Maltese: short cooperative brushing sessions keep handling predictable and voluntary.
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Maltese: short cooperative brushing sessions keep handling predictable and voluntary.
Breed profile
Training group
Toy and companion dogs
Origin
The Maltese originated in the Mediterranean as a companion dog.
Weight
2–4 kg
Coat
White, long silky coat
Coat care
Daily brushing needs to be taught as a calm, voluntary handling routine; without early desensitisation, long-coat care can become a lifelong struggle.
Drive keywords
Close companionship · Sensitivity · Environmental alertness
Handling practice
Teach daily long-coat brushing and eye-area wiping as separate voluntary skills: present the brush or soft cloth, touