Caesar, a Maltese, was taken back to his owner Monica Benson, following a 1,500 mile round trip which began with the crash in New Mexico on June 15, 2010.

The tragic accident claimed the life of Monica’s husband Gary and her five year-old daughter Emily, and injured her son Benjamin, who was 18 months old at the time. The family were travelling in their Chevrolet people carrier along Interstate 40, Tucumcari, when the vehicle overturned. Caesar was thrown clear of the van, and wandered off.

Whilst her son was recovering from the crash, he kept asking where the family pet was. Unable to give him an answer, Mrs Benson posted pictures of Caesar around his hospital bed, and assured him that she would find him. Unfortunately, her efforts to locate the dog were in vain and, after Benjamin had fully recovered, the family returned to their home. However, their grim ordeal was to end on a lighter note.

More than a year later, Mrs Benson received some surprise news: Christina Flemming, who was a volunteer at an animal shelter in New Mexico, was looking for pups that could be adopted. She came across Caesar, and noticing that he had a microchip, was able to track down Mrs Benson’s father. The two corresponded by email and telephone, before the wandering pup was returned to the fold. Caesar even remembered his family – Mrs Benson said:

“It was unbelievable. He really knew who we were.”

“It was an amazing evening.”

Monica is to return to the site of the accident to erect a memorial, and hopes to meet Ms Flemming to thank her in person.

“Master Race? Wrong for People. Wrong for Dogs. Boycott Breeders. Adopt.”

The poster was meant to target dog breeders by suggesting that the ‘breed standards’ adopted by Crufts and the Kennel Club were to the detriment of all dogs. The idea is that you should adopt rescue dogs rather than trying to seek out one organisation’s ideology of a master race.

Sound familiar?

That’s just what Peta thought. However, when the poster was displayed around Birmingham in the run up to the Crufts show it caused quite a stir, and generated a few complaints.

One of the complaints came from the Kennel Club, naturally, who commented:

We put a complaint in to the ASA on behalf of all of the responsible pedigree breeders – and indeed pedigree dog owners – who love and care for their dogs and who know that they lead very healthy and happy lives. We believe that to these people the advert is highly offensive and very misleading.

A great many pedigree dogs breeders take steps to ensure that they health test their dogs so that healthy genes are passed down through the generations and as scientific knowledge develops more and more of these tests are becoming available.

The Kennel Club is leading pioneering research at the Animal Health Trust’s Canine Genetics Centre that will enable us to understand more about dog health and help us to further improve the health of both pedigrees and cross breeds alike.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rejected the complaint and has allowed the poster to remain.

The ASA carefully assessed three complaints that we received about Peta’s advertisement but did not consider there were grounds for a formal investigation.

We acknowledged that the image and text were emotive but did not consider the ad was likely to cause serious or widespread offence or to mislead. Consumers were likely to understand that the advertisers were expressing their opinion.

A spokeswoman for Peta defended the ad, claiming that the advert itself is not offensive. Poorva Joshipura, on behalf of Peta, added:

It is not our ad that is offensive but the false and dangerous belief that some breeds or races are superior to others.

We are asking people to take a bite out of cruelty by boycotting breeders and saving the life of a dog or a cat from a rescue shelter instead.

The BBC and the RSPCA both withdrew from Crufts last year following the television programme Pedigree Dogs Exposed.

1 – Obama’s dog Bo – Portuguese water dog
Top of the list at the moment, according to the Telegraph, is Obama’s dog Bo. We reported every step of Bo’s journey from when Bo was returned to his breeder to his welcoming as First Dog Bo. Bo’s addition to the Obama family has rocketed the Portuguese water dog breed to instant fame worldwide.

2 – Tinkerbell Hilton – Chihuahua
Hot on the heels of Bo, Paris Hilton’s Chihuahua is still seen as the first to set the trend for the handbag dog generation. Sales of Chihuahua puppies went through the roof and Chihuahua dog breeders and owners of stud dogs everywhere have been happy ever since. Unfortunately, not all of them get to live in the $325,000 dog kennel that Tinkerbell shares with her fellow dogs at Paris Hilton’s abode in Beverley Hills.

3 – The Queen’s Corgis
The royal dog breed, the Corgi, has been seen accompanying the Queen since the early age of 18 years old when her parents bought the young Princess a corgi bitch called Susan. The Queen hit the headlines earlier this year when it was announced the Queen would give up her Corgi breeding when two of her favourite dogs died from cancer earlier this year.

4 – Bit Bit – Britney Spears Chihuahua
Also feeding the frenzy of wannabe stars running to buy Chihuahua puppies, Bit Bit is the lucky Chihuahua owned by Britney Spears who has been seen feeding her handbag dog from her own plate in top restaurant. Bit Bit may not be the world’s richest dog, but she shot to fame when she accompanied Britney to an MTV event whilst wearing a rather expensive diamond collar.

