Doggy Mentor

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The Maltese is a small toy group dog breed with silky white hair that is lively and intelligent and very cuddly, soideal as a pet for city living. Though if living in an apartment, you will need to take them out for regular walks or use professional dog walkers such as London dog walking  The fur will grow long, so those with busy lives often give them a puppy cut, otherwise the hair becomes difficult to manage.
They have dark round shaped large eyes. Whilst it is small, standing between eight and 10 inches tall, it is solid and weighs around three and eight pounds (1.5 to 3 kilograms). The dog care of a Maltese is relatively straightforward. They are relatively long lived, up to about fifteen years.
 
They is often protective to its owners, which means they are known for barking at strange noises and people. Their high activity level can also lead to them snapping. Dog socialisation at an early age is key to removing this problem. They are bold and will approach dogs far bigger than themselves, being secure they get on well with other dogs.
They has a few health problems, that includes problems with the skin, eye and teeth. In addition respiratory problems and risk of sunburn on the top of its nose.
Regular grooming is required with the Maltese, otherwise you will get matting. In addition to brushing twice a day, one should also clean them after every meal, to minimise staining of the hair. Tear staining is also a common problem which is due to the size of the tear ducts and how much the Maltese’s eyes water.  Tear stain can be minimised or reduced by using regularly a metal fine-toothed comb that is dipped in lukewarm water and drawn through the hair below the eyes. This ideally should be done every two days.
Whilst they have thick hair, they do not shed too much and like the comparable Havanese and Bichon Frisé will not give as much allergic reaction to people as other dog breeds. A lot of will tie the hair on top of the head in a ponytail to ease cleaning the eyes. The ears also need regular cleaning.
You might think the Maltese comes from Malta!, its origins are unclear, though many experts believe they come from around the Mediterranean area. It is also known as a Maltese Terrier or the Maltese Lion Dog ( a reflection on its character), though its official kennel name is “Maltese”.

The Maltese origin may have been either from the Asian Tibetan Terrier or the Swiss Spitz dog. Records show that the Maltese dates back to around 500 B.C. when found on a Greek amphora and is often mentioned in Greek / Roman writings.

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The Havanese is one of the Bichon type breeds, that includes Bichon Frise, Bolognese, Coton de Tulear, Lowchen and Maltese The Havanese is a playful small dog, toy dog that were bred to be good companions, so are good with children. They love to have attention and will do many things to attract it. This need for notice means they are not the choice for a busy working couple. They will often follow owners around the apartment, however they are not possessive of their “friends”, so are great with other dogs, pets and other animals. They often like to eat with someone in the room, so stay there when they are eating, otherwise they may take their food with them and eat it as they walk, which can be messy. They are a “real dog”, playing games such as football with all their strength. Like many toy dogs, they do not require long walks, but they do love attention. Professional Dog Walkers such as London Dog Walking, if doing grouped walks will pair them with similar dogs, rather than big energetic dogs.

For dog care they are straightforward. They do not shed much, so whilst not strictly non-allegenic, they may be suitable for a family with an allergic member.

The Havanese has a slight wavy double coat, which is soft and light, with a heavier undercoat.

The Havanese should be brushed every day, as they have the tendency for their fur to mat. If not a show dog, you can have the coat cut. Whilst they have a good coat, it is a coat to keep the hot sun off the body, not warmth inside, so in some areas you may need to buy sweaters for them.

It is advisable to dry them after a bath with towels, rather than a hair drier, which can make their skin too dry and prone to infections. It is a breed that the kennel clubs, prefer and dictate a natural look, avoiding the bows and preferring the hair over the eyes, that protected their eyes from the Cuban sun.

They now come in many different colours and patterns, but were originally white.
They have   a sturdy look compared to other toy dog breeds. The Havanese weight ranges from 4-6 Kgs ( around twelve lbs). Its height measured at the withers is around 250mm(  9-11 inches). It is an unusual dog in that the rump is higher than the shoulders.

The Havanese move with an agile springy gait. The Havanese are good swimmers, but many of them do not like swimming, but be prudent when near water  if there is something for them to chase.

They have almond eyes, with medium sized ears that are well covered and hang down. The Havanese are disposed to ear infections, so regularly check their ears and clean them. Sometimes they may require their inner hairs to be pulled by hand or tweezers. The tail sweeps over the back and is also well covered. They have very sensitive noses and are trained in some countries for search. They are easily trained so are often found in circus shows, tracking, hearing assistance dogs, mould, termite and drug search.

  They routinely live fourteen to sixteen years. The Havanese being breed from a limited gene pool suffer from some genetic diseases. These include liver disease, heart disease, cataracts and retinal dysplasia ( blots on the retina). It is recommended only to buy Havanese from parent dogs who have clear eye certificates. Havanese sometimes develop brown tear stains, this is more obvious on the lighter coloured dogs.

The dog was bred from the now extent Bichon Tenerife and was taken to Cuba by original settlers and traders. Being popular in Havana in Cuba. Globally the Havanese is a relatively recent breed, taking off in the seventies from only 10 animals in the US. They were common in Cuba, prior to the revolution, but suffered afterwards. It is now one of the fastest growing registrations in most country kennel clubs. For this reason it may be difficult to acquire one, so the best of luck on finding one.

A superb family dog that is well worth considering.

It is a worry when it comes to finding suitable care for your dog whilst you are away on holiday or even for a long weekend. It is so important to know that they are well cared for.

One thing to consider is if it would it be better for the dog to be with the company of other dogs or would it possibly be best to have someone who is prepared to house sit and look after the dog. There are a lot of people who do offer this service. At least if the animal is at home there will be no upheaval from his usual routine and therefore he would feel more secure when you are away.

If your dog has a medical problem, for instance arthritis or diabetes then it might be a good idea to contact your vet to inquire if they have anyone that they can recommend. Ask friends and family members if they have anyone that they can recommend. A follow up call to find out if they were really satisfied with the care of their pets is always a good idea.

If using a boarding kennel always request a tour of the place before you make a commitment. Always check for overall cleanliness, friendliness of the staff and check out their knowledge of animals as regards proper feeding and exercise etc.

Always ask to take a look inside the kennel that your dog would be allocated. Make sure that it is really clean and hygenic and that means the actual bedding etc. Most kennels nowadays have special heavy duty washing machines to help cope with the continual turnaround of the animal bedding etc. These are similar to veterinary laundry equipment which again is designed specially for heavy duty washing requirements.

If you opt for the first choice of having the pet carer come to your home then make sure you follow up on references and it would be a good idea to introduce them to your pet before you actually go away. Some important points to look for are good understanding with the animal and a willingness to adapt to their schedule.

And finally make sure that your pet’s vaccinations are up to date well in advance of your holiday.