For over twenty-two centuries, the Maltese was represented in paintings, ceramics and literature. This dog was immortalized in Greek monuments and is believed to be a dog of royalty and nobility. With a Mediterranean heritage, the breed is native to Malta and has always been in the company of man and a loved pet dog. The descendants of the Maltese have watched Spanish during history, not the terriers as you may have thought. His white, matte and long robes hung to the ground, making the breed become a dog very much appreciated by the ladies among the nobility around the 1800s. Due to their small size, these dogs were typically worn on ladies' sleeves and with the head to their chest. In 1877, the Maltese appeared for the first time at the canine exhibition at Westminster. At that time, the breed was called the Maltese lion dog. In 1879, the race re-emerged at Westminster, this time under the name of the Maltese Skye Terrier, although it is not a terrier dog. Finally, the breed was accepted into the breed group of the American Kennel Club as Maltese in 1888.
