Bringing Your Maltese Puppy Home

Bringing Your Maltese Puppy Home
The guidelines of the American Maltese Association state that Maltese puppies should not be sold before they are 12 weeks of age. By that time a puppy that leaves for his new home they should have had several vaccinations as well as had a veterinary check-up to insure he is in good health. If you are purchasing your Maltese from a source that does not meet these requirements you should seriously reconsider your purchase.
The first weeks your Maltese is with you will be busy and demanding. There may be times when you wonder if getting a puppy was such a good idea. Things will go better if you have patience and keep your sense of humor. Remember that puppyhood only happens once. The extra effort you put into it now will pay off in the future.

Preparing For Your Puppy

Crates
Long ago, when dogs were still wild animals, they often slept in dens - shallow holes they dug in the ground hidden away in places where they felt safe from predators. A "crate" is just a modern version of a den. Just as you enjoy having your own room where you can go for peace and privacy, your dog likes having his own room, too. As well as giving him a safe, cozy place to stay, crates can make training your dog a lot easier. Housebreaking goes much faster when you use a crate and destructive chewing becomes easier to control. Traveling is safer for both you and your dog when he's in a crate.
The most popular crates are made of plastic or heavy welded steel wire. The most popular crates are made of plastic or heavy welded steel wire. Plastic crates are lightweight, portable and are easily taken apart for storage or travel. Some of them come in decorator colors. Most plastic crates meet federal regulations for airline travel. Wire crates are very popular and depending on your dog's needs, may be a better purchase than plastic. Look for sturdy crates with heavy gauge wire that are easily folded down into a "suitcase-style" shape for transportation and storage. Although they wire crates are not approved for airline use they offer better ventilation.
A crate need only be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. The crate should be large A crate need only be big enough for the dog to stand up, turn around and lie down comfortably. The crate should be large enough for your Maltese to stretch out on his side to sleep.

Bedding
When your puppy first comes home he will need a lot of rest following his exuberant and playful excursions in his new environment. It is important to find a place for the puppy's bed that is out of the main stream of the household traffic that will allow him the rest he needs. If you have purchased a crate for your puppy this makes an excellent bed. The additional of a washable soft pad should make the crate a cozy bed your puppy may prefer for years to come. Look for crate pads that are made of silky fabrics. Cottony and wooly fabrics can cause static electricity and contribute to breakage of coat on the ends. If your puppy will sleep in a bed other than a crate do not purchase one made wood or wicker as you puppy might chew on this and harm himself. Look for beds made of the same silky type of fabrics as those for the crate pads.

Leash & Collar
Your Maltese will need a leash and collar. Because of the hair around their necks the leather type and those made of metal do not work well. The metal collar can catch in the coat and the leather ones can wear it down. A thin nylon one-piece collar seems to work best. Many of these have a ring at one end that can be used to clip a lead to. Select a lead that is made from a similar lightweight material. Alternately many Maltese owners prefer to use the loop type one-piece show leads that have a slip knot closure. These leads can be purchased from many of the catalog pet suppliers as well as at dog shows.

Water & Food Dishes
You will need small lightweight bowls for food and water. These can be made from metal, plastic or a ceramic material. Many Maltese fanciers avoid using plastic bowls as there have been indications that they may be a cause of staining of the facial hair. Your breeder will let you know the food your puppy was eating and it is wise to not change that food immediately as this can cause stomach upsets. Maltese that drink water from water dishes get wet and sloppy faces. The wet facial hair can be a breeding ground for yeast which cause tear staining. Many Maltese owners will offer their Maltese from a water bottle such as those used for rabbits to alleviate this problem.

Toys and Chewies
When shopping for Maltese toys small is best. Look for things that squeak and things that are interactive. Maltese particularly like the fuzzy plush soft toys as well as the latex chewable ones. The small twisted ropes with knots at both ends can be a delight when there are more than one Maltese in the household to play tug-of-war. Gumabones and Nylabones are great for exercising the gums. All Maltese seem to want to chew on paper as puppies. One solution to this is to give them an empty toilet paper roll to carry around. A "nutritious" toy many enjoy is a mini carrot or a piece of vegetable. Maltese are very inquisitive little guys. It is wise to have a good supply of toys for your puppy or he may find his own -- and you never know what he will drag out of your closet.

