As some of you may have noticed, it is quite common for a Maltese dog to decide for themselves who they will obey, who they might obey, and who they will usually ignore when it comes to responding to requests and commands. A Maltese may always come running when called by one family member, while a call from another family member may just get a look, like "What? You're not the boss of me."
While this behavior can be cute and funny at times, it soon becomes annoying at best, and could even be dangerous for the dog under certain circumstances. For example, say your Maltese is nosing around somewhere that it shouldn't, or into some hazardous environment or situation; meanwhile, a family member or friend is keeping an eye on things. You need your Maltese to respond to, and obey, the person that is taking care of them.
Granted, having too many masters can be confusing, so limiting the number of "babysitters" is probably best. However, it's a good idea to have at least all of your family members take turns at giving commands and directing the dogs activities. Close friends who are familiar to the dog could also participate. Giving routine directions, such as, "time to go out and go potty--let's go," or "time to come in--come on," or just "come here! (dog-on-it)" will tend to condition the dog toward obedience. During this process, you must make the dog know that they cannot get away with disobedience.
As your Maltese may prefer obedience to one person over another, you may need a way to soften them up toward others. One method for inducing responsiveness to a particular person is for that person to participate in some of the routine care for the dog, such as (especially) feeding the dog, cleaning the dog or tending to an injury, etc. Maltese are like people, very much like children. When they learn through experience that a person is someone who cares for, and takes care of them, they will be much more likely to identify with, respond to and obey that person.
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'Tootsie' has had her final litter and is now retired. She would have preferred to have her puppies naturally, but due to some complications, a C-Section was required. We took the opportunity to have her spayed during the procedure, which will spare her another surgery later. Thankfully, her two puppies are healthy and beautiful.
"Tootsie's" Puppies at Six Days Old
Two days later, 'Babe' gave birth (au naturale) to three wonderful puppies.
"Babe's" Puppies at Four Days Old
To see other examples of our puppies and adult dogs (past and present), browse the Kellys Maltese dogs & puppies Photo Gallery on our web site. For more information about us as breeders, including testimonials, see our Breeder Info Page.
If you or someone you know is interested in our puppies, we recommend reserving a puppy early on. Most often, all of the puppies in a litter are reserved well before they are ready to leave the nest (at about 12 weeks old).
For details, call Donna at 1.530.824.9577* or eMail Us. (*Phone location is Northern California, USA.)
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If you've never used PetSilk pet grooming products before, now is a great time to try them out. We are offering a variety of PetSilk products at up to 25% OFF the retail price (while supplies last).
We have been amazed at the results we get with these products--full bodied, detangled, soft and silky coats with a beautiful scent. Try them and see for yourself. PetSilk items on sale include: shampoos, conditioners, rinses, fragrances, coat sunscreen, hot spot treatment, and more.
For the complete list and links to more information and product photos, see the Discounts & Promotions section of our online Pet Products Catalog.
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