Alice White
Affectionate and sociable, the Maltese is definitely a good friend. But before adopting a dog, it is important to know the positive and negative sides of the breed, and for this, it is not enough to focus only on appearance or size. The pros and cons below will help you understand what difficulties you may encounter when choosing these particular little dogs.
Pros
The advantages of the breed are much greater than they might seem at first glance. In addition to a very cute appearance, dogs have received many wonderful qualities from nature.
- Good as a first pet. The Maltese lapdog does not require special care – walking the dog twice a day will be enough. She is also quite pliant, a violation of the walking or eating schedule does not negatively affect her well-being.
- Friendliness. A dog of this breed will make an excellent companion: it is very friendly and loves to spend a lot of time with its wonderful owner. In addition, she is fearless enough to try to protect the owner in case of danger.
- Easy to learn. Smart and curious, the Maltese lapdog lends itself well to training and often shows success in professional dog competitions.
- Small size. On average, an adult Maltese lapdog reaches a weight of 3.5 kg with a height of about 20-25 cm. This makes it one of the best for compact living conditions. It doesn’t require a lot of play space and is fairly easy to transport. Food for a dog will also not cost a lot of money, even with high-quality food.
- Little shedding. The growth and shedding cycles in this breed are much less noticeable than in other breeds with a dense coat. In addition, one layer of coat in these dogs contributes to less manifestation of allergies, although the Maltese are not a hypoallergenic breed.
- Life Span. The life span of the Maltese lapdog is quite long compared to other breeds of small dogs. With proper care and attention, this dog will live from 12 to 15 years.
Cons
No matter how good the breed is, there are still some difficulties that the owner will face while caring for a pet. And it’s better to know about them in advance. Unfortunately, the Maltese lapdog is quite susceptible to various diseases and requires more attention from the owner than other breeds.
- Increased risk of injury. Although small in size and serve as a plus for a small apartment, it also increases the risk of accidentally stepping on the pet or pinching it by the door. The Maltese lapdog has rather fragile bones, so it is important to carefully pick it up and engage in its physical activity. Particular attention should be paid if there are small children in the house.
- Poor health. The Maltese lapdog is extremely susceptible to various skin diseases and allergies. There may also be problems with the joints, which will require expensive surgeries. Other common problems are eye diseases that can lead to blindness, heart disease, bladder stones, and epilepsy.
- Strong affection. A dog of this breed can become too attached to its owner. This leads to the fact that she is stressed if the owner is not around for too long. To prevent this from happening, from an early age, from time to time, leave the dog alone for a while so that it learns to calmly endure such periods.
- High sensitivity to cold. The Maltese lapdog has a light and smooth coat, which is why it does not tolerate cold quite well. In cold climates or even in an apartment that is too cool, it is better not to start this breed. As a last resort, you should take care of suitable clothing for your pet.
- Longwool. The breed has a long coat that should be trimmed at least once a week. Frequent brushing of the wool is also obligatory, which, due to its length, very quickly gets confused and confused.
Only after all the pros and cons are weighed, and the future owner is confident in his decision, is it worth getting a dog. This is a big responsibility that takes time throughout the life of the animal.
