Maltese: Is This Dog Right for You?

Temperament: The Maltese is a high spirited, loving, and playful dog. Maltese are very committed to their owners. They are great companion dogs. Maltese are highly intelligent dogs. They do well with learning tricks, but only if they feel like they are being rewarded enough. If the Maltese hears a suspicious noise they are quick to tell you about it. Maltese are good with children if they don't play too roughly. If they do, the Maltese may be snappish. Maltese love to play outside. They sometimes are even inclined to jump in puddles! It's important that you don't overprotect or over pamper the Maltese. If you do, they may become jealous of other visitors and they can become unstable. Maltese can be picky eaters, but it's important to have dry dog food and small biscuits in their diet to keep their teeth healthy, strong, and clean.

Housetraining: Housetraining can be difficult for the Maltese as it is for most small dogs. Crate training and a schedule will work just fine. Make sure you're getting the message across to your Maltese about where it has to do its business. Sometimes it may be a good time to paper train your Maltese to avoid bad weather.

Living Arrangements: Maltese are small dogs, so they do very well as apartment dogs. However, you might have to be careful with some Maltese because they may bark at unfamiliar noises. They are very active inside, and they would be alright without a yard. But just like all dogs, make sure you let your Maltese out for exercise.