Meet the Maltese

My breed’s name comes from the beautiful Mediterranean island of Malta, which is located between Italy (specifically Sicily), Greece, and Tunisia. It’s believed we toy dogs were brought there by the Phoenicians, a civilization that thrived between 1500 and 322 B.C. When the Greeks arrived in Malta, they fell in love with our gorgeous white coat, luscious long hair, cute tiny bodies, and adorable faces! We became a mainstay in Greek art during the Golden Age, featured on ceramics and affectionately referred to as the Melitaie dog.

Now enter the Romans. Much like the Greeks before them, Romans grew incredibly fond of Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta. Aristocratic women always had us by their side, earning us the name “Roman Ladies Dog.” Their poems and stories told of our incredible loyalty. Legend has it that when Saint Paul was shipwrecked on Malta, the Roman governor Publius gifted him a Maltese. Another recipient? The Chinese emperor, who was given two Maltese by the Holy Roman emperor. After the fall of Rome, the Chinese empire kept us alive and well despite the turmoil in our homeland.

Throughout history, we were more than just a lapdog – even though many famous people like to keep us on their laps! During the Renaissance, we were known as “Comforter Dog” and would be laid across the stomachs of our owners to ease their pain. We were also used as flea bait so the pesky insects would land on us instead of our humans. Gross!

We little dogs first came to the United States during the 1800s and we’ve since become a popular family dog because we’re gentle, playful, and good with children. In 1887, the Westminster Kennel Club showed the first Maltese ever at their first dog show ever, listed as a Maltese Lion Dog

In 1888, we were recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and are currently part of the Toy Group.