# This dog is becoming a hassle



## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

I've had our Maltese for almost a year now. He's a nutjob. I love him, I feed him, I do everything I can to make sure he's happy and that he's worth having around the house. He's almost two years old now.

Over the time we've had him, it's been impossible to train him or do ANYTHING with him.

He has two personalities. Quiet, sweet, cuddly puppy when he loves to lay down with you and sleep with you for 16 hours in the night. Any other time he's a restless storm of dominance, arrogance, and not caring about ANYTHING other than what he wants to do. He'll run around the house, if I walk into the kitchen he starts biting my leg and then runs away when I try to discipline him by holding him still and saying "NO." But it means nothing. He does not care what we think about him. When I get angry, he goes off to his kennel and lays there until he thinks I'm calm again.

Our other issue is his flat out REFUSAL to go to the bathroom outside. He deliberately WANTS to go inside, just to piss me off or something. In light of the situation, we have made a chart where someone will have to take him out every 15 minutes so he does not go outside or inside. When we're out there, sometimes he'll go 1 or 2, sometimes not, but more often then not, when we come back in he'll leave me a surprise somewhere in the house the second I take my eyes off him. He knows its bad. When he sees me see it, he droops his ears and walks off to his kennel. I clean it up when he's not looking.

It's really funny actually, because I never see him do it. Just a few minutes ago I was in the kitchen looking a different direction. He leaves the biggest pile of poop I've seen him make, just minutes after I had taken him outside for 5. Then I see him off in the dining room rubbing his back paws on the carpet. 

We routinely clean up all of his messes with an odor-eliminating peespray but he still feels inclined to do it inside. I don't know what else to do. We take him out every 15 minutes. When he feels like it, he comes up and bites, humps my leg, humps my arm, humps everyone in the house. I push him away but he just comes back. Saying "NO" in a strong voice does not mean anything to him. He does not listen to me when we go on walks. He walks miles ahead of me and ignores me the entire time. When he is running around the house torturing a chew toy he ignores me. He knows his name, but he does not respond to it when he doesn't feel like it.

I love this dog but I am honestly running out of ideas on how to deal with this. It may or may not be worth being my dog's carnal toy, cleaning up pee stains and poop many times a day, finding old crusty poop in every orifice or closet of the house, despite taking him outside every 15 minutes, telling him how "bad" of a dog he is when he bites, ignores me, does his business in our house. Please enlighten me on anything I can do to solve this problem. It seems as if the problem has gotten worse since we've gotten him.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

I think you need to first figure out if this is a medical or behavioral issue. I would start with a vet, explain what is happenning and see if there are medical issues. A number of medical issues can lead to unwanted behavior. If it is not medical, then I would seek the help of a dog trainer, who will come to your house and observe interactions and suggest options.

If you want to try the old tibetan method of training, then put your little one on a leash and keep him next to you at all times. No opportunity for misbehaving. I like that better than an xpen, because it encourages bonding and interaction.

Good luck,


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## Sylie (Apr 4, 2011)

I doubt that he is really bad, or doesn't care. He simply doesn't understand what you want. If you scold him for doing business in the house, he doesn't understand that it was doing* in the house* that made you angry. Naturally, he isn't going to go outside when you are watching, he thinks that doing his business period makes you mad.

What an untenable position for a puppy. You need to learn how to work with him and fast. Others will suggest a puppy class, or hiring a trainer. I suggest that you educate yourself first. You took the first step by coming her. Don't give up. 

You should get yourself a good book (I recommend one of Jean Donaldson's) so that you have a better understand of his behavior and how to correct it. 

I have trained my dogs to DO all sorts of things, but I have never been able to train them to NOT do something. For instance, I can't make MiMi stay out of the bird room when I am feeding the birds, but I have easily trained her to sit quietly in the kitchen. Of course, that requires a reward.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

wkomorow said:


> I think you need to first figure out if this is a medical or behavioral issue. I would start with a vet, explain what is happenning and see if there are medical issues. A number of medical issues can lead to unwanted behavior. If it is not medical, then I would seek the help of a dog trainer, who will come to your house and observe interactions and suggest options.
> 
> If you want to try the old tibetan method of training, then put your little one on a leash and keep him next to you at all times. No opportunity for misbehaving. I like that better than an xpen, because it encourages bonding and interaction.
> 
> Good luck,


 
Completely agree. :thumbsup:


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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Maltese are notoriously hard to housebreak, Emily will not potty outside if it rains, she'd rather explode! Bitsy is the same way... Our new foster Daisy is from a puppymill won't potty on grass,so we have to take her to the sidewalk,which has to be dry...So we really have to watch the weather... We've had to resort to bringing them into the garage ,where it's dry to potty.. easier to clean up than in the house...

99% of the time, we have no issues as long as we watch the weather.. it took a while to get them there, Amber our Cocker,she took to it in a couple weeks!

