Maltese
An adorable ball of fur, the Maltese has a lot going for him – perhaps more than you
know. Amaze your friends with these interesting facts about the popular royal dog breed. Welcome
to Animal Facts, I'm Leroy and today we are discussing the much loved pup, the Maltese.
Hi, I’m Leroy and I’m Rosie and this is Animal Facts.
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10. The Maltese dog is the oldest of the toy breeds and has been around for more than 28 centuries.
Rumor has it they originated on the Island of Malta and the little dogs were brought
back to England by the early crusaders, becoming the little darlings of Britain's royal women.
The Maltese made its first American appearance at a Westminster Kennel Club show in 1877,
called a Maltese Lion Dog. It currently enjoys being one of the more popular toy breeds.
9. A Maltese may be small, but he's not all fluff. These little dogs only weigh between
4 and 7 pounds (1.8 to 3.2 kilograms), but their sprightly prance, keen attention to
their surroundings, affectionate personalities and devotion to their humans will make them
a huge part of their owners' lives.
8. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Egyptian artifacts of Maltese (or Maltese-like)
dogs have been found, which means ancient Egyptians may have worshiped the breed. Greek
pottery dating from 5 A.D. shows images of small, long-haired dogs like the Maltese,
and according to the 18th century religious scholar Carolus Maria DuVeil, ancient Greek
writings by historians like Strabo mention small, pretty dogs known as "Catelli”
7. There's no doubt that part of the Maltese's allure is its beautiful white hair - not to
be confused with fur. Like human hair, the Maltese's white locks grow and occasionally
fall out -- they don't shed like most dogs. According to the AKC, no breed is guaranteed
to be hypoallergenic, but the Maltese won't bother some allergy sufferers. The dogs were
specially bred by Roman emperors to have that white coat we know today. The color white was
sacred to the Romans, who wanted their pets to exhibit an air of divinity.
6. Over the course of its existence, the breed has had a number of different monikers. Some
include comforter dog, Maltese lion dog, Maltese terrier, Melitaie dog, Roman ladies'
dog, shock dog, and the Spaniel gentle. .
5. Maltese have profuse coats, meaning they need a lot of attention. To keep their fur
silky and white, they need to be brushed daily. Most non-show owners prefer to keep their
dogs in a puppy cut to avoid having to constantly groom them.
4. Though they be but little, they can jump. They also seem to have no fear of gravity
and have no problem leaping out of your arms or off high ledges.
3. Maltese make great therapy dogs because they’re loving and small, which means they
can cuddle right up to whomever they're trying to help.
2. Some of the A-list celebs who have co-habited with a Maltese include Elvis, Marilyn Monroe,
Jane Fonda, Ellen de Generes, Jessica Simpson, Elizabeth Taylor. A Maltese dog by the name
of Lucky was authenticated by Guinness Book of Records as having been photographed with
the most celebrities – a whopping 363. To date, this mini pooch has sat on the laps
of Kim Kardashian, Kristin Stewart, Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant…. and
counting.
1. Meet Take Trouble, the Maltese worth $2 million. When real estate developer Leona
Helmsley died in 2007, she left $12 million to her pooch in her will. The government eventually
trimmed the inheritance down to a measly two million, but that didn’t stop the dog from
living it up until her death in 2011.
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