An Ideally Maltese Puppy.

Maltese are bred to be cuddly companion dogs, and thrive on love and attention. They are extremely lively and playful, and even as a Maltese ages, his or her energy level and playful demeanour remain fairly constant. Some Maltese may occasionally be snappish with smaller children and should be supervised when playing, although socializing them at a young age will eliminate this habit. They also adore humans, and prefer to stay near them. Basically, Maltese is a breed that is cuddly, playful, and very kind and loving. The Maltese is very active within a house, and, preferring enclosed spaces, does very well with small yards. For this reason, the breed also fares well in apartments and townhouses, and is a prized pet of urban dwellers.

The Maltese are gentle, loving, trusting and devoted to its master. Highly intelligent. Good at learning tricks. Bold and quick to sound the alarm in case of suspicious noises. It is a classical companion dog; graceful and lovable. They do well with other non-canine animals and other dogs. Maltese love to play outdoors. Some like to jump in puddles.

They may be difficult to housebreak. If you feed them table scraps, they can become picky eaters. Do not allow these dogs to develop Small Dog Syndrome, human induced behaviours, where the dog believes he is pack leader to humans. This causes a varying degree of behaviour problems. If the dog believes he is boss, he can be snappish with children and even adults. Do not over-pamper or overprotect these little dogs, for they will become unstable, and some may become jealous of visitors. Maltese who are allowed to take over the house, being boss of the humans can also develop separation anxiety, guarding, and obsessive barking. These are not Maltese traits, but rather behaviours brought on by the way the dog is treated by the people around them. These behaviours will go away when the dog is surrounded by stable pack leaders.

The Maltese is a good dog for apartment life. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.

Life Expectancy are about 15 or more years. It may live as long as 18, but it is important to keep it out of the damp.

It’s now time to obtain one of these wonderful companions.