5 – The dogs of the Osbourne family
Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne are known to be great dog lovers and have a number of dogs living in their mansion. The dogs featured in the reality TV show The Osbournes, although not always in a nice way. Earlier this year, one of the Osbournes beloved dogs Little Bit, a Pomeranian was killed by a coyote whilst they watched the Michael Jackson memorial.

6 – Buster – Cheryl Cole’s Chihuahua
You can see how celebrities have really paved the way for the trend of handbag dogs, as yet another celeb’s Chihuahua hits the Top 7 World’s Most Famous Dog, this time it is Buster, Cheryl Cole’s companion. The Girls Aloud group have supported Dogs Trust events and are renowned for their love of dogs and were reported to want a Girls Aloud dog crèche on their tour. Buster apparently made Girls Aloud over an hour late for a gig once as he wouldn’t let Cheryl leave the house – talk about separation anxiety! We’d like to see Cheryl Cole tell Simon Cowell that she’ll be late for an X-Factor show because of her dog..

7 – Jack – Mariah Carey’s Jack Russell
Mariah Carey has certainly been in and out of the spotlight and made plenty of comebacks, but the limelight has still managed to catch her dog, the Jack Russell appropriately named.. Jack. This pampered pooch has made appearances in more than a couple of her music videos and even in her movie, Glitter, which sadly for Jack didn’t do too well.

So there you have it – the Top 7 World’s Most Famous Dogs. Of course, the list doesn’t end there. We are a nation, and it would seem a world of dog lovers, and when our beloved celebrities get a dog, millions rush out to get one of the same breed too.

Lest we forget, other famous dogs include Jennifer Aniston’s German shepherd Dolly and Welsh Corgi-terrier Norman, who accompany her to film sets on a regular basis, Desperate Housewives model Eva Longoria-Parker’s Maltese Jinxy, who was actually crowned the most well groomed pet by weekly magazine In Touch and Elton John’s Cocker spaniel Arthur, who was best man – or dog – at the civil partnership of John and David Furnish.

We could go on, but we’d be here all day and night, and our dogs need feeding.

Scooter lives in New Zealand with his owner Cheryl McKnight and currently, at six months old, he is only a mere 8 centimetres (3.2 inches) tall!  In fact, from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail, he measures only 20 centimetres and weighs less than 400 grams.

The current holder of the Guinness Book of World Records title for the world’s smallest dog is Boo Boo, a long hair Chihuahua from the United States.

As you can see from this picture, which has catapulted the Maltese puppy to fame this week, Ms McKnight has cups of tea larger than her dog.

In fact, the little ball of fluff is so small that his owner has made him a jumper from a bright purple sock so people won’t stand on him.  His eats from an egg cup and sleeps in a shoebox; it’s like something from a children’s book.  Yet, Ms McKnight very nearly gave Scooter away.

Ms McKnight said:

“It really is quite something. I can’t take him for a walk or put a leash on him.  For the first 10 weeks or so I didn’t really want him.  I thought nah, someone else can have him. But over time I’ve fallen in love with him.”

Scooter’s first name when Ms McKnight bought him was Pee Wee, but she reportedly renamed him so he wouldn’t develop an inferiority complex.  He was born in a litter of three puppies and was bred by Ms McKnight’s sister, a dog breeder of Maltese puppies.  Technically, Scooter should weigh more than twice his current weight before he should leave his mother.  Bless him, he still can’t make it up the stairs!

Helmsley died aged 87 in 2007 at her home in Connecticut, leaving instructions to the trustees of her estate that most of her multi-billions should go towards the care and welfare of dogs.  However, the will also gave the trustees discretion in distributing the funding.

A judge ruled that the trustees do have sole authority on how to distribute the money and although Helmsley had left her beloved white Maltese dog named Trouble $12 million, more than she had left to most of her family members, the judge reduced this figure to $2 million on the ground that Helmsley was mentally unfit when making her will.

The media had nicknamed Helmsley the ‘Queen of Mean’ but the real estate magnate had a soft spot for dogs.

Most of the $136 million funding is to go to medical causes and conservation projects.  The $1 million to dog-related causes is to be split up into $100,000 donations and given to dog charities.  Some of the dog-related causes names were Dogs for the Deaf, Guide Dogs for the Blind, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Puppies Behind Bars.

It is said that nobody ever ‘owns’ a Maltese, but rather this regal little dog owns the owner.  Its pure white coat, when grown to its fullest, adds to its glamorous appearance but even when cut short this little dog retains its regality.

