Maltese Breed Magazine - Showsight

Maltese Breed Magazine features information, expert articles, and stunning photos from AKC judges, breeders, and owners.

MALTESE

Let’s Talk Breed Education!

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Official Standard of the Maltese General Appearance: The Maltese is a toy dog covered from head to foot with a mantle of long, silky, white hair. He is gentle-mannered and affectionate, eager and sprightly in action, and, despite his size, possessed of the vigor needed for the satisfactory companion. Head: Of medium length and in proportion to the size of the dog. The skull is slightly rounded on top, the stop moderate. The drop ears are rather low set and heavily feathered with long hair that hangs close to the head. Eyes are set not too far apart; they are very dark and round, their black rims enhancing the gentle yet alert expression. The muzzle is of medium length, fine and tapered but not snipy. The nose is black. The teeth meet in an even, edge-to-edge bite , or in a scissors bite. Neck: Sufficient length of neck is desirable as promoting a high carriage of the head. Body: Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in topline , the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath. Tail: A long-haired plume carried gracefully over the back, its tip lying to the side over the quarter. Legs and Feet: Legs are fine-boned and nicely feathered. Forelegs are straight, their pastern joints well knit and devoid of appreciable bend. Hind legs are strong and moderately angulated at stifles and hocks. The feet are small and round, with toe pads black. Scraggly hairs on the feet may be trimmed to give a neater appearance. Coat and Color: The coat is single, that is, without undercoat. It hangs long, flat, and silky over the sides of the body almost, if not quite, to the ground. The long head-hair may be tied up in a topknot or it may be left hanging. Any suggestion of kinkiness, curliness, or woolly texture is objectionable. Color, pure white. Light tan or lemon on the ears is permissible, but not desirable. Size: Weight under 7 pounds, with from 4 to 6 pounds preferred. Overall quality is to be favored over size. Gait: The Maltese moves with a jaunty, smooth, flowing gait. Viewed from the side, he gives an impression of rapid movement, size considered. In the stride, the forelegs reach straight and free from the shoulders, with elbows close. Hind legs to move in a straight line. Cowhocks or any suggestion of hind leg toeing in or out are faults. Temperament: For all his diminutive size, the Maltese seems to be without fear. His trust and affectionate responsiveness are very appealing. He is among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs, yet he is lively and playful as well as vigorous.

Approved March 10, 1964

MALTESE THE HISTORY OF THE

BY TAMMY SIMON AND THE LATE DENISE HUNTER

T he Maltese dog, once called “The Jewels of Women,” is an ancient breed thought to be over 2,000 years old. The breed is generally believed to be from the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, but the exact origin is uncer- tain. Called “Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta,” Maltese have adorned the laps of royalty throughout the ages. Images depicting the dog have been found on ancient Greek and Roman pottery and men- tioned in the writings of philosophers of the time. During the time of the Apostle Paul, the Roman Governor, Publius, owned a Maltese named Issa, and the poet, Martial, wrote this epigram of the dog: Issa is naughtier than Catullus’ sparrow Issa is purer than a Dove’s kiss Issa is more coaxing than any maid Issa is more precious than Indian pearls, Issa is Publius’ darling lap dog If she whines, you’ll think she is speaking, she feels sadness and joy. The Maltese came to America, primarily from Europe, during the latter part of the 1800s, with the first entry of a Maltese at Westmin- ster in 1877. And in 1894, according to the Westminster website, the famous American journalist, Nellie Bly, entered her Maltese at Westminster some four years after she made a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days, 6 hours, and 11 minutes, racing the record of Phineas Fogg in Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days . The AKC Stud Books show that the first Maltese entry in 1888 was two bitches; Topsy—an import, and Snips—origin unknown. While owners of Maltese exhibiting during the latter part of that cen- tury are known, the breeders and pedigrees are, unfortunately, lost. Fast forward to the 1930s, a distemper outbreak all but eradi- cated the breed from the US. A few very dedicated Maltese breeders worked to bring the breed back from near extinction here in Amer- ica. One of these breeders, Dr. Vincenzo Calvaresi of Villa Malta Kennels, imported dogs from Ireland and Italy. The Italian dogs, Int. Am. CH Electa Brio, Italian CH Electa Laila, and Italian CH Electa Pampi, are in many of the American Maltese pedigrees today. Up until the time Dr. Calvaresi began to exhibit, Maltese were shown in an unkempt manner as many of the photographs of the time show. He started grooming the coats and tying the hair into rudimentary topknots. Dr. Calvaresi was famous for showing four-dog braces and, at the 1952 Westminster show, Villa Malta won their 18th Best Brace in Show. The Maltese of this era, and for several decades to come, looked more coarse and less refined than the Maltese of today.

