Greetings, ladies and gentleman, and welcome to a segment of our breed blogs! Please kindly don your crowns and jewels. Today we talk about the most aristocratic and richest breed of dog in all the land, the incomparable Maltese! Now, you may think the Maltese is just a fluffy lap dog. That’s mostly true, but they also have a long and fabled past. Read along for our favorite Maltese fun facts about this curious little breed. XO PUPS always has Maltese puppies for sale, so check out our available puppies page!
Maltese Fun Facts You Might Not Know
The Maltese is how old??
Even though the Maltese is a fairly well known breed, people often don’t realize how far back the breed goes. Many historians believe the Maltese dates back over 2800 years, which makes it one of the oldest breeds still around. Over that time, it has graced the laps of Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Romans especially prized their white coats, because they considered the color white sacred. Ancient Egyptians built elaborate tombs for them. And in Greece, artists often painted them on ceramics and in murals to show their popularity. That’s a lot of love!
Royalty comes with its perks!
The Maltese were the favored dogs of queens and royalty alike, such as Marie Antoinette, Mary Queen of Scots, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. Many ate out of golden dishes and wore real diamond collars! That popularity among the rich and famous has continued unto modern times as well. The richest (yes, richest) Maltese in history was a little dog named Trouble. Her owner, real estate magnate Leona Helmsley, left her nearly $12 million in 2007! I would definitely call that a perk!
“And though they be but little, they are fierce!”
You may think that because of their diminutive size, the Maltese is not athletic, but you would be incorrect! The Maltese is an excellent jumper with little fear of gravity. So expect them to grab things up high and hop onto couches and beds. People also describe them as loving and gentle, as well as fearless and loyal to their owners. Although, this makes them a little wary of strangers, so introducing new people can be a slow process.
That coat, tho.
Maltese are often called non shedding or hypoallergenic, which is sometimes confusing to people. They have hair instead of fur. It can still fall out, but more like the way people lose a few hairs throughout the day. Because of that, many allergy sufferers find them easier to live with than other dogs. However, on the flip side, their hair grows continuously. So they need daily brushing to prevent mats and monthly haircuts to keep their hair short.
Well, we hope these Maltese fun facts were as interesting to you as they were to us! If you’d like to meet one, book an appointment at our Chantilly store. Every puppy also goes home with our take home puppy package, from a kennel to teething toys.
