THE MALTESE BICHON

THE ORIGIN OF THE MALTESE BICHON

The ancestors of this small dog lived in the ports of the maritime cities of the Central Mediterranean, where they fought the rats and mice that swarmed in the port stores and in the holds of ships. A list of dogs existing in the time of Aristotle (384-322 BC) mentions a breed of small dogs to which the Latin name "canes melitenses" is attributed. This dog was known in ancient Rome as the favorite companion of matrons and was praised by Strabo, a Latin poet of the first century. The Maltese Bichon appears in representations of numerous Renaissance painters where it is seen in the salons of the time accompanying the beautiful ladies of that time.

WHAT IS THE BICHON MALTESE LIKE?

The Maltese Bichon is one of the most bred and demanded breeds today, although the majority of dogs for companionship that are bred by individuals -people without knowledge of what breeding is and the breed itself- are crosses of the Maltese Bichon with Coton de Tulear or Bichon Havanese, a crossbreeding that until recently could be acquired in stores from national or foreign macro-farms. The Bichon Maltese is a brachycephalic dog that captivates with its long and dense white coat - ivory or other shades are completely undesirable - which is straight and free of waves or curls. With a height at the withers of 21-25cm in males and 20-23cm in females, in adulthood weighing between 3 and 4kg, it is an ideal dog for city life and family living. In terms of temperament, the Maltese Bichon is intelligent and alert. They are often described as cheerful and lively dogs, very active and enjoy long walks and interactive play with their owners. However, they also adapt well to apartment living due to their compact size and moderate need for exercise.As for the care of their coat, it is a breed that needs to be brushed daily with an extra long barbed butter brush with the help of a biphasic spray - it is not advisable to brush the coat dry because we can split it -, and take it to the groomer every 15-30 days to keep it in perfect condition. And, as far as health is concerned, the Maltese Bichon is a fairly healthy breed as a general rule.

THE HEALTH OF THE MALTESE

The hereditary diseases that we can find in the breed are:

-PLL [Primary Lens Luxation]: It is a well recognized, painful and blinding inherited eye condition that affects many dog breeds, particularly terrier and terrier-type breeds. In affected dogs the fibers that support the lens break down or disintegrate. As a result, the lens falls into the wrong position within the eye.

-GSD [Glycogenosis]: A type of inherited disorder in which there are problems with the way a form of glucose (sugar) called glycogen is stored and used in the body. Some enzymes that help make or break down glycogen are not present or do not work properly.

-PRA [Progressive Retinal Atrophy]: There are two types of photoreceptor neurons in the retina: rods (located more in the periphery of the retina) and cones (located closer to the center). These photoreceptors deteriorate progressively so that the retina has no capacity to capture light and, unable to send information to the brain, the animal gradually stops seeing. In many cases, it is difficult to detect and the owner does not realize it until the disease is very advanced.
It is a hereditary disease that affects both eyes equally, some breeds are more predisposed than others, but it can affect any breed and animal.

These diseases are preventable with the health tests that are developed in ethical breeding, no serious breeder breeds with sick animals or does not test for these diseases, something that is totally ignored in animals coming from macrobreeding or private breeding (the neighbor's dog with the neighbor's dog, because they "look alike", without taking into account anything else).

IS THE MALTESE BICHON HYPOALLERGENIC?

The Maltese is a single-coated dog (it does not have a woolly undercoat like other breeds), with a silky and fine texture, long length and white color (we can find some pale cream colored areas but they are not desirable after the age of one year). Given the characteristics of this type of coat, it is a dog that does not shed and falls within the breeds considered hypoallergenic.

Does the fact that a breed is considered "hypoallergenic" mean that it will not cause allergies? No, it means that the probabilities of allergy are much lower than other dog breeds.

Before getting a dog if you or a family member is allergic, it is important to know exactly what you are allergic to: hair, skin or saliva.