In the early 1960s, there were two national Maltese clubs; The Maltese Dog Club of America and the Maltese Dog Fan- ciers of America. These two clubs merged in 1962 and formed the AKC-recognized parent club, The American Maltese Asso- ciation. The ‘60s also ushered in the decade of the Maltese at Westminster, with a Maltese winning for the first time in the club’s history in 1964, and again in 1966. A force to be reckoned with during the 1960s was CH Aennchen’s Poona Dancer, bred by Aennchen and Tony Antonelli and owned by Larry Ward and Frank Oberstar. “Poona” broke all previous Maltese records and amassed 38 BIS, two American Maltese Association National Specialty BISS, and won the Group at Westminster in 1966. In addition to being a Top 10 Toy in 1966 and 1967, and a Top 10 All-Breed in 1967 and 1968, she was named the official mascot of the Navy’s U.S.S. Lenawee. The 1970s was also a good decade for Maltese. CH Joanne- Chen’s Maya Dancer won the Toy Group at Westminster in 1972 and ‘73 and was the National Specialty winner in 1972. “Maya” was bred by Joanne Hesse, owned by Mamie Gregory, and shown by the late and much beloved Peggy Hogg. Maya went on to beat Poona’s record and won an impressive 43 BIS and 134 Group Firsts. He was the top-winning Toy Group winner for 1972 and ‘73. In the late ‘70s, a Maya grandson hit the scene and broke the Group-winning record of Poona and Maya. CH Joanne-Chen’s Mino Maya Dancer went on to break Group-winning records for Maltese with 150 Group Firsts and 34 BIS. “Mino” was owned by Blanche Tenerowicz and handled by Daryl Martin. He won the National Specialty in 1980 and 1981 and was the Top Toy in 1980. Mino can be found in many Maltese pedigrees today. Other Maltese of that decade that left their imprint were CH Pendleton’s Jewel, who won the National Specialty three years in a row, CH Malone’s Snowy Roxann, who won 51 BIS and 52 Group Firsts in her short career, and CH Oakridge Country Charmer, who ended the decade with two National Specialty wins and 23 BIS. “Charmer” proved to be prepotent and pro- duced numerous champion get and a multi-BIS daughter. During the 1980s, the look became more polished and ele- gant as the grooming style changed. Many of the top Maltese in the past had “the look” of a bouffant hairdo, with the hair stand- ing out like an “A-Frame.” This was due, in large part, to the fact that there wasn’t the vast array of grooming supplies available then that is obtainable now. Their topknots were placed farther

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THE HISTORY OF THE MALTESE

“The Maltese is one of the most difficult breeds to condition, groom, and show, but there is nothing more breathtaking than to see a BEAUTIFUL WHITE CLOUD, GLIDING AROUND THE RING.”

