When I purchased my first Maltese I didn’t even know what a Maltese was.  A friend I worked with had a Maltese and suggested I consider the breed because Maltese are very low shedding and hypoallergenic. We had a long haired cat at the time that we were having to re-home because I was extremely allergic after getting her and wasn’t aware of my allergies with cats until after I had already gotten her.  So the fact that Maltese are hypoallergenic was a big plus for me and the fact that they don’t shed.  We purchased our little boy (Oliver featured on this page on his 17th birthday) from the same breeder she had purchased hers from, Nell Boykin out of Wilson NC.  After about 3 years I wanted another one but my husband was not on board with the idea.  He loved Oliver but he was not a fan of having dogs in the house and although Oliver was trained very well and did not mark anywhere I think my husband didn’t want to chance ruining a good thing.  Which is when I decided to start breeding them.  We had just moved to a new location on 15 acres of land and I knew I had the room to set myself up a place for just me and my Maltese.  I went back to see Nell and after a lot of convincing she allowed me to purchase a few girls and a male so that I could get started breeding and allowed me an open registration.   Every day I try to do something for them better than the day before in order to keep them happy and healthy and spoiled. I have about 15 adults on hand for breeding and while it bothers me most to keep my fur babies in a kennel setting I have made many efforts to keep them from feeling as if they live in a kennel. I give them plush beds, toys, always have dental chews, lamb ears and bully sticks.  They can go in and out to potty 24/7 and they can choose to sit outside and smell the air or stay inside in their comfortable temperature controlled house. They get out daily, weather permit, to play with one another and they have contact with me everyday. They enjoy music and fun movies and are groomed on a regular basis including brushing their teeth. I haven’t always been so dedicated in brushing their teeth but I went to school to be a dental assistant in 2009 and it made me very conscious of teeth in general, human and fur baby. If I can’t control the tartar and plaque build up with a dental instrument then I have their teeth cleaned by a professional as needed. It is very important to keep their teeth cleaned and control gum disease because it can contribute to heart issues which can shorten their lives. I am starting this blog so I can talk Maltese. I  love to share what I know, think, experience as well as hear feedback from families in order for all of us to share and compare.