# maltese and children



## clars (Nov 16, 2006)

I was just interested in everyones experience with maltese and children because i get conficting information. Im looking to buy one but i have a 6 yr old when i research the breed they all say they are not good with yonger children however i have an aunt who has one and he does really good with her playing with him and a friend said when she brought her grandson over her maltese claimed him as her baby and is stuck to him like glue and hes only 2 now what do you think is it best to wait till my daughter is older or are maltese good with kids i already know a really good breeder im just worried about how he will be with my daughter


----------



## Lizzie (Jan 26, 2006)

I really think that if a maltese is a good fit for you and your family depends on you and your family. Maltese are a breed that loves attention and are terrific companions, but they are small, they can be easily hurt while playing. I think it's the same with any breed, informing yourself and your family of how to treat animals, and teaching your animal how to treat you and your family is the key.

My Riley adores playing with children but I'm able to supervise. My children are grown so when he gets a chance to play with our grand nephews and nieces, he's in his glory. The girls like to dress him up, and brush his hair. The boys love run through mud puddles. He's fine with both activities. But again, these are short term visits and I'm able to watch them together, that's not always possible for busy mothers.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

How does the breeder feel about selling a puppy to someone with a 6 year old? Many reputable breeders won't.

For my two cents, I don't think Maltese and small children are a good mix. They are just too fragile and easily hurt. You would have to constantly supervise them together and that wouldn't be much fun for anyone, would it?

I always like to pass along the great advice my vet gave me when we were looking for our first dog. I really wanted a smaller dog like an English Cocker or Shiz Tsu, but he gave me the thumbs down. He said, "The smaller the child, the bigger the dog". He also the best dogs personality-wise for children were mixed breed dogs.

I had never had a "mutt" before, but we adopted Petie, a Golden Retriever mix from our local SPCA as a puppy. He turned out to be the best dog I could ever have chosen for my family.


----------



## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

from my personal experience....i believe it completely depends on the children. maltese are very small and can be hurt easily.... so if you have a rambunctious child that is going through a rebellious stage... a maltese will not be a good fit. if you have a well mannered child that is very easy going and respects animals. then maybe a maltese is for you. 

massimo is 3 years old and when i got him (at 8 weeks) my son was 2 years old and my daughter was 4. currently, my 5 and 7 year old children are exceptionally well behaved in the house and around massimo, and they also have had kittens and other animals all their lives. 
of course, i am a stay at home mom and they were NEVER unsupervised. 
i have YET to have had an accident involving massimo....actually, my children are very conscientious of massimo and think of his well being. i would also like to think i give massimo the best care possible and would hate to think a breeder would not sell to me just for the fact i have children. they have never met them and have no right to judge them without doing so. i would also like to think since i currently have a maltese, and he has a wonderfully comfortable life (besides his epilepsy) thus far, it would be a good insight to how i would care for another.....
put it this way....my *husband’s* jealous of my dog......


----------



## louis' mom (Jul 7, 2006)

i don't have children but louis is great around children but he is always supervised - more for his safety than theirs. for some reason louis growls at some children and doesn't at all at others. i think he "senses" that some might harm him and so he let's them to know to be watch out. children can hurt any pet without meaning to, they have to be supervised - just like my dad. my dad can't see very well and often is within cm of stepping on louis' tail.

anyway - my friend's friend had a very, very sweet yellow lab. he was the sweetest and they loved him and had him since he was a puppy. they then had a child. the child and lab got along famously. one day, the lab had bitten the face of the then 4yr old child - they didn't know why but the mother had stepped out of the room to get the door (which she had done many many times before). they had the lab put to sleep and the vet did an autopsy and







found a pencil in the lab's ear







they were the saddiest family in the whole world because not only was their child scarred; they had their wonderful pet put to sleep and it was the mother's "fault" for leaving the child unattended.









anyway, the story is, you have to watch your children when they are with pets for both their safety


----------



## puppymom (Jun 13, 2005)

A Bichon might be a better choice. They are a bit larger with a sturdier bone structure. I have know several families with small children that have done wuite well with them. That way you still have a "small" fluffy white dog.