Make sure it's not medical first, then check on socialization and obedience classes...
Try hard not to get impatient, even when I try to talk to mine calmly and encourage them to potty,they still sense it...little buggers...
Is he neutered? Wondering since you say he's a humper... Though some will do it after they're fixed...


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

I didnt see that he is neutered or not. If not , it would help to do that asap. Both potty training and his attitude. My other suggestion is getting him out for walks , if that isnt happening and playing with him to tire him out.
Please also consider getting a belly band for him so that can help with the potty issues and take some of the frustration of cleaning up all the time, off of you.
The belly bands are also good for training. Put on when he is in the house and then on a regular schedule as you are doing now, take the band off and have him go outside to potty. praise when he potties and a treat. when he comes back in the house the belly band goes back on. Just what I do with my rescues.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

This whole message made me sad 

You keep writing you love him.... but the entire thing, I didn't get that vibe. I got the vibe of: Man, this person doesn't belong having a dog!

"telling him how "bad" of a dog he is when he bites, ignores me, does his business in our house" - that makes me so sad  Would you constant tell your child they are bad???

And maybe that is one of these things where certain things are lost or misunderstood because it's typed, not actually said in person.


I think you need to go back to the beginning. Ground zero - he's officially a new puppy in the house again.

Get the carpets professionally cleaned (they have a pet cleaner they can use).

You need to set up an area just for him. Not the whole house. Even if you use the method where the dog is tethered to you - there may be times that isn't possible so you need a small space where he can go. By small I mean: Back to puppy small - a place for his bed, a toy or chew, a water bowl, and a pee pad.

I also think you and your entire family (sounds like there is family?) needs to go to training classes or better yet - invest in a trainer who will come to your home and work with all of you to teach YOU what your little tornado is trying to tell you.

It isn't the dog.

It's never the dog.

I hate to say it that way..... but when I see a message like this it makes me so sad.

It isn't the dog.

It is you.

Somewhere along the way it was human error. And it HAPPENS... man it happens.... It happens to me!

But we have to adjust and change what we (the humans) are doing to help the dogs better understand what we need.

Like Sylvia said - scolding him about pottying inside just say: "Oh, they don't like it when I do that! Gotta hide and do it!" .... Go back to potty 101 - take him out on his schedule, and when he does his business praise him and give him a treat (cheerios are great)... and then do a happy dance or play with ball for a few minutes, then back inside.

If you tie him to you, great - and repeat him in 15-20 minutes. If you aren't going to do that, he goes right into his xpen area. Whatever you do - he does not get free run of the house.

As he does better and better - stretch the length of time. But the same rules apply: No free run!

My puppies don't get free run of the house for the first whole year. They have to be right with me, or in a safe space. And some people (none here I've met) think that's mean but it isn't - it teaches them boundaries and it will give you a solid house broken dog.

Please please please get a trainer in to work with you.

You can start the Nothing In Life Is Free method.... but a trainer would be so helpful.... it sounds like you hate your dog right now...and I'm sorry for that. Your dog probably behaves that way because he feels that mistrust.... 

Educate yourself on your dogs breed.... 

Just because they are little - they still need stimulation - walks, games, training, etc.


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## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

Grace'sMom said:


> This whole message made me sad
> 
> You keep writing you love him.... but the entire thing, I didn't get that vibe. I got the vibe of: Man, this person doesn't belong having a dog!
> 
> ...


:goodpost: 
Although, it started off a little negative, everything Tori said is true. I don't think this is 100% the dog's fault. I hope everyone else on SM does not jump all over you, but it seems you do need to change some things at home. Your boy has not earned the run of the house! Another good book is "How To Housebreak Your Dog in Seven Days!" This book has different schedules depending upon the age of your dog and your own work schedule! PS - It WILL take more than 7 Days!


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## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

Thank you for all of your responses. I think the idea of keeping him on a leash next to me at all times would be most successful. It's a step down from the routine 15 minute trips outside. I am not blaming anything on the dog, I just feel like I have tried everything I am knowingly able to do, so hopefully I would find some answers here, which I think I have.

I'm going to go with the hope it is a behavioral and not a medical issue. I'd like to do everything in my power less replacing carpet/seeing the vet/professional training because we simply can't afford that type of thing right now, hopefully that is understandable. We had a Golden Retriever for 3 years a long time ago but she had to go because everyone in the house was always at work or school, she was alone too often.

Although one question remains: From what I've derived here, it seems that saying "NO" when he bites/acts aggressively or something of the sort is not the thing to do when he does so, what should I do if he were to bite me or anyone else?

I feel it may be more of a social issue on his part (the biting and aggressive behavior). I've noticed our doggy differs greatly from other ones I've seen. In public or on walks he has the tendency to "violently" approach people. Tugging on the leash, barking, burning desire to reach the person on the other side of the road. But he doesn't bite the strangers, and I don't think his intentions are violent. He just jumps and likes a rub on the head. In the "dog zone" at a local park he doesn't really like to mingle with the other pets. He sort of finds his own zone in the grass, all the other pups come sniff his butt and mingle like dogs do but he doesn't really like to interact.

