Maltese & Grandma

My Grandma is looking for the right type of dog. I am 14 and am trying to help her so I was Wondering. Is a Maltese a good dog for an elderly couple who live in a big house with a small yard?
ClemSis

• Everything about this situation sounds ideal. A Maltese is an ideal companion for a quiet, stable environment - even a very small Maltese would be okay. Especially if they travel a lot the Maltese is a great choice as they tend to not be a breed that "barks for no reason" and they can travel onboard a plane or even in a car - as they take up a very small amount of space and require minimal amounts of food, etc. on a daily basis. There is a city ordinance in New Orleans forbidding pets of any kind in the hotels and we've had people come to town with their Maltese and be welcomed into these hotels, anyway. There are even a couple of five-star restaurants that have allowed one of my tiny and best bevaved Maltese to accompny us into their establishment - even been served quite ceremoniously by the Staff and Management. I don't suggest or advise that you EVER take a Maltese into a situation where they are not allowed and welcomed - I just find very few of those situations.

  The big question here is "Do your Grandparents want a DOg, at all" and if the do, "Do they want a puppy"? Puppies are cute but they have a twelve to fifteen to seventeen year lifespan - I don't know how old your grandparents are and I certainly don't want to sound indelicate - but they may simply be more inclined to accept a retired show dog into their home as a puppy. We often "place" our retired show females when they are no longer used for breeding into such wonderful homes as that offered by Grandparents. The dog is already "house-trained" and "lead-trained", and has been trained to "go home with anybody" because it usually was shown to its championship be one or two professional handlers and will not "freak-out" if it goes into a new home. We obviously feel that it is better for our "retirees" to go and become someone's "one and only pet" than to stay in our kennel, even though they receive a lot of love and attention from us even after they retire.

  The Maltese is unusually adaptable - if raised correctly - and often an adult is a better selection than a puppy. Good luck and good hunting. You couldn't find a more perfect breed - just be sure now you find the right individual dog - and that your Grandparents DO WANT a dog.
  Larry Stanberry Divine Maltese