Kelb
tal-Fenek
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Breed Description
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Country of Origin
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All over the World
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Keeping
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Literature
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FAQ
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Related Breeds
Keeping a Kelb tal-Fenek
The most important thing in advance: This site is not intended to persuade visitors to purchase a Kelb tal-Fenek as a pet. On the contrary, we ask every interested visitor to seriously consider all pros and cons of owning a Kelb tal-Fenek before deciding for such a dog lightly. In this way we believe that visitors would be better prepared to decide whether to own such a breed or otherwise.
Visitors should be aware that this breed, like other sighthound breeds, is one of the more demanding breeds. The hunting instincts of the Kelb tal-Fenek are very strong indeed. Owners should be aware that these dogs are capable of travelling huge distances out of sight in search of prey. So a safe area for free exercise as well as early obedience training makes life much easier.
The Kelb tal-Fenek is not a dog for lazy persons. As pets they can be very demanding. They are a very sociable breed and consequently require a lot of companionship - be it that of humans or other dogs. The Kelb tal-Fenek is not a breed suited to someone who has little time.
They also require a fair amount of exercise, and even a large well fenced area does not exempt owners from taking out their dog for long walks and offer him the opportunity for off-lead exercise as often as possible.
The Kelb tal-Fenek is highly intelligent. Like most hounds he is difficult to train, but many have been successful in obedience competitions. He does however have a mind of his own. Owners should be aware of this and must always take up the dominant position with their dogs. In obedience training, however, one should always use a positive method which encourages the right action and rewards it; correction and punishment will certainly not cause any desirable result in training a Kelb tal-Fenek.
On the plus side, a Kelb tal-Fenek could make a wonderful companion. This breed is a dog of medium size, and therefore easily handled. He is playful, highly inquisitive and full of life. He is affectionate companion who evokes attention, and loves his owner to death. The Kelb tal-Fenek is very friendly with children. One reason for this might be the fact that it is usually the farmer's children, who are responsible for grooming and feeding the dogs on Maltese farms.
The Kelb tal-Fenek has a short coat, which does not require too much attention. A light weekly brushing will suffice. He also does not shed too much hair, and therefore is not a nuisance in the home. He does not have a strong 'doggy' odour due to his short coat. Given an area which he can call his own, the Kelb tal-Fenek will take the opportunity for a long, healthy sleep after he has enjoyed his daily exercise.
If this breed intrigues and you have decided to make a Kelb tal-Fenek your companion, then we strongly recommend that you visit dog shows or lure coursing events to meet with present owners to learn more about this fascinating breed.
Peter Gatt