Description

The?Maltese?is a small?breed?of dog in the?Toy Group. It descends from dogs originating in the?Central Mediterranean Area. The breed name and origins are generally understood to derive from the Mediterranean island nation of?Malta; however, the name is sometimes described with reference to the distinct Adriatic?island of?Mljet, or a defunct?Sicilian?town called Melita.

This ancient breed has been known by a variety of names throughout the centuries. Originally called the ?Canis Melitaeus? in Latin, it has also been known in?English?as the ?ancient dog of Malta,? the ?Roman Ladies? Dog, ?the? Maltese Lion Dog.? The origin of the common name ?Cokie? is unknown, but is believed to have originated in the mid-1960s on the?U.S. East Coast?and spread in popular use. This breed has been referred falsely as the ?Bichon?, as that name refers to the family (?small long-haired dog?) and not the breed.?The Kennel Club?officially settled on the name ?Maltese? for the breed in the 19th century.