Mal-Shi

The Mal-Shi was developed about 1990. His breeders wanted to create a small, hypoallergenic dog. He was first developed in Australia, but he is also quite popular in North America. His small size and his sweet, friendly nature make him a highly sought-out designer breed. In addition, owners should know about the origins of his parent breeds. The Maltese is an ancient toy breed who can trace his origins back at least 2,000 years. Small dogs much like the Maltese have been the subject of poets and artists in Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Aristotle even mentioned the Maltese in his many writings. The Egyptians believed the Maltese had healing powers. While ownership of the Maltese took place throughout the Mediterranean, people in Asia and Malta also had dogs similar to the Maltese. No one knows his exact origins, but many feel he was descended from Spitz-like or Spaniel-type dogs on the Isle of Malta. Eventually, the Maltese made its way to England. Several members of the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth I, owned a Maltese. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, breeders attempting to make the Maltese the size of a squirrel almost destroyed the breed altogether. The Maltese was imported to the United States by Englishmen. The Shih-Tzu is also an ancient dog. He is one of the fourteen oldest dog breeds. Some believe that the Shih-Tzu was present in China as long ago as 8,000 B.C. He was a treasured companion of people of that time. Marco Polo reported that Emperor Kubla Khan kept what he called a "lion" dog, which many believe was a name for the Shih-Tzu. He was also popular in the Imperial court of Empress T'zu Hsi. She loved animals of all kinds, but she made a special decree that anyone found harming the palace dog would be put to death. She also developed a breeding program. It is said that the Dalai Lama gifted her with the dogs that would begin her Shih-Tzu kennels. Rumor has it that the Shih-Tzus had their own palace and were trained to sit up and wave at guests. Many royal families tried to continue the Empress' breeding programs after her death, but failed to produce the dogs that she had. High-quality dogs were were often smuggled out of the royal court and either sold or gifted to other noblemen. Poor-quality dogs were sold in the marketplace. Eventually the Shih-Tzu was imported to England, and from there, the breed was brought to America.