# At what age do they really start understanding?



## UWMsGirl (Jun 26, 2006)

I was wondering at what age did your Malt start understanding NO? Meli chews quite often on the carpet and other things which I heard is quite normal, but when I say a firm "NO" it's like she doesn't even hear me. She doesn't even look at me or react to it, she is only 12 weeks old, but I was just curious as to if this was normal at this age. Should I go up to her and say "NO" so she can see me? I go through the same thing with her name, I will call her and call her and nothing, but at other times she does turn to look at me. Not sure if this is just one of those things that takes time, don't mean to sound impatient, just trying to understand alil more about their behaviour and where else to get it, but from lots of people where who have and love their Malts. Thanks.

~~JoAnn~~

Oh and btw, I finally posted a pic of our Meli under my sign in name =)


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

Maltese and men suffer from what is known as "selective hearing".
















I can be in the basement, with Wilson on the main floor, and _whisper_ his name and he will come running, other times I can be on my knees in front of him and he will act like I am not there. 

I don't really ever say "no" to Wilson, I tell him things like "stop licking that", "don't eat that", if he doesn't stop- I move him away, if he does I praise him. I give him direct commands, just saying no doesn't seem to work for us. To get her to learn her name say her name and if she looks at you- praise her, praise her praise her! Positive reinforcement is about the only thing that works on this smart little boogers. Ignore her bad behavior- or stop it by moving her, and then praise her when she does what you want. They are super smart and pick things up really fast! 


Good luck! 

Meli is adorable by the way!


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## jude'n'jools (Apr 6, 2006)

Well Abbie is just turning 17 weeks & i've noticed in this past week she is starting to respond to my no's, her little ears go back so she knows that i am not happy. She is also responding to her name very well.

I cant really remember with the boys, they are 1 now. Although i have a feeling it was not as young as Abbie.


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## ourdonbi (Feb 25, 2006)

donbi understood "NO" since... um now that i think about it I dont think she fully understands the word "NO"


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## jude'n'jools (Apr 6, 2006)

> donbi understood "NO" since... um now that i think about it I dont think she fully understands the word "NO"
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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I don't say no to my dogs. I interupt them and ask them to do something else. If they're chewing, I ask them to come to me or pick up a toy. If they're barking, we go sit at the treat cupboard. If they're sniffing something and I want them not to, we sit or do a trick and then move on. Why say no when I can ask them to do something else and reward them?


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## thelittlepet (Apr 18, 2006)

I agree, I don't say no. I interupt the behavior I don't like and change it to one I do and then give a treat. I don't want no to be used in case we needed it in an emergency when it wowuld be said in a different enough tone from normal talking to them tone. Besides, our little Ivory never understood no. Of course, she had the selective hearing problem in a big way. 

With these two, I can just say their name now and they want to see what is up because they associate their name with treat so they come right away.
Gidget speaks english so we just talk away to her. hee hee hee

Aimee


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## hambys97 (Feb 25, 2005)

> I don't say no to my dogs. I interupt them and ask them to do something else. If they're chewing, I ask them to come to me or pick up a toy. If they're barking, we go sit at the treat cupboard. If they're sniffing something and I want them not to, we sit or do a trick and then move on. Why say no when I can ask them to do something else and reward them?[/B]


JMM,
I had never thought about it like that. But with these furballs, it seems like that would probably be alot easier than having to constantly correct them with a "No."
I'll have to start trying that. Frosty at a little more than 2, Dafney at 1.5, Casey at 14 weeks, and Manning who is 20 weeks, none of them trully understand "No." They will look at me like I'm nutzo, but that doesn't mean they stop the behavior.
Sorry that I wasn't any help to the original question.


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Boo understood his name within the first week.Understanding "no" took a bit longer.Even though he did finally understand what no means at around the age of 6 mths,he was about 18 mths before he actually would obey the no pretty consistantly.Now,at 2 1/2,he will stop doing whatever he is doing when I say "no" at least 90 % of the time.The other 10 % of the time,it's because he doesn't want to spit that tasty dead bug or whatever out of his mouth that I don't want him to eat.


