Malteagle

The Malteagle is a hybrid product of the breeding of a Beagle and a Maltese.  Being a fairly new hybrid, the place and date of origin are unknown as is the purpose for which the two pure breeds were mixed.   The Beagle, one of the parent breeds, originated in the United Kingdom and is also known as the English Beagle, the Regal Beagle and Jelly Dog.  While the origin of the Beagle name is also unknown, it is thought that it may emanate from the gaelic word "beag" which means "little".  The Beagle has a miniature Foxhound look to it and it is quite popular in the United Kingdom as well as in America, as most of us will likely remember the Peanuts comic strip and Charlie Brown's buddy, the Beagle named Snoopy.  The breed's exact date of origin is shrouded in mystery but it has been traced back to the time of King Arthur when packs of excellent white hounds were hunted in Britain.  It is felt that those light hounds are the forebears of all the hound breeds, especially those which hunt by scent.  The Beagle is now and always has been a canine which hunts by scent.  The Beagle breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1885.  The other breed parent, the Maltese hails from Italy and Malta, formerly being called "Ye Ancient Dogge of Malta".  The Maltese has the dubious honor of being the oldest lapdog known, with its origins being traced back at least as far as 3500 B.C. to the island of Malta, off the southern coast of Italy and appears to have been for companionship only, a purpose which continues today.  It is quite possible that this is the oldest European toy breed known.  The popularity of the breed declined as the popularity and need of hunting dogs increased.  Interest was resurrected in the mid 1800's when meticulous breeding and record keeping resulted in a purer Maltese breed.  The Maltese first appeared in the show ring in England 1859 and in America in 1877.  The Maltese breed was finally recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1963.  The Malteagle hybrid is recognized by the following organizations:  American Canine Hybrid Club, Designer Breed Registry, Designer Dogs Kennel Club, Dog Registry of America, Inc. and the International Designer Canine Registry.