Petzlover
Maltese is originated from Italy but Spanish Pointer is originated from Spain. Maltese may grow 42 cm / 16 inches shorter than Spanish Pointer. Maltese may weigh 25 kg / 55 pounds lesser than Spanish Pointer. Both Maltese and Spanish Pointer has same life span. Maltese may have less litter size than Spanish Pointer. Maltese requires Moderate Maintenance. But Spanish Pointer requires Low Maintenance
The Maltese dog hardly needs any introduction as this is an ancient breed which is still as popular as ever. Some people refer to it as the "Maltese Lion Dog," or "Melita" which was Malta’s previous name.
It was in the 19th century, that the Kennel Club settled on the name of Maltese for the dog breed. The dog has been selectively bred to keep its small size. The exact origin of the dog is unknown and there are various stories surrounding where its origins are, thought to be Italy.
It is believed that dogs such as spaniels and poodles have been used to bring about the Maltese. The American Kennel Club, a registry for pure bred dogs, recognized the breed in 1888.
The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting breed. The dog hails from Spain and it is believed that the dog was used to develop other pointing breeds.
It is popular in Spain but fairly unknown beyond Spanish borders. Known as the Burgos Pointer, the official name for the dog is Perdiguero de Burgos.
It is thought that the dog comes from mixing the Pachon Navarra and the Sabueso Espanol. The dog was developed to point out game so they have the typical longish head with the pointing tail.
The Maltese is looked upon as a toy dog. Both male and female stand roughly between 20-25cm in height and weigh between 1 and 4kg.
He is as cute as a button with a rounded skull, a pitch black nose, brown eyes and medium length floppy ears. The tail is feathery and is curled. He has a long, silky coat without an undercoat.
The color of his coat is pure white, and because he doesn’t shed he is looked upon as being hypoallergenic. Most people who own a Maltese like having the coat short to one length all round.
These little dogs have been bred to be companion dogs. They may be little, but it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as they are inclined to be a bit snappy, especially with children.
He is intelligent, so training him won’t be difficult. Brought up the right way though, he can be good with children as well as pets in the home. They love their human families and want to be constantly with them. He is an energetic little dog too, and will just love ball games both inside and outside.
His very temperament and smallness make it that he fits perfectly into life in the city or the countryside. He is sweet and gentle but he makes a good watchdog, alerting you with his barking to strangers coming close by. Don’t leave him for long period of time as he hates being on his own and then he may start barking from sheer boredom and frustration.
The body of this dog is true to the Pointer type of dog with the body being muscular and lean.
He stands at between 62 to 67cm in height and weighs about 25 to 30kg. The ears are quite long and floppy and the tail is usually docked to a third of its length.
The coat which is mostly short can be whitish with tan or brown markings with freckling or it can be a brownish shade with darker brown markings.
The Spanish Pointer is a quiet, calm, gentle dog and not at all aggressive. They’re able to get on well with children and other pets.
They’re dogs that love the great outdoors and aren’t suited to city living. They’re dogs that need a good deal of exercise too. Being intelligent the pointer dog will benefit from training and socialization.
The Maltese is a popular dog no doubt, and his smallness is a draw-card as he adapts easily to life in the city or the countryside.
He is loving, loyal, intelligent and responsive, making him a good family dog and being an excellent playmate for children. Teach your children how to respect animals because raucous, disrespectful kids might produce a nip from an agitated Maltese.
Being a light shedder is another draw-card, with him being looked upon as a hypoallergenic breed. He has got so many good things going for him that he is guaranteed to make you an ideal pet.
Your attractive Spanish Pointer is such an amicable dog that it is a pleasure to have him around you.
He makes such a splendid pet, but only if their intense exercise needs are catered to. He can’t possibly be expected to spend days in a tiny yard with nothing to do. It would be cruel.
Their top priority is to be out in the fields hunting. Nonetheless he gets on well with children and other dogs, and with the right home and environment you’ll be so glad you chose one of these beautiful dogs as your friend.
Your Maltese is a feisty little thing who, with good care, can live for a good few years – up to 15 or even longer. As with any other dog, he can become ill. One or two illnesses to look out for include -
Sebaceous adenitis is caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands and is an uncommon skin disease found in some breeds of dog.
There are two types - one for long coated breeds and one for short coated breeds. For long or double-coated dogs, you’ll notice a white/silvery kind of dandruff on the coat as well as hair loss. There can also be skin lesions along the back and ears. It can make your pet miserable and he will need to see a vet.
A common hormonal problem is canine hypothyroidism, brought on by inadequate levels of thyroid hormones. Symptoms include hair loss, weight gain, coldness and a weakened immune system.
The Spanish Pointer is a healthy dog breed that can live to be as old as 15 if he gets the right care.
Like other dogs, they can develop certain health problems, and you want to be aware of cherry eye, ear infections, hip dysplasia and allergies.
These dogs just love to swim, and it can be difficult to keep the inside of his ears from moisture.
Unfortunately wax, dirt and moisture can all cause an ear infection. Ear infections can be extremely painful. You’ll see your dog shaking his head and pawing at his ears. There will be redness inside the ear and possibly a discharge too. He will need to see the vet.
Your Maltese is going to require quality food, water, exercise and shelter to enjoy a good life. The type of food you feed any dog has a direct impact on his health.
You need to provide him with quality food, and if its commercially manufactured food, you need to read the labels carefully so that the food is appropriate to your Maltese. For instance, you can’t mistakenly pull a ‘large-breed’ packet of food off the shelves and expect your Maltese to be able to stomach it.
If you do buy him this kibble, make sure the ingredients are wholesome. To break the monotony of eating kibble every day, give him some boiled chicken, brown rice and some raw or cooked vegetables chopped up finely into his kibble. He will love you for this as it makes a tasty meal for him and will keep him healthy.
Try to keep his diet nice and simple to avoid digestive problems.
Make sure he has constant access to fresh, cool water.
Make sure your Maltese dog has a nice warm, dry place to sleep.
Get him to the vet if you notice that he is ill.
Brush his hair twice a week and take him to have it professionally cut if you prefer.
Clip his nails when they become too long and check around his eyes and inside his ears for any kind of infection.
These little dogs are prone to dental problems and he will need to have his teeth brushed 2 or 3 times a week.
As a hunting dog, the Spanish Pointer has always been used to a lot of exercise. If you don’t use him for hunting, you will need to take him on long walks. They just love sniffing around and following a scent. Ball and frisbee games where you get him running will be excellent for him.
The Spanish Pointer is a large hunting dog, so when you choose commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it’s for large breed dogs. Also make sure the food is for active dogs too.
The manufacturers of these dog foods know what vitamins and minerals to include for active dogs like these. Read the packaging carefully and avoid the inferior dog foods as they are full of ingredients that can make your dog sick.
Try and feed your Spanish Pointer some home-made food too. Make sure it isn’t spicy, exotic foods as these can cause digestive problems.
Food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots are superb, simple food choices for your canine friend. You can chop it up and add some of this to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat for your pet.
Try and add some raw meat to the diet occasionally as this can be helpful in preventing skin infections.
The coat of your dog is short so a good brush twice a week will keep it in tip top condition. If he is super active, with a mitt or damp cloth you can wipe down his fur if it has mud stuck to it. It’s your time to check him over for ticks and fleas as well.