The Maltese is loved for its extremely attractive appearance, and many owners choose to begin training while the dog is still very young. This can save a great deal of trouble in daily life later on.
However, there are several kinds of skills you should never teach a Maltese. Even if you do not teach them directly, it is best not to let the dog watch and learn them by accident. Dogs today can be surprisingly observant, and if they pick up the wrong habits, they may create a great deal of trouble for you.
Howling Back and Forth With the Maltese
Some owners, especially when they are bored, respond by howling back whenever the Maltese starts barking or whining. This can easily create misunderstanding in the dog's mind.
The owner may think this is simply playful interaction, but the Maltese does not see it that way. When it howls at the owner and receives praise or some kind of reward, it may begin to think that howling is the correct and desirable behavior.
Once this idea forms, the dog may develop the belief that as long as it howls, it will be rewarded. If the Maltese builds this habit, it can start howling regularly, and when the owner is away from home, it may express all of its demands that way.
This can easily create noise problems for neighbors, so you should not teach a Maltese to howl, nor should you encourage habitual howling.
Teaching a Maltese to Turn Switches On
There are many switches in a home, such as power switches, water controls, air conditioner switches, television buttons, and even gas controls.
There was once an owner who left a Maltese home alone. When the owner returned, water had been running continuously from the faucet and the whole floor was wet. Later, people looked back at earlier videos and found that the owner had taught the dog how to turn on the tap to drink water, but had never taught it how to turn the tap off.
A Maltese that can turn on a faucet can become surprisingly dangerous. If no one comes home for a long time, the entire house could end up flooded.
Teaching a Maltese to Open Doors
Many Maltese may already figure this out on their own. If the dog can open the door by itself and people are home, the risk may seem manageable. But if no one is home and the Maltese opens the door to go out, two major problems may arise. First, the dog could run off, get lost, or encounter danger outside. Second, if the door is left open, the home itself could be exposed to theft.
A Maltese being able to open doors should not automatically be considered something worth celebrating. If the dog really learns to do it, it may leave the owner constantly anxious about whether the front door is securely closed when they go out.
In short, when training a Maltese, owners must think very carefully. If the dog learns the wrong kinds of skills, it can create many unnecessary problems in daily life.