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Maltese: History of the Breed

Few breeds are as widely loved as the Maltese. This intelligent and affectionate pet is popular all over the world with the rich and famous as well as the commoners.

The Maltese is a playful and adventurous little dog with a rich history dating back more than 28 centuries.

As with every breed there is some disagreement about the first traces of the breed. Some say the dog originated in Sweden and is a descendent of a Spitz type dog.

The Greeks believe the first Maltese originated in the Isle of Malta. They called this dog “Melitaie Dog”. Melitae was the ancient name for Malta. Some sources indicate the Maltese originated in Asia.

The earliest artifacts resembling Maltese dogs was found in Egypt. These date back to between 600-300 B.C.- suggesting that the ancient Egyptians worshipped early forms of the Maltese.

There are many historical pictoral representations of these dogs. Greek cermaic art and many Greek and roman philosphers also mention the Maltese. Aristotle and many other noteworthy philosophers and historians mention the dog. The Greeks even erected tombs to their Maltese.

These tiny dogs most likely made their way through Europe and the Middle East as nomadic tribes migrated. Some say the little dogs were used in bartering and in this way the Maltese found its way around Europe, and beyond.

The Maltese was regarded as a upper class dog, prized by aristocrats, statespersons and royalty. In the middle of the 19th Century it was regarded as quite fashionable to have a Maltese in your pocket or handbag. Some even believed that the dog possessed magical healing powers.

The first records of the Maltese in Britian is during the reign of Henry VIII. Many royals have enjoyed Maltese companions since then. Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria also owned Maltese.

Nobody documented how the Maltese came to America. The Maltese were first seen in the US in the late 1800’s. The first Maltese was white and listed as a “Maltese Lion Dog” at the first show in 1877. The American Kennel Club started recognizing the breed in 1888.

Maltese owners come from all walks of life. Many pop culture icons have owned these good natured little dogs. Marylin Monroe, Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor and Tony Bennett are some of the famous owners.

Most likely its white color and long silky coat had a great deal to do with its popularity. It also has alot to do with its great personality

About Author

Steve Allison is a third generation of professional dog breeders along with his brother Gary. It all started with his grandparents in 1970 with the Boston Terriers and has expanded to Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Pugs, Shih Tzu’s and Pomeranians. He is also actively involved with dog rescue and has a website that showcases the puppies they occasionally has for sale at All My Puppies Online Steve is also the co-author of two consumer guides, Carpet Secrets and Moving Secrets Guide

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Dog Training part II - Age for early training

Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.

Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age; the only limitations are the pup’s stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is much older and larger and has already learned bad habits makes the training much more difficult.

There are some professional trainers who disagree with this idea, particularly those who train working dogs, detection dogs, police dogs, etc. They feel that obedience work shouldn’t start until the dog is at least a year old, or after the prey drive has fully developed. These trainers also take the position that spaying and neutering is harmful to the training process, again because of its negative impact on the dog’s prey drive.

Next: Dog Training part III - Communicating with the dog

About Author

Hagar lagarto is a long time Pet lover with many articles and websites on the subject.You can get much more info at http://pet.freehostia.com

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