The Maltese (sometimes called the "Roman Ladies Dog", "Comforter Dog" or "Maltese Lion Dog") is an ancient breed from the Isle of Malta that features a silky white coat and a highly energetic and playful temperament. The breed can be traced back to 500BC where it featured in Greek and Roman art, and was first valued as an exotic item of trade.

Several of their most recognisable traits are seen in their playfulness, high level of energy, need for attention and non-shedding coat - which assist in making the Maltese a familiar breed of dog for allergy sufferers, apartment dwellers and anyone who has a lot of time for a dog.

The Maltese is well-known for their gentle and playful manner while being fearless for their size. They are characteristically friendly with unfamiliar people once they get to know them, which along with their small size often makes them unsuitable as a guard dog.

The Maltese is also accepted to be moderately intelligent - ranking equal 59th with the Brussels Griffon in comparison with other dogs when taking into account their capability to be taught obedience commands. They are also recognised to be too fragile for rough children - which makes them not the best choice as a family pet. The Maltese is usually very companionable with other animals such as other dogs, cats and smaller animals.

Grooming the Maltese is a reasonably demanding task. They require a high level of brushing every day as well as special dental care and full grooming every 4 weeks if their hair is kept long.

The Maltese doesn't need a large yard to run around in, so they are highly suitable for apartment living provided they are walked on a regular basis.

The Maltese takes pleasure in endeavours which include play sessions and runs around the house or yard late into their life. They have a high amount of energy and need to be given exercise every day in the shape of average-length walks to put a stop to behaviour problems.

The Maltese can be the right dog breed for families with older children, retirees, apartment dwellers, allergy sufferers or anyone willing to shower a dog with lots of attention. They are fitting to anybody that is ready to commit to a regular amount of grooming and allocate time to provide them with patient training where the human is the pack leader in addition to take them for moderate daily walks and bestow a very high sum of company and devotion. Though they could be to some extent out of place for pets in households with small children, if you are able to meet their high demand for attention and regular grooming then the Maltese possibly will be the ultimate dog breed for you.