An affectionate and calm dog who loves to share his time in company while receiving caresses. Although he also has the playful side of him without asking for much daily exercise. The perfect dog for people who live alone and/or in small flats exists and is the Maltese. These are all its characteristics and necessary care to make it happy.
The 10 best photos of the Maltese breed
The Maltese Bichon has a size of between 20 and 25 cm tall.
They usually weigh between 3 and 4 kilos.
Your life expectancy goes from 12 to 15 years.
They have a round head and have a poorly developed forehead and a medium snout that tapers towards the tip, ending in a black truffle.
His eyes are large in proportion to his face. and have an oval shape. The typical color of his gaze is dark brown.
The ears are characterized by their abundant hair. They are long and fall to the sides.
His mantle is a single layer, made up of a long silky hair white that falls to their sides and can reach the ground.
Although they do not have too many loops, they form knots with ease.
Maltese Bichons shed lightly and they are suitable to live with most allergy sufferers.
The hair around the eyes should be cleaned daily to prevent excessive tearing.
Origin of the Maltese
The Maltese Bichon is one of the oldest lapdog breeds in the West. Charles Darwin placed its origins around the year 6,000 before the common era. The Maltese had an important presence in Egyptian culture between 600 and 300 BCE, where they were revered as members of the royal families.
In Greece, the first known historical records of this breed date back to 350 BCE and thanks to the philosopher Aristotle, which places its origin in Malta. Although images of the Maltese have also been found in Greek amphorae dating from the year 500 BCE
One of the most famous owners of a dog of this breed was Emperor Tiberius Claudius and, it is that in imperial Rome the Maltese was very popular among women, becoming known as “Dog of the Roman patricians”. In fact, it is believed that they were brought to Asia by the Romans. With their arrival in China they contributed to the origin of the current Pekingese.
However, the Maltese’s place of origin is unclear as it traveled extensively around the world to be used in trade as a barter item. What does seem to be accepted is that it is a dog of Mediterranean origin.
Maltese Bichon Characteristics
The Maltese is known to be sweet, affectionate, intelligent, receptive and trusting. They are good family dogs, although they can show a bad temper when confronted with loud and energetic children. However, they are perfect for those looking for a playful, cheerful and energetic breed.
In addition, they usually enjoy learning tricks. Of course, it can be difficult to train them to control their sphincters as well as being picky eaters.
On the other hand, its mini appearance should not be underestimated because the Maltese is extremely vigilant and very barking in response to unknown noises. A very positive feature for urbanites is that it is particularly suitable for living indoors as it feels comfortable in small spaces.
How much does a Maltese puppy cost?
The smaller a Maltese puppy is, the higher its price (which is already high) will be. This is because there are fewer Mino or Toy Maltese. With all this, the average price of a European Maltese Bichon around 1,000 eurosthat of an American or toy the 1,200and the figure for a Korean Maltese will be even higher.
However, the price will also depend on the reputation of the breeder and the litter. In general, they are expensive because it is a highly demanded and valued dog but, being a small breed, the litters are of few puppies and the offer is small.
So, it should be remembered that shelters and kennels (which we can help even without adopting) are full of animals that need a home, so We always recommend betting on adoption as the first option, before you buy. And, above all, do either of the two things while being aware of the great responsibility and difficulties involved in having a dog in our care.
Photos | Unsplash and Pixabay
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