No one else was around at the time, but the dog's understandably surprised owner came by before long. Fire department officials said this was the first time a dog had dialed the emergency 119 number, and he had not taken any shortcuts either. The number was not preset in the telephone's one-button, speed-dialing system.
Maltese Calling
If your days lack a certain carbonation, if no one greets your return from work with a festive dance (or rings up the fire company for your amusement), if you need a touch of carnival in your world, a Maltese would be happy to oblige. If companionship and devotion are items 1 and 1-A on your wish list, a Maltese might have your number. This effervescent little dog represents at least 25 centuries' worth of experience providing comfort and devotion to its owners, and all that practice has made the Maltese virtually perfect.
Appearances Can Be Deceiving
The Maltese' undeniable cuteness, while winning it fame, has also won it a rather precious reputation. Every time a Maltese is seen on the celebrity arm of an Elizabeth Taylor, a Wayne Newton or a Halle Berry, the perception of the Maltese as a pristine white lounge ornament is advanced. As a result, some men grumble about the idea of having a Maltese around the house; but after a few weeks, guess who winds up being the Maltese puppy's best friend?
Their celebrity image notwithstanding, do not think for a moment that Maltese are delicate flowers. These dogs will roll in the mud, bury themselves in the sandbox and come home from an outing in the park with just as many leaves and brambles per square inch as any other dog. And even though Maltese are small enough for the frailest persons to handle easily, Maltese owners should always have a leash on hand when they go walking with their dogs because Maltese truly think they are tough enough to lick any dog on the block. This is not to say Maltese are aggressive or hard to control. On the contrary, they are among the most tractable of dogs. Their problem is, they are not willing to admit their seven or so pounds do not carry as much weight as a Great Dane.
The Greeks Had a Word for It
The origin of the Maltese as a distinct breed has never been precisely determined. Images of Maltese have been found on Greek vases approximately 2,500 years old, and there is archeological reason to believe that Maltese may have occupied a prominent place in Egyptian culture as many as 100 years before that. Charles Darwin, who knew something about origins, concluded that the Maltese evolved sometime around 6,000 B.C.
A Fair Trade
Whatever the Maltese's origin, the first known history of the breed was written by Aristotle around 350 B.C. Aristotle reported that Maltese originated on the Mediterranean island of Malta, from whence the breed took its name. Malta, which was noted for its culture as well as its commerce, lies midway between Africa and Europe and is only a short distance from Sicily. This strategic location accounted for Malta's importance as a trading center. Goods moved east and west from this 199-square-mile island, and Malta's tiny white dogs often traveled with their owners to distant points around the globe. The unique size and devoted personalities of these charming dogs soon made them items of barter. They were offered as gifts to reigning monarchs, undoubtedly to obtain favored trading status along commercial routes. Queen Elizabeth of England, who reigned from 1558 to 1603, is one of many heads of state presented with Maltese. Elizabeth's dog, which had been bred in Turkey, was a gift from the sultan of that country.
Living With A Maltese
The Maltese is blessed with a hardy constitution, and even though this breed is small, it does not have to be treated like Dresden china. Naturally the Maltese is not a dog for infants, but children old enough to understand how a little dog should be treated will love the sparkling personality of the Maltese, who, in turn, adores gentle children.
An energetic dog, the Maltese keeps itself busy all day. This does not mean it will not enjoy sitting quietly by your side while you read or listen to music. A Maltese is happiest when it can be with you, no matter what you are doing.
Though the Maltese is not given to excessive barking, it is an excellent watchdog, sounding the alarm whenever it sees or hears anything unusual. Owning a Maltese means never having to say you did not hear the doorbell.
Packing the House
Maltese love to please, and they are highly trainable if they are taught in a gentle but firm manner. Unfortunately, Maltese puppies are small and irresistibly cute, and nothing they do causes great harm. They are often allowed, therefore, to get away with behavior that would not be tolerated from larger dogs. Such indulgence is a recipe for a difficult and unruly Maltese.
Too many owners consider their Maltese "little people," but a Maltese is, underneath all that hair, a dog, and like all dogs it is a pack animal. Dogs are born looking for a pack leader to set the rules by which the pack lives. A puppy's mother fills that role for the first months of its life, but once you take a Maltese into your home, the dog will depend on you to provide guidelines. Without them an adolescent dog can become confused and neurotic.