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

I never sold a pup to a family with children under age 10 and even then I met the children to insure they knew how to play with the pup. It's tough enough to keep a pup out from under adult feet, let alone little ones.


----------



## HollyHobbie (Apr 12, 2005)

I have to smaller kids. They are 6 and 8 now but has JUST turned 5 and 7 when I got Noel and they do great with her and she was/is very tiny. She is a tad over a year old now and is almost 4 pounds. I really think it does depend on the kids. Before I got her I set them down and talked to them about how she is tiny and like a new baby you have to be very very careful with her and always be on the look out for her. They totally baby her and have always been very gentel with her and my six year old is all boy and rough and touch but is so sweet and loving to her. 

I am not going to say I have never left them unattended together because that would be a lie. But I dont leave them all alone to go to say Wal-Mart but I will leave them all in the house together when I go out to do yard work or something. They have always been raised with an indoor cat (my very first baby) and so they know that these pets are part of our family and to be treated like it. So I have not had any problems with them. Actually when I get on to Noel for doing something she will go look for my oldest and crawl in his lap and sit and pout at me. LOL

The only accident we have had so far was my younger one was running and Noel came around the corner towards him so he side stepped as to not step on her and fell and twisted his ankle and got a mighty nice bruise. Hopefully that is the worst we will have.

I do know that one breeder refused to sell to me because I had children and wouldn't even meet them to see if they were well behaved or not. Personally I think each case is different. And I see it as being no diffent than selling to a single couple who might have a baby soon. 

My kids love Noel as if she is really thier sister and they love to help take care of her and will even help clean up after her accidents.


----------



## Bijousmom (May 29, 2005)

I think that I wouldn't worry so much about my children who are now grown but their friends who would not necessarily intend to hurt a dog but as they get older and get busy playing and running accidents can happen. I bought a golden retriever when my children were small and I am so glad that I didn't have my permanent baby (Bijou). My children are now 20 and 26.


----------



## Rita (Nov 13, 2006)

Well, I have to very honest with you and this is only my opinion. I bought my maltese for myself and my daughter. My hubby and son ( 8) are not "dog people". I had researched quite a bit on animal breeds and fell in love with my maltese. My daughter is seven and she was a bit frustrated at first that Pearl was not as playful as she wanted her to be.At 12 weeks when we brought her home, she was 1 pound 4 ounces. Just tiny and delicate. She was sweet and loved being held but she was a new sleepy baby in the family. She likes my daughter but she is really a younger sibling to her not my daughter's pet, like my daughter wanted her to be. Pearl gravitates towards me and craves my attention as her " mommy". Everyone else is the "others". My daughter used to say Pearl didn't like her and cried about it. It got better as Pearl got older.


Also remember Maltese take time and patience to house break, groom, etc, you should expect to be responsible for most of this, my son and daughter are too young for that. Overall, I think she is a great indoor pet because of my kids allergies, her compact size and sweet temperament. My kids laugh out loud at all the cute things she does.










I just think she feels safer with the adult person who can **really** bathe her, feed her and has the most patience with her. However, she is very playful with them and snuggles to watch cartoons with my kids if I am busy. The minute I sit down , she comes running to be on my lap. My daughter and son walk her, fill her bowl and clean her poop because they love having her around, my daughter cries if we ever have to leave her and she is proud of her cute puppy. My Pearl is very passive has never snarled or snapped at any child or human , only to her own reflection in the mirror LOL! and has become much sturdier with time. I still have to remind my daughter to hold her carefully but at least we don't worry about stepping on her anymore. I owned daschunds, chihuahas and other mixed breeds and my maltie is definetely my most "needy " pet ever. She wants attention and or be with someone all the time. INMO A maltese is an beautiful pet addition to the family, it should not be purchased as a young child's pet or entertainment.


----------



## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

We have some really good success stories here with families with small kids. 

I sometimes find my feet all tangled up with my puppy. It doesn't take much to hurt a maltese. I'm scared to death that one of my elderly parents will trip trying to avoid Hope or Sadie and hurt themselves. As adults we quickly learn the "Maltese shuffle" where we scoot our feet along without taking steps. We got a bichon when our girls were younger and I think they are a much sturdier dog than a maltese but with an almost identical personality. The hair may not be as nice on a bichon but they can be kept in a puppy cut and they don't shed either.

