Hi all. I just got my maltese yesterday, and i just wanna clear some doubts with the pros in this forum. He's 3 months old..and very sticky...always need people's attention... I named him Snowy.

1) I wanted to do paper training but the pet shop owner where i got him from advised me to buy a cage...kinda small..just slightly larger than a normal crate. Snowy lives in my room but i bring the cage to the kitchen and feed him in there. He didnt poo the first day..hahaha..he only pooed today after being fed lunch. The cage has an undertray, which the pet shop owner advised me to just let him poo in the cage then wash it. The pet shop owner also said after doing this frequently he would get used to it then i can leave the door open and he will eliminate there when he wants to. I was wondering if i can housebreak him dat way. If it is wrong, care to advise another method?

2) The first day home he didnt cry or bark at nite..No sound at all. I was so surprised...literally SHOCKED. Even when i left the room he didnt even make a sound. Im sure he noticed me leaving but he didnt even made a noise. Is it normal?

3) Everytime i leave him, he will bark like crazy. Today i tried leaving him for just one hour...and he barked like crazy when i left him. When i came back he was all silent, then saw me then bark like crazy again. I locked him in the cage during that hour. Izzit okay to train him like dat?

4) How fast do they learn their names? Till now, i dont think he knows he's called Snowy. He just want my company dats all.

5) How sticky are your maltese? Mine cant be left for even one second...he doesnt bark when im around (not even once) but the moment im gone all hell breaks lose. Anyway to reduce this "separation anxiety"? Even the pet shop owner says my puppy is especially sticky, since arrive in the shop doesnt even want to be caged, just want to be held. I want to at least train him to be more independent, maybe be alone for 3 to 4 hours max. Should i ignore his barks and pleas, or should i be soft-hearted?

6) I want to train him, sit, stay, come, etc. But when i wanted to buy treats, the pet shop owner says wait till he noes how to differentiate between his staple food and treats. Can i train him using his kibbles? Currently, i soften his kibbles b4 feeding him. Anyway to train him now? or i reli have to get treats?

7) I lock him in the cage when sleeping at nite coz i don wan him to eliminate all over my room..izzit ok he was ok the first nite.

Thanks ahead for all the helpful replies.

Hehe. She's really hyper. Kept me up the whole night yesterday. I've only had 3 hours of rest. >.<

hahahha cant imagine if u got one more gr coming up next tues , if im not mistaken hahahhahah !!!! 

Hi all. I just got my maltese yesterday, and i just wanna clear some doubts with the pros in this forum. He's 3 months old..and very sticky...always need people's attention... I named him Snowy.

1) I wanted to do paper training but the pet shop owner where i got him from advised me to buy a cage...kinda small..just slightly larger than a normal crate. Snowy lives in my room but i bring the cage to the kitchen and feed him in there. He didnt poo the first day..hahaha..he only pooed today after being fed lunch. The cage has an undertray, which the pet shop owner advised me to just let him poo in the cage then wash it. The pet shop owner also said after doing this frequently he would get used to it then i can leave the door open and he will eliminate there when he wants to. I was wondering if i can housebreak him dat way. If it is wrong, care to advise another method?
Yes, you can train the pup to use the cage as a toilet. but you must repeat this everyday and never let him sleep or eat inside since dogs do not like to dirty their food or sleeping place.

2) The first day home he didnt cry or bark at nite..No sound at all. I was so surprised...literally SHOCKED. Even when i left the room he didnt even make a sound. Im sure he noticed me leaving but he didnt even made a noise. Is it normal?
Timid or shy dogs normally won't bark on their 1st night.

3) Everytime i leave him, he will bark like crazy. Today i tried leaving him for just one hour...and he barked like crazy when i left him. When i came back he was all silent, then saw me then bark like crazy again. I locked him in the cage during that hour. Izzit okay to train him like dat?
If you use the cage as a toilet, do not use it as punishment tool or sleeping area.... you will make the pup confuse. For me, let it go on barking. A puppy's mind is very simple and smart. If it barks and you appear, it will associate barking with you. So if you ignore the pup, then he will learn. Let him bark all he wants... when he quiets down, then only go to your puppy. It will soon learn that barking means you won't show up but quite means you will come. Please also inform your neighbours about this so they do not get too angry with the noise. Tell them you are still training the pup.

4) How fast do they learn their names? Till now, i dont think he knows he's called Snowy. He just want my company dats all.
He doesn't know his name yet. You should keep repeating that name whenever you play with him and touch him. In a few weeks, he will know.

