How to Train a Maltese Poodle Mix

Maltese poodle mixes have physical and behavioral characteristics of both breeds.

A Maltese poodle mix is a small, lively and friendly dog, with characteristics of both the Maltese breed and the poodle breed. A purebred Maltese should weigh under 7 pounds, and be pure white, with hair that continuously grows, like human hair. A purebred poodle can vary among three sizes: standard, miniature and toy. The size of the Maltese poodle mix will vary depending on the size of the parent that is a poodle, but generally they are small or toy-sized dogs. According to the American Kennel Club, the Maltese is among the most gentle of little dogs. Both breeds are intelligent, friendly and energetic, so your training program must be tailored to fit a highly intelligent dog with high energy.

Instructions

1. • 1

     

     Decide on your house-training method and stick to it. The Maltese poodle mix is usually easy to house-train, but consistency is key. You can choose to crate train or confine your pup with a baby gate. It's helpful to teach this pup to use a litter box or papers in the house as well as using the grass or concrete outside. Dogs will develop a substrate preference that can be very hard to break, so the training to inside and outside must be done simultaneously.
   • 2

     

     Socialize your Maltese poodle mix pup well. Socialization is important for all dogs, but the Maltese can become a bit protective and territorial if not socialized properly to accept strangers and varying environments. Take your dog out in public, to safe dog parks and around many types of people and other animals. A safe dog park is clean, has separate sections for very small dogs or young puppies, and has a posted list of rules that are enforced.
   • 3 .   Be consistent with the rules. Do not baby your Maltese poodle mix, no matter how tempting it may be. Let your dog be a dog, not a lifelong infant. Too much coddling and holding and protecting will cause behavior problems that can become severe. All dogs need rules; they thrive on rules. No dog, regardless of size, thrives on inconsistency and coddling. Enforce your leadership role by requiring your dog to obey the rules and perform tasks before receiving attention or other rewards. For example, always require your dog to sit before putting the leash on for a walk. It's fine to hold your dog and pet it, but make sure it earns some attention, and allow it the opportunity to walk for itself, explore and play with other animals.
   • 4
     Keep training your dog for its entire life. Teach your Maltese poodle mix as many commands as possible, to keep its mind clear and alert. These are intelligent dogs that will become bored easily. Boredom in dogs leads to behavior problems. Teach you dog the name of each toy, the name of each family member and how to find things by name. Teach it tricks once it has learned all the basic and advanced obedience. With the veterinarian's approval, consider teaching your Maltese poodle mix to compete in agility, canine dance or other activities.

     
     

     Tips & Warnings

• The Maltese poodle mix is a fairly healthy dog, but keep up your veterinary appointments, as lapsed vaccinations can leave your dog open to deadly diseases. Also, these dogs can be prone to knee, leg, spine, heart and other problems, so regular checkups are necessary. A sick dog cannot be trained.
• Don't baby your dog, but always supervise interactions with larger dogs and children. A very small dog can be easily injured or frightened by overzealous play. Large breed puppies are just like human children, neither knowing their own strength. One negative incident could stay with your dog for life, causing behavior problems.

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