I wouldn't dream of telling you not to get a maltese, but would encourage you to look as some similar breeds before deciding. You might also check into Havanese or Cotons. Like the Bichon they are all relatives and have similar personalities.


----------



## mmo (Sep 4, 2004)

I have a 4 year old and 2 very small malts. I could not think of a better combination but she`s been around Nacho since she was 1 year old and he was a very small puppy. She`s learned tons of great things from the pups and they are in love with her too. Nacho is extremely protective of my daughter







and she is really gentle with them. I`ve spent the time to make sure this arrangement works


----------



## ddarlingfam (Mar 30, 2006)

I will also add that I have two small children (a 4 year old and a 1 year old) and my dogs just adore my children. The Baby gives gentle kisses and my 4 year old for the most part ignores them. Now when i first got my little fluffs it wasn't the case, my 4 year old thought it was fun to run after the dogs since they barked at him. Being only 4 he didn't understand. I just made sure I kept a real good close eye on them and after the "new" excitment wore off everything was fine. It took about 2 weeks a really being on my son and the barking stopped, now they run up to him to get attention. 

So the point I am trying to make is, if you think a maltese is good for your family go for it. But make sure you have alot of time to make sure the adjustment is done right. For me it worked but it may not work for everyone.

JMO
Amber


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I have two girls ages 4 1/2 and 7 1/2--we've had Cam 3 1/2 weeks and they've been great together. My kids are fairly mello, dare I say well behaved kids and I for sure took that into consideration when deciding that a small dog would be good for them. My 7 yr old gives Cam all the exercise he needs and the 4 yr old isn't super interested to begin with, just thinks he's "so cute." Of everyone in the family it's probably been me who has given Cam his "close calls"--he's always under my feet and one time he even jumped out of my arms when he got too excited (that one scared me to death--thank God he was ok--he learned not to do it again).


----------



## HappyB (Feb 28, 2005)

When I first started raising Maltese, I stopped to think of the families where my babies would go. Just because a person does not have a young child when the pup goes to live with them does not mean that the family makeup won't change during the lifetime of the pup. The singles or young married will have children, the middle age people will become grandparents so there are young children to visit, and the older people will be become elderly and be less careful on their feet. Hopefully, a Maltese will have a fifteen year or so lifespan. For any of you reading this post, think of how your life will probably change during this time.


----------



## chloeandj (Apr 1, 2005)

I have 2 boys ages 5 and 8 and 3 dogs that weigh 3, 5 and 7 pounds. We've never had any problem, but my kids have had small dogs in the house since the day they were born so they learned the rules early. It's just about teaching your kids and puppy how to play and you have to be the one always on guard making sure puppy is safe and that the puppy learns his manners too. My kids have always known they can't pick up the dogs, jump around or run through the house crazy, my 8 year old to this day has never picked one up. My boys play on the floor with them or the dogs jump in their lap on the couch. They do not play with the dogs like they are toys or dolls either like I have seen some kids do. I would go with one that will be 6 plus pounds just because that is a sturdier size. I think every child needs a dog, my children are very attached to the dogs and the dogs are very attached to them, I think they have learned compassion and responsibility having our furbabies. JMO of course and i know many do not agree.


----------



## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

> "Maltese shuffle"[/B]










i've always called it the "massimo shuffle".... 
someday when i have more than one, i guess the name will have to change.


----------



## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

We don't have children, but all of our friends do, and between my family and my husband's family we have 10 nieces and nephews. Certain children are allowed to touch my dogs and some aren't. 

One friend has a 2 yr old little girl and a cat. From day one my friend would hold her daughter's hand and let her pet the cat telling her "gentle". My friend's daughter knows, at 2, how to be gentle and that she isn't allowed to pick up animals. 

I have one friend with a 6 yr old daughter, no pets, and I won't let that kid near my dogs! She is rough, and no matter how many times I have tried to show her the proper way to pet and play with my dogs she just doesn't understand. 

I think it really depends on you and your child. be honest with yourself and really examine your child's behavior, think about your schedule and if you will have time to care for a puppy. 

Good luck in whatever you decide.


