Maltese vs Eurasier - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

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 Eurasier is a dog which hails from Germany and is a cross between the Wolf Spitz, the Chow Chow and the Samoyed.

The puppies of the dog could reproduce themselves, so that a new breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.

It is believed that the name was chosen as a referral to the dog’s European and Asian background. Today the Eurasier is found in most European Union countries as well as in Canada and the United States, but still the breed’s population is low, with efforts in place to raise its numbers.

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 Eurasier is a medium-sized dog, standing at roughly 48cm to 60cm in height and weighing 18kg to 32kg. He has a medium to long length coat in a range of different colors – fawn, black and tan as well as a mix of colors such as silver and black.

He has medium-sized, erect ears and the tail is always held over the back. The nose is black and the eyes are also medium in size and dark and should never be obscured by the dog’s hair.

Temperament:

Confident while being reserved around strangers, the calm Eurasier isn’t an aggressive dog.Bred as a companion animal, he is tolerant of other pets in the house as well as with children, and having him socialized and trained will ensure that he is obedient, relaxed and amicable. He is an intelligent dog and responds well to training.

He loves to be with his human family and will adapt happily to city- or country life. He doesn’t have high activity levels so daily walks and ball games will be sufficient for him.

He isn’t the kind of dog that you can keep in your backyard as a watchdog and then just neglect him. He’ll become bored and destructive through no fault of his own.

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.

You can just see on the face of the Eurasier that he is a loving, gentle dog who wants to be part of a loving human family.

As a companion dog he makes a splendidly devoted and loyal pet, wanting to be involved in everything his human ‘pack members’ are doing. He is healthy, intelligent, playful and loving and when you invest in such a pet, you’re investing in a close, loving relationship for many years.

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.

To a large extent, we have the health of our pets in our hands. The way we treat them – the food we give, the activities he takes part in, his sleeping facilities and the attention we give him all contribute to whether he will be healthy or not.

Nonetheless there are dogs who enjoy the best life and yet they still get sick. The Eurasier is a healthy dog breed who can push 12, 13 or 14 years, but still there are some common dog diseases to look out for.

Problems which are of concern are hip- and elbow dysplasia and patellar Luxation. Patellar luxation is when the dog's kneecap becomes dislocated and you see your pet holding up his hind leg for a while. These dislocated kneecaps are quite common in dogs and can lead to arthritis and even lameness.

Your vet can diagnose this problem through different means to help your pet.

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.

Diet:

The Eurasier, just like any other dog, requires high quality food. Luckily, as far as convenience goes, there are some excellent commercially manufactured foods, but you still need to check out the ingredients on the packaging as you want to avoid some of the dog foods high in chemicals and fillers.

The best pet foods are the ones that are high in protein, and meat sources such as chicken, beef or salmon for instance should show up among the top 5 ingredients.

Your Eurasier won’t want to eat kibble every day of his life so add in your own homemade cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken from time to time. Also, every now and again, it will be of tremendous value to your pet’s immune system to include some raw meat.

Grooming:

Brush your Eurasier twice a week to keep his coat shiny and healthy. Grooming your pet has a number of benefits apart from making him look good. It infuses him with a healthy glow – he literally glows with a sense of wellbeing and confidence because you care for him.

The benefits of brushing your pet include better blood circulation and a shinier, healthier coat. Also check your dog’s nails, check his ears inside and out and make sure to attend to his teeth 2 or 3x a week. There are special toothbrush and toothpaste designed specifically for dogs.