How to Potty Train a Maltese
A Maltese is a happy, intelligent breed but they have very small bladders. It also takes about a year for a Maltese puppy to have complete control over their bladder and bowel. Until they are six months old, Maltese puppies need to go out every two hours when they are awake and two or three times during the night.
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Things You'll Need
- Area outside for the puppy to use as a toilet
- Room inside without anything valuable in it or with a tile floor
- Enzyme based cleaner for accidents
- Crate (optional)
- Dogsitter or dogwalker (optonal)
Instructions
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When you bring the puppy home for the first time, take the puppy directly from the car to the place where you want him to potty. Wait until the puppy squatts before you bring him inside. Praise the puppy.
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Take the puppy out every two hours. Keep the puppy outside until he squats and then praise verbally. If the puppy can't go out every two to four hours, expect accidents, especially for puppies under six months of age. If you have to work full time, consider hiring a dog sitter or dog walker to let the puppy out at least once a day while you are at work.
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When you are not at home, keep the puppy in a closed off room that does not contain valuable objects. You can also keep the puppy in a dog crate or a travel dog crate. Keep a special toy and objects to chew in the crate to make it a special den while you are away.
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Take the Maltese outside immediately when you see ther walk in circles sniffing the floor. That is usually a signal that she will soon have to urinate or defecate.
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Clean up all accidents with a cleaner that contains enzymes for completely getting rid of any trace of urine. It's that scent your pupy is looking for in order to know where to go. If you catch your puppy beginning to squat inside the house, immediately pick her up and take her outside. Yelling at the puppy after it has had an accident will not help. It will simply think you are yelling at it for what it is doing at that exact moment and not what happened earlier.
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Tips & Warnings
Getting your male Maltese neutered will cut down on him marking the furniture with urine. When a puppy is really excited, a few drops of urine may leak. This is normal. If your Maltese is a year old and still has accidents, please see your veterinarian. there could be a medical condition preventing bladder or bowel control.
Never rub the face of your Maltese in any urine or excrement. Your Maltese will not understand why they are being punished, because they only have short attention spans. This treatment will only make the Maltese afraid of you and that can lead to biting. Never use paper training for any puppy. All that teaches them is to go on newspapers -- no matter where they might be.
Resources
- Photo Credit Image from Wikimedia Commons.
