Small Dog Syndrome: The spirited Maltese is trusting and devoted to its family. Don’t over-pamper these little dogs as they could develop small dog syndrome where they can display behaviors such as acting timid, willful, demanding, obsessive barking, excitability, jumping up on owners or others, growling, aggression, avoidance or fear of larger dogs, and reluctance to obey commands.
Small dog syndrome can be managed and improved through consistent training, proper socialization, and responsible ownership. By understanding the influence of owner behavior, investing in training, providing appropriate exposure to other dogs, and seeking professional help when necessary, small dog owners can create a harmonious environment and foster positive behaviors in their pets. With patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, small dogs can overcome small dog syndrome and thrive as well-behaved and happy companions.
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The above 2 paragraphs are copied from a couple various websites when I Googled about Maltese temperament. They offer no specific guidance or instruction other than to be "patient and consistent". And honestly, they describe a kind of SCARY picture of small dog ownership! No one wants a timid, over aggressive, barking, and crazy little dog!! I don't doubt there are MANY homes with Maltese who exhibit these behaviors.
And while patience and consistency ARE noble and important traits, I'm going to give you important knowledge about how to TALK to your dog!
THE ABDUCTION
Imagine you've been abducted from your home right after you've eaten breakfast and laid down for a quick nap. Then you're picked up, put into a box and taken to a foreign country (in a plane) and you don't understand anything they are telling you. You don't have a translator. They offer you foods you've never eaten, everything looks and smells different and you have no idea how to find the bathroom and all these strangers keep grabbing you and talking in very high voices!
Scary huh? This is the first day home for your new puppy!! You may be so excited to have a new baby, but they do NOT understand the concept of adoption. All they know is the above scenario. They don't know why they aren't being taken back to their nursery, siblings and comfy bed and toys inside their crate. They've possibly even been driven for HOURS inside a car and as a result, have thrown up. Now they also have a sour stomach and feel sick and dehydrated.
So, what can you do to help your puppy with this transition?
The Ride Home
Your puppy will leave here with a blanket scented with Thunder Essense, and a stuffed animal that smells like it's siblings. We will place them inside bags to preserve the scent. These are tools for you to offer your puppy for comfort if they are scared. If you don't have a car crate or bed for your puppy and you (an adult) are holding them, they will more than likely feel more comfortable laying on your shoulder. But be careful, as car sickness is very common! Have a paper towel handy should this happen. But we strongly suggest a car crate or bed made for dogs to travel. You'll have MANY hours later to snuggle with your puppy once you get them to your home. Should there be an accident on the way home, your puppy should be as safe as possible!
Arriving at Home
If you have any other pets, you will want to show them the puppy's BUTT outside the house (a neutral area). This allows you to see your pets reaction to the new puppy's scent (all dogs have very individual scent glands in that area) while also not bringing the puppy inside your pet's domain which could . This should be a slow, gentle introduction and not let them meet face to face without either one being restrained. If your current pet shows ANY signs of aggression, it's important to protect your puppy by keeping them behind a gate or inside a playpen. This allows both animals to get acquainted with eachother over time without any risk of fighting or biting.
Keep their world SMALL
Your puppy doesn't know the rules in your home. And they don't understand your words either, yet. So it's important to place them into an environment as SIMILAR to ours as possible where they DO know the rules/routine. That includes 3 important items:
A dog crate - Always keep the door OPEN. We actually remove the doors on ours because we don't want them accidentally closing the door and then they're unable to access the interior of their crate to sleep.
A play pen - This is not like one you'd place a baby into. It's just a long gate, in a circle. Something to prevent your puppy from running all over your home and peeing/pooping everywhere! It's okay to let them out while you are actively watching and playing with your puppy. But when you cannot, you should contain your pup inside the pen, where their bed, food, and pee pad is at.
Pee pads - We send one home with you for the car ride home. At home, you'll need some white square pads to place inside the pen. At 5 weeks old, your puppy learned the difference between where they sleep and where they eliminate. They shouldn't be peeing or pooping inside their crate. If they do this, please contact us! Place the pee pad at the FURTHEST AREA AWAY from where they sleep, inside the pen.
Okay so you're home with your puppy! GREAT!! You've bought everything under the sun for them! You've purchased the food they're currently eating or a food you will transition them to over the period of a week. You've blocked/gated off stairs and moved all your shoes off the floor! (anything on the floor is considered theirs and they WILL take it lol) They are comfy cozy in their new environment. Now what???
Your puppy is 8 or 9 weeks old and is a virtual SPONGE for training right now!! NOW is the time you need to establish daily routines and teach your puppy ENGLISH! Yes, that's what I said, English! But you're going to teach them 1 word at a time and REWARD
them with a yummy treat every time they understand that word!
WORDS: **No we aren't starting with SIT lol And make sure ALL training sessions happen BEFORE your puppy eats a meal. You want them to be hungry.
Their name. Put the puppy in a room with you with no distractions or high traffic. Let your puppy SMELL a treat you have (it should be a high value treat they ONLY get during training sessions. We suggest boiled or rotisserie chicken). Don't let them eat it lol Hold the treat to your forehead and say their name once or twice. When they look at you in your eyes, say GOOD JOB and then give them a TINY bite of a treat. You don't want them getting full from 2 treats, do you? Do this for 15 minutes MAXIMUM and you can do it 2 or 3 times a day. They'll catch on QUICKLY that they get a treat every time you say that word (their name). Eventually you won't need the treat. What you're doing here is TEACHING YOUR DOG TO LOOK AT YOU WHEN YOU SAY THEIR NAME. This is the first step to ESL (English as a second language)!!!
Next you can move on to SIT! So you start with saying their name. The puppy looks at you and then you say SIT while pushing their butt onto the floor. You can do this or someone can help you. The SECOND their butt hits the ground, you say GOOD JOB and give them a treat. Continue this for as long as it takes. Some dogs take longer than others to understand SIT. Others, they get it within minutes! **This is where those words I mentioned earlier come into play....patience and consistency!! Teach your dog ONE thing at a time. Once they understand the word goes with a certain action, they won't require the treat. Just the GOOD JOB and your love will suffice :)
This can then move onto training your dog to eliminate outside in your yard (usually right after they wake up and right after they eat). Choose ONE WORD OR SHORT PHRASE to use to tell your dog to go potty. Don't keep changing the word or command. The second they are DONE peeing or pooping (not during), say GOOD JOB and give the treat. Then you IMMEDIATELY take them inside. They need to learn, at first, that outside is for eliminating, not playing. As they get older and learn to go outside on their own to eliminate, they can play :)
Final thoughts:
Remember those 2 paragraphs with all those scary words at the beginning of this blog? Negative behaviors from a dog (big or small) are simply dogs that don't understand what we are saying or wanting from them!! Teach your dog ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE and you should grow an even closer, loving relationship with your new best friend who UNDERSTANDS what you say to them!! Even "I love you" will reward you with kisses and snuggles :)
If you have any questions about a specific topic, please feel free to contact us!!
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