Yes, he is neutered. I have read humping can be a "problem" with some dogs but when he's all worked up (whether it be from playing with a toy or something) he'll hump any body part he fits on. It's funny for a bit, then it gets annoying when I constantly push him away and he keeps coming back.

We got him from a family of dog owners that "rescue" animals, bring them up to health, neuter, shots, and that sort of thing. I'm thinking perhaps in his previous scenario he may of had less than an ideal lifestyle. Where we got him didn't seem to have any overall problems, it was a happy house filled with lots of dogs.

As I said I think this may be a social issue (you guys probably know more about this), that he doesn't know that biting is not acceptable or that being so aggressive won't make him friends. It's a bit disappointing, because when he's tired he is the sweetest dog in the world. Loves to cuddle, rolls over for a belly rub and scratches under the ear and whatnot.

My original post may have appeared a bit angry because this has probably been his worst week in a while. Figured it may be time to do something about this.

I take him out on daily walks when the weather is nice, or run around the house with him for a bit, just to wear him out. Yesterday he had all of his toys lined up and I think he thought they were alive or something. He sat there barking at them and chewing them up running around, and then he came to me, tongue-out-of-mouth and laying on the floor. Either way we find a way to make him tired.

Again, thank you for all your help, he is a very sweet dog, but has some work to do. I just felt "betrayed" because I had done everything I felt I could do for him, but he doesn't understand that.

One of the issues we have with him is that he is too GOOD of a guard dog! Anyone that doesn't smell familiar that approaches will give us a nice round of barking and growling. Mostly stuff like the trash people down the road, or the neighbors mowing the lawn. Often times it prevents him from doing his business outside because he'll be too scared - when we get to the yard he runs straight back for the door.


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

Like Tory, my first vibe was : Man, this person doesn't belong having a dog!
Lol, sorry, by you created that dog.



> He has two personalities. Quiet, sweet, cuddly puppy when he loves to lay down with you and sleep with you for 16 hours in the night. Any other time he's a restless storm of dominance, arrogance, and not caring about ANYTHING other than what he wants to do.


First of all be glad he sleeps 16 hours in the night. You have to be happy if they sleep 8 hours. Of course after sleeping that long, he will be full of energy. He is a young dog and cannot be expected to be quiet all the time. It would not be natural and frankly I would worry something is wrong with him. How do you hold him still ? You must not be very convincing when you tell him No. Maybe when he starts biting your leg because he just wants attention.

For the bathroom issues you have to start from scratch. If the outside does not work well, try to train him on pee pads inside. Others already gave some good information about this.



> We routinely clean up all of his messes with an odor-eliminating peespray but he still feels inclined to do it inside. I don't know what else to do. We take him out every 15 minutes. When he feels like it, he comes up and bites, humps my leg, humps my arm, humps everyone in the house. I push him away but he just comes back. Saying "NO" in a strong voice does not mean anything to him. He does not listen to me when we go on walks. *He walks miles ahead *of me and ignores me the entire time. When he is running around the house torturing a chew toy he ignores me. He knows his name, but he does not respond to it when he doesn't feel like it.


If you have carpet it is hard to get the odor out and once that odor is in it is hard to keep them not to go back to pee on that place. Do you walk him on a leash ? On a leash he cannot get miles ahead of you. You need a trainer to train YOU to walk a dog. The shorter the leash, the closer the dog will be next to you. 

I would start by reading the books that others mentioned because apparently you have no idea about the behavior of dogs.


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## wkomorow (Aug 26, 2011)

Please use a harness, not a collar when you leash him. Their necks are very delicate and if he pulls he could be injured.


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## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

MalteseJane said:


> Like Tory, my first vibe was : Man, this person doesn't belong having a dog!
> Lol, sorry, by you created that dog.
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you for responding to my thread.

The "miles" was an exaggeration. We use a leash but when I say "miles" I mean he runs on the maximum length of the leash itself. The leash we use to walk our Maltese dog has a customizable length so I can walk him close to me, or I can walk him at a distance. When he walks close I feel he is choking himself so I extend the length of the leash so he can walk at a longer distance. If it becomes too big of an issue, I carry him back home.

I do say "NO" very crisp, convincing, and definitive, but from previous posts I have been told that is not the proper way of dealing with it.

I am not complaining that he sleeps 16 hours a day. I love that he is a calm teddy bear for 16 hours a day. When he's sleepy he'll lay down by my side, and I'll scratch behind his ears or if he rolls over his belly. If I have to bring him somewhere, I'll put my hand under his front legs/upper belly and lift him up, put my other hand on his lower belly. Or i'll put my hand on his lower belly and the other one on top so he's not being groped. He likes to rest his head on my shoulder so I accommodate that. I have heard it is not good to lift him on his butt because that could hurt something.

I will consider looking into some books on dog behavior. I guess that is probably a pretty good idea I think.

Again, I thank you very much for responding to my thread. 