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## TheButtercup (Mar 3, 2005)

while there are times when the buttercup may think her name is actually "no, ma'am!", i'm certain that when it came to chewing things...she never became a full-fledged chewer in part due to me catching her early and giving her something appropriate to chew on instead. when she'd come flying thru the living room with a sock pulled fresh from the laundry basket...i'd take the sock and trade it out with a chew toy. she seemed pretty okay with that deal. i'm not sure exactly what the buttercup "understands" but i'm pretty sure it's a "selective" understanding process LOLOL









ann marie and the "food! i know food! and all things ABOUT food!!!" buttercup


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## susy (Jun 19, 2006)

I really don't use no with Trixie. Her mainly problem is picking things up and chewing things so I use "Leave it" or "Drop it" and give her a treat. She's really understanding the two of them now that she's turned five months- it doesn't always mean that she is consistent but I know when she is ignoring me, lol.


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## bellasmommy (May 8, 2005)

Bella has understood the word "no" since she was seven months old, but she sort of learned it by accident. I was a newbie to the dog world, and I really had no idea that something as trivial as a tube of mascara would interest her. Anyway, I had all of my makeup tools on my bed (with Bella) and I thought Bella was taking a nap so I wasn't concerned. I'm sitting there putting my face on and I hear an odd sound. I turn around and Bella is chewing on my mascara tube. Not only that, she manged to punture it with her sharp baby teeth (of course I know _now_ that she was teething, I had no idea back then). Her face was covered in black mascara! My first reaction was "OH NO!" and I took the mascara away and spent the next hour cleaning her up. It wasn't even a loud "oh no" or an angry one, it was more of a gasp of horror. After that day, whenever I said no she would immediately drop what she was doing and freeze. I think she thinks if she does whatever shes doing and I say that word she's in for an hour long bath








I don't reccommend this method though, it was purely accidental. If I had it to do over again, I'd keep my makeup on the counter and take JMM's advice about asking them to do something else. 
Besides, "no" still doesn't work on Bella if we're at a drive through and she's barking like mad.


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

NEMO IS PRETTY GOOD, HE HAS LEARNED ALOT.. HE KNOWS NO AND HE KNOWS THE WORD "food"





ANDREA~( I WANNA MAKE A BET TOO..LOL)


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## gattirenata (Jul 28, 2006)

mac is very very smart. I noticed him answering to his name on the second day he arrived. but I also had the impression he would answer to anhything. LOL I didn't try though. didn't want to confuse him!

but he understands NO. 
I never thought about not saying NO to him. I was reading a book and there they said to say a firm NO.
so I started saying NO and driving his attention from what he was doing. then praise him... with a treat and GOOD BOY! 
But usually I talk to him like I talk to kids. I say NO and then I give him a reason: WE DON'T CHEW MOMMY'S SHOES BABY!








he is really good about the shoes, and the wires... but he runs away from me when he finds a piece of paper!!! HE JUST LOVES PAPER!!!!!! 

Sometimes when I can't see him, depending of where I am, I always ask "what you doing?" If he is doing something that he already knows is a NO, he stops right away. So cute!!!

btw... mac learned to sit by command very fast. But now... when he sees the treat he sits!! I don't even need to ask!!! LOL and he know when I say GOOD BOY he is mostly getting a treat... so he sits and keeps looking to my hands... soooooo funny!!!


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## Terri (Jan 26, 2005)

The Pudster probably learned the word "no" around 6 months, does he act on it or even acknowledge it, um that would be a big, fat NO!


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## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

massimo learned "no" very early...about 12 weeks or so. as in "NO bite"... most of the time, i just say "massimo" and he stops what he's doing and looks at me...i call him over and we occupy him with another task..lol. but like i said, he got "no bite" early. if i say "no", he knows it's not an acceptable behavior. like if he starts to chase a cat, i say "massimo, no" and he stops and comes back to me.



