450 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



As a companion for out-of-doors the 

 Maltese ranks highly in the estimation of 

 its admirers, and certainly there are few 

 dogs that are so ornamental in a carriage 

 or in a drawing-room. The temper of the 

 breed is said to be snappish ; but this is a 

 fault which ought to be controlled by early 

 training, and it is not an innate character- 

 istic. Probably the Maltese dog is inferior 

 in intelligence to the King Charles and 

 the Pekinese. Centuries of pampering and 

 coddling have diminished whatever mental 

 acuteness the race may originally have pos- 

 sessed. Nevertheless, the Maltese is quick- 

 witted enough when it is permitted un- 

 hampered to exercise its natural attributes. 

 Owners who keep their canine pets in jewel 

 caskets have only themselves to blame if 

 the little things fail to exhibit the intelli- 

 gence which comes of unrestrained enjoy- 

 ment of a free life. The Venetian ladies 

 were in the habit of keeping their Maltese 

 dogs enclosed in tin canisters so that they 

 might remain diminutive, and many modern 

 owners similarly keep them tied up in bags 

 so that their feet may not have room to 

 scratch and their coats may not be soiled. 

 It is well to preserve the beauty of a silky 

 white robe, but not at the sacrifice of its 

 owner's physical comfort and freedom. An 

 imprisoned dog will always become snappish 

 and debilitated. The best way to keep a 

 Maltese is to give it plenty of open-air exer- 

 cise, to feed it judiciously, and to let the 

 coat be subjected to as little grooming 

 and washing as will serve merely to preserve 

 it from tangle and from dirt. If it is in- 

 tended for exhibition there will be plenty 

 of time to get the hair in condition a fort- 

 night or so before the show. 



DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS OF THE 

 MALTESE. 



1. General Appearance. That of a bright, 

 sprightly, active dog of very taking character. 



2. Head. Should be much like that of a drop- 

 eared Skye Terrier in miniature, but rather shorter 

 and thicker in muzzle ; not lean nor snipy. 



3. Ears. Moderately long, set on rather low, 

 and covered with long silky hair, mingling with 

 that on the neck and shoulders. 



4. Eyes. Very dark and piercing, bright and 

 alert in expression. 



5. Nose. Pure black and shiny. 



6. Legs. Short rather than long, with fine bone, 

 well feathered throughout. Legginess is to be 

 avoided. Feet small and covered with hair. 



7. Body and Shape. Shoulders sloping and not 

 too wide. Back short and cobby rather than 

 lanky in shape. 



8. Tail. Short, well feathered, particularly 

 towards the end, and gracefully carried, turned or 

 doubled into the coat of the back, its end resting 

 on the hindquarters and side. 



9. Coat. Long, straight and silky, quite unlike 

 that on any other dog, more of the consistency of 

 spun glass than anything else, free from woolliness 

 or curl ; when in form it should nearly reach the 

 ground at the sides. Very profuse on neck, 

 shoulders and chest. 



10. Colour. Pure white, without shade or tint. 



11. Weight. Not exceeding 12 Ib. The smaller 

 the better, other points being correct. 



Scali of Points. 

 Head ... .10 



Ears . . . . . . 5 



Eyes and Nose . . . .10 



Legs and feet .... 5 



Body and shape . . . . 10 



Tail and its carriage 10 



Coat 20 



Colour 15 



Condition . . . . \o 

 Size S 



Total . . . TOO 



R. L. 



