Description of the Maltese lap dog and grooming

The content of the article

• Interesting facts about Maltese lapdogs
• Breed description
• The personality and character of maltese
• Friendliness
• Learnability
• Temperament
• Health
• Vaccination
• Care and maintenance of a Maltese lap-dog
• Nutrition
• Grooming
• Hygiene procedures
• Features of walking puppies and adult dogs
• Where to buy a maltese lapdog

In the world there are more than 100 breeds of decorative dogs. These include the Maltese lapdog or maltese. Dogs of this breed are characterized by a light disposition. They are affectionate, loyal to their owners and get along well with other pets..

Interesting facts about Maltese lapdogs

1. The name reflects the origin of the breed. 2000 years ago, the ancestors of modern lapdogs lived on the island of Melita. Even then they were used as companion dogs. The lapdog from Malta was taken out at the beginning of the 14th century.
2. During the existence of this breed several times changed its name. Some of her old “names”: Maltese lion dog, Roman lady’s dog, delicate spaniel, Maltese terrier, Melita.
3. This is one of the oldest dog breeds.. The first mentions of maltese appear 1800 years ago.
4. Maltese was very loved by members of the royal families. Bolonki were the favorites of aristocrats, and the knights gave them to their beloved. In museums you can find pottery depicting maltese. Ancient Greeks and Egyptians built separate tombs for dead lapdogs.
5. The white color of the coat is the result of careful inbreeding. Black and red lapdogs lived on the island of Malta. But for the Romans the white color was sacred, so the emperors allowed only dogs of this color to be bred.
6. Maltese don’t fade. In addition, their coat is hypoallergenic, so they can be wound for people with sensitive immunity..
7. Dog hair needs special care. Maltese needs to be combed every day so that the fur remains silky and clean. Wool should be cut at least once every 3 months.
8. Maltese love to jump. Dogs easily overcome high obstacles, so the process of training does not cause them difficulties.
9. Dogs of this breed are excellent therapists. Lapwings are often used for social and medical rehabilitation. Therapists visit hospitals, nursing homes, hospices, schools for low-income families.
10. Maltese was a millionaire. White dog named Trouble after the death of his mistress became the owner of 12 million dollars. The government reduced this amount by 6 times.

Breed description

The Maltese lap dog is officially considered a companion dog. According to the FCI classification, this breed belongs to the 9th group and the Bichon section. Maltese is a graceful and graceful dog with a slightly elongated body. The body of the lap-dog is covered with white wool..

Characteristics of the breed:

• Height at the withers – 20-25 cm.
• Weight – 3-4 kg.
• The coat is white, the hair is thick, silky, shiny and very long. The fur fits snugly to the body. Suppose milk color wool.
• Ears firmly pressed to head, set wide.
• The eyes are large, rounded, set not deep, slightly protruding. The eyelids fit snugly. Eye color – dark brown, almost black.
• The nose is black, large with open nostrils..
• Life expectancy – 13-15 years.

The personality and character of maltese

Dogs of this breed are small but very active. They are affectionate, playful, friendly, strongly attached to all members of the family. Maltese is characterized by sudden bursts of activity. Pets can run around the room at high speed for a long time and then go to bed.

The Maltese lapdog is great for beginner breeders and for families with children. Dog rarely shows aggression.

Friendliness

The Maltese breed is known for its calm and cheerful disposition. Animals like to interact with people. They are not aggressive towards guests, but they treat strangers wary.

Animals love long walks in the fresh air, willingly get to know relatives.

Learnability

Lapwings need constant light training. They quickly learn new teams, but without regular exertion and discipline they become moody. Dogs are able to take a general training course..

If desired, they can be taught dancing, jumping over obstacles.

Temperament

Dogs quickly adapt to the mood of a person. For children, other animals, lapdogs are loyal. Maltese do not like solitude. It is not recommended to leave them unattended for a long time. Lapdogs are easy to spoil, which makes them very stubborn. Militancy is more common in males.

Bitches rarely get into fights, bark less, learn teams faster.

Health

Most diseases of maltese are inherited, therefore, every six months, the animal must be brought to the veterinarian for examination. One of the features of the breed is watery eyes. This problem is caused by long hair on the face, atypical eyelash growth, and obstruction of the lacrimal-nasal system..

Hereditary diseases maltese:

• bronchial asthma;
• glaucoma;
• food allergy;
• diabetes;
• retinal atrophy.

Vaccination

Puppies are vaccinated at 8, 12 and 16 weeks from plague, hepatitis, parvovirus, bordetellosis, parainfluenza. 7-10 days before vaccination deworming is carried out.

An adult animal is vaccinated annually from plague, hepatitis, rabies, leptospirosis, parvovirus.

Care and maintenance of a Maltese lap-dog

Animals need timely combing and bathing from puppyhood. Do not let the hair fall over, otherwise it will have to be cut. For hair care, use professional whitening cosmetics..

Dog grooming is best entrusted to the groomer.

Nutrition

Maltese is a small dog, prone to rapid weight gain, so her food should be moderately high-calorie. For beginner breeders, it is better to choose a premium dry food for your pet.

With natural feeding, the adult pet’s diet should consist of 50% meat. The rest of the menu is for fruits and vegetables.

Diet for puppies:

• boiled or raw meat (chicken, beef, turkey);
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• dairy products (cottage cheese).

A monthly puppy is fed 5-6 times a day. A six-month-old dog is fed 2 times a day. Seaweed, liver, carrots change the color of the lap’s hair, so they are not included in the menu. Tomatoes, apples, other red fruits and vegetables are strong allergens. Their dogs must not be given.

Grooming

There are many options for haircuts. The differences in grooming of bitches and males are not significant. Males often do short haircuts, leaving long hair on their heads. Hairdressers try not to cut the fur on the trunk to bitches. Many owners ask to cut lapdogs under a puppy. This hairstyle grows for a long time and gives pets a cute look.

Hygiene procedures

The claws of a lap-dog need to be cut with a nail clipper once a week. After the procedure, they are additionally treated with a nail file. When bathing, use shampoos and conditioners to prevent the formation of tangles.

It is better to dry the fur with a towel or a cool hairdryer.

The eyes of the animal often watery. To prevent the appearance of brown tracks on the wool, they are wiped with a napkin dipped in filtered water.

Features of walking puppies and adult dogs

The Maltese lap dog does not tolerate cold and damp, so in the cool season they wear special overalls, sweaters, raincoats. In winter and autumn animals need boots. They protect the delicate skin of the paws from cuts and reagents..

Puppies are very active, so at first they walk on a leash..

Where to buy a maltese lapdog

The dog should be purchased from a trusted breeder. Before buying a puppy, check the registration of the kennel on the website of the RKF or SCOR. The responsible breeder will show relevant documents upon request. The cost of puppies maltese ranges from 15 to 55 thousand rubles. The price of pet class representatives is much lower than show class dogs.

Carefully study the photos of the puppies. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the anatomical structure of the pet.

It must comply with the breed standard. The skin of puppies is different: thin, dry, sensitive, normal. The minimum purchase age for an animal is 60 days. A healthy puppy is highly active and has a good appetite. He has clean hair, eyes, nose, ears without discharge.