> but he runs away from me when he finds a piece of paper!!! HE JUST LOVES PAPER!!!!!![/B]


maltese sure do like their paper! one day, i left to get the mail and grab a few groceries... i came home to an entire box of tissues shredded ALL OVER my house. i couldn't be mad, he looked so proud of himself. and there was the time he grabbed the toilet paper and strung it all over the house. i could just imagine him jumping up and grabbing the end and having a blast running all through the house! after that, i told everyone that they had to make sure the TP was wound ALL THE WAY UP on the roll when they left the bathroom...lol still, every once in a while he'll find a stray tissue and have a shred. lol but he loves his stuffed toys, so i'm able to distract him...lol


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## Max & Rocky (May 20, 2004)

> The Pudster probably learned the word "no" around 6 months, does he act on it or even acknowledge it, um that would be a big, fat NO![/B]


Our trainer told us that we should really come up with commands other than NO for our two. Her point was simply that people tend to use the word NO many times throughout a day and it also tends not to have a clear meaning. (it might mean no, you can't go, no, put that down... whatever) Instead, we try and use DOWN, DROP IT, etc... whatever is appropriate at the time. I do notice that I frequently don't even need to use these basic commands more than one before I get action.

Actually, now that I write this, if I say DROP IT to Rocky, Max usually drops whatever he has too...







How about *THAT *for efficiency?!


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## karrielyne (Jul 30, 2006)

> massimo learned "no" very early...about 12 weeks or so. as in "NO bite"... most of the time, i just say "massimo" and he stops what he's doing and looks at me...i call him over and we occupy him with another task..lol. but like i said, he got "no bite" early. if i say "no", he knows it's not an acceptable behavior. like if he starts to chase a cat, i say "massimo, no" and he stops and comes back to me.
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This is sooooo true!!! paper paper paper. does not matter what kind of paper! I thought I had to vacuum a lot before the pups but now with the pups and their paper rendevoux i vacuum all of the time!!! Don't leave that bathroom door open or they will find it...... =)
Karrie


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## kwaugh (May 8, 2006)

I don't know about malts, but my dog understood "No" from the time we brought him home. NOW he still understands "No", but the difference now is that he's good at manipulating that word to his advantage.









I would swear kids are the same way...they know what it means at the beginning and as they get older they just know better ways to manipulate it to their advantage.









Karyn


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

> Maltese and men suffer from what is known as "selective hearing".
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You got that right.


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## lindec25 (Oct 26, 2006)

I just have a new maltese puppy, named OLE. He is 3 months old. The breeder said that he has a very independent personality. And yesh, they are so right on that one. I have had many dogs in the past, but never a maltese. I have never met such an independent personality like OLE. He doesn't want to be around people all the time, he likes to play by himself, etc. 

Now the problem that I have with that personality is that he doesn't care or respond when I call his name. Just like JoAnn's dog, OLE looks at me when I call his name, but he doesn't come or respond. He also ignores me when I say "NO", which I just learned that it's not the greatest method of teaching them to stop what they do wrong.

OOOohh... I desperately need some puppy training lesson. Coz I feel bothered when my puppy doesn't respond to his name, or anything.

Help ... 

–Linda–


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

Don't be discouraged- he is YOUNG! How long have you had him? Molly was 6 months before she really started to listen and tried to figure out what I was asking and wanting of her. 

Just keep calling him, talking to him, playing with him is a great way to bond. He is just a tiny baby, and if you haven't had him long he isn't all that attached to you yet- so of course he doesn't care what you want! He will soon tho, it doesn't take long. 

Good luck!


