- The Maltese Dog was an ancient breed of small dog from Malta and a favoured pet of the Ladies of Ancient Rome.
- It was also known as: Canis Melitaeus, the Roman Ladies Dog, the ancient dog of Malta, the Maltese Lion Dog and Cokie.
Description
- It is thought to be descended from the ‘Spitz’ style of dog of Cave dwellers in Switzerland and also from the Tibetan Terrier from Asia.
- It’s average weight is around 5-12 lbs (2.3-5.4 Kgs) and average height between 7-12 inches (17-30 cm).
Sources
References to this dog exist in Classical literature from both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.
- Aristotle (c.370 BCE) referred to it as Melitaei Catelli
- Callimachus (c.350 BCE) referred to it as Canis Malitaeus
- Strabo (64 BCE-24 CE) refers to it as being favoured by the Noble Women of Rome.