Identification
Owners of purebred show and breeding dogs have long used tattoos to comply with the rules of identification of the American Kennel Club and to provide permanent, visible identification should their dogs get lost. Many pet owners also tattoo their dogs to prevent loss. A tattoo is etched on the inside of the dog's thigh near his abdomen.
A recent addition to identification of Maltese is the microchip, a tiny transponder the size of a grain of uncooked rice. This is a permanent identification system implanted under the dog's skin and read by a chip scanner. Implantation is done with an injector that places the chip under the loose skin at over the dog's shoulder. The process to implant the microchip is quick and no more painful than a vaccination, the number is unique and the owners name and address is available on regional or national data bases so a dog can be returned quickly and safely.

Puppy-proof your home
Raising a puppy is a lot like raising small children -- they get into everything. Raising a puppy is a lot like raising small children -- they get into everything. Some of what they get into can be hazardous to their health or to your possessions. You can make life safer for the puppy and your furniture by getting rid of hazards and temptations ahead of time.
To a puppy, the world is brand new and fascinating. He is seeing it all for the very first time and absolutely everything must be thoroughly investigated. Puppies do most of their investigating with their mouths. Murphy's Law says that a puppy will be most attracted to the things he should least have -- electrical cords, the fringe on your expensive oriental rug, your brand new running shoes, etc.
Preventing destructive and dangerous chewing is easier than trying to correct the puppy every second. Look around your home. Check for objects that could be put up out of the way of a curious puppy. Bitter Apple spray can be applied to furniture legs, woodwork and other immovable items. If there are rooms your puppy should be restricted from entering until he is better trained and more reliable install a baby gate or keep the doors to those rooms closed.
Take a walk around your yard looking for potential hazards. If your yard is fenced, check the boundaries and gates for openings that could be potential escape routes. Puppies can get through smaller places than an adult dog. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence -- even to a puppy. If your yard is not fenced, make a resolution right now that your puppy will never be allowed to run off lead without close supervision. Keep him safe by keeping him on leash.
If you have a swimming pool or spa exercise extreme caution with a Maltese. Curiosity as well as the need for a drink can lead a Maltese easily "over the brink". Due to the amount of coat your Maltese may have he may quickly become water logged. If you do not see him them fall into the water, he has no escape route or does not know how to use it, he can easily drown in just a few minutes.

Use a schedule
Work out a schedule for you and the puppy. Work out a schedule for you and the puppy. Housetraining is much easier when the puppy's meals, exercise and playtimes are on a regular schedule throughout the day. Plan your housebreaking schedule and create a game plan before the puppy arrives. Many people like to bring their puppy home on a weekend in order to devote extra time to settling in and housebreaking those first few days.
Everybody needs their own place
Decide where to put the puppy's crate, and have it set up and ready for his arrival. Where to keep the crate will depend on what's most convenient for you as well as the puppy's response. Many puppies don't like to be isolated in one part of the house while their family is in another but some puppies won't settled down in their crates if there's too much activity going on around them. You might have to experiment with different locations until you learn what works best for both you and the puppy.

Visit your vet
Make an appointment with your veterinarian to give the puppy a complete checkup within 72 hours of your purchase. If you do not have a vet yet, ask the breeder or local kennel club for a recommendation. Although the puppy has most likely been health-checked by the breeder, an exam is additional security against health defects, problems that were not apparent the first time. If your vet offers microchip ID implants, this an excellent time to get one. You should also discuss with your veterinarian plans for spaying or neutering your puppy when he or she is older.

Ask Your Breeder
Use your puppy's breeder as a valuable resource for advice and information. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The breeder wants your relationship with your puppy to be successful and can offer many tips based on years of experience.

Feeding Your Puppy
Puppies should be feed three times a day until they are three months old. They should be then feed two times a day for the rest of their lives. If you are feeding a dry kibble you may wish to soak the kibble in water to soften this for younger puppies. By the time they are three to four months old they should be eating the kibble dry or with a little canned food mixed in. Do not give your puppy fresh milk. If you have problems getting your puppy to eat you may consider adding a little cottage cheese or some Gerber baby food meats to his kibble.
It is important that you check your puppy's rectum daily as stool can get stuck in their hair and prevent them from having a bowel movement. This can cause serious problems and be very painful. Trimming the hair around the rectum can help prevent this.