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## felicity (Jun 19, 2006)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=232439
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Miskin is a paper theif too, tissue paper, computer paper, newspaper, pamplets, notpads...it should all be shredded as far as he's concerned, i have come into the bedroom to find the floor covered in tissue with a very proud Mishkin in the center of the mess









if i drop a peice of note paper on the floor Mishkin runs over to get it and boy is he _fast_ and all for a peice of paper









mishkin also has selective hearing and will completely ignor me if he's in the middle of doing something...usually i just go over and give him a kiss but sometimes i steal whatever he was playing with...that gets his attention







then he chases me and chews my pants lol

maltese have some interesting but cute traits









felicity and 'i want to look at the newspaper, honest' mishkin


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## ladypup (Oct 22, 2006)

> I don't say no to my dogs. I interupt them and ask them to do something else. If they're chewing, I ask them to come to me or pick up a toy. If they're barking, we go sit at the treat cupboard. If they're sniffing something and I want them not to, we sit or do a trick and then move on. Why say no when I can ask them to do something else and reward them?[/B]


that would have been my answer too











> maltese sure do like their paper! one day, i left to get the mail and grab a few groceries... i came home to an entire box of tissues shredded ALL OVER my house. i couldn't be mad, he looked so proud of himself.[/B]


i don't want to even say how many times i walked into a 'tissue comfetti' covered room... and it still makes me laugh... they think it's like the best trick ever!


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## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

> i don't want to even say how many times i walked into a 'tissue comfetti' covered room... and it still makes me laugh... they think it's like the best trick ever![/B]


oh i know. they stand there, looking so proud of their accomplishment.








"look mom!! look what i did!!"


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## TwinsPlus2More (Oct 20, 2006)

We don't do "no". We redirect the action. It also works well with men and teenagers.

Also you could tell your dog that he's the best doggie in the world, but if the tone of voice is a disapproving tone...its the same as "no". It isn't what you say so much as "how" you say it.


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## nikkivong (Aug 25, 2006)

otis definitely has selective hearing... esp wtih his name.. if i ask him if he wants a treat, he'll stop what he'sdoing and come over, but if i say otis lets come inside the house, he wont acknoweldge.. or if i just call otis when he's busy with a toy, he won't look at me.. he's very stubborn that way... but i know he knows his name because his ears move.. his legs just wont do it because he doesnt want to come...


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## sweetbabybe (Sep 24, 2006)

Chloe's just 14 weeks, but she understands a lot. She's really smart and responsive and usually tries to figure out what I want her to do.







She is also responding quite well to commands, considering her age. 

However, I find it works best if I ALWAYS show her the preferred behavior after, so I can end any rebuke with positive reinforcement and lots of "good girls" when she does the right thing.







Ie. after "no bite" I give her my hand and say "kisses", after "drop it" I give her her bone and say "get your bone", after "eh" when she leaves alone whatever trouble she was getting into, I tell her "hop in" and she hops into her station (whichever one of her beds in closest) and she gets lots of pets and kisses "good girls" and sometimes a treat.

She also knows "sit", "be still" (which is great for grooming and bathing) and "do your business" (thank goodness!), and she's just now learning to respond to "come" and "stay" (which can be frustrating at times). But we've worked with her constantly over the past 6 weeks (we got her at 8 weeks - I know, not good, but that's another story), and my husband and I are both very consistent with the training.

However, she sure loves to pick up stuff off the floor - pine needles, candy wrappers, paper, dust bunnies, bits of wood, leaves, moss (we live in the country). Whenever she's particularly gleeful about chewing on something, I know it's most likely something she is not supposed to have.







Unfortunately I can't seem to teach her to just leave alone all the random bits and pieces she finds on the floor, because each time it's something new and exciting. If anyone has a solution for this (other than cleaning 24/7), I would be very happy.


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## l1yang (Sep 26, 2006)

I use a mixture of NOs and positive behavior methods. Sometimes, when you're not close to the puppy, you have to be able to say no and make them stop because by the time you get there, they may have stopped what they're doing already. I also like to use no because it then they understand that the behavior is unacceptable rather than having their attention directed elsewhere.

I agree that it's how you say no rather than the word. People tend to say it in anger, or raised voices, so puppies respond to the pitch. My husband and I say no deliberately, and we don't scream it at the pup! Husband says it in a deep, long nooooo....and puppy responds promptly to him. I think if you're consistent with no by saying it deliberately, in a lower tone of voice, and making sure that the puppy stops what he's doing (either by use of alternate command or by making him stop), you'll find that with time, he'll know what you mean. Good luck!