This past decade has produced many, many beautiful Mal- tese—too many to name them all. But some standouts include: CH Divine’s Indecent Desperado, “Bandit,” bred by Angie and Larry Stanberry and owned by Barbara Davis, who was a Multi- BIS/BISS winner and No. 1 Maltese in 2002, and CH Marcris Thrill Of Victory, bred by Joyce Watkins and owned by Tonia Holibaugh and Barbara Davis. “Thriller” won 15 BIS and won the National Specialty in 2004. He was the Top Maltese in 2003 and 2004 and has produced 47 Champions. Another is CH Bhe- Jei’s Pinball Wizard, bred by Bobbie Linden and owned by Tara Martin Rowell. “Tommy” obtained his first BIS at 9 months of age. He went on to win numerous BIS and won the National in 2006. Tommy has produced three National Specialty winners; CH Ta-Jon’s Whose Your Sugar Daddy, CH Ta-Jon’s Pawsitively Silly, and CH Scylla’s Small Kraft Re-Lit—two of whom are also BIS winners. CH Ta-Jon’s Pawsitively Silly, a “Silly” grandson, won the National in 2008 and has produced to date both a Multi- BIS son and daughter. The daughter, GCH Ta-Jon’s Just Bee-ing Silly, “Justine,” won the National in 2011, and the son, CH Pawsi- tively Pawparazzi, “Snapshot,” is also a Multi-BIS winner. In 2007, Richelieu’s Sugar Smacks was the first dog in the his- tory of the AMA to win BOB from the classes. And to finish out the decade, GCH. Rhapsody’s Regarding Henry won the 2010 National Specialty and is a Multi-BIS/BISS dog. He was the #1 Maltese and #15 All-Breed in 2010, and #1 Maltese and #11 All- Breed in 2011. “Henry” was bred by Tonia Holibaugh and is now residing in Australia. Henry is now owned by William Warke and Craig Emerson and is an Australian champion—and has won BIS there. Maltese are not just meant to adorn your lap or compete in the conformation ring. They are a very versatile breed, and the fancy is seeing more and more Maltese compete in Obedience, Rally, and Agility. Watching a small, white dog with hair flow- ing as he “nails” his jump will take one’s breath away. Recently, one standout Maltese, OTCH Mister Rugby Sevens UDX OM1 RN, became the first OTCH Maltese in the history of the breed. “Rugby” was the Number One Toy Dog and High Scoring Mal- tese at AKC’s 2012 National Obedience Invitational where he placed 29th out of 146 entries. Maltese are also excellent therapy dogs. Known for centuries as the “Comforter Dog,” they take their jobs seriously and do them well. Even considering its glam- orous appeal, it has been twenty years since a Maltese has won the Group at Westminster. It has only won the Group five times (twice with the same dog) since records started being kept in 1924. The Maltese is one of the most difficult breeds to condition, groom, and show, but there is nothing more breathtaking than to see a beautiful white cloud, gliding around the ring.

apart, almost on the top of their ears, and many of the heads were more coarse looking. There still were, however, beautiful specimens of the breed to behold. During the 1980s, photographs show how the grooming started to change. The topknots were closer together and the coat care allowed for it to grow out long and flowing. Some of the Maltese that stood out during this time were CH Non-Vels Weejun, who also won the National Specialty and 11 BIS, and the beautiful CH C and M’s Tootsey’s Lolly Pop, bred by Mary Day and Carole Thomas and owned by the breeders and Sherry Lemond Ray. In limited showing, “Lolly” won six BIS, BOB at Westminster twice, and the National Specialty twice, first in 1988 and then from the Veterans Class in 1992. The decade of the ‘90s ushered in many Maltese that made an impact on our breed. It started off with the 25th Anniversary of the American Maltese Association. That year, CH Sand Island Small Kraft Lite, bred and owned by Carol Frances Anderson and shown by Vicki Abbott, won the specialty. “Henry” won the National again the following year, and in his short career obtained an impres- sive 82 BIS and 237 Group Firsts. He was the #1 Toy and #7 All-Breed in 1990 and #1 Toy and #5 All-Breed in 1991. In 1992, Henry became the 4th, and last, Maltese to win the Toy Group at the Garden. In 1995, a relatively unknown breeder attended the National Specialty and won WB, BOW, BBEX and Best in Sweeps with her beautiful bitch, CH. Ta-Jon’s Tickle Me Silly. This spectacular lit- tle bitch burst onto the Maltese show scene and broke all previous records set for the breed. “Silly” was shown by her breeder/owner, Tammy Simon, who had only been in the sport a mere six years when she won several BIS with Silly. In 1996, the duo was observed during a show by Sam and Marion Lawrence. They decided to back Silly’s show career because they saw something very special in this little Maltese. The Lawrence’s, to their credit, backed numerous dogs to BIS wins, but four of their dogs were campaigned to over 100 BIS each. In the two and a half years that Silly was campaigned, she achieved a record 262 Group Firsts, 103 BIS, and two National Specialty wins. She came back four years after being retired and won a third National Specialty as a veteran. She was the #1 Toy and #7 All- Breed in 1997 and the #1 Toy and #4 All-Breed in 1998. Silly is the top-winning Maltese in AKC history and her record will more than likely stand for many years to come. Other notable Maltese of this decade include CH Marcris Ris- qué Business, bred and owned by Joyce Watkins. “Risqué” was a prepotent little male who sired a record 107 Champion get and, as a Top Stud, he refined the heads of many of our Maltese today. Another Maltese is CH Shanlyn’s Rais’n A Raucaus. Bred by Lynda Podgurski and owned by Joseph Joly III, David and Sharon New- comb, and Vicki Abbott, “Scrapper” won the 1994 National and was a Multi-BIS winner.