----------



## chloeandj (Apr 1, 2005)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=288941
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha we all shuffle too and we don't wear shoes in the house and not because we care about the carpet getting dirty! LOL


----------



## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

My kids have been fine with mine. They are currently six and nine. The worst problem we have had is them leaving food/toys out that get eaten.


----------



## jodublin (Sep 27, 2006)

> I was just interested in everyones experience with maltese and children because i get conficting information. Im looking to buy one but i have a 6 yr old when i research the breed they all say they are not good with yonger children however i have an aunt who has one and he does really good with her playing with him and a friend said when she brought her grandson over her maltese claimed him as her baby and is stuck to him like glue and hes only 2 now what do you think is it best to wait till my daughter is older or are maltese good with kids i already know a really good breeder im just worried about how he will be with my daughter[/B]










my granddaughter is six,suga and her just do not get on.she is for ever standing on her,taking her toys ect







she is so sweet with everyone else i my self think it is the child not the dog, as suga just loves her friends,maltese are very loving dogs , i breed shitzus when my kids were small never a bother







good luck jo


----------



## Elly B. (Oct 27, 2006)

I don't have kids, and Nick is at the big end of the standard (about 6.5lb) so he's sturdier than some of yours, but there are a LOT of kids in my apartment complex. Also, I take him with me most everywhere I go, so we meet a lot of children.

Kids big enough to talk do well with him. I've found 'be careful, he's just a baby' to make them pet him gently and nicely. The worst thing that's happened to him is he gets sticky in his fur from being petted. (How are kids always sticky? as a non-mom, I'm not sure I want to know.) Kids too small to talk I tend to suggest gently to their parents that even the best-washed dog is germy and that usually backs them off tactfully. (Even if Nick is probably cleaner than their kid.)

One thing I HAVE found is that Nick does MUCH MUCH better if allowed to greet the kid on his own footing. At first I just picked him up and let them pet him, thinking that if *I* picked him up then *THEY* couldn't. As reasonable as that sounds though, he has his own way of dealing with it. I dare some little child to pick up Nick when he doesn't want to be picked up. He does the 'I'm not gonna' dance with them, which invariably delights them with its energy and fun.

Another thing I do for kids that want to interact with him a lot is give them his brush. It's a very soft brush and they can't really hurt him with it by brushing too hard. I carry it everywhere with me and they seem to love this, especially little girls. He likes to be brushed and at least it keeps the sticky off of him!!

I really think the other posters have hit the nail on the head here. It really depends on the child. Some kids are vicious but most can probably understand that they don't want to hurt the dog. The only thing I do have to say is that if your breeder is willing to sell to you with kids, don't take the kids in to see the puppy on the first visit. It's hard enough for an adult to walk away from a puppy, even if it's clearly the wrong one. It's IMPOSSIBLE for a kid. It's my opinion that people should wait until they find a puppy that's right for them, and it's not always the first one even out of a reputable breeder. The breeder will probably want to see the interaction between children and puppy, yeah - just save it for a little later.

Since YOU'RE probably going to be the primary caregiver for this dog, it needs to be one that YOU like and bond with, in my opinion.


----------



## kodie (Aug 24, 2004)

I think I agree with a lot of responses that were made already...

I think it all depends on...

* the children... are they rough... well behaved.. etc.

* the puppy.. is it well socialized (kodie was not.. he is VERY stand offish/scared) ... are they well bred... etc.. (kodie was not well bred and I can see the personality and body structure difference from Kelsie to Kodie... completely different... and dont get me wrong.. Kelsie is still fragile but not as fragile as kodie...)

I have two malts... and I know Kodie would never make it with small children... Kelsie have an easier time getting along with them but they could also hurt her.

Just my 2 cents..









I also know the 2 breeders I got my babies from do not sell to families with small children...
Kodie's grandmother was killed by a child... the child threw a toy at the dog and it hit the malts back and paralized her... she had to be put down.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Just remember that even if your children are wonderful and gentle with animals, their playmates may not be. 

Friends of mine had a terrible tragedy with their Yorkie puppy years ago. Dad was a vet so the kids were wonderful with animals. Little Carly, then in second grade, had a friend over to play. The friend was holding the puppy who started to squirm, as puppies do. She dropped the poor thing and he broke his back. He had to be euthanized.

