How to Adopt a Maltese

Adopting a Maltese is worth the effort. You will save a life. If you adopt a Maltese from a rescue group, you should learn important information about the behavior and personality of the dog. Most rescue groups foster dogs with families until new homes are found. There are thousands of Maltese and Maltese mixes that need new homes. Adopting a Maltese that fits with your personality and lifestyle will lead to years of happy companionship.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Educate yourself about the Maltese breed. Get a good book about Maltese at a bookstore or talk with friends who own a Maltese. Even better, ask if you can doggy-sit a friend's dog for a day or two. Maltese are small dogs; usually they weigh 5 to 10 lbs. They are known not to do well with children because they are snappy. They are good dogs for apartment living because they do not need lots of exercise.

2. Contact a Maltese rescue group, which specializes in Maltese and Maltese mixes. The rescue group will ask that you complete a questionnaire. This is necessary so you can be matched with a dog that will work out in your home. The rescue will conduct an interview and contact your references. Many groups also visit the home of the prospective adopter to make certain the home is safe for the dog. The process for adopting through a rescue can take a few days; however, if the group is able to get you a good match, it is worth the wait.

3. Search for a Maltese in an all-breed rescue group. Not all adoptable Maltese are in Maltese rescue groups. Many Maltese are placed in new homes through all-breed dog rescue groups. All-breed rescue groups do not specialize in any one breed, but instead help many different breeds and mixes. It is easy to locate an available Maltese through www.petfinder.com, an online shelter portal. You can search on petfinder.com by location, breed, age and even gender.

4. Call your veterinarian or other pet care professional. Veterinarians, groomers and kennel operators often are asked by clients to help find homes for pets.

5. Visit your local animal shelter. Although it is rare, occasionally a purebred Maltese will end up in a shelter. This is more common in large animal shelters. Finding a nice Maltese mix is more likely. Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is truly saving a life. It is estimated that between 5 million and 7 million pets die in United States shelters every year. Approximately 25 percent of the animals in shelters are purebred.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your dog to the veterinarian as soon as possible for a complete checkup.

Resources

• Adopt a Maltese Information - Search by Location
• Metro Maltese Rescue - Metro New York City Area
• Available Maltese - Washington DC Area
• National Maltese Rescue Information
• petfinder.com

[dorigillman]

on 5/22/2009 good article. i have had two maltese that i have rescued and both have lived and loved kids.