Maltese

Appearance

Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a finger-wide dome and black nose that is two finger-widths long. The body is compact with the length equalling the height. The drop ears with long hair and very dark eyes, surrounded by darker skin pigmentation (called a “halo”), gives Maltese their expressive look. Their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in colour without exposure to sunlight. This is often referred to as a “winter nose” and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.

Temperament

Maltese are bred to be cuddly companion dogs, and thrive on love and attention. They are extremely lively and playful, and even as a Maltese ages, his or her energy level and playful demeanour remain fairly constant. Some Maltese may occasionally be snappish with smaller children and should be supervised when playing, although socializing them at a young age will reduce this habit. The Maltese is very active within a house, and, preferring enclosed spaces, does very well with small yards. For this reason, the breed also fares well in apartments and townhouses, and is a prized pet of urban dwellers. Maltese have a bad reputation as yappers.

For more information please click on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_(dog)