Maltese vs Francais Blanc et Orange - Breed Comparison

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 Chien Francais Blanc et Orange is one of the three versions of the Chien Francais. There is the Francais Blanc et Noir and the Francais Tricolor. These scent hounds were distinguished by their colors. The Francais Blanc et Orange like the other two, was a descendent of a variety of English and French hunting hounds, including the Hound of Saintonge.

The Hound od Saintonge is extinct but has several breeds coming from his line including the Billy – a pointer. Similar to the Francais Blanc et Orange, the Billy hunted in packs. Coming from these roots the Francais Blanc et Orange was developed around the 1900’s. Many considers the Chien Francais trio to be the Newest and Rarest French Hounds. The Francais Blanc et Orange is a white and orange hound, considered to be the rarest of the three. They were developed by crossing English Foxhounds with French Scent Hounds.

The Francais Blanc et Orange is a born hunter and a good one at that. In his pack he is happy and superbly equipped for the hunt. His vision and scenting skills are unsurpassed. They can cover a large expanse of territory in a very short period of time. They were known for hunting large boar and deer as well as small prey like foxes or rabbits. They were recognized as a separate breed by the UKC in 2006 but are not recognized by the AKC.

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.

Temperament:

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 Francais Blanc et Orange is a large , muscular and lean hunting dog, a typical pack hound out of France. They have a flat to somewhat domed head, long legs, and dropped, long ears and a square muzzle. The nose is either orange-brown or black and has large nostrils. Their eyes are deep set, dark and widely spaced. They have a deep chest which leads to their propensity toward the situation of bloat. This breed is smaller than the Chien Francais Blanc et Noir that hunts in packs. The skin is the fur’s color. They are athletic and display tremendous perseverance.

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.

Children friendliness

They are not exactly child oriented dogs as they are so oriented toward the hunt and the pack. With serious exercise and mental stimulation, they can become a good family dog, but it is not in their instincts.

Special talents

hunting in packs/scent and vision

Adaptability

He is not suited for apartment life and does need a large, fenced yard to run and play. Being a scent hound, he will constantly be sniffing for a trail to follow so put him to work.

Learning ability

The breed is highly intelligent and easily trainable.

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 -

Skin Problems:

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.

Thyroid Problems:

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.

Ear Infections

As with any dog with log floppy ears, infection is always a concern. Make sure you clean them after every hunting trip, romp or play session.

Hip Dysplasia

Like many large dogs the Blanc et Orange has a propensity to acquire hip dysplasia. It is known that joint dysplasia has a genetic component and should be screened for. Can cause lameness and arthritis.

Bloat

This is a real danger for the Blanc et Orange. They are deed chested and these are the dogs that are most likely to get bloat. The stomach is twisted and distended. It can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Diet:

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.

General Care:

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.

Feeding the puppy

Until about 18 months of age feed between 1 and 1.5 cups of high quality puppy, dry food, made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 3 meals per day.

Feeding the adult

3 cups day – After 18 month feed 3 cups per day of a high quality, adult dry food made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Outstanding scent and vision

Games and Exercises

Even though they are warm and welcoming to people, these are very serous dogs. They usually live outside in packs as they are an incredible pack animal. All they want in life is to hunt. However, if they cant hunt they need at least a couple hours per day od vigorous exercise. They are obviously better off in a rural environment than a city one. Put him in field trails, scent trials, barn hunt and playing fetch.