> Please use a harness, not a collar when you leash him. Their necks are very delicate and if he pulls he could be injured.


I will consider visiting our local pet store to see if they sell dog harnesses as a replacement to the collar we use.


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## plenty pets 20 (Jul 8, 2006)

Please get the harness. Maltese are prone to collapsing trachea's and you can not reverse the damage once done. Get the pressure off his neck asap. Dont want to scare you but this is a life threatening problem and easy to avoid by using a harness.


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

I just want to say how impressed I am with you. While your initial post had us all up in arms, you seem to be quite open to suggestions (even ones that I feel are quite strong and would be hard to handle). I think reading one of the recommended books is a great idea and will likely empower you to lead in a new, less stressful direction. I also think that I would immediately start using a leash when in doors or better yet a gated off "safe zone" for your pup to start with (the area expands as the bladder control improves). I would also encourage you to consider a UgoDog or some type of indoor potty system. It was like winning the lottery for us, as Bella gave me quite a run for my money with house training . She is also a barker (no clue yet how to stop that lol). I know that carpet cleaning can be expensive, but you really need a pro in there with a black light. ANY hint of a smell and the fluff will be right back to the area and you'll be back to square one. I hope you will continue to ask questions and share your successes and challenges with us. We really are here for you.


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## nwyant1946 (Jan 2, 2013)

*I hope she can work this out. Right now she sounds like she hates him and he's picking up on the negative energy big time.*

*I can't get impatient with Mia when I walk her. She picks up on it real fast. Praise is the key. Yelling at these little babies doesn't work. It just makes them fearful and confused. They want to please, but if they aren't sure what you want you will get the opposite reaction...*

*I hope she can turn him around.*


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## sherry (Jan 4, 2013)

Absolutely use a harness! Collapsed tracea will be a possibility with your 2 year old, and can be avoided. When he potties in appropriately unless you catch him in the act let it go! If you call him and he comes and you show him potty and yell, he thinks you are mad because he came when you call him. It really sounds like you are mad at him when you are really mad at yourself, and you know you are at fault. We have to teach our fluffs how to act appropriately.


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## mdbflorida (Feb 28, 2013)

I can't help because after taking Boo out today and yes he did everything we came back in and he peed on my bed LOL. He has been so good. I think he is testing me at 7 months old. Needed to change the sheets anyway.


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Not ALL maltese are hard to housebreak. When I got Pipper at 10 weeks old he only ever peed on the floor 2 times. The key is being consistant, lots of treats and lots and lots of praise. I got him in the winter and right from the beginning I trained him to go outdoors. I would take him out every 15 minutes and every time I would say "go pee". Take treats outside with you and the minute he goes give him a treat right away and praise, praise, praise. I would use a high pitched excited voice telling him he was such a good boy so he knew he did something really good. I'm sure my neighbours thought I was an idiot. Because I used the same phrase all the time, it wasn't long before he would pee on command.
He used to bite my toes all the time. He was just trying to play but it hurt and was so annoying. I tried ignoring him but its hard to ignore when it hurts so if he wouldn't stop when I said "no biting" I had to resort to putting him in his crate for a time out. I would just leave him in for a few minutes and then let him out and we would start all over again. He eventually caught on that biting was not acceptable.
I don't have any more tips except that treats and praise work wonders.


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## Cyndilou (Jan 24, 2013)

Both of our maltese's were a breeze to house break. Both were puppy pad trained. No I don't have pads all over my house. One on each end of the house. 
When I first read this post it really made me sad. 
I'm glad that everyone is giving such great advice and I hope for both of your sakes that things will get better.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

You've gotten some great advice here. Leasing while in the house is a great way to bond and house train. Also, remember that dogs don't have our vocabulary. They don't know what "no" means. Your pup knows you're angry by the tone of your voice but doesn't know why. That may frighten him and he acts out because he's afraid. 

There are some good books, but a couple of sessions with a positive reinforcement trainer would give you some instruction on how to redirect some of the undesirable behavior. Like someone said, you can't stop them from doing something, but you can teach them to do something else in certain circumstances.

Good luck to you!


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## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

nwyant1946 said:


> *I hope she can work this out. Right now she sounds like she hates him and he's picking up on the negative energy big time.*
> 
> *I can't get impatient with Mia when I walk her. She picks up on it real fast. Praise is the key. Yelling at these little babies doesn't work. It just makes them fearful and confused. They want to please, but if they aren't sure what you want you will get the opposite reaction...*
> 
> *I hope she can turn him around.*


For one thing, I am a 16 year old guy , mostly posting here for my mom... I want to make her like this dog more. This has been a fairly routine problem over the time we've gotten him and we've tried different things to try to solve this issue, so I googled "maltese dog help" and I got this website. I feel sorry for him because he's such a friendly dog but it's hard to call him 

I also have another question. As I'm sitting here typing this, my brother has a blanket over him. Sammy (our dog) is digging his paws like he's digging a hole and biting the blanket and is getting really possessive of it. He doesn't want to get off of it and hangs onto it when we try to take it away. He only seems to do it with this blanket. Its kind of funny but I want to know why hes doing it. When I try to take it away he gives me the growls. He's just sort of biting around it and pawing around. He likes to hump the other blankets though. Some of them had smelt like pee before we washed them, but I think its funny he's got a blanket fetish or something.