Socializing Your Puppy
Because your new puppy will quickly grow up, you should give serious thought to the socialization process, as soon as you bring it home. Decide what rules you want obeyed, and stick with them from day one. Inconsistent rules do not work. If you don't want your Maltese to beg while you eat, never feed it from the kitchen or dining room table, and never feed it soon after you eat. By feeding your Maltese before you eat, feeding it in a place away from where you eat, and requiring it to remain away from the table while you eat, your puppy will become a polite dog. Just a few pieces of food dropped on the floor (by accident or on purpose) that the dog gets to eat during your meal, and all of your previous work will be undone.
If you allow the puppy to jump up onto people when it is little, it will do it when it is an adult. If the puppy sees what life is like from on top of a chair or sofa, it will be at home there when it is an adult also. Decide what rules you want the adult dog to obey in your house and apply them to your puppy now. Be consistent.
Exposure to new environments, situations, people and animals is all part of the socialization process. If your dog has had limited exposure to the outside world start slowly, keeping in mind that it may be stressful for your dog. Gradually add distractions and new locations. Socialization is like any other part of training, building on small successes to make the foundation strong. Reward your Maltese when he exhibits relaxed behavior, by using treats, praise, petting or play. Ask friends if you can bring the dog along when you go for a visit. Make a list of all the places you can take your dog and start taking him or her.

Housebreaking Your Puppy
A puppy should have a schedule. He should be taken to his outside relief spot last thing at night and first thing in the morning as well as after meals and naps, and that he should be praised when he does his duty. When taking the puppy to his outdoor spot, don't play with him or allow the children to do so. First things first. If the pup does not relieve himself, put him in the crate for a few minutes, then try again. Most puppies will not soil in their crates if they can possibly help it. Take your Maltese out every 2 hours to the "potty" area, whether it has eaten or not. Don't play with the puppy until he relieves himself. If he doesn't urinate and defecate within 10 minutes, bring him inside and place him in his crate for 10-15 minutes, then try again. Continue this routine until he is successful, and then praise him. The times that a puppy will most likely want to eliminate are after eating or drinking, after a nap, or after a period of play or vigorous exercise. Be patient, consistent, and regulate what goes into your puppy's tummy, so you can regulate what comes out.
Many Maltese owners live in apartments and have found that they prefer to train their puppies to the disposable pads such as those used in hospitals, which have a plastic backing. Puppy's train well to these pads and many use these for their entire life.
Never punish your Maltese puppy for mistakes. Once you're fairly confident that the puppy understands where to relieve himself, scold him for mistakes, but don't spank, scream, or push his nose in the mess. The spot should be cleaned up, preferably with an enzyme odor eliminator. If the odor is left untended, the dog will find it again, even if people cannot detect any smell. Failures in housetraining are human mistakes, not puppy errors. The puppy does not understand that carpets are for walking, not bowel relief.
If a puppy reaches four or five months of age and is still having regular accidents in the house, make sure he does not have a bladder infection, intestinal parasites, or other medical reason for his failure to signal that he needs to go outside. Then redouble the efforts to teach him what you want him to know.

How Big Will My Puppy Be?
Maltese breeders usually use the weight at about 10 - 12 weeks to gauge the size of a Maltese when they are adults. Double the weight -- a female will be slightly smaller and a male perhaps slightly larger. For example, if your female puppy weighs 2 1/4 pounds at around 3 months of age (the age you bought your puppy from the breeder) I would expect that your little girl will weight around 4 - 4 1/2 pounds as an adult. A male puppy that weighs 2 3/4 pounds at 3 months will probably mature out to around 6 pounds. Both of these puppies would be well within the standard for the Maltese breed.

How Many Years Will My Puppy Live?
Maltese are a breed that relatively free of many of the serious genetic diseases that can cause premature death. With good veterinary attention and loving care of its owner many Maltese will live well into their middle teenage years.