# Hyper Temperment



## ejordan (Aug 16, 2009)

Hello all,

My wife and I are currently considering a particular female Maltese puppy. She is about 11 weeks old. The few times we have visited the puppy at the breeders, she has been very hyper and will jump all over us, give us lots of kisses, and loves to play.

My wife very much wants a dog that will cuddle...one that not only likes to play, but also enjoys calm snuggle time  The dog we are considering appears to be very hyper and we cannot tell if she will settle down, if this is just her personality, or if the way we interact with the dog can shape it's behavior over time. If anyone has any insight into this we would be greatly appreciative.

-Eric


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## theboyz (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi Eric and welcome.
I have yet to meet a Maltese puppy at 11 weeks that isn't full of kisses and playfulness. To me that shows good socialization and a happy and healthy pup.
During the puppy stage they will have their quiet time but lots of energy and puppy business is to me a good sign. 

Maybe you should look for an older Maltese or even a rescue. 
Talking with one of the reputable breeders about the older Malts, what to expect and exactly what you want.

Please search out a reputable breeder or ask here if you are considering a certain one. We can help.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

Please search the archives of this forum to find a good breeder who will match up your personalities to a puppy.

Most puppies are full of energy and very playful, but when they spend their energy, they love to cuddle. When they get a little older and into a household routine, they are still happy and playful, but love to cuddle even more.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Just curious if you've asked the breeder about this and what they have to say.

Linda


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## Simon & Simone (Apr 13, 2009)

Hyper, excited and playful is somewhat normal for 11 weeks old they do like to play and expend energy. That said, you should try visiting at different times of the day to observe them at sleep time which from my experience is about 1/2 or more of what they are doing when they are not playing. Also, she is probably excited to see you. Anxiety could be a symptom because when we picked up Simon he was jumping and wanting to be held and even though he is a great snuggle bug, he is the one who still needs a little more attention than his rather calm, cool sister Simone. 

What you see now is pretty much their personality, so if you are concerned about the puppy in anyway, this is a good time to do your research. A Maltese has a pretty calm and playful personality but they are known also to be very active. So I agree with "theboyz" and maybe you should look for a slightly older, rescue puppy who is already a little house-broken. Either way you won't be disappointed.


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## rojenn (Jun 14, 2009)

Dear Eric,

I empathize with you! As one who is getting older and tired of leaving fur-kids at home due to nothing more than convenience of size, I too wanted a baby with whom I could spend my personal moments cuddling and who could accompany us most anywhere. However, I am a bit type "A" and live in fear of making mistakes (not to mention that I do not like change). I was obsessed with the possibility that I could get myself into a situation in which I might feel I had to "tolerate" a hyper yaper for the next 15 years rather than find a Love. Previously, 15 years ago I did have a Maltese. Julia walked not only on water but also on clouds and was a bit of a magician as she made my heart smile. I was concerned that I had put Juila on such a pedestal or that she was the exception to the breed that I would not be pleased with anyone we brought home. It was a big decision. We found that visits to the breeder were not enough and, at the risk of sounding like a know-it-all, may not be enough in your case.

Given the excitement of being an 11 week old puppy and meeting new people (experiencing the new smells, sounds and vibrations the visitors [you] bring with them), I think it is awfully difficult for you to judge the level of activity of a Maltese puppy a breeder visit/interview. (Basically, if you were not seeing a playful personality you probably should move on. Also know, dogs are 25x + more sensitive to sounds and smells and body language.) We too made several trips to several breeders to judge the personality and activity levels of pups and even older Maltese in the breeding programs. On two occasions, we made ourselves comfortable for about an 1 1/2 hours to let the puppies/dogs adjust to our presence so we could make observations. Unfortunately, these experiences were not sufficient to adequately represent or to do justice to what our day to day lives with Ophelia's Olive Flower would be. However we were able to estimate responsiveness as well as provide us with an educational experience rather than a list of defenses or excuses, etc. 

It is important to realize that in bringing home any individual there will be adaptations and adjustments that help define the daily routine and responses among all individuals in the household. Olive Flower had no problem cracking the rhythm code of our home. As strong pack-leaders, we set up specific routines (play time, pody, eating, grooming etc.) which helped introduce her into our home-culture. It is important that puppies have a variety and strong routine of interactive and socialization experiences. As a dog mom, I plan my cuddle time to complement or interweave with these other daily activities. Olive Flower has no problem cuddling when we give her that look or rub her ears and tummy. We shnook (as Ro calls it) all the time. Olive, almost 7 months, initiates a lot of the shnook time herself as she is rather fond of it too! In fact, Ro and I joke about how she seems to kiss and knock out when I hold her in my arms--she goes right to sleep and is as "moldable" (sp? wrd?) as a Raggedy Ann. She is also active rather than hyper. She loves to chase her after toys when I toss them across the house. As we live in a loft with concrete floors, I can slide her Lion a good 75 feet across the bottom floor and watcher her RUN and SLIDE for it. Hysterical. Of course it is 5 times her size, so when he retrieves and carries it to her "special, secrete place" under the coffee table Ro and I get a HUGE laugh. Our sides hurt on a daily schedule. We provide these recreational activities, these "dog jobs" and others to keep her free from stress--a significant source of hyperactive behavior. I think Olive may well increase our life span at least 2 fold. 

