should be strictly monitored and avoid feeding them chocolates and other potentially harmful foods. A raw or home cooked diet is best suited as these breeds may develop allergic reactions to many commercial foods.
Allergies: These breeds are prone to allergies from ectoparasities like fleas and ticks. Another common allergy cause in these breeds are due to the preservatives and fillers that are used in can, dry and processed food.
Health problems: The common health issues of these dogs are patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, hypoglycaemia, collapsed trachea and reverse sneezing. Another common issue is white dog shaker syndrome wherein the dogs develop tremors al over the body and there is lack of coordination.
Mixed breeds
Malti Pin is a Miniature Pinscher and the Maltese mix. They are intelligent, lovable and social dogs. They are high sheeders and require constant grooming.
Papitese is mix of the Papillon and Maltese breeds. This breed has a very sweet and wonderful nature as well as very friendly. As playful as they can be, they are easily trainable because they are very eager owner pleasers.
Maltipom is a cross between a Maltese and a Pomeranian. The Maltipoms are excellent companion dogs as they like to be near their family. They are very social and alert dogs and mix well with all ages.
Best female and male dog names
You can name your Maltese as Riley or Toby if he is a male and Angel or Amber if she is a female.
How to adopt this dog
You can also browse a specific site to adopt a Maltese
Pictures and Videos
Photo Credits: Joangarvin, SheltieBoy