Dog breeds / Maltese

Overview

Other names Melitae Dog, Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta, Roman Ladies Dog, The Comforter, Spaniel Gentle, Bichon, Maltese Lion Dog and Maltese Terrier
Coat Silky, and straight, reaching all the way to the ground
Colors White

The Maltese are happy, full of life, and playful. It is gentle, trusting, and devoted to its master. They are very intelligent dogs, and it does not take them long to learn tricks. They are brave and quick to sound the alarm in case of suspicious noises, so they can be a good guard dog inside the home. The Maltese is the epitome of ‘companion dog’, as it is graceful and lovable. It does very well with other animals and other dogs themselves.

Maltese breeds love to play outside. Some like to jump in puddles, unlike some breeds like Pugs and Shiba Inus who avoid puddles.

The Maltese may be troublesome to housebreak. If you feed them table scraps, they can become picky eaters, and will often turn their nose up to dog food. They can develop small dog syndrome – human induced behavior where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This can cause a varying degree of behavior problems. If the Maltese believe he is in charge, he can be snappish with children and even grownups. Do not pamper these little dogs, for they will become unstable, and some may become jealous of visitors or people they have not met before. If they are allowed to, they will start believing they are the boss, not you.

Stats & Characteristics

Country of origin Italy
Height male 8-10″
Height female 8-9″
Weight male under 7 lbs
Weight female under 7 lbs
Popularity rank ? 33
Intelligence ?
Intelligence rank ? 59
Shedding ?
Grooming Moderate maintenance
Energy level Medium energy
Exercise Needs Medium
Playfulness Moderately playful
Affection level Very affectionate
Watchdog Medium
Protection ability Very protective
Good with dogs Friendly
Cold tolerance Low tolerance
Heat tolerance Medium tolerance
Life span 12-15 years

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