When purchasing a Maltese, it is not uncommon to see breeder’s advertisements stating ‘tiny’ or ‘toy Maltese’, ‘miniature Maltese’ or other such names that may imply a smaller and cuter Maltese but these should be ignored.  Like any other breed, there are smaller and larger forms of the breed but they are no different to any other Maltese in any way.

Typical Maltese
Height: 8 – 10 inches
Weight: 6.5 – 9 lbs (3-4 kg)
Average Litter Size: Around 3 – 5 puppies
Life Expectancy: 11 – 14 years, has been known to live as long as 18 years
Good with Children: Yes if handled with care (see below)
Kennel Club Classification: Toy Group

Colour of a Maltese:
The colour of a Maltese should be pure white, although slightly lemon or ivory markings are often seen.

Grooming a Maltese:
The grooming of a Maltese can be quite considerable and if allowed, the coat of a Maltese will grow to the floor with a centre parting.  Daily grooming is essential for this breed if the coat is to be kept long.  Like other long-haired breeds, this is the sort of image people will associate with the breed having seen them depicted on Maltese memorabilia like this.  If you intend to show your Maltese, then it is essential to let the coat grow and to keep them immaculate.

However, many Maltese owners prefer to have their Maltese cut on a regular basis, usually every 6-8 weeks, as this allows for more play and easier maintenance of the breed.  The coat should be silky, soft and straight, rather than woolly.

The long hair growing over the ears means that the hair in the ear canal needs checking regularly and kept dry and clean.

Like other dog breeds, the Maltese has weeping eyes that can stain the face area and look rather unkempt especially because of the pure white fur.  Wipe the eyes regularly with special wipes or eye lotion to avoid this.

Maltese Common Ailments/Health issues:
The Maltese is a hardy breed and if looked after, will give years of healthy and relatively problem-free companionship.

As with some other white fur breeds, it seems the Maltese can be prone to skin problems and may need medicated shampoo to keep this at bay.  If the coat is allowed to grow long, then sun burn is common along the centre parting on the back.

They can experience discomfort in hot weather and should be protected from the heat or chills, and this can result in upset digestion.

As with all puppies, make sure your Maltese is vet checked when you take him or her home.

Temperament of the Maltese:
The Maltese is generally a good natured dog with a friendly temperament.  It is important, as with all small breeds, that they do not develop the ‘small dog syndrome’ and become used to excessive barking, guarding or separation anxiety.  This are problems brought on by owners, although small dogs do seem to be more prone to this sort of problem, probably because their owners are tempted to pamper to their needs because of their small and thus cute appearance.

Contrary to the opinion of some Maltese dog profiles, the Maltese can be good with children but does not appreciate rough handling, so as with all toy breeds the child must be taught to be careful with such a delicate sized dog.

Training a Maltese:
The Maltese is certainly an intelligent and lively little character and will be eager to learn and to please their owner.  The regal character they so clearly possess may show itself through an apparent stubbornness if the dog does not understand what is being asked of him or her but with the right training, praise and encouragement your Maltese will soon learn what’s what.

Just because the Maltese is such a small dog does not mean they should be patronised in training; they are a sturdy and intelligent dog and respond to proper training in the same way as any other breed.

Exercise for a Maltese:
The Maltese requires only light exercise, although they have been known to enjoy long walks or playing for longer periods with children if this is how they are brought up.

The Maltese is ideal for those living in smaller homes or without a garden.  They can be quite active indoors, will often play with toys by themselves if encouraged to do so as a puppy and do not require a great deal of exercise.

History of the Maltese:
To this day, there is some mystery surrounding the history and origin of the Maltese and the process that made the little dog that the Maltese is today, although some believe the dog was bred from poodles and a Spitz type dog to become a smaller version and others believe they originated in Asia and descend from the Tibetan Terrier.

Even the place of origin cannot be certain.  Some claim the Maltese comes from the Isle of Malta as the name may suggest and others claim from the Sicilian town of Melita.  There is some evidence to support either claim.

The Maltese has been depicted on ancient Roman and Greek works of art that dates back to 500 BC.  The Roman governor Publius is said to have had a Maltese by the name of Issa and even had a portrait of her painted.  Much poetry was written of Publius’ Issa.

Like with many other breeds, the Royal family is deemed to have been a great influence on the popularity of the breed in the UK.  England’s Queen Victoria was said to have the Maltese as her companion.  The breed was very popular and women are said to have carried them in their sleeve and let them sleep on their beds.

One story is particularly well known to those with an interest in the history of the Maltese.  It is said that a pair of Maltese were purchased from the Philippines in 1841 for an extremely high price by a gentleman known only as ‘Mr Lukey’ for the purposes of presenting to the Queen.  During the nine month long return voyage to England, however, the coats of the dogs were neglected and deemed unsuitable for presentation.  The pair was bred and it is said that many of the Maltese now living in Britain and also the United States have these two dogs in their ancestry.