The Crufts underdog who could be this year’s winner

It’s come close many times before, so is it finally time for the Maltese to take the Best in Show crown? By Tracey Davies

From the laps of Marilyn Monroe to Snoop Dogg, the Maltese has been the canine companion of the great and the good for more than two millennia. So isn’t it time they won

Best in Show at Crufts this weekend? A Maltese has been the group finalist more than any other breed in the show’s history and yet has never won the big prize.

Yet the love goes back a long way. Originating from Malta, of course, the Maltese is one of the oldest breeds in the world and dates back to at least 8,000BC. Hieroglyphics have been unearthed that suggest harem women in Ancient Egypt were given Maltese dogs as companions. Arriving in

Britain in the 16th century, the pups were favoured by many a monarch, including Mary, Queen of Scots, Elizabeth I and Victoria.

Endearing, affectionate and ultimately portable, it’s no wonder the Maltese have also been a favourite of Hollywood since Toto was a puppy. Marilyn Monroe’s cute confidante was a Maltese named Mafia Honey, a love gift from Frank Sinatra – and the chatty protagonist in Andrew O’Hagan’s novel, The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog , and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe.

Elizabeth Taylor had a long line of beloved Maltese and once said “some of my best leading men have been dogs and horses”. Susan Sarandon, Halle Berry, Lindsay Lohan and Heather Locklear have also professed their love for the cheeky toy breed. Even Elvis Presley was not immune to their cuteness: he gave a Maltese called Foxhugh to one of his last girlfriends.

All of which means that the darling of the dog world should certainly be in the running for the big gong at Crufts this year. Will 2024 be the year?

“While the breed hasn’t won Best in Show to date, every dog has its day at Crufts,” says Bill Lambert, a spokesperson for the Kennel Club.

“There are just 55 of the breed vying for the title this year, out of a total of 18,000 dogs from more than 200 different breeds. But, despite their low entry numbers, they have made it to the final 10 times since the 1950s, even being awarded Reserve Best in Show in 1976.”

There’s winning form elsewhere from the breed. Ian Somerhalder (yes,

Ian the Maltese) was the winner of the first Eukanuba World Challenge – one of the many competitions held at

Crufts – in 2017, beating 35 other best in breeds from around the world. With their trademark chocolate-drop eyes and black-button noses, show-level Maltese are often presented with long flowing white locks, which make them appear to hover ethereally as they glide around the ring.

If they don’t triumph this year, they may find future Crufts events even harder to win. There have long been concerns that in-breeding has created respiratory problems for certain show dogs, and earlier this week, the Kennel Club announced that it’s introducing health-related entry requirements for some brachycephalic breeds for next year. Under the new rules, all eligible pugs, bulldogs and French bulldogs will need to hold a valid Respiratory Function Grading scheme (RFG) assessment result to compete at Crufts.

Developed by the University of Cambridge and the Kennel Club, the scheme assesses certain flat-faced breeds for a breathing disorder called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). With their short noses and flat faces, poorly bred Maltese dogs could come close to falling into this category.

For now, though, competition is fierce. Last year, 748 Maltese dogs were registered at the Kennel Club, down from more than 1,200 in 2014. One such pup is Bea from Shoreham-by-Sea in West Sussex.

“We were very specific with our requirements for a dog,” says owner Katie Meech. “They had to be small, friendly, easy to train and, most importantly, love cuddles from children. And the Maltese came out as number one.

“We got Bea from a registered breeder and she’s everything we could ask for in a puppy. She comes everywhere with us.” Whether or not they win the big gong at Crufts this weekend, the Maltese is officially Best in Showbiz.

‘They are small, friendly, easy to train and love cuddles from children’

Ever the bridesmaid: Maltese have made it to the Crufts final 10 times since the 1950s