THE MALTESE BICHON GROOMING SALON

The hair of the Maltese requires constant care by its owner and fortnightly or monthly visits to the hairdresser, in this way we will avoid the appearance of knots (especially in areas of conflict such as the ears, legs or tail); knots are more dangerous than it seems, they are not merely aesthetic but they choke and strangle the skin causing dermatitis (dry and seborrheic), itching, wounds and even, in the worst cases in which they make a "loop", necrosis (being the most affected areas the tips of the ears, the toes or the tail).

The utensils you should have to brush your Maltese will be a soft card with long bristles and a good quality extra-long bristles butter comb; do not opt for utensils from the "Everything at 100" stores and let yourself be advised by your dog's breeder or trusted groomer.

For daily brushing, use a biphasic spray or a dry moisturizing spray to slightly dampen the hair before brushing (this way, you will avoid hair breakage); pay special attention to the back area, the tail, behind the ears and the paws, which are the most conflictive areas due to the continuous rubbing. Likewise, you should avoid leaving the collar, harness or clothing at home during the winter; after use, brush the coat to avoid excessive knots that, in many cases, end up in shaving when spring arrives.

Once you have finished brushing your Maltese from the roots to the tips, you will comb it with a metal-tooth comb to locate any hidden knots.

Brushing is extremely important to do from the moment the puppy arrives home, this way when he is an adult the groomer's job will be easier, our dog will be more beautiful and healthy, and his experience during the process will be much more pleasant.

As far as bathing is concerned, if the owner does not have the knowledge or the proper tools to do it, he should avoid doing it. Many owners insist on doing it at home to avoid having to spend money on their dog's grooming, and it is very easy to leave knots without removing them (which get tighter with water), they do not dry the dog well and it remains wet and prone to develop fungus, or they do things that the groomer has to solve (for example, they count the hair and then they have to leave it very short to be able to even it out).

The Maltese Bichon needs biweekly or monthly baths, with good quality products and high moisturizing power, which enhance the white color of his hair and help him to maintain his beautiful features; which are spoiled if he does not receive the proper care, such as losing volume and quantity, feel rough to the touch or curl (the latter occurs in those dogs that are shaved continuously).

THE TEARS AND MOUTH OF THE MALTESE POODLE

The Maltese Bichon (as well as many other breeds of all sizes) can suffer from oxidation in the tear troughs, giving it an unkempt appearance. This happens for a variety of reasons:

1- OBSTRUCTED TEAR CHANNELS: The tear channel goes from the eye to the nose, tears and secretions normally exit through them without causing any kind of problem but, when they are obstructed because they are too narrow or there is some kind of pathology, these do not drain the tears well and cause the typical "watery eyes", the hair, in contact with the PH of the tears and the air, oxidizes and ends up rotting, dyeing dark color and producing bad odor.
To avoid this, the owner should clean the eyes of his Bichon Maltese with a mild cleanser specially designed for this purpose.

2- PH IMBALANCES: Sometimes, rust in the mouth and eyes comes from an imbalance in the PH of the dog's saliva and tears, here you can act by adding a little apple cider vinegar in the water or giving it bottled mineral water.

Regarding the mouth of the Maltese Bichon, it is one of the breeds most prone to tartar accumulation; the care of his mouth is very important, the owner should brush his teeth every day and make regular check-ups at the veterinarian. The accumulation of tartar will not only produce bad odor, but will end up causing the teeth to fall out, gum inflammation, bleeding... Bacteria travel through the bloodstream and can trigger heart and brain diseases.

FEEDING THE BICHON MALTESE

The Maltese needs a diet rich in high quality animal proteins and low in fat, which will help prevent obesity and keep its health in an optimal state.
For puppies, it is always recommended to choose a fatty food rich in Omega 3, such as Reis d'Aranda's Scottish salmon puppy food; this will help the development of the joints, skin and coat; while for adults, we can opt for other varieties more adapted to their age, such as Reis d'Aranda's pork, duck or horse food.