When we got home he got too excited and peed as I picked him up... maybe he cant control his bladder, he's peed impulsively when very scared / excited before.

Regardless, I'm pretty settled on the idea of keeping him on a leash next to me at all times. He only does it when nobody is watching, and if he's always being watched there shouldn't be an issue. We have 3 people in the house so someone can always have an eye on him. We've got the box of treats by the door and I'll take one out in case he pees/poops outside. When it comes to his biting / aggressive playing, I've tried ignoring him when he starts getting that way. So far it seems to work, because he loves attention and he realizes the reason he isn't getting it is because he's biting. Just ignore him for a few minutes and then he comes back for licking. 

I appreciate a lot of the responses, most were helpful and productive and others simply made me feel like a horrible person because I don't know how to fix my dog


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## Maizy Moo's Mum (Jul 4, 2012)

Ritzycat said:


> For one thing, I am a 16 year old guy , mostly posting here for my mom... I want to make her like this dog more. This has been a fairly routine problem over the time we've gotten him and we've tried different things to try to solve this issue, so I googled "maltese dog help" and I got this website. I feel sorry for him because he's such a friendly dog but it's hard to call him
> 
> I also have another question. As I'm sitting here typing this, my brother has a blanket over him. Sammy (our dog) is digging his paws like he's digging a hole and biting the blanket and is getting really possessive of it. He doesn't want to get off of it and hangs onto it when we try to take it away. He only seems to do it with this blanket. Its kind of funny but I want to know why hes doing it. When I try to take it away he gives me the growls. He's just sort of biting around it and pawing around. He likes to hump the other blankets though. Some of them had smelt like pee before we washed them, but I think its funny he's got a blanket fetish or something.
> 
> ...


Good on you for coming here for advice and help i admire you and think you have done the responsible thing in seeking advice- very mature in my opinion!

Maltese are a truely loving breed and i think you taking the time and effort to train your dog will earn you so much love! 

You have been given lots of good advice stick at it, if you like the idea of leashing give that a go! Lots of treats, positive encouragement and your hard work WILL pay off!! Everytime he goes for a pee outside LOTS of treats and kisses and he will soon click that peeing outside gets me good stuff!

Please stay with us update us on your progress theres so many knowledgable members always happy to help!

Please dont feel discouraged people are just passionate about maltese as they are such wonderful dogs!! 

My Maizy likes to "dig" at blankets and duvets! 

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## michellerobison (Dec 17, 2009)

Maybe obedience classes will help, it helps with the bonding too. 
Rylee is neutered and he still gets his humping spells and he will mark, especially if we have another male dog in the house visiting or a foster dog...even if that male is neutered he will still do it... Rylee was used for many years as a stud dog before I got him...

Rylee and Bitsy were pee pad trained before I got them...and will use them if I have them but unfortunately if a piece of paper falls on the floor or he sees an area rug or a towel, he thinks it's a pee pad... they also want to chew them , so I don't use them, I get them to go outside...

Some maltese house break easily and others take longer. Not all maltese are hard to housebreak but I think it's enough of an issue to have seen many forums address it...
Like I said they pick up on vibes and emotions.Daisy can tell if I'm anxious to get her to potty,even though I try to mask it when I'm in a hurry...

Keep hanging in there with him and he will come around eventually...


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## nwyant1946 (Jan 2, 2013)

Ritzycat said:


> For one thing, I am a 16 year old guy , mostly posting here for my mom... I want to make her like this dog more. This has been a fairly routine problem over the time we've gotten him and we've tried different things to try to solve this issue, so I googled "maltese dog help" and I got this website. I feel sorry for him because he's such a friendly dog but it's hard to call him
> 
> I also have another question. As I'm sitting here typing this, my brother has a blanket over him. Sammy (our dog) is digging his paws like he's digging a hole and biting the blanket and is getting really possessive of it. He doesn't want to get off of it and hangs onto it when we try to take it away. He only seems to do it with this blanket. Its kind of funny but I want to know why hes doing it. When I try to take it away he gives me the growls. He's just sort of biting around it and pawing around. He likes to hump the other blankets though. Some of them had smelt like pee before we washed them, but I think its funny he's got a blanket fetish or something.
> 
> ...