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TOPKNOT

BY DARYL MARTIN

O riginally, Maltese didn’t have topknots; they were actually just parted to each side of the head as seen in some of the pictures. As time went on, some people started using yarn to hold the hair in place. Eventually, the yarn became bows tying the hair. Then someone decided to start wrapping the hair in rub- ber bands, so it would be easier to hold the bows rather than tying a bow to the hair. From there someone (or fashion) decided it was easier to make a small square of netting to go over the hair to protect it from the rubber bands breaking the hair. Not long after, a little square of wax paper took over where the netting left off. So, the horn was developed with a bow attached! These were gently placed up the skull and to each side. They had such a beautiful expression with nothing overdone. The bows gently enhanced their face and adoring eyes. In those days, a lot of people used red, blue, pink or purple bows. My mother, Rena Martin, thought black would enhance the expres- sion of the coal nose and black eyes, and started using black ribbon for the bows. Many people followed suit as it looked wonderful for the pure white Maltese and the black contrast. However, as time went on (and Poodle people got involved) their creativity carried through. First, they started teasing the ear hair to frame the face; usually the faces of longer muzzles saw more teasing to balance the head. Th en to change the look of fl atter heads, or longer muzzles, the teasing of the actual topknot bubble started growing. At one point, some handlers added cotton balls or hair from the brush to create a bigger skull or shorter muzzle! Th at fad went out the door when the judges were made aware of what was happening. At one specialty, the judge started throwing dogs out of the ring for teasing, cotton balls, and hairspray! As the years went on, people started making the topknots like unicorns and they kept growing to meet the nose! Th e Maltese started looking like cartoon characters! When the Internet began to fl ourish, Maltese started to fl ourish in other countries where other standards are used—not our AKC standard. Like everything else, exaggeration became the fashion; the bigger the better. Th e topknots grew higher, the eyes got bigger and buggier, and the noses got shorter and shorter. Th e look became more and more like Shih Tzu or Pekingese, which is totally di ff erent than our standard states. So, for whatever reason, people copied and have made our topknots be entire heads that form globes. Th e heads with the topknots of today are totally round in front and in back, and the entire topknot is a single round adornment. Th e entire head is teased and extended over the muzzles! Th is is a far cry from what our standard calls for. Some of the dogs have a mean look to them. Hopefully, in time, we will go back to a very gentle, pleasing Maltese look. If the breeders breed to the standard and not to the fashion it will be easy! Look beyond the topknot for a proper head! I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU AN INTERESTING HISTORY LESSON ABOUT TOPKNOTS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

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Maltese A DISCUSSION ABOUT TYPE