Fun and Games
There are few limits to the activities you and your Maltese can share. Maltese are popular show dogs, and they have done very well in obedience trials. A number of Maltese have earned Canine Good Citizen certificates offered through the American Kennel Club, and the breed has also proven well suited for agility trials. In fact, Maltese are usually ringside favorites because their enthusiastic attitude is out of all proportion to their size.
Choosing the Right Maltese
Nothing can replace the bond that is forged between a dog and its owner as they negotiate all the trials and tribulations of puppyhood together. If you are considering a Maltese, you can give yourself a head start on forming that bond if you buy a puppy from someone who has a long-standing reputation for breeding dogs that are physically and mentally sound. A well-bred puppy from a respected line has the potential of living with you a long time. Many Maltese live to be 13 or 14 years old, some even older.
If you are not up to the challenges of a puppy, you need not cross the Maltese off your list. This dog adjusts to new circumstances quite easily. Your ideal Maltese could be available for adoption through rescue agencies or breeders who have retired show or breeding dogs they are looking to place with responsible owners. Adult Maltese are usually housebroken and are past the teething and chewing stage.
No matter where you get your Maltese, you should realize that it will want to spend every possible moment with you and your family. This breed is not satisfied with an occasional pat on the head. The Maltese wants to be your best buddy, your constant companion. A Maltese may resign itself to the fact that you will be away from home during the day, but rest assured there is only one thing on its mind all the while you are gone--your return! Indeed, your Maltese will be so eager for you to return, it may dial 911 (or 119 in Japan) to find out what's been keeping you.
A Comely Appearance
Few of God's creatures have the potential for looking less beautiful in the morning than they did the night before than the Maltese. That profuse white coat is seldom more than a few days' neglect from turning into something of a white elephant. Regular grooming sessions are de rigueur for keeping mats and tangles at bay and for keeping the Maltese healthy, happy and clean. Persons who do not have the time or the manual dexterity for these duties will have to entrust them to a competent groomer.
The Lion Kings
A Maltese dog, listed in the catalog as a Maltese Lion Dog, was among the entries at the first Westminster Kennel Club show, held in 1877. The American Kennel Club (AKC) accepted the Maltese for registration the following year.
Annual registrations of new Maltese stood at more than 4,000 in 1970. During the next two and a half decades registrations quadrupled, and in 1996 the Maltese, with 16,902 new registrations for the year, ranked 23rd among the 143 breeds then registered by the AKC.
More than You Bargained For
Like every other breed known to - and developed with the assistance Of - humankind, the Maltese is not entirely free of genetic compromise. Persons interested in buying a Maltese, after answering a breeder's questions, should pose several questions of their own about the prevalence of the following conditions in that breeder's line of dogs: luxating patella, distichiasis, progressive retinal atrophy, deafness, hypothyroidism and seizures.
Luxating patella is a dislocation of the small, flat, moveable bone at the front of the knee. An inherited tendency, luxating patella can be aggravated by excess weight. The condition can be corrected by surgery.
Distichiasis, a long, difficult-to-pronounce word, describes a condition in which abnormally growing eyelashes rub against and irritate the eye. If the irritation is prolonged and unrelieved, it can develop into pigmentary keratitis, the corneal deposition of pigment or melanin on the surface of the eye. The progress of pigmentary keratitis can be slowed but not arrested, yet it does not always cause blindness in the affected eye.
Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the wasting away of the vessels in the retina. Initially manifested as night blindness in young dogs, as PRA progresses, its victims become totally blind.
Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disease that results in the abnormally low production of thyroid hormones. The symptoms of hypothyroidism include lethargy, mental depression, weight gain and a tendency to seek out warm places. Hypothyroidism can also affect the coat and skin, causing hair loss and excessive dandruff.
In addition to determining - as much as one can determine - the occurrence of inherited problems in a particular line of dogs, anyone who is considering a Maltese or any other pedigreed dog, should ask the seller who will be responsible for the vet bills if a radiant-looking puppy should be victimized by an obviously inherited condition later in its life.
No comments:
Post a Comment