Anyone here had a maltese dog or have experience with a maltese dog or puppy? I’m currently staying at someones house and they have a maltese dog. I was told its 12 years old or so and when i saw it last year, i always thought this dog was a very friendly dog. I personally don’t like cats at all… dogs I usually don’t like either since most of them bark etc.
However this maltese dog in the house has got to be one of the most behaved dog i ever seen. Example you could touch it, pet it carry it etc and it doesn’t bite or anything at all. It never barks like other dogs or puppies. Basically I think if i ever got a dog, i would get a maltese.
Whats interesting about this maltese dog is the room that im sleeping at in this house, this maltese dogs everyday loves to go into my room and just rest at its spot in the room near the bed. I was told that this dog loves this bedroom and majority of the time no one is there. Im only staying here for a very short time.
The owner of the maltese when it goes outside the house, she tells me that whenever she sees another dog nearby, she would pick the maltese up so the maltese doesn’t see the other dog because whenever the maltese dog sees another dog, it always barks at it nonstop. I saw this when she was holding the maltese dog and then he saw the other big dog and kept barking nonstop.
The maltese however never barks inside the house ever. All it does is just stay in the living room laying down or go to different rooms in the house then just lay down there. The dog owner whenever she calls the maltese to come over, it immediately goes and follows her. I try and say come and it never listens.
Are all maltese dogs like this? It seems like this maltese dog isn’t scared of strangers like me. I mean when i carry it which i never do because usually im scared of even puppies, this one im not worried at all. I mean many times it just comes into my room then goes to its favorite spot, it has like 2 in my room and whenever i go right next to it and pet it or touch it, it doesn’t move or run away. It basically just stays there and relaxes. Then whenever it feels like it, it would then get up and leave the room and go somewhere else.
Im curious if anyone knows if all maltese dogs are like this. Seriously i never seen a pet that is like this. The only time it will bark etc is when it sees another dog. Does anyone know why they do this? I mean they never bark inside the house at all. This has got to be the best pet one can get in my opinion and i am someone who wouldn’t ever want a pet.
Dogs are individuals, and generalities about breeds only go so far. There is no guarantee that another Maltese will behave the same, including a litter mate of this dog. Did you ever think it might be well trained?
Moved to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
This says they are pretty yappy in general. Annoyingly so in many cases.
Maltese is a breed that lends itself to be being ‘trained’ by their owner to be afraid of strangers.
Any dog can be the perfect dog if the owner is willing to take the time to train it. It takes time and patience and varies from dog to dog even within breeds. The Maltese I have known are pretty vocal, full of energy, and require a lot of grooming. They’re fun little dogs but they require just as much effort as a Lab or a German Shepherd.
We have three dogs, each trained to behave in ways we feel appropriate. Why people have dogs not trained thusly fills me with wonder.
I have a Maltese dog, nearly two years old.
Maltese are known for being very friendly with people - they have been bred to be companion dogs for 1000s of years. Your friend, however, has made a major mistake in picking up the dog whenever another dog appears, this is why the dog is afraid of other dogs. Socialisation is really important. My dog is completely at home with other dogs and doesn’t bark at them.
Maltese can be yappy. Mine isn’t, although he will go charging into the garden to bark at perceived threats from squirrels and birds. I don’t think that makes him unique amongst dogs. He also barks when he’s excited, but we have trained him to be quiet on command. Training Maltese is pretty easy as they long to please and are pretty intelligent.
Downside of a Maltese can be separation anxiety - they don’t like being left alone, so wouldn’t suits someone who goes to work all day. Mine goes to a dog sitter as leaving him alone for more than a couple of hours would cause him extreme stress.
They have beautiful white hair (not fur) which means they don’t moult or cause allergies, but which does mean their hair grows long and fast. I have mine groomed and trimmed short every 4 weeks, which keeps things in check, but if you allow their hair to get long you have to groom them every day or their hair will knot.
Positives about maltese are 1) they are super friendly, fun loving little dogs who usually love people and other animals and 2) for a pure breed they are generally healthy - no inbred health problems you get with some breeds.
Maltese are wonderful dogs, but definitely they are not all as you describe.
You seem to be praising the dog for being quiet and portable. If you are considering getting a dog, I recommend a stuffed toy. Maybe one that looks like a Maltese!
Yeah, it totally depends on the dog. One of my mother’s friends had a Maltese that was the most annoying, yappy animal you can imagine, although I suspect this particular friend is not the sort of person who is good at training animals.
Some kid wrote, “The Maltese cat is that because it likes malts.”
I don’t think you’ve met many dogs. In my experience, most dogs don’t bite or bark in the house, and they like when you pet them.
Some dogs do. But they are not representative of all dogs.
Like everyone else is saying, it’s not about the breed it’s about the dog and the owner and the training. Also, the dog is 12 - that is eons away from, say, a 6-year-old dog.
Agreed. Sounds like having a dog is not a priory for you, OP, so don’t get one.
We have a pretty compliant dog who knows basic obedience, but no tricks, or anything, she’s never done any agility training, really just basic obedience, and she’s old now, so she doesn’t even think about taking off after small animals.
One day, when we were at a park, and she was off-leash (there weren’t very many people), I called her over, told her to sit, and gave her a biscuit. Someone nearby said “Oh, wow, is that a trained dog?”
I wondered what kind of untrained hell-hounds she’d been around that she’s so impressed by basic obedience?
Pauly01, I’m having a hard time believing you are acquainted with a cute Maltese dog without seeing pictures.
