Buying a Maltese Puppy
What to expect from a breeder who puts Health, Welfare and Temperament first.
Avoid extremely small dogs, or those with very domed heads, short muzzles or protruding eyes, as these exaggerated features are frequently associated with serious health problems.
Essential Documents
- Heath Certificates (both parents)
- Signed AWF Puppy Contract
- KC Registration Certificate (if applicable)
- Microchip Registration Certificate
- Temporary Pet Health Insurance
- Vaccination Certificate
A Good Breeder Will:
- have socialised and habituated the puppy
- provide a supply of food
- provide a blanket smelling of Mum
- follow the Code of Practice for Dog Breeding
Official Health Schemes
- BVA/KC eye scheme – DBRG recommends that all dogs should be visually examined for inherited eye disease before breeding
- available for all breeds, and checks for many inherited abnormalities that can cause progressive blindness or pain
- BVA/KC testing scheme for CM/SM – Chiari-like malformation/syringomyelia
- mismatch in size between brain (too big) and skull (too short) causing pain and neurological signs/pockets of fluid in the spinal cord
Other Diseases
No current health scheme or DNA test available.
- Dental problems
- possible issues include retention of milk teeth, overcrowding of teeth due to the small jaw, and tooth infections
- Fragile bones
- due to extremely small size
- Heart abnormalities
- congenital defects in heart structure
- Hydrocephalus
- fluid in the brain due to domed skull, causing pain, headaches, nausea
- MVD – mitral valve disease
- leaking heart valve in older dogs
- Patella luxation
- abnormal kneecap causing pain & lameness
- Portosystemic (liver) shunt
- congenital defect in liver blood supply causing digestive and neurological problems
DNA Tests Relevant to Breed
- Glycogen storage disease
- progressive weakness and lethargy leading to death
Other Tests
- Putnam scoring for patella luxation