R ecently I had a phone call from an established breeder with a question about type. With the conversation we had, I felt it would make an excellent topic for this month’s column. The discussion was on confirming what type is. Interestingly, in one of our dog magazines the same discussion was brought up at around the same time. Many people confuse type with fashion or their own preferences in what they want to see in a dog. Type in a breed is set and defined by the standard. The description of breed character and correct silhouette, head, movement, coat, and overall balance is told to the breeders by the AKC standard for our breed. The standard is what breeders should be trying to replicate to create our ideal Maltese. The standard is the keeper of our breed. It is written to set the bar and describe what makes our breed specific and different from other breeds! At one of our national specialties, the late Mr. Richard Beauchamp gave one of his famous and informative programs about the “five elements of type,” and a breeder stood up and said they liked the baby-doll heads and the big eyes. Mr. Beauchamp’s polite response was, “Then you need to breed another breed, as you are not breeding what your standard calls for in a Mal- tese.” That was so well said. The standard calls for type in its description of an ideal Maltese. When people say there are different types in various parts of the country, they are referring to styles. These terms should not be interchanged. Just because one part of the country may have dogs that are little and small boned, and in oth- er areas the dogs may be bigger, with different heads or coats, that is not refer- ring to type. Yes, there is a range within our standard; this does not make one style right or wrong, providing it is still within what the standard calls for. Proper balance is very important, as our standard states in many places that everything is medium, with nothing extreme. There are people who talk about “angles,” but our standard never men- tions angles—or planes, or other terms written in other standards. It is also interesting to note the styles of topknots used by those who are trying to create round heads and short noses. Again, this is not what our standard calls for. Unfortunately, many of the new beauty aids, like hair straighteners and other new products, have been used to change what our dogs look like, and many coats are not what they actually appear to be. Breed- ers who rely on such products are only fooling themselves to the detriment of their breeding programs by creating coat qualities that the dog does not have naturally. Even though different breeders like different styles of dogs, they all should be breeding sound dogs that are of the same type as described by our AKC Maltese standard. I hope everyone has great holidays and a great new year!

BY DARYL MARTIN

This article originally appeared in the Maltese column of the December 2017 AKC Gazette and is reprinted with the permission of the author.

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MALTESE BREED STANDARD

A TIMELESS PICTURE IN WORDS

BY PAT BULLARD I t’s time to enter the show ring, but the judge is standing at the table intently reading the Maltese breed standard. To me, that’s as impressive as a Maltese breeder who keeps the breed standard with them all the time and breeds to it faithfully. Th e standard is not a recipe where substitutions can be added to get the same result. We’re not try- ing to create a new Maltese dog. We are trying to preserve an ancient breed that has been around for over 2,500 years. We expect show judges to know our breed standard and follow it to the letter and we, as breeders, should expect the same from ourselves. I take lots of trips down Memory Lane, watching vintage videos and searching through old magazines. Sometimes I fi nd myself so lost in what was, I can almost touch the Maltese from generations ago. I admire how closely the Maltese of decades ago fi t the breed standard so much more closely—and many of them could win today. Th e classic moderate head, the balance and soundness of structure and movement would all be as beautiful to see in the ring today as it was in the old days. Even coat texture and color were more honest before we started bleaching and fl at ironing for the show ring. I miss the Maltese I knew and admired from those days. You may think I’m speaking of the biggest winners (and I do remember many of those fondly), but it is the general population that has changed so much in the last few decades. Have we, as breeders, taken license to deviate from the standard to the point of ill health for our breed? Have we, as breeders, caved-in to the pet market and ignored the standard? Or have we decided the standard leaves enough room for interpreta- tion that we can take liberties? Th e answer I give is the best advice I’ve been given from a breeding mentor: “Breed to the standard. Don’t try to improve it. Respect it.” Like some other breeds, it is the head of the Maltese that has been most a ff ected by fad, fashion, pet owner pref- erences, and deviation from the breed standard. Th e consequences of changing skull shape are complicated and can be devastating. Th e Toy breeds were built using forms of dwar fi sm. Ateliotic pituitary dwar fi sm is a de fi ciency in somatropin, which results in stunted growth of all somatic cells in the body. Th is is the form of dwar fi sm that miniaturizes all parts. Th e two other types you will recognize are achondroplasia, which shortens the legs, lengthens body and gives a larger head, and brachycephalic achondroplasia, which shortens the head by shortening the mid-face and upper jaw. If either of the last two types of dwar fi sm are present in the Maltese, we have some major problems. All forms have side e ff ects and they are all serious ones. Th e answers for our biggest health problem, a neurological disease called MUE (by necropsy can be diagnosed as GME), have yet to be discovered; there is a research project being conducted by Dr. Renee Barber at the University of Georgia (contact: rbarber@uga.edu ). It is impossible to contemplate neurological disorders without considering the e ff ects of skull shape. We’re all aware of the neurological disorders Maltese face today. Head shape has an enormous e ff ect on neurological disorders. Th e breed standard speci fi cally describes the skull as slightly rounded on top, the stop moderate, the eyes set not too far apart, the muzzle is of medium length, fi ne and tapered but not snipy. We cannot have healthy Maltese dogs without a healthy skull shape. As important as structure, the head is the neurological control center of healthy life. It is in our breed’s best interest for us all to understand that the head described in the breed standard is not to be reinvented or changed in any way. We can play around with our interpretations of silky pure white hair or how high the arch of the tail is with its tip lying to the side over the quarter. We can breed for ultra pigment with eye halos as our preference. We can prefer the smaller side of the standard or the larger end. None of these areas of interpretation a ff ect the health of our breed. Th ere is so much to consider when we take on the responsibility of being breeders, but our fi rst responsibility is to our breed standard. Always let the breed standard lead you forward. Th is is where we will fi nd health and type.

