How to choose and care for a Maltese dog?

The Bichon Maltese is an adorable little white dog covered with a very long and very shiny coat. It has small, round, very dark eyes and large ears that fall quite low. The coat of the Maltese bichon exceeds twenty centimeters in length and its size ranges from 20 to 23 centimeters for a weight of three to four kilos.

Each canine breed has different characteristics, specific and very specific, which make a subject more or less "typical", that is to say more or less close to the ideal of his breed, and in good health. This is why we cannot speak of a physical examination which can be valid for all puppies, if we want to speak of aesthetic canons.

On the other hand, one can examine any puppy from the point of view of his health - or to be exact of his "well-being" at this precise moment, because it is not a medical visit! - by analyzing several factors which are almost identical for all races. However, if you need a healthy puppy, here are Maltese puppies for sale.

1. The puppy's eyes should be cheerful, lively and above all, clean. Too much lacrimal secretion is always a bad sign. If fresh, it can be a symptom of irritation (conjunctivitis); if it is dry, it is even more alarming because it can be a sign of distemper.

Warning: if only one of the puppies shows symptoms of a serious infectious disease, it is not enough to dismiss this subject. There is indeed a good chance that the infection has spread to all of the puppies and this dog (perhaps because it is the weakest) is only the first to show its signs.

2. The inside of the puppy's ears should be clean and odorless. A strong odor can signal the presence of mites (ear grips).

3. The puppy's mucous membranes must be well pigmented (black); up to three months of age, however, their pigmentation may be incomplete. Some small pink spots in the very young puppy are not worrying; if it were to persist after the age of three to four months, on the other hand, it would also constitute a defect.

4. The puppy is still showing its non-permanent baby teeth, so we cannot yet know if it will be complete. We can however already see if the prognathic closure is correct .

5. The puppy's perianal area should be kept very clean. Yellowish spots around the anal opening are signs of diarrhea and therefore intestinal problems or indicate the presence of parasites.

6. At the age of two months, the male puppy must have the two testicles well descended into the scrotum: they are not always clearly visible, but they can be felt by palpation. The absence of a testicle (monorchidism) or both (cryptorchidism) is a serious problem that excludes the dog from exposure and reproduction: therefore, if the puppy is not yet perfect at this level, it must be deferred purchase.