Favorite Images of Maltese Dogs

A list of my favorite images of Maltese dogs.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_(Dog_Breed)

The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the Toy Group. It descends from dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area. The breed name and origins are generally understood to derive from the Mediterranean island nation of Malta.

Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a finger-wide dome, a black button nose and brown eyes.

They usually grow up to be about 7-10 inches tall. The body is compact with the length equaling the height and the tail is almost always curled.

The drop ears with (sometimes) long hair, and surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a "halo"), gives Maltese their expressive look.

Lacking exposure to a lot of sunlight, their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color. This is often referred to as a "winter nose" and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.

The Maltese's paws are very sensitive to touch.

The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. Some Maltese can have curly hair (especially behind their ears) but this is considered a fault.

The colour of the coat is pure white. A pale ivory tinge is permitted on the ears. In some standards, a pure white coat with slight lemon markings is tolerated.

The Maltese does not shed, and is therefore a good choice for people with dog allergies. Some people prefer their dogs to have the coat short.

The most common cut for the Maltese is called "the puppy cut," which involves trimming or shaving the entire body (skirt, legs/paws, chest and head fur) to one short length (typically less than an inch long).

Maltese are bred to be companion dogs. They are extremely lively and playful, and even as a Maltese ages, its energy level and playful demeanor remain fairly constant.