Did You Know?

Last week, I made a great discovery about the dog breeds of Malta, a southern European country located in the center of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily. According to Desmond Morris' The Naked Eye, the Pharaoh Hound originated not from Egypt, but from Malta.

 The Pharaoh Hound is a breed of dog and the national hound of Malta. Its native name is Kelb- tal-Fenek , which means "rabbit hound" in Maltese. The dog is traditionally used for hunting and is uncommon outside of Malta. Desmond Morris’ The Naked Eye states that British scientists became fascinated with Kelb-tal-Fenek and wanted to make it an official dog breed. Its appearance led to the impression that it was a descendant of the hounds featured in Ancient Egyptian paintings. However, the breed has no connection with Ancient Egypt through its genetics or geographical distribution, deeming the use of the name "Pharaoh Hound" as incorrect.

The other dog breed whose homeland is Malta is none other than the Chihuahua.

The Chihuahua is the smallest breed of dog and is so named for the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Originally known as “The Short-Haired Maltese Dog”, the people of Malta bred the Chihuahua for years as companions for its wealthy rulers. According to Desmond Morris’ The Naked Eye, Maltese traders sold some of these dogs to the Spanish, who then took these small companions on the journey to Central America and eventually found its way to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. North Americans then came across this dog and incorrectly called it the “Chihuahua”, due to their initial discovery in Mexico, not in Malta. Therefore, the Chihuahua’s true name is “The Short-Haired Maltese Dog”.