Maltese (dog) Wikipedia

Maltese (dog)

Maltese

Other names	Canis familiaris Maelitacus
Common nicknames	Maltese lion dog
Origin	Central Mediterranean Area [1]
Patronage	Italy [1]
Traits Weight Male 3–8 lb (1.4–3.6 kg) Female 2–7 lb (0.91–3.18 kg) Height Male 8–10 in (20–25 cm) Female 8–9 in (20–23 cm) Coat white Litter size avg. 1 to 3 puppies. Life span 12-15 years[2]
Classification / standards FCI Group 9, Section 1.1 Bichons #65 standard AKC toy group standard ANKC Group 1 (Toys) standard CKC Group 5 - Toys standard KC (UK) Toy standard NZKC Toy and Teacup standard UKC Companion Breed and Show Breed standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Maltese [malˈteːze], Canis familiaris Maelitacus,^[3][4][5] is a small breed of dog in the Toy Group. It descends from dogs originating in the Central Mediterranean Area. The breed name and origins are generally understood to derive from the Mediterranean island nation ofMalta.^[6][7][8][9]

History