Maltese have been known and admired for their beauty and elegance for hundreds of years. These adorable canines are regarded as a show dog and a loyal, outgoing companion. At home, they are gentle and quiet although they can also be playful. They cherish an outdoor walk and make a great exercise companion. The Maltese have an adorable mischievous sense and will reward you with hours of laughter and amusement.
The AKC Standard was established to distinguish one breed from the other. It is a simple description of the breed characteristics that depict differences in various dog breeds. These standards have been set based on many years of study. The Standard describes the 'perfect' dog breed; therefore, it should be kept in mind that no breed will ever possess all the qualities.
There are five areas which are judged by the AKC Standard. They include:
- Type: The combination of various characteristics that distinguish Maltese from other dogs.
- Balance: Refers to the overall proportions. A well-balanced Maltese has no glaring faults or just one outstanding trait.
- Style: Combination of showmanship, personality and elegance.
- Soundness: The absence of any disability in gait and movement of a Maltese
- Condition: The overall health and personality of a Maltese.
The Official Standard for Maltese:
General Appearance: The Maltese is distinguished from other dog breeds by its long, silky white
coat. The Standard specifies the 'silky' feel for this breed. The coat is supposed to be like a fine textured silk fabric with a "cool" feeling to touch.
Head: The head of the dog is the most important trait in setting the Standard for a Maltese. There are basically two types of Maltese seen today. One type resembles the Spaniel. The second type is more terrier-type with a long nose, narrow head and high-set ears. According to AKC Standards, the second type is considered the least desirable.
The term 'Halos' is widely used when describing a Maltese head. The Halos are defined as darkening of skin around the eyes. However, the AKC Standard does not mention any such characteristic. Many times, presence of halos is considered as having good pigmentation, but there have been some outstanding specimens in Maltese that do not have halos.
Neck: Sufficient neck length is an important feature of the Maltese. The neck carriage is responsible for providing grace and elegance to this breed and distinguishes from others. According to the AKC Standard, a proper neck carriage consists of proper layback of shoulders and stability of front legs.
Body: The body of a Maltese is supposed to be compact. The AKC Standard requires the Maltese body to be square from the withers (where shoulders meet the back) to the base of the tail, and from the withers to the ground. The shoulders must be laidback at 45-degree angle. When a Maltese is not bred properly, this square appears to be high in the rear.
Tail: The tail should be feathered and well arched over the back.
Legs and Feet: The legs need to be fine-boned and the fur nicely feathered. Any hint of large bones and large size is considered as a serious fault. The AKC Standard requires the pads to be black.
Coat and Color: The coat of a Maltese needs to be silky and flawless. A true "silky" coat is one that falls flat to the body and is "cool" to touch. Many of the Maltese seen today do not possess this trait and their coats are made to appear silky with grooming techniques.
In the United States, the Maltese are typically shown with two topknots known as "horns”. These horns are enhanced by small bows in dark colors. In Europe and Australia, the Maltese are shown as adults with just one single topknot.
Many Maltese have black or grey patches on their skins and sometimes have tan coats growing from these areas. This is attributed to pigmentation and the times when colored Maltese were bread in the early 1900s.
Size: A standard Maltese will weigh less than seven pounds. The average weight for the Maltese is between four and six pounds. Maltese are toy dogs and this size is maintained to keep up balance and overall elegance.
Gait: It is very difficult to observe the gait of a Maltese in its full coat. However, some of the faults include paddling, crabbing, single tracking of the rear legs, and hopping. Hopping is one of the more serious faults as it suggests problems of loose patella and knee joints.
Temperament: The Maltese is one of the gentlest mannered dogs. They are however, lively, playful and vigorous. A Maltese that is shy or overly aggressive can be considered as having serious personality defects. This is typically caused by improper breeding or abuse and neglect.
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