Life Cycle of a Maltese

The Maltese is a breed of dog that belongs to the toy group. Maltese have a few distinguishing characteristics such as a snow white, long and fine coat, large black eyes and an upbeat disposition. Maltese belong to the group of animals known as mammals. Mammals from different species undergo very similar life cycles that include sexual reproduction, live birth, maturation, sexual reproduction and death.

  1. Sexual Reproduction

    • All mammals reproduce sexually. The male's sperm is deposited into the female's reproductive tract through intercourse. The eggs of the female Maltese are fertilized and the zygotes (fertilized eggs) undergo a series of divisions and cell specialization in order to create fetuses, which will ultimately be born live.

    Birth

    • The mother Maltese gives birth to a live litter of three to four puppies after 60 days of gestation. The mother will tend to her newborns' every need for three to four weeks as the puppies are born blind, deaf and completely helpless. Mammalian mothers produce milk to feed their young. Weaning occurs after three to four weeks, though some mothers will allow their puppies to nurse a short time longer. The puppies will be completely independent of the mother by the time they are six weeks old.

    Maturation

    • The Maltese puppies will eat and grow until they reach sexual maturity, or around six months of age. They are born in their adult form and do not undergo any type of metamorphosis. At the point of sexual maturity, females will begin having heat cycles, or estrus, in which they can be successfully bred and reproduce. Females will go into heat two times per year. If a female is not successfully bred during her heat cycle, she will be unable to reproduce until she enters her next cycle.

    Lifespan

    • Maltese dogs have a lifespan that averages 12 to 15 years, which is longer than many other dog breeds. This is mainly due to a lack of cardiac and musculoskeletal conditions that plague larger breeds of dog.

    Other Facts

    • Maltese is one of the oldest breeds of dog known and is virtually unchanged from its original size and conformation. The breed has been recognized for nearly 28 centuries as a dog of the aristocrats.