5) How sticky are your maltese? Mine cant be left for even one second...he doesnt bark when im around (not even once) but the moment im gone all hell breaks lose. Anyway to reduce this "separation anxiety"? Even the pet shop owner says my puppy is especially sticky, since arrive in the shop doesnt even want to be caged, just want to be held. I want to at least train him to be more independent, maybe be alone for 3 to 4 hours max. Should i ignore his barks and pleas, or should i be soft-hearted?
As said before, ignore the barks... the more you be soft-hearted, the harder to train him not to bark.

6) I want to train him, sit, stay, come, etc. But when i wanted to buy treats, the pet shop owner says wait till he noes how to differentiate between his staple food and treats. Can i train him using his kibbles? Currently, i soften his kibbles b4 feeding him. Anyway to train him now? or i reli have to get treats?
Do not use treats yet.... treats is not good for puppy. Use back the kibbles. Only use treats after your dog has turned 1 year.... this is so that your pup will not grow up to be picky about food. Really, you do not want to go through the trouble of having a picky and choosy eater.


7) I lock him in the cage when sleeping at nite coz i don wan him to eliminate all over my room..izzit ok he was ok the first nite.
As said before... if the cage is to be used as a toilet, do not cage him in the cage... you can make him confuse and also dirty since there is a chance he may step on his own poo....

Thanks ahead for all the helpful replies.

When puppies... to me it is better to leave out treats, coz they are at the stage of growing up with proper food. Treats are just normal full or flavouring and salt... well, you can always taste it coz I did, and I can tell why dogs like treats better than their kibbles...

So for now, puppies... better just use kibbles... treats not nutritious for them yet.

Lols. I see.. I was planning to get a box of treats for my pup so use for training but I might just stick to kibbles instead.
But then again.. I might just spoil the little pup. She's like a baby to me.

How do you all housebreak your puppy?

If im gonna use the cage as a poopy place...might as well just take out the tray and ask him to poop there rite? so i tried that just now..he doesnt even want to poo in there....I caught him in the act of pooing..and i placed him on the tray...but he just walked away..then poo on the floor (at another place)....

I noe housebreak wont be so fast..summore he still young..but y does he hate the tray?? he prefer the floor? I mean at least when i catch him in the act and ask him to poo somewhere suitable...at least that one can rite?? he just want to walk away orh...then go poo somewhere else...pee oso same...

im going to the vet on tuesday...by then i want to CONFIRM the housebreak that i am going to use...maybe discuss it with the vet..

How about every poo/pee time i lock him in the cage? then if he goes i let him out..lidat can ar? Sure he bark like crazy then one...haiz...he so good...just need to learn how to housebreak..not that i no patience..just dat i join so many forum...hear so many opinions...my head hurts...LOL... i want to confirm one EFFECTIVE method then use it forever...

Can someone post the housebreak method that they use? Please state fully all the procedures..like what to do at nite...etc etc...

ooo..thanks digitral...where do you usually keep ur puppy and where do you place his potty spot?

ooo...good idea too..i was thinking of dat too...but my puppy only 9 weeks old..

if i wan him to go to toilet...i think not in time..by the time reach there from my room poop alredi finish liao...(its not very far...but still have to open door and stuff)...

just now when i feed him, after fed i placed him in his cage and closed the door...for the first time ever got no complain...then i go wash his food bowl..when come back, he poo and pee liao...AIYO..at dat time i damn proud ler..i even asked him finish or not alredi summore..then i let him out...hahahaha...if everytime can lidat...wah..i most happy maltese owner in the world lor...AAHHAHAHAHHAHAH

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Added on March 10, 2007, 8:28 pmone more thing...u ask ur lui lui go in, she will go in meh? my one go in then run out again...hahhahaha..don tell me u put her poop in your toilet to train her to go in...then  how u use ur toilet liao?

ooo...ur lui lui din bark and whine when locked in toilet ar?

how about accidents (poo outside toilet)? they do happen rite? What do you do then?

How old was lui lui when u got her?

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Added on March 10, 2007, 8:46 pmmy snowy reli bad...left alone a while alredi bark like crazy...ahahaa

ya...cannot soft hearted...anyways i got class on monday..so poor snowy will have to be alone for 4 hours...

but i'll put him in his cage in the kitchen...then he can watch my mum walk around...probably wont be so lonely then...i hope..hehhehe

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Added on March 10, 2007, 9:07 pmor shud i put him in my room? not wise rite? then he will poo and pee all over my room...then eat my books...(not that i have books that he can reach though..eheheh)...or get himself in trouble?? ...nolar..still think in cage in kitchen better...