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On Judging the MALTESE

BY DARYL MARTIN

Reprinted From April 2011

In your mind what constitutes a Maltese and makes it unique from any other breed? Most importantly, it is a Toy breed with a white silky coat, with black eyes and nose that flows around the ring. With this in mind, our standard describes our dogs and basically, this will be the end result. M any times in our standard, the word medium is used, which in judging should be kept in mind. Nowhere does it say anything about exaggerated necks, legs or heads. Our standard calls for a dog ideal from four to six pounds, but overall quality is to be considered before size. Sometimes pounds do not properly describe a dog as you can have a large rangy dog that only weighs five pounds and you can just as easily have a very well bodied smaller dog that can also weigh five pounds. Our dog's coat texture is unique as it is silky but not at all the same as Yorkies or Silkies. You can have a Maltese that has silky hair and has 100 hairs per square inch, which will make it look fuller, but still silky, or you can have a dog that has silky hair and only has about 50 hairs per square inch as well. Beware as sometimes Maltese that have less hair may not necessarily have silky hair, but very fine hair that easily breaks and this does not mean it is silky. Those types of dogs can have a very fine undercoat that mats, therefore easily damaging the log hair the grows. Our dog's expression is unique to our breed as well. They are not rounded heads, often referred to as Chihuahua heads, and not totally flat terrier heads as well, as our standard states, moderate from the rounding of the skull to the moderate stop as well. Of course, we do not want an upturned Shih Tzu faces, or downnosed pencil faces either. The Maltese expression is enhanced by black rims around the eyes and a black nose. As fashion has set in other breeds, the word "Halo" or the skin around the eyes does make a more piercing expression, however, nowhere in our standard is that called for. Many dogs that are from local areas where the sun is out longer or stronger often have better halos. However, if a dog is a very good specimen of the breed, it should not be penalized for lack of halos providing the total eye pigment is around the eye. If the Maltese flows around the ring, generally the build of the dog is correct. Just think if you can put a plate on the back of the dog in your mind, and it doesn't go up and down, but stays level, all the legs are working correctly. Also, the tailset should be coming straight off the backline, up and over the back with the tip touching the hind quarters. If you see a twitch to the tail, it is working like a rudder, and there is something wrong with the rear assembly. Maltese are real clowns and love attention. If they are naughty in the ring, that is part of their personality. I have just touched on a few things for your education about the breed. Please contact our Co-Chairmans, Daryl Martin or Mary Day daryldmartin@sbcglobal.net or marylday37@hotmail.com and we would be happy to give you more information.