Having raised two children, I know that you can't watch them or their friends 24/7. I took my eyes off my son and a couple of friends for only a couple of minutes once and found one of the kids trying to ride poor Petie!

I personally don't think a Maltese is a good choice for a family dog because who wants to have to constantly supervise them and worry? It is much more fun for children to have a dog they can play with safely and without fear of injury. There are many wonderful breeds out there much better suited for families with small children IMO.


----------



## clars (Nov 16, 2006)

thanks for the input i dont think i have to worry about her hurting the puppy she is very good with animals in general and this will be more my baby then hers we are planning to get a lab and a maltese with the lab being the kids and the maltese being mine my son is 14 and will be helping in the care in reference to taking them out and feeding them while i know alot about labs i know very little about maltese and i want to be sure im not bringing in an animal that is in general not good with kids in them being snippy and biting and such my uncle are both very very good breeder and that is who i will be getting both my dogs from and believe me if they didnt think it was a good idea to bring one into my home they wouldnt hesitate to say so i have explained to my daughter that she will have to be carefull with the maltese becauce they can get hurt easily and i know she would be she is a very big animal lover and i have yet to find a living think she doesnt love as i said my family breeds mainly labs and hunting dogs but i do have an aunt who breeds malts and yorkies and they wont let me have one if they dont think it is a good idea and if i were to take won and find out it wasnt the right choice they wouldnt hesitate to take it back and help to find it a good home they are very involved even after they adopt out their animals a even being a backup in the microchiping system so i have no doubt when it comes to them i was more concerned with if i would need to keep them seperated because i know some breeds are not good with kids and i didnt want the pup or my kids to be uncomfortable with each other it not fair to animal or kids


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

Not all Maltese are good with children. I've heard stories here on SM and on other forums over the years of children being bitten by a Maltese. And even a small dog can do a lot of damage to a child's face.

We have some wonderful success stories here, but we also have members who have problems with their Maltese being aggressive or "snarky" towards their children. Little dogs in general just don't have the temperament for children the way the larger breeds do.

If you do a search using "bite" or "aggressive", you may be surprised at the numbers of hits you get.


----------



## clars (Nov 16, 2006)

it was also recommended that i go with an older dog around 9 months or so do you know if it is harder to train one at that age in respect to house training and such


----------



## Carole (Nov 1, 2005)

QUOTE:
I never sold a pup to a family with children under age 10 and even then I met the children to insure they knew how to play with the pup. It's tough enough to keep a pup out from under adult feet, let alone little ones. 
UNQUOTE

I TOTALLY agree with this.









I have had my Maltese pup Krista try to push off me when beginning to place her down on the floor, or hand to another adult... (in fact Krista has been VERY BAD about trying to use me as a spring board but she is improving on this issue.). ... It has taken my strength over these past 13 months to keep her safe...strength a young child would NOT have...Besides the stepping or tripping on issue.... this made me understand very quickly WHY good breeders do not sell to families with little ones in the home.


----------



## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

i must be the only one...? my kids nor my kids' friends care for massimo... they just want to do their own thing...and massimo's not running around the house getting under foot..... is that something most malts do?? massimo's careful to stay away from high traffic areas (like the kitchen). not only that, but my kids don't rough house in any part of the house other than their rooms...and massimo does not go in there. 
i guess i'm just confused.....are most homes with children completely chaotic? is there a lot of running through the house? do most malts find themselves under foot? 
the only time i have to watch out for him is when *I* come home and have to to the “maltese shuffle”...because he wants me to pick him up and carry him...but sometimes my hands are full so he jumps around after me until i’m able to hold him and say hello...


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> i must be the only one...? my kids nor my kids' friends care for massimo... they just want to do their own thing...and massimo's not running around the house getting under foot..... is that something most malts do?? massimo's careful to stay away from high traffic areas (like the kitchen). not only that, but my kids don't rough house in any part of the house other than their rooms...and massimo does not go in there.
> i guess i'm just confused.....are most homes with children completely chaotic? is there a lot of running through the house? do most malts find themselves under foot?
> the only time i have to watch out for him is when *I* come home and have to to the “maltese shuffle”...because he wants me to pick him up and carry him...but sometimes my hands are full so he jumps around after me until i’m able to hold him and say hello...[/B]


The general consensus I got from reading over the posts was that most of the homes with kids and a malt got along well--I didn't get the gist that "most homes with children are completely chaotic"--I know my house isn't.

