Maltese Breed description: Character & Co

Breed characteristics of the Maltese Dog

Typical characteristics of the Maltese are

• spirited
• vigilant
• intelligent
• eager and to learn
• cuddly
• playful

Maltese have a strong urge to move, which you should satisfy. Otherwise, your dog can quickly become a yapping annoyance, which might also live out excess energy on your home furniture.

Attitude and education

The Maltese is easy to handle and therefore also suitable for first-time dog owners. Well-behaved, they make for an ideal family dog which also gets along well with children. If you ignore the need for early and consequent training of your Maltese puppy though, you might have to deal with an aggressive and naughty specimen of this breed as a result. However, with the right upbringing and training, possibly with the help of attending a dog school, you will end up with a cuddly and affectionate dog who will build a close relationship with you. Early socialisation or habituation to other people and animals is also advisable. What makes the Maltese stand out among other long-haired dog breeds is his odourless coat and the lack of coat change. This will please sensitive people or hygiene fanatics, because Maltese dogs have only shed very little. With a little luck you can also find a representative of this funky breed on the internet or in a shelter, because they might have been given away (owner passed away, given away because of allergies etc.).

Care and health of a Maltese dog

Its care is not easy. Their dense long coat requires good grooming like daily brushing, otherwise it tends to mat easily. Also a bath with dog shampoo, at least once to twice a month, should not be missed. Make sure you always dry them off well, because the animals are very prone to suffering from colds. Maltese have an average life expectancy of 12 - 15 years. Although the Maltese is generally a rather robust and healthy dog breed, it can also suffer from health problems:

• Infections of the eyes: the long hairs of the Maltese coat hanging down the face often cause eye irritation with persistent lacrimation, reddened eyes and itching or acute to chronic conjunctivitis. But there are some measures you can take to prevent this as much as possible. The most important measure is to keep hairs away from their eyes. The easiest way to do this is to shorten their hair. Alternatively, you can also use hair clips. You should also check their eyes daily and clean them with a soft cloth and a special eye cleaner.
• Patella luxation: This is the painful jumping out of the patella. This is caused by genetically caused joint malpositions and weak ligaments. Preventive measures are the avoidance of overweight and a lot of exercise.
• Diseases of the skin: The dense coat of dogs gets dirty quickly, this causes itching, the dog scratches itself; the result can be skin injuries which can become inflamed. The best measure against this is a regular, yet quite demanding, coat care. Alternatively, the coat can be kept shorter, which reduces the care required. To do this, have their coat trimmed every 2 to 3 months at the dog groomers.
• Dental problems: Maltese often suffer from malpositioned teeth, tartar and premature tooth loss. Sometimes only a visit to the dog dentist can help. But you can prevent it by daily cleaning and checking their teeth, promoting self-cleaning (e.g. with chewing articles such as dried cowhide) and the right diet. A sugar-free and largely starch-free diet reduces the formation of tartar and bacterial plaque in your dog's mouth.

Typical Maltese hereditary diseases, such as

• vascular malformations,
• idiopathic cerebellitis (tremor) or
• White Shaker Syndrome (whole body trembling),
• Cushing's disease (disease of the adrenal glands) and hydrocephalus,

can now be successfully avoided by serious Maltese breeding. In Germany there are numerous breeders of this popular dog breed. It is best to buy your puppy from a breeder near you, this way you can keep an eye on them growing up from the beginning. A Maltese costs about 1000 Euro. But there are also countless Maltese and mixed breeds to be found in shelters. Inform yourself in advance and give a "second-hand" dog the chance to find a new home.