*You are a very responsible 16 year old. This is great. Just remember, praise praise praise. Things will turn around with lots of patience...So glad you are willing to try.*

*They love to dig at blankets. When I put Mia on the bed at night to go to bed, I tell her "make the bed"...and she starts digging like crazy. I've videoed her doing it and its on youtube. I love it!!! She looks so cute when she's doing it with her fur flying all over the place...*


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## pippersmom (May 21, 2012)

Ritzycat said:


> For one thing, I am a 16 year old guy , mostly posting here for my mom... I want to make her like this dog more. This has been a fairly routine problem over the time we've gotten him and we've tried different things to try to solve this issue, so I googled "maltese dog help" and I got this website. I feel sorry for him because he's such a friendly dog but it's hard to call him
> 
> I also have another question. As I'm sitting here typing this, my brother has a blanket over him. Sammy (our dog) is digging his paws like he's digging a hole and biting the blanket and is getting really possessive of it. He doesn't want to get off of it and hangs onto it when we try to take it away. He only seems to do it with this blanket. Its kind of funny but I want to know why hes doing it. When I try to take it away he gives me the growls. He's just sort of biting around it and pawing around. He likes to hump the other blankets though. Some of them had smelt like pee before we washed them, but I think its funny he's got a blanket fetish or something.
> 
> ...


As for the peeing when he gets excited to see you, they say not to make a big deal when you come home, just ignore him until he calms down and then you can pet him. I know it sounds mean but apparently it works. 
I think all maltese like to dig so thats probably why he is digging at the blanket and I wonder if the growling and pulling the blanket is just him trying to play. He might think its all a game when you start pulling the blanket.


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## Grace'sMom (Feb 22, 2012)

Ritzy,

I'm glad you told us you are only 16 - your initial thread makes more sense now. It's still sad, but it makes more sense.

I think you should read about two things:

1. Clicker training - this would be a fun way for you two to bond and most Maltese pick it up quickly (smart dogs).... The most important thing I can say about clicker training is to use the clicker properly. The number one mistake is people start using it to call the dog to them (dogs learn click=treat) and that isn't what the clicker is for. Clickers are markers - you can use a work instead of getting a clicker. My dog Gus will respond to a click or to the word "Yes" (said in a specific tone).

There are two ways to do clicker training so I won't write them here, but I do think this is something you should look into  It would be fun.


2. the NILF program: "Nothing in Life is Free"

It's a training technique that works rather quickly and I think would be the easiest and most positive technique for you and Sammy.

Many of us here use it. I only use it when my two need a reminder of rules - like if company comes into town and spoils them or our routine gets out of sorts for whatever reason.

What NILF means is that Sammy will have to work for everything. Now it doesn't mean you have to be harsh or mean about it. You want to try to make it fun so he starts doing things just to please you.

This means he waits for his food, he waits to go outside and waits to come inside. Usually you start just by asking the dog to "sit", and as time moves on you can ask for more... I think someone has their fluff doing 3-4 commands before meals... They have fun with it 

What Sammy is lacking right now is boundaries. So you need to kindly put boundaries into place for him.

Keeping him tethered to you for the housebreaking is great. I hope that method works for you. If he does have an accident you have to ignore it like everyone has said. That was your mistake, not his.

If he isn't tethered to you, and someone isn't watching him (literally - eyes on Sammy 100%) such as playing or grooming or petting him - then he needs to be in a confined area. This will teach him boundaries. And in turn it will help minimize accidents.


And for the blanket with your brother - like Kathy said - it was most likely playing. My Gracie is a blanket digger and sometimes she starts a game with it and wants to play. 

I hope you keep coming and wish you and Sammy the best of luck.


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## nwyant1946 (Jan 2, 2013)

*Mia will pee a little when she's excited too. I think they all do at one time or another. Tiny dogs with tiny bladders. Mia is getting much better about it now...*


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

Howdy and welcome to our site. This is a great place to learn and vent. 
Check out Youtube you will find a bunch of training ideas and especially clicker training. My pups love to clicker train.

Also look at Itunes there are a ton of training series especial Ian Dunbar he is awesome.

I did all our training with both my pups never saying No. It is all about reward what you want and ignore what you don't want. Ok a bunch of elements that make that possible like containment. They only get so much room until they prove they can handle that space then they get a bit more. If they mess up then it is back to the smaller area.

I would love to see some pictures of your little one.


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Welcome! I think it's sweet your trying to help your Mom out with this. 

Yes, a Maltese can turn into a big hassle if not trained properly. This is one reason why we have so many are in shelters. People buy a cute fluffy dog, and they don't realize they are not all the same. A Maltese is sweet but some have personality traits that require training and lots of socialization or they develop unwanted behaviors. They have energy to burn and some need constructive exercise daily, esp when young. When they get little older a non socialized small dog can develop fear aggressions outside (barking/growling/pulling). Since they are now teenagers and hormones in full swing it all comes to a head and they are too much for the owner to deal with. Non of this is the dogs fault, but they pay the price and are deemed a hassle to live with. Many are re-homed. 

If he were mine I would make a commitment to him and enroll him in *dog training classes* to teach him to be social with humans, dogs, teach him stay, sit, heel, come, drop it. With love, praise and a little guidance from a class trainer you can turn this around. Please use tiny pieces of treats broken up at home and classes, as it is easy to overfeed a Maltese and they develop a stomach ache. When you start with basic training in a class it helps with socialization and builds a bond with the dog and owner. He will look to you for guidance. I don't know where you live, but hopefully your town has good trainers/classes. Make sure it's a beginner class with small dogs or all puppies. 