Cam is a puppy and is underfoot alot. He's getting better about it. When we first got him for the first 10 days to two weeks he literally SAT on my feet every time I was still for just a second. He's so little and quiet sometimes in the house that I can be standing in the kitchen doing something not knowing that he's right next to my feet and nearly (and sometimes do) trip over him. But no, he's not underfoot because our household is crazy.


----------



## chloeandj (Apr 1, 2005)

> i must be the only one...? my kids nor my kids' friends care for massimo... they just want to do their own thing...and massimo's not running around the house getting under foot..... is that something most malts do?? massimo's careful to stay away from high traffic areas (like the kitchen). not only that, but my kids don't rough house in any part of the house other than their rooms...and massimo does not go in there.
> i guess i'm just confused.....are most homes with children completely chaotic? is there a lot of running through the house? do most malts find themselves under foot?
> the only time i have to watch out for him is when *I* come home and have to to the “maltese shuffle”...because he wants me to pick him up and carry him...but sometimes my hands are full so he jumps around after me until i’m able to hold him and say hello...[/B]










I understand what you are saying. My house isn't chaotic either. And the dogs are not under our feet accept when we first come home too. I have never felt like our house has ever been a danger to our dogs.


----------



## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=289335
> 
> 
> 
> ...


thank you!









EDIT: let me clear something up (for other readers)... what i was getting at is people seem to think that *all* children are a danger to small dogs/animals. in SOME cases that may be true, but i do not believe all children are a danger. not all children act the way people make them out to. 

my children understood how to act around animals at the age of 2 or 3. they knew not to pick puppy up, the knew not to play with puppy when he was sleeping, they knew how to pet puppy gently, they knew not to feed puppy anything other than his puppy food. 

yes, i believe there are some children out there that can be rough with animals...but i believe in most cases children understand how to act around and respect animals if their family teach them such values. then again, i also believe a 10-13 year old can be just as rough or more so than a younger child. i don't understand why that age limit was set. i think maybe if they are going to set age limits, i don't think they should sell to a family with children under the age of 18.








in *my* opinion, i don't think some adults that own dogs should be able to have them! LOL
and who's to say the adult buying the dog won't get pregnant and won't have a baby - too young to understand how to act around a dog - soon after the purchase??

anyway, my point is only the parent/s can evaluate their children and make the right decision about adding a small, helpless animal to their family.


----------



## mmo (Sep 4, 2004)

> i guess i'm just confused.....are most homes with children completely chaotic? is there a lot of running through the house? do most malts find themselves under foot?[/B]


OH THANK YOU! Carrie
And kids are not always sticky and my dogs are really clean and well cared for but my daughter is cleaner than them. Also, both of my dogs have learned how to coexist within this household and they are pretty happy being part of our family.
I just want to add that accidents can happen with adults too, tragedies among small dogs can happen with adults too. Just my opinion


----------



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> > > i must be the only one...? my kids nor my kids' friends care for massimo... they just want to do their own thing...and massimo's not running around the house getting under foot..... is that something most malts do?? massimo's careful to stay away from high traffic areas (like the kitchen). not only that, but my kids don't rough house in any part of the house other than their rooms...and massimo does not go in there.
> > > i guess i'm just confused.....are most homes with children completely chaotic? is there a lot of running through the house? do most malts find themselves under foot?
> > > the only time i have to watch out for him is when *I* come home and have to to the “maltese shuffle”...because he wants me to pick him up and carry him...but sometimes my hands are full so he jumps around after me until i’m able to hold him and say hello...
> >
> ...