Now, Olive does display small dog behavior. Please do not confuse this with hyper behavior. Just as your pup will uniquely adjust to you (if you so decide), you too will mold to develop a unique relationship with your pup. A relationship is a negotiation of needs, wants, desires and FEELINGS / VIBRATIONS. You too must learn to read behavioral cues as well as remain in an open receptive/responsive state. If you are observant and respond effectively, you may eliminate any unhealthy behavior development and nurture any positive behavior with proper-positive environment. 

A puppy is a HUGE responsibility. As as strong pack leaders, you will have a constant "raising the young" duty 24/7. Traditionally, my husband and I have adopted our fur-kids from rescue as we, like you, are looking for companions and not necessarily young children. We have adopted 3 Afghans over the last 15 years no younger than 5 and as old as 11 years of age. We loved knowing who it was we were going to bring home. We all grew, blended, and became parts of one another just as strongly as if we had never been separated by birth or species type. The decision to bring home a puppy, a toy puppy at that, was certainly a gamble. I was a dog behavioralist for many years and knew well not to underestimate this responsibility. Some look at a puppy and think, "How cute!" I look at one and think, "Lord he/she is going to be a lot of work!" Our needs did rise to meet this demand, so we took the plunge. 

After deciding we wanted a small dog, one with whom we could travel and never need to leave behind, we put down a deposit with a breeder prior to the dam's conception. We waited 3 months before we got cold feet. After the first visit, we agreed we would come and see her adult dogs again as they would have been exposed to us and we could better judge their temperament. Unfortunately, the breeder canceled the following 3 scheduled meetings at the last minute. She also wanted us to pick up the pup at 8 weeks of age as she was off to vacation! Ro said this was A DEFINITE NO GO! After we let her know we were scheduling visits with other breeders in the area to get some idea of what to expect, this breeder suggested and did return our deposit. 

Through a networking of breeders, we were introduced to Ophelia's Olive Flower the next weekend. The following weekend we brought her home. She was 16 weeks old. She is now just shy of 7 months. To say she delights us is an understatement. We are IN LOVE with her. (Even my husband who said he would no more consider something the size of a guennia pig a dog has become an utter fool! Both of us are stupid over her!) 

Are there some things we do not care for? Yes. We are working on some barking behaviors--however, I must tell you that the barking we experience is not out of line for any dog. We have just lived with Afghans who, unless there is a very clear threat, tend to speak with their eyes and purr and hiss like cats rather than bark like dogs. Olive is NOT an excessive barker by any means. Ro and I are working on desensitizing ourselves. Olive is working on self-stimulating expression through other sounds (we reward her for Malt speak, small growls and quiet howls--her howls are soooooo cute!!!!!!!) and not worrying about people walking in the corridors of our building. Olive is now barking to let me know she has finished her poddy and would like a treat or she has finished her meal and would like a hug. (She eats in her pen and is training to poddy in a dog box.) Her corridor barking is decreasing bit by bit with rewards for responding to "quiet" commands and general desensitization. 

Hope this helps rather than confuses. As Ro says, "We wouldn't change a thing!"


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## MistysMom (Aug 19, 2008)

I would be far more worried about a puppy that didn't come to me with kisses and wanting to play. That's a pup who is social, and will most likely love all people. There is a fine line between social and agressive, but most maltese are just lap dogs. Once a puppy has played for a bit, they are usually ready to snuggle in for a nap. The puppy stage can be rough, but it goes by fast, and pretty soon you find yourself with puppy fever again. :wub:


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I would try and spend a longer block of time with the puppy at the breeder's place....2 hours at least, if possible. When we got London, she was VERY playful and did not like to cuddle much, except at night. She is over 1 1/2 now and is the same way. She takes lots of naps throughout the day, but she doesn't want to be held very often.

Preston is only 5 months old now, and when we got him he was very snuggly and just loved being close to you. He will play if you engage in play with him, but otherwise he loves to just lay with you or be pet. His personality hasn't changed since we've had him -- he's still a huge snuggle bug.

I think if the puppy doesn't settle down after a couple of hours of you being there, then they will be like that if you bring her home.


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