Maltese is a member of the Bichon family and is one of the oldest European breeds. They are directly related to the Bichon and Bolognese. All came from the same initial breed, simply developing on different islands created their different traits, as well as their difference names. The Maltese came from Malta, the Bolognese came from Bologna, and the Bichon Tenerife came from Tenerife. Maltese have a beautiful mantel of long, silky, white hair. This is their crowning glory. They may sometimes have a hint of lemon or tan on their ears, although this is undesirable in the show ring. They are short, petite sized dogs and have short triangular drop ears. Maltese are gentle-mannered and affectionate, yet playful and full of animation. Despite their size, they posses the vigor needed for an excellent companion. They are a healthy and happy breed, and can live for at least 15 years! The Maltese is intelligent and easy to train, but is very strong-willed. They enjoy being groomed, petted and fondled.

Type: Companion Dog

Maltese Height: 5 - 10 inches.
Maltese Weight: 4 - 7 lbs., though 7 lbs. is disqualifying.

Colors: Pure white. slight lemon or tan markings on ears are permissible, but undesirable.
Coat: Maltese have no under coat. They have a long, straight, flat coat that is silky in texture.

Maltese Temperament: Maltese are friendly and alert. They are very lively as puppies, running around the house in sudden bursts of happiness. They are agile, entertaining and happy dogs. Maltese are generally good with older children, and are fairly adaptable. They are comforters, fastidious and loyal. They are wary of strangers, but friendly. They are trusting and fearless as well. They can be prone to anxiety if left alone for long periods of time, but are otherwise playful and fun.
With Children: It may not tolerate younger children, but they get along great with older children.
With Pets: No, does not mix well with other pets.

Watch-dog: Very High. The Maltese is a very alert dog and will bark at anything unusual.
Guard-dog: Very Low. They are generally friendly, and although fearless, much too small to defend.

Care and Training: Extensive coat care is needed for the Maltese. Shampoo once a week and daily brushing is essential to keep the coat from matting. Special attention is needed to keep the eyes clean as staining is possible. Indoor activity will suffice for exercise, but Maltese will enjoy a walk or a run in the park. They should be trained from puppyhood not to bark unwarranted or bite, as teething causes most puppies to want to bite everything. But all training should be done with a positive, firm attitude.
Learning Rate: High. Obedience - High. Problem Solving - High. Maltese enjoy their owners and whatever they wish to teach them, and they are also very intelligent little dogs.

Activity: Indoors - Very High. Outdoors - Medium. Puppies sometimes like to zoom around the house in "figure eights" in a sudden burst of joy.
Special Needs: Attention, grooming and socialization.
Living Environment: An apartment is fine for the Maltese as they are a small, relatively quiet dog if trained. The Maltese makes a good dog for the elderly if they can socialize and take time to groom and play with them. They are very adaptable. The best owner for this breed would be a family or individual with enough time to care for the Maltese, living in a suburban, rural or city environment.

Health Issues: Maltese are generally healthy. They are, however, subject to genetic eye disorders. Other health issues include collapsing tracheas, liver shunts, hypoglycemia, skin allergies, and white shaker dog syndrome (disease that causes the dog to have full body tremors, most common in West Highland White Terriers, Maltese, Bolognese and Poodles).

Life Span: 14 - 15 years.
Litter Size: 2 - 4 puppies.

Country of Origin: Malta
History: The Maltese origins come from the island of Malta dating back to about 1500 B.C. They are thought to have been brought to the island by Phoenician traders, and may have had their origins elsewhere. A record of a Greek historian named Strabo reported in 25 A.D. that "There is a town in Sicily called Melita whence are exported many beautiful dogs called Canis Melitei." This may point to an origin in Italy. These small dogs were very popular from their beginnings. A Roman governor of Malta was reported to like his Maltese so much that he had poems written about it and a painting portrait made of his little female dog. In the 1500s, one writer recorded a Maltese being sold for $2,000! Their popularity rose during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I as a companion to the women of the royal court. At this time, Dr. Johannes Caius wrote about the breed, "They are called Meliti, of the island of Malta...they are very small indeed and chiefly sought after for the pleasure and amusement of women who carried them in their arms.