----------



## Boobookit (Dec 3, 2005)

*I agree with what everone is saying and am going to add my two (perhaps three) cents. I think it is not the fact that Maltese aren't good with children it is that most children aren't good for Maltese! Everyone on here who have success stories with your little ones and the Maltese is because you love your furbutt and you know what you are doing. You take the time to show your wee ones how to treat the dog and what not to do. This is important.*

*Because I see the trauma that Ralphie obviously went through being in a house with small children before I got him, I can say that I personally don't think that the Maltese is good to have around small children. But then again, if you take the time to teach your children, monitor them all the time and know beyond the shadow of the doubt that the Maltese is perfect for your family then I say good luck to you.*

*Marie & the boys*


----------



## carrie (Aug 24, 2004)

> *I agree with what everone is saying and am going to add my two (perhaps three) cents. I think it is not the fact that Maltese aren't good with children it is that most children aren't good for Maltese! Everyone on here who have success stories with your little ones and the Maltese is because you love your furbutt and you know what you are doing. You take the time to show your wee ones how to treat the dog and what not to do. This is important.*
> 
> *Because I see the trauma that Ralphie obviously went through being in a house with small children before I got him, I can say that I personally don't think that the Maltese is good to have around small children. But then again, if you take the time to teach your children, monitor them all the time and know beyond the shadow of the doubt that the Maltese is perfect for your family then I say good luck to you.*
> 
> *Marie & the boys*[/B]


very well put.









i'm glad you are able to take ralphie in and give him a good home.


----------



## bek74 (Jun 26, 2006)

I have 3 beautiful young boys (who drive me to tears at times), they are aged 9 (nearly 10) and 8 and 6yrs. My youngest was only 5 1/2 when I got Sammy maree, and ALL of my children where and are so wonderful with the furkids, the only problem I had was that Sammy didn't see them as Alpha's and would bite at there clothes, ankles etc, I had to train her and show her they were at the top of the pack with me. Right now as I type, Ernie (chihuahua) is on my lap and my 3 sons are playing cricket in the backyard and Sammy Maree and max fetch the ball for them, they even run to the bowler with the ball.

I believe it all depends on your children and how you raise them, my kids have no respect for each other (well so it seems at times), but play and enjoy the company of there fur siblings, My boys have NEVER hurt the furkids, not even by accident. They all get along perfect.

I will add, that if my kids have friends over and I know that they will be running around, I have a playpen (new huge one) that I put the furkids in and they are safe. You have to make it work, you have to be able to trust your children, and I trust mine 100%, they have always been involved, they would sit on the floor and hand feed the furkids, I showed them how to pick them up (which they only did around me). It will work if you put in the effort, adding these babies to my home was PERFECT for us.


----------



## Brinkley & Neyland's Mom (Jun 14, 2004)

> Not all Maltese are good with children. I've heard stories here on SM and on other forums over the years of children being bitten by a Maltese. And even a small dog can do a lot of damage to a child's face.
> 
> We have some wonderful success stories here, but we also have members who have problems with their Maltese being aggressive or "snarky" towards their children. Little dogs in general just don't have the temperament for children the way the larger breeds do.
> 
> If you do a search using "bite" or "aggressive", you may be surprised at the numbers of hits you get.[/B]



I didn't add that in my post, but Brinkley did get snarky with my kids for awhile. It was like a phase or something. He is actually snarky with adults he doesn't know a lot too, so I don't know that it was so much the kids, as it was just Brink's personality. Neyland on the other hand has NEVER bitten or snarked at the kids or us! (only Brink over bones/treats!)


----------



## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

I tend to agree with the premise that it all depends on the dog and the kids. K & C have never been around kids but my first Malt, Rosebud, was a real favorite for my niece and nephews. 

The first time my niece (2 years old at the time) met Rosebud we were at a hotel and my niece was on the bed. Rosebud jumped on the bed and began licking my niece like crazy and it did freak my niece out and she was afraid of Rosebud for a while. But luckily she eventually warmed up to her.

We all used to meet at my parents house to visit several times a year and my niece and nephews loved playing with Rosebud and she totally loved playing with them. Rosebud was 9 pounds, so she was not as fragile as a smaller Malt and my niece and newphews were always very sweet and well-mannered kids... very loving to all... so that probably helped. Here's a couple pics that I think really show the bond they had:

[attachment=16308:attachment]

[attachment=16309:attachment]
Excuse the 1960s shag carpet that was still in my "old" bedroom!!


----------