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MALTESE THE

1. Where do you live? What do you do “outside” of dogs? 2. A Maltese floating around the ring is always a crowd pleaser. Is he as entertaining at home? 3. What’s your favorite characteristic in this charmer? 4. The Maltese is currently ranked by AKC as #37 out of 192. Has his popularity fluctuated during your involvement? Why do you think this is so? 5. We know image is important. What clothing color do you favor to complement his gorgeous white coat? 6. How do you place your pups? 7. At what age do you choose a show prospect? 8. What is your favorite dog show memory? 9. Is there anything else you’d like to share about the breed? Please elaborate. DARYL MARTIN

always replace them with another one. If you are talking about at the shows. I just read a letter from Aennchen to Frank Oberstar that she was complaining in the 60s there were no majors. That hasn’t changed. The show game has gone up and down, but the want for pets has always been there. What clothing color do I favor to complement the breed’s white coat? I wear a lot of black, but I do anyway. I also recently have worn a very deep electric blue with many compliments. Truthfully it is the dog that should stand out, not the handler. Many rich colors are worn. At specialties since everyone likes to wear black, I like to wear a different color to stand out! How do I place my pups? I do not advertise. The few litters I have are for my own desire to make better dogs or consistent good dogs. Generally word of mouth is where my dogs go if I don’t keep them. Many of my dogs are replacing generations of dogs that peo- ple have bought in the past. As I said earlier once a Maltese owner, always a Maltese owner. My dogs generally are not sold as puppies either as I like to see how they turn out. You have no idea as young puppies unless they have a terrible fault to begin with. At what age do I choose a show prospect? As I just said young puppies change. Show prospect is a funny description as anything can be shown. I am very critical of my dogs, and most of my pets that I sell are others show prospects. I do not sell to show homes, I keep my best and sell the others to pet homes. I have a couple people that I share with, who are very special. One I just lost this year. Probably the most favorite memory was at the national in hous- ton. Dorothy Nickles was judging. I had the great #1 Toy BIS BISS CH. Joanne-Chen’s Mino Maya Dancer, “Mino” entered as a vet- eran. I had not shown him all year, and I also had not trimmed him all year. He won the veterans class, but could not walk due to his long coat. I quickly yelled give me a scissors and cut his coat. In those days the amount of specials was triple or more what we have today, so I had a few minutes while the best of breed competi- tion was organizing and veterans go to the end. I won the national! Nobody could believe how I did that so quickly, neither could I! I also was so proud because the bitch that I was specialing that year (we had a pitch hitter handler show BIS CH. Gemmery’s Citrine Bean , and she went BOS. She was out of my Bean Puff, and was and probably still is top producing BIS bitch in history of the breed. I just would like the people to realize what our standard states and what Maltese are. Since I have been part of this breed probably almost longer than anyone else in the breed today, I have seen how our Maltese were years ago and where they have changed. It is only in the last five years or so that our breed is changing drastically, and I hope we go back to the middle. Granted grooming changes,

I live in the Chi- cago area, a northern suburb. I often go into our broadway area to see the new- est musicals Chicago has to offer. Our theatre group always does a nice dinner beforehand, and then we see a play. It is important to be able to do fun things. Is the breed as

entertaining at home as they are in the ring? Of course they are entertaining at home. They love to please and are very smart and loving too. What’s my favorite characteristic? I love the personality of a Maltese; they think they are big dogs. Has the breed’s popularity fluctuated during my involvement? Since I have been involved in the breed since the late 50s early 60s I have seen the popularity always go uphill. Since they have small litters they are not on top of the numbers game. Years ago there weren’t as many breeds to compare numbers with either. Many Mal- tese pet owners are Maltese owners for life . Once they own one they

“TRUTHFULLY IT IS THE DOG THAT SHOULD STAND OUT, NOT THE HANDLER. MANY RICH COLORS ARE WORN. At specialties since everyone likes to wear black, I like to wear a different color to stand out!”

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Maltese Q & A

“MALTESE ARE THE ULTIMATE COMPANION DOGS. They are game for whatever you want—they fetch, go on walks or watch TV. They are little clowns and always seeking attention.”