There are great books, and I bought the MALTESE magazine (about 10.00) you find in a rack at most pet stores. It's easy reading and full of general info in all aspects of the breed. Natures Miracle for pee spots, you find it at pet stores. It's the best one, others are soapy. The carpet may be full of his scent at this point. 

Just start over with some help. :thumbsup: Good luck and love to see a pic of your boy. And oh, buy a HARNESS!!!


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## CorkieYorkie (Apr 10, 2012)

I can relate, mine are both rescues and despite taking them out every 2 hours, they still have accidents. Just keep at it and try not to get discouraged when he has accidents. My male humps my female dog and its so Annoying so I try to distract him ... Your little one prob has pent up energy from all the sleeping -- try to wear him out.

The biting concerns me, I would find a trainer for this, or perhaps folks here have advice for the biting? Could be for attention?


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

Hello- I read your thread from last November about his issues/history. Often dogs from rescue situations that may have been abused (as advised in Nov) need behavioural classes.


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## Yogi's Mom (Jan 6, 2013)

*Iam Wishing you the Very Very Best.*
*I Never Judge Iam Still Learning everday.*
*The Advise given hear no matter the tone,Has been Fantastic!*
*I Think You Came For Help and You will Make it. Just Please Never give up.*
*Wishing you Many Blessings,Nickee In Pa**


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## Leila'sMommy (Oct 20, 2012)

I had a Yorkie that would hide to do his business and I'm now sure it was because I would say "no" in a stern voice when I caught him in the act when I first got him. That was before I knew any better and learned the right way. Then when I got Leila, I did know better and anytime I saw the signs she needed to use the bathroom, I would quickly carry her to her potty pad and say "go pee pee potty". (She thinks pee pee potty is also for poop.) it was no time at all before she would go to the pads on her own and we always made a huge deal out of her going...saying "Yay! Pee pee potty!" and"Good girl, Leila!" while giving her hugs, kisses, rubs, and in the beginning, giving a treat. She did have occasional accidents. But that was my fault for not watching at all times. When it would happen, I would not say a word at all, but just clean it up and act like it was no big deal. She also learned very quickly to pee on command because she learned that phrase, "pee pee potty" from hearing them every time we put her on the pad. For awhile, I carried a clothes basket in my car with a potty pad in it. When we got to a place we were going, I would set her in it and tell her the phrase before going in the place so she hopefully wouldn't have an accident and she would use the pad in the basket. 

The word no IS ok to use in certain situations. Just not potty reasons though. When Leila would bite (and she still sometimes gets in one of those moods, but playfully), I would quickly taken hand or whatever she was biting away while sternly saying "no bite" and hide my hand and look away. 

Have you taught him any commands? They're more than just tricks because they can be used for other reasons, like safety, obedience, bonding with each other, and to give him something fun to do, preventing boredom. Like if you teach him "sit-stay", you can use that command (after he's learned it real well) when he's following you and pulling at the hem of your pants or about to run off or any other times you need him to stop. You could also use the "lay down-stay command for that. If someone drops a pill or food that toxic to dogs, you can use the command "leave it" or if it's already in his mouth, "drop it". YouTube has lots of videos you can watch that will teach you these tricks and others. 

As for the humping...well, I have a female who's been spayed and she likes to hump too, lol. But at least it's only on the back of our Lab or her bed. 

I wish you lots if luck and hope you will keep us posted on your progress and anything else you want to ask or share. And by the way, we love pictures! 

Remember, consistency is very important!


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## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

Over the last few days we have adopted several techniques to try to housebreak him. I've been taking him out, saying "Go Pee" and he associates that with going pee and getting treats. So far he's been having little trouble inside, only the scared/excited issues he gets. But we've been having some trouble with the poop.


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

That is great that you are seeing some progress! 
That is really the first step - to get him to pee on command.
Congratulations! Good job!
In my experience, usually they understand the peeing first, then the pooping. Just keep watching for signs that he has to go, like sniffing and walking in circles, and then take him out right away, and also take him out right after he eats, if you aren't already doing that.
It takes some time, but you are making fast progress already


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Also, this is one of my favorite sites for free dog training videos:
http://dogmantics.com/free-video-list/

They are short, and you can choose the topic that are most important to you.
We have used clicker training too - it is great. They really can learn fast.


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## IzzysBellasMom (Jan 16, 2013)

I am going to add to the pooing part, that both of mine don't always pee and poo at the same time. And sometimes a nice walk can help with the pooing. When I was training Izzy, if I thought it was time for her to poo (within 30 minutes of her eating), I would take her out to the yard and walk/run with her on the leash. After about 5 minutes of that she would be looking for a place to poo. And now when I say "lets run", she knows what it means and her face lights up.


