THE MALTESE 303 



' The Maltese are the most aesthetic of all toy dogs, 

 having been highly prized by ladies of ancient 

 Greece. They were also for centuries the Court 

 pets of royal ladies of France, who considered them 

 the beau ideal of all that is sweet and winsome,; 

 fit to adorn a palace or lie upon the robe of a 

 Queen. They are almost human in their fidelity, 

 which, combined with their aristocratic lineage, 

 brings them to the highest standard of a dainty 

 drawing-room pet. I have bred them for nearly 

 twenty-two years and have never lost one from dis- 

 temper. In fact, I consider them very hardy if 

 bred properly." 



Possibly ladies shy at the coats, which cannot be 

 kept in order without some trouble. Concerning 

 this, Mr. J. Sidney Turner gives some admirable 

 advice in the " Kennel Encyclopaedia " : " There is 

 no more difficulty in keeping his coat in order than 

 that of other silky -coated breeds. It must never 

 be neglected, however, even for a day. In washing, 

 great care must be used in the selection of a soap, 

 and the best for this purpose is pure white Castile 

 soap. It is best to make a weak lye and to 

 thoroughly saturate the coat without rubbing at all, 

 by simply sponging down, taking parts of the coat 

 in detail ; afterwards use the whites of eggs and a 

 small quantity of borax beaten up and dissolved in 

 about twice the bulk of water, thoroughly filling 

 the coat with this ; lastly, rinse the coat thoroughly 

 with tepid water ; either filtered rain-water or 

 distilled water is best. Hard water, which contains 

 lime, is deleterious to the silkiness of the coat. 

 Unless the dog is really dirty, soap is not required 

 at all, and the white of egg alone may be used. Do 



