MyDogBreeds
Maltese is originated from Italy but Barbet is originated from France. Maltese may grow 41 cm / 16 inches shorter than Barbet. Maltese may weigh 23 kg / 50 pounds lesser than Barbet. Both Maltese and Barbet has same life span. Maltese may have less litter size than Barbet. Both Maltese and Barbet requires Moderate 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 Barbet is an ancient European waterdog, with the first references to it coming way back from 1387. This breed is thought to serve as a common ancestor for several other waterdogs, and these include the poodle. The breed was used to retrieve water fowl from water, and today it is used as a gundog and as a companion.
The name ‘Barbet’ comes from the French word for beard, which is ‘barbe’. The Kennel Club has announced that this dog is to be described as being in a class of its own, and it has become the 220th pedigree breed.
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 Barbet is a medium-sized breed of French water dog, measuring anything between 52–66cm in height. The dog is known for his thick, curly textured coat and even the head and tail are covered with this dense hair. His coat is waterproof.
The coat can vary in color and these colors can be brown, grey, white, fawn or black. The dog isn’t a heavy shedder. The Barbet’s tail is long and somewhat raised but not erect. He has long, wide pendant ears set at eye height, the skull is broad and the neck short and strong.
With his kind brown eyes, it simply adds to the kindly expression of this attractive gun dog. He is a friendly, fun-loving dog, and makes a great family pet. He loves to swim and in fact has webbed paws to assist him with his swimming. Some dog owners say that this intelligent active breed can be a great watchdog, while others say the being a guard dog isn’t a particularly strong characteristic.
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.
Most Barbets do superbly well with children and are naturally gentle with them. It is always important to teach children to respect animals and to be kind towards them. Even a gentle dog like the Barbet can turn aggressive if taunted beyond their endurance.
Barbets are social, good mixers and they get on well with other pets in the family, more so when they have been properly socialized. As a Sporting breed, the Barbet is energetic and loves to be involved in games and activities. He is such a versatile dog – gentle and friendly and he makes a wonderful devoted pet. Of course, he is also suited for use as a working dog, after all this breed was originally used for hunting waterfowl.
Treat him well and the thanks you’ll get will is unconditional friendship and loyalty.
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 Barbet is a rare breed and therefore not much is known about particular health issues affecting him. Some health issues that you will need to be alert about with your Barbet are ear infections, hernias and hip dysplasia.
A veterinarian should be consulted if your dog shows signs of these ailments. The risk of a Barbet developing any health condition can always be significantly reduced by making sure you buy your Barbet from a reputable breeder. If he is fed well and taken to the vet when he does get sick, he can live to be 13 to 15 years of age.
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.
The Barbet’s coat is longish and curly, much like a poodle, and long, wooly coat This being the case, moderate maintenance is required. Brushing and grooming twice a week will be necessary to keep the coat from matting too much. In fact, some Barbet owners prefer to keep their Barbets professionally groomed so that the thick hair is fairly short all over.
The dog’s ears will also need to be kept clean and dry.
If your Barbet is a farm dog, used for hunting or working purposes, make sure to buy dog food formulated for active dogs. Your Barbet puppy up to the age of 3 months will require 4 meals a day. When your Barbet reaches a year of age he can be fed one or two bowls of food. Speak to your veterinarian about top-quality wet- and dry foods. Every dog will require raw meat added into their food once in a while.
Make sure there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water and also wash his food and water bowls regularly.
The Barbet is an intelligent breed and therefore trainable. Dog owners who care for their pets, see to it that they are trained and have been socialized. This makes dogs much nicer to live with as they get on well with children and other pets and they don’t bark incessantly.
The Barbet is a working breed so you can’t just leave him in your back garden day after day. To stay healthy and happy, he will need to be played with, taken for walks and exercised regularly.