Puppies For Sale Site - We specialize in Teacup Maltese Puppies and Toy Breeds.    We are located in the Ft. Lauderdale area in South Florida.  Browse through our website to view beautiful Teacup Yorkies, Teacup Maltese, Teacup Pomeranians and Teacup Chihuahuas.   The babies are guaranteed on genetics for one year and 14 days virus.  We ship our little Teacup and Regular size puppies and also offer a "Nanny" Service, where your teacup will be accompanied by a Nanny and hand deliver the puppy to you. The Puppies have registration papers and have a microchip.  Puppies have been seen by a licensed veterinarian and have health certificates.

Shipping Available:    We use Delta and Continental Airlines.

Located in South Florida easy traveling distance of the following areas: Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, Atlantis, Boca Raton, Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Delray, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Pierce, Ft Lauderdale, Hallandale, Highland Beach, Hobe Sound, Hollywood, Homestead, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Springs, Parkland, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Port St. Lucie, Royal Palm Beach, Sarasota, South Beach, Southwest Ranches, St. Petersburg, Star Island, Stuart, Sunrise, Tamarac, Tampa, Tequesta, Vero Beach, Wellington, West Palm Beach,  Jensen Beach, Juno Beach, Jupiter, Kendall, Key Biscayne, Key Largo, Lake Worth, Lantana, Lauderhill, Lighthouse Point, Loxahatchee, Manalapan, Melbourne, Miami, Miami Beach, Miramar, Naples, Nassau, Bahamas, North Miami Beach, North Palm Beach and  Orlando.
 

Teacup Maltese  Puppies

Maltese Teacup Care Information

These are wonderful tips that you can read and use.  This Teacup Maltese Care information will assist you in the first several weeks with your new Teacup Puppy. Due to their small size, teacup puppies must replenish their energy more than larger dogs.    The only way of doing this is to ensure that your teacup puppy gets nourishment from food.    Teacup puppies eat very small amounts of food at a time, they are not like the larger dogs that can eat twice a day.   It is important not to change the type of food that your teacup puppy is eating in the first two weeks.   If you decide to change the food, ensure that you do it slowly by mixing the new food each day until you gradually make the change.  Please note that if you drastically change the food it can make the puppy not feel well.

The first thing to remember is that a teacup Maltese  puppy is stressed when they are moved from environments.   Remember that the teacup puppy has been taken away from their mom and siblings and brought to a new home with strangers.    It is important that you try to make it a safe, quiet and peaceful environment for your new puppy.    Please treat him like a newborn.    Refrain from loud noises, screaming and keep the new teacup Maltese puppy at home. 

Please refrain from taking the puppy out to the mall, workplace or to visit family or friends in the first two weeks to reduce stress.

Teacup Puppy Playtime:   Please ensure that your teacup puppy has 10 minutes of play time twice a day.  Please refrain the teacup puppy from running around longer.   Teacup puppies can get a sugar attack if they run too much at first.  Let the puppy adjust to your house for two weeks before you allow more play time.

T-cups should be left in a confined area.  This is very important because it will help you housebreak the puppy easier.   We recommend that you purchase a play pen  and place the puppy inside.   Keep food, water and training pads in there. Please ensure that the training pad is away from the food.   You can also keep your teacup puppy in the kitchen or bathroom area. Do not let the puppy run loose in your house until they are a little older as they may loose track of where their food is.  

Do not leave a teacup Maltese puppy unattended unless he is in his playpen or in a confined, safe area. 

Kids and Teacup Maltese Puppies:   Kids should be watched closely at first. Ensure that if a child wants to hold the teacup puppy, he/she should sit on the floor.  Sometimes teacup puppies tend to jump out of people's hands and if they fall it can result in a head injury that can cause death.  If the child is on the floor then the chances of this occurring are substantially lower.    Remember, A dog is the only thing in the world that loves you more than he loves himself!