Maltese Only News
September 2001

There are currently more of these gentle little dogs living in more countries than ever before. Most of today's American Maltese claim fame from one or another outstanding recent greats. There have been dozens. A few U.S. stars are exceptionally significant. The alltime top producer of winning Maltese was Champion to the Victor of Eng (1969-1986), bred by Anna Engstrom and owned during his adult life by Barbara Bergquist. Victor was the sire of seventy-eight champions and a direct ancestor of hundreds more. The one Maltese who gained the most attention for the breed was surely Ch. Aennchen's Poona Dancer, bred by Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Antonelli, and owned and campaigned by Larry Ward and Frank Oberstar during the 1960s. Poona set all kinds of show winning records. During the previous decade, a winning Villa Malta Maltese team, bred/owned/handled by Dr. Calvaresi had sparked a Maltese interest at many northeastern shows. There was precious little American Maltese history the first half of the twentieth century and the last quarter of the nineteenth, During these decades, several pioneer breeders imported some Maltese from various countries and a few Maltese were shown. Apparently, nothing is known of any Maltese In this country before 1873. Numerous historical records and artifacts prove that

Maltese have been in Asia many centuries and in Europe even longer. These Maltese looked much like today's and enjoyed a royal life. Periodically through much of Maltese history, there are indications that Maltese could take credit for contributing to several other breeds. But Maltese seem to owe no thanks to any breed crossing. Some maintain that Maltese were first known as the "beautiful dogs named canis Melitei," "Melitei," however, may be an ancient name for Malta or perhaps it refers to Melita, a town in Sicily. Possibly, Maltese came from both Malta and Sicily. All seem to agree that the Maltese breed probably originated in the Mediterranean area several hundred years B.C. Maltese are surely among the oldest of all breeds. They are very likely the world's first lap dog. How Maltese ever came to be in the Mediterranean area is a moot question. If all breeds came from wolves, It is Incredible that mere humans-before any knowledge of genetics-could have developed such an unwolflike tiny, white, flowing-haired Maltese. pe/rhaps as some fanciers contend, Maltese are gifts from God.
-- The Late Marjorie Martin