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## Ritzycat (Nov 30, 2012)

Kathleen said:


> That is great that you are seeing some progress!
> That is really the first step - to get him to pee on command.
> Congratulations! Good job!
> In my experience, usually they understand the peeing first, then the pooping. Just keep watching for signs that he has to go, like sniffing and walking in circles, and then take him out right away, and also take him out right after he eats, if you aren't already doing that.
> It takes some time, but you are making fast progress already


Just out of curiosity, would taking him out to poop after he eats actually be a result of what he just ate?


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Ritzycat said:


> Just out of curiosity, would taking him out to poop after he eats actually be a result of what he just ate?


I think that eating gets things 'in progress" moving along.
The goal is to get them on a schedule. So if you can take him out right after he eats, he will get in the habit of pooping right after eating. That way, eventually, you don't have to hang around watching for signs that he needs to poop. He will just always poop right after eating out of habit.

That is a good point about walking him - walking after he eats definitely helps too if he doesn't go right away.


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## Maltshakes (Sep 19, 2012)

Hi there - if you share what geographical area you are living in/near, perhaps some of the other SM members can make some trainer recommendations for you via PM (or otherwise). If you happen to be in the NYC area, I can wholeheartedly recommend the trainer we used, who basically eliminated certain problem behaviors by very basic training (feel free to Private Message me).

In my experience, the process of going thru training really helps build trust between you + your dog, which it sounds like there isn't much of right now (sorry but it does sound like that is the case). It's a slow process that is sooooo rewarding for both you + your dog. Not being a trainer myself (just an owner), I can definitely attest to how much happier my malt is when he is being productive. Even those few moments a day that you can train with your little one will go VERY far to addressing other basic issues, since they will learn to "look" to you (sometimes literally) for guidance about other things.

If the training you have tried on your own has failed so far, it is definitely time to pony up for a professional. It's not just about learning tricks; it's about changing behaviors. This will save you so much headache (and heartache) and honestly you're not really giving your pup a solid chance to be a good canine citizen without it. At 2 years old, the sooner you can start, the better! Just my two cents.

- Janet


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

michellerobison said:


> Maltese are notoriously hard to housebreak, Emily will not potty outside if it rains, she'd rather explode! Bitsy is the same way... Our new foster Daisy is from a puppymill won't potty on grass,so we have to take her to the sidewalk,which has to be dry...So we really have to watch the weather... We've had to resort to bringing them into the garage ,where it's dry to potty.. easier to clean up than in the house...
> 
> 99% of the time, we have no issues as long as we watch the weather.. it took a while to get them there, Amber our Cocker,she took to it in a couple weeks!
> 
> ...


I adamantly...yet respectfully :innocent: disagree with you here Michele. Maltese are not notoriously hard to house train. Their high intelligence and highly motivated desire to please make them actually one of the easier breeds to train. Providing you use the correct training methods and are consistent. And that means ALL members of the family/household are consistent and using the same training techniques. I have successfully trained all 3 of mine, 2 of which came to me at an older age. Jett was a year old from rescue and Callie was 9 months from a breeder who was piddle pad trained. She now only potties outside. And all 3 of them were actually very easy to train and were trained in a short amount of time.

To be bluntly honest here, I feel there has most likely been so many inconsistencies, varying training techniques, and mixed signals for this little one within the family that to add more advice would actually be a disservice for all involved. Especially for your little guy. Would your family (parents) be open to hiring a trainer? I would love to help you locate a qualified, certified positive reinforcement trainer in your area to come to your house to see exactly what is going on and give the whole family lessons. You all have to be on the same page here or you are only going to confuse this little guy more then he already is You are assigning some pretty human emotions that just aren't ones that dogs possess. Although I do think they have more human type emotions then what is currently thought by even the top behaviorists and trainers. But that's just my own theory. lol

The one piece of advice I will give you (and someone may already have done this and I just missed it) is to use his most favorite treat for a reward when he potties and the only time he gets that treat is to reward pottying in the correct place. And have the treat with you so you can treat him right there (outside) the second he finishes. Do not wait until you come inside. Otherwise what he thinks is that you are treating him for coming into the house. Not for pottying outside. If your parents will not hire a trainer, then I will be happy to give you step by step training instructions that work for me and all the clients in our puppy socialization classes and basic obedience classes. But I will need to know if he is happy and comfortable in a crate so I know how to advise.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

michellerobison said:


> Maltese are notoriously hard to housebreak, Emily will not potty outside if it rains, she'd rather explode! Bitsy is the same way... Our new foster Daisy is from a puppymill won't potty on grass,so we have to take her to the sidewalk,which has to be dry...So we really have to watch the weather... We've had to resort to bringing them into the garage ,where it's dry to potty.. easier to clean up than in the house...
> 
> 99% of the time, we have no issues as long as we watch the weather.. it took a while to get them there, Amber our Cocker,she took to it in a couple weeks!
> 
> ...


Just a thought Michelle...do you go outside with them when it's raining? And are they on a short leash? Like only 4ft or 5 ft?


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