The Silkese is a designer
dog that resulted from breeding a Silky Terrier with a Maltese. There’s little
information regarding this designer-dog's origin. The Silky Terrier's origins
are traced back to 1890 in Australia. This breed resulted from crossing Australian
Terriers with imported Yorkshire Terriers. In 1906 in Sydney, New South Wales, a breed standard was established. And in 1909, another standard was developed in
Victoria. These standards had several differences, until 1926 when a newly negotiated
breed standard was established. These dogs were initially called the Sydney Silky
Terrier, then in 1955 the Australian Silky Terrier, which remains the
official name in Australia. In the United States the breed name was changed to
Silky Terrier. This breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1959. The Maltese is one
of the oldest toy breeds. Their history goes back over two millennia. Even
though they have an ancient history, there’s little information about this
breed’s origin. There are several theories about this dog's origin. Some
believe they come from Malta, others from Italy, and another theory is that they
originated in Asia. In early Egyptian, Roman, and Greek cultures, these dogs
were depicted by artists, writers, and poets. Even Aristotle mentioned these
dogs. It is known that the Greeks built tombs for their Maltese and the
Egyptians represented similar dogs on artifacts, which indicates an appreciation
for the dogs. Amongst the Egyptians, and later on the Europeans, it was
believed that the Maltese were able to cure people, so they would place a
Maltese on the pillow of diseased people. The dogs were then called “The
Comforter”. By the 15th century, this breed was a favorite with the French aristocrats. The breed arrived in Great Britain during Henry VIII’s
reign and by the end of the 16th century they had become the chosen dog
for royal and noble ladies. This breed was Queen Elizabeth’s favorite, as
well as Mary Queen of Scot’s, and Queen Victoria’s. These dogs were often
portrayed in paintings of beautiful ladies, from artists such as Goya and Sir
Joshua Reynolds. Later on, in the 17th and 18th, breeders almost ended the Maltese, by trying to breed them as small as a
squirrel. In order to retrieve the breed, it was necessary to mix them with
mini Spaniels, Poodles, and East Asian miniature dogs. Thus, several new breeds
resulted. The Maltese we see today was developed by English breeders. In the
U.S., Maltese became well known in the late 1800s. The Maltese was recognized by the
American Kennel Club in 1888.