Daryl Martin continued

but we need to realize the Maltese that are from the other countries are not what our akc standard calls for. We also need to be aware of the change in our breed and also the change in the health of our dogs too. STACY NEWTON Stacy Newton and

Has the breed’s popularity fluctuated during my involvement? Our registration numbers are declining. There are fewer show breeders and the breeders we have are breeding fewer litters. The breed requires a huge commitment insofar as grooming and has the usual issues involved in whelping toy dogs. Litters are gener- ally small. The breed is fortunate however in that there are some younger breeders who are very devoted to the breed and who do a terrific job with their dogs. Numbers are also down, in my opinion, because breeders who bred solely for the purpose of producing pets are now breeding small mixed breeds instead of purebreds. What clothing color do I favor to complement the breed’s white coat? Black of course! I wear a lot of navy blue, and also hot pink and royal blue. How do I place my pups? I’ve been extremely fortunate in that my “puppy people” have been referrals from friends in other breeds, and so there is a connection before I even speak with a potential new home. I don’t do applications—first contact is usually email, then phone calls and then if possible an in-person meeting. I am always excited about homes where the dogs will participate in some activity—therapy work, obedience, agility, rally. I previously par- ticipated in companion events with my Papillons and when raising my Maltese litters I do the same things I did with my Papillon litters to prepare them for those activities. At what age do I choose a show prospect? I start looking at my puppies right away, things like coat texture and pigment and head shape can be seen early on. Deciding who stays involves an analysis of the reasons why I bred that litter more so than who I think is the pick puppy overall. If I bred to a particular dog in order to improve coat texture and length of back for example (areas where the bitch may be lacking), I’m going to keep the puppy that best displays those characteristics to move forward from. These are things that we can see as the puppies develop and I usually have my mind made up between eight to ten weeks. My favorite dog show memory? Nothing can ever touch win- ning BISS at the AMA National Specialty in 2019 under respect- ed breeder-judge Sandy Bingham-Porter with our Joey (GCHB Divine’s Takes The Cake At Sarcenet). My husband showed him and I paced outside the ring the whole time. The year before our Jef- frey (CH Sarcenet I Call Shotgun) won Best Puppy in Sweepstakes at the National at six months and a week old with me handling him, which was also a wonderful experience. Each special win reminds me of the birth of that dog—all that hope and love in a four ounce puppy coming to fruition months or years later. I loved the beauty of Maltese for years before I got up the nerve to buy one to show—I was terrified of the grooming required. I’d like to tell people who are interested in a Maltese that yes, there is a steep learning curve grooming-wise, but it can be learned with practice. I’m so glad I got over my coat care fears because we would have been missing out on the best breed ever if I had not!

Ellen Kurland are the breeders behind Sarcenet Maltese. Stacy’s husband Zach is a professional handler who shows sev- eral breeds, including Maltese. Sarcenet Mal- tese is indebted to Angela and Larry Stanberry of Divine Maltese who pro- vided a strong foundation to Sarcenet through their decades of exceptional breeding decisions and devotion to the breed. Prior to showing and

breeding Maltese, Stacy showed and bred Papillons with her mentor Rita Koy and participated in obedience, agility and rally competi- tion. Stacy thanks her cousin Noel Ramsey (Samoyeds and Alaskan Malamutes) for bringing her into the wonderful world of dog shows! My husband (Handler Zach Newton) and I live just outside of Evansville, Indiana, in the southwest corner of the state. Outside of dogs I work a “3/4 time” flex time schedule writing legal briefs for a large employment law firm. My job is nearly 100% remote which allows me to travel to shows, although it also means that I sometimes have to pull “all-nighters” in the RV to get my work done! Prior to that I practiced in a traditional law firm as a litigation attorney for over 20 years. For fun outside of dogs I enjoy watch- ing horror movies, reading (especially Stephen King) and shopping for shoes! Is the breed as entertaining at home as they are in the ring? Abso- lutely. Maltese are the ultimate companion dogs. They are game for whatever you want—they fetch, go on walks or watch TV. They are little clowns and always seeking attention. My foundation bitch is particularly funny and has passed her silliness onto her puppies. What’s my favorite characteristic? They want nothing more than to be with their people, but they also love the company of other Maltese. There is an occasional scuffle, but for the most part they live in harmony. It is wonderful to be surrounded by dogs that get along well.

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