Body Squareness, Male vs Female - Maltese Dogs Forum : Spoiled Maltese Forums

**MissMelanie** · 10-17-2007, 09:21 PM

I was e-mailing some breeders recently, talking about their beautiful Maltese on their web sites, and making comments about what I really liked about their dogs. One of them emailed me back and we had been "e-mailing" back and forth a few times and I had told her about some of the things I LOVE in Maltese. One being the "compact squareness" of them. She wrote back to me and told me that females tend to be longer in the body then males.

I was curious about this since the AKC Breed Standard does not seem to mention this. However, I can understand why a female would be longer in the body.

Body - Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in top line, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath.

Comments? Observations?

enJOY!
Melanie

**garrettsmom** · 10-17-2007, 10:19 PM

Quote:

I was e-mailing some breeders recently, talking about their beautiful Maltese on their web sites, and making comments about what I really liked about their dogs. One of them emailed me back and we had been "e-mailing" back and forth a few times and I had told her about some of the things I LOVE in Maltese. One being the "compact squareness" of them. She wrote back to me and told me that females tend to be longer in the body then males.

I was curious about this since the AKC Breed Standard does not seem to mention this. However, I can understand why a female would be longer in the body.

Body - Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in top line, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath.

Comments? Observations?

enJOY!
Melanie[/B]

I don't know about other dogs but Winnie started off "square" but has grown quite long......sometimes I think her body is more "cat-like" than Maltese!

**beckybc03** · 10-17-2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

I was e-mailing some breeders recently, talking about their beautiful Maltese on their web sites, and making comments about what I really liked about their dogs. One of them emailed me back and we had been "e-mailing" back and forth a few times and I had told her about some of the things I LOVE in Maltese. One being the "compact squareness" of them. She wrote back to me and told me that females tend to be longer in the body then males.

I was curious about this since the AKC Breed Standard does not seem to mention this. However, I can understand why a female would be longer in the body.

Body - Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in top line, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath.

Comments? Observations?

enJOY!
Melanie[/B]

I don't know about other dogs but Winnie started off "square" but has grown quite long......sometimes I think her body is more "cat-like" than Maltese!

[/B]

Lilly sounds just like Winnie! She is very long for her height and her spine sometimes seems very cat-like. She can curl up into the smallest ball, just like a cat.

**Cosy** · 10-17-2007, 10:25 PM

The theory is that females tend to be longer to create room for puppies.
I've seen some longer bodied males too. Wonder why? LOL
It isn't unusual to see them a bit longer than taller, female or male.
I've also seen them taller than longer.

**Princess D** · 10-18-2007, 11:09 AM

Diego (male) is very square and his littermate Izzy (female) is a bit longer and taller. It is really kind of strange because when we first got them home in May, you really couldn't tell the difference, but now it is noticeable. I am not sure if that is the 'norm' or not, but next time Izzy is over I will take a picture of them together (if I can get them to be still long enough

) for you to see.

**MissMelanie** · 10-18-2007, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Diego (male) is very square and his littermate Izzy (female) is a bit longer and taller. It is really kind of strange because when we first got them home in May, you really couldn't tell the difference, but now it is noticeable. I am not sure if that is the 'norm' or not, but next time Izzy is over I will take a picture of them together (if I can get them to be still long enough

) for you to see.[/B]

Thank you. I really would like to hear more of others about this. I would love to know why the AKC Standard doesn't mention a differance in males and females, if in fact, there really is.

enJOY!
Melanie

**kiki & pippin's mom** · 10-18-2007, 07:56 PM

My girlie lambies are littermates, and they are shaped differently. Kiki is square, while pippin is taller, but a lot longer too. The are less than a half pound appart, and I love 'em! (Duh! they're Maltese!)

**abbey** · 10-18-2007, 09:14 PM

Abbey isn't square, but I thought it had to do with their pedigree?

**momtoboo** · 10-18-2007, 09:23 PM

Well, I got a square,Hannah.

Wouldn't matter to me if she was round or rectangular, but I'm not a breeder. Just trying to be helpful.

Boo says,"Hey, what's wrong with a rectangle?"

**MandyMc65** · 10-18-2007, 09:24 PM

Jax seems to be square.

I got out the tape measure to try to measure him, and kind of did.

He seemed to be the same withers to ground, as withers to root of tail...

10-17-2007, 09:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
MissMelanie Maltese Guru Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Sunny South Florida Posts: 9,734	<span style="color:#9932cc">I was e-mailing some breeders recently, talking about their beautiful Maltese on their web sites, and making comments about what I really liked about their dogs. One of them emailed me back and we had been "e-mailing" back and forth a few times and I had told her about some of the things I LOVE in Maltese. One being the "compact squareness" of them. She wrote back to me and told me that females tend to be longer in the body then males. I was curious about this since the AKC Breed Standard does not seem to mention this. However, I can understand why a female would be longer in the body. <span style="color:#000000"><span style="font-family:Arial">Body - Compact, the height from the withers to the ground equaling the length from the withers to the root of the tail. Shoulder blades are sloping, the elbows well knit and held close to the body. The back is level in top line, the ribs well sprung. The chest is fairly deep, the loins taut, strong, and just slightly tucked up underneath. </span>Comments? Observations? enJOY! Melanie</span></span> __________________ RIP my darling Mr Wookie. I fully believe you are now, really Snuggling with Angels.

10-17-2007, 10:25 PM	#4 (permalink)
Cosy Maltese Guru Name: Brit Dog's Name: Cosy from Bonnie's Angel Maltese Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: I live in Cowboy country :) Posts: 13,404	The theory is that females tend to be longer to create room for puppies. I've seen some longer bodied males too. Wonder why? LOL It isn't unusual to see them a bit longer than taller, female or male. I've also seen them taller than longer. __________________ Please buy from reputable exhibitor breeders or Rescue.

10-18-2007, 11:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
Princess D Maltese Guru Name: Isabella Dog's Name: Diego Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 206	Diego (male) is very square and his littermate Izzy (female) is a bit longer and taller. It is really kind of strange because when we first got them home in May, you really couldn't tell the difference, but now it is noticeable. I am not sure if that is the 'norm' or not, but next time Izzy is over I will take a picture of them together (if I can get them to be still long enough ) for you to see. __________________

10-18-2007, 07:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
kiki & pippin's mom Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Southern California USA Posts: 160	My girlie lambies are littermates, and they are shaped differently. Kiki is square, while pippin is taller, but a lot longer too. The are less than a half pound appart, and I love 'em! (Duh! they're Maltese!) __________________

10-18-2007, 09:24 PM	#10 (permalink)
MandyMc65 Maltese Guru Name: Mandy Dog's Name: Richelieu's White Tornado RN, RL1, CGC & Bellarata's Little Miss Sunshine Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central California Posts: 3,860	Jax seems to be square. I got out the tape measure to try to measure him, and kind of did. He seemed to be the same withers to ground, as withers to root of tail... __________________ ~Mandy, Ajax & McKenzie "If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them." ~Phil Pastoret Jax Video

10-18-2007, 09:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
abbey Maltese Guru Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: WV Posts: 3,010	Abbey isn't square, but I thought it had to do with their pedigree?

10-18-2007, 09:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
momtoboo Maltese Guru Name: Sue Dog's Name: Boo & Hannah Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Ky Posts: 11,146	Well, I got a square,Hannah. Wouldn't matter to me if she was round or rectangular, but I'm not a breeder. Just trying to be helpful. Boo says,"Hey, what's wrong with a rectangle?"

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