Maltese Breed History

The Maltese is a small breed of dog in the toy group. The breed is descended from dogs originating in the Central
Mediterranean Area. The breed name and origins are generally understood to derive from the Mediterranean island of
Malta; however, the name is sometimes described with reference to the Adriatic island of Mljet, or a defunct Sicilian town
called Melita.

This ancient breed has been known by a variety of names throughout the centuries. Originally called the "Canis Melitaeus" in
Latin, it has also been known in English as the "ancient dog of Malta," the "Roman Ladies' Dog," the "Maltese Lion Dog,"
and the "Bichon" amongst other names. The Kennel Club settled on the name "Maltese" for the breed in the 19th century.
The Maltese is thought to have been descended from a Spitz type dog found among the Swiss Lake dwellers and was
selectively bred to obtain its small size. There is also some evidence that the breed originated in Asia and is related to the
Tibetan Terrier; however, the exact origin is unknown. The dogs probably made their way to Europe through the Middle East
with the migration of nomadic tribes. Some writers believe these proto-Maltese were used for rodent control before the
appearance of the breed gained paramount importance.
The oldest record of this breed was found on a Greek amphora found in the Etruscan town of Vulci, in which a Maltese-like
dog is portrayed along with the word Μελιταιε (Melitaie). Archaeologists date this ancient Athenian product to the decades
around 500 BC. References to the dog can also be found in Ancient Greek and Roman literature.
Aristotle was the first to mention its name Melitaei Catelli, when he compares the dog to a Mustelidae, around 370 BC. The
first written document (supported by Stephanus of Byzantium) describing the small Canis Melitaeus was given by the Greek
writer Callimachus, around 350 BC. Pliny suggests the dog as having taken its name from the island of Adriatic island
Méléda; however, Strabo, in the early first century AD, identifies the breed as originating from the Mediterranean island of
Malta, and writes that they were favored by noble women.
During the first century, the Roman poet Martial wrote descriptive verses to a small white dog named Issa owned by his
friend Publius.[21] It is commonly thought that Issa was a Maltese dog, and various sources link Martial's Publius with the
Roman Governor Publius of Malta, though others do not identify him.
John Caius, physician to Queen Elizabeth I, also claimed that Callimachus was referring to the island of Melita "in the Sicilian
strait" (Malta). This claim is often repeated, especially by English writers. The dog's links to Malta are mentioned in the
writings of Abbé Jean Quintin d'Autun, Secretary to the Grand Master of the Knights of Malta Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-
Adam, in his work of 1536, Insulae Melitae Descriptio.
Around the 17th and 18th centuries, some breeders decided to "improve" the breed, by making it smaller still. Linnaeus
wrote in 1792 that these dogs were about the size of a squirrel.[5][18] The breed nearly disappeared and was crossbred
with other small dogs such as Poodles and miniature Spaniels. In the early 19th century there were as many as nine different
breeds of Maltese dog.
Parti-colour and solid colour dogs were accepted in the show ring from 1902 until 1913 in England, and as late as 1950 in
Victoria, Australia. However, white Maltese were required to be pure white. Coloured Maltese could be obtained from the
south of France.

The Maltese had been recognized as a FCI breed under the patronage of Italy in 1954, at the annual meeting in Interlaken,
Switzerland. The current FCI standard is dated November 27, 1989, and the latest translation from Italian to English is dated
April 6, 1998. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1888, its latest standard being from March 10, 1964.