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

sweetbabybe it sounds like Chloe is doing great! What a smart girl, and y'all must be doing something right if she picking that much stuff up so fast!

I have a friend who taught her lab to eat on command- to protect him on walks. He would eat anything and everything and got sick several times. It has been very helpful for her- and has saved that dog lots of tummy problems! 

I have no idea how one goes about teaching that- maybe someone here has had experience with it. 

Since I have no idea how to teach mine to eat on command I have taught them to "leave it", Wilson has done very well with this. Every once in awhile I will tell him to leave his food- and he will drop the entire mouthful, he isn't happy about it, but he does it. So I know if he does get something he will drop it... now one time the little rascal tried to pretend he couldn't hear me. He had a dead baby bird in his mouth and when I said "leave it" he turned his head so he couldn't see me, like "if I can't see her she can't see me and I won't have to drop my prize"







He did finally listen and dropped it, but he wasn't happy about it!


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## lindec25 (Oct 26, 2006)

> Don't be discouraged- he is YOUNG! How long have you had him? Molly was 6 months before she really started to listen and tried to figure out what I was asking and wanting of her.
> 
> Just keep calling him, talking to him, playing with him is a great way to bond. He is just a tiny baby, and if you haven't had him long he isn't all that attached to you yet- so of course he doesn't care what you want! He will soon tho, it doesn't take long.
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> Good luck![/B]




Owh.. really? Good to know, Thanks, Deanna! Oh well, 3 more months to go before he responds to me when I call his name. I tried to use the 'treat-reward' method ... didn't really work either! ehuehueh... maybe he's just too young, as you've said. I just had him last weekend .. Saturday







He is a proposal gift from my boyfriend/ or fiance now







.

Hmm.. anybody in Chino Hills, CA area? Just wondering if anybody knows of a good vet. I went to one in the area, but later found out that he's not trustworthy. He just cares about 'ka-ching2'.


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## gattirenata (Jul 28, 2006)

Mac seemed to understand it soo fast. 
first I didn't know about the NO thing... later the trainer explained to us, and I read here too...
But anyways...
mac came home when he was 12 weeks old. Second day he seemed to understand that MAC was his name! I was impressed!!!!

the first time I said no to him, I was next to him and got him away from what he was doing. I don't even remember what it was. But he went back there. I said no again, and made him stop. he went bakc I think a couple more times. And I always said no, and tried to get him away from there, without taking whatever he was on from his reach. I think it was my shoe... after 3-5 times he seemed to understand that NO meant, don't go there. 

I just thought that if I just said NO... what would that mean?? you know?? I had to show him. 
and after he stopped I gave him a treat! that was the only time. 
then any other situation I needed to say no, he would stop right away and of course get a reward. 
Later I would even have full converstaions with him, saying. NO.... we don't chew shoes remember?? 
HAHAHHAHA

Mac never chew on my shoes... and I'll tell y'a... hihi... sometimes they are all over the place!!!









Now I use a sound(that I use just with him in this kind of situation)... but still doesn't work as well as NO... but I'm trying to change it! 

Mac is a really good boy, but sometimes he has his moments... hihi but the NO he learned pretty fast!!


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

I think that Lacie (now 2) was about 6 months old before she really paid attention to the word "NO". Tilly, who is now 5 months old understand what "NO" means but she looks at me with an "you can't mean me" expresion and then she goes right back to what she was doing. When I go to pick her up to tell her "Bad Dog" she runs and runs and runs -- like it's a cute game she's playing. All I can do is laugh. I know that she understands that "NO" means stop doing that, but if she doesn't want to stop, she just pretends that she doesn't understand what I'm talking about.

Lacie was the same when she was a baby, but at about 6 months or so she began to listen.

Good luck -- you'll need lots of patience.

Mei is very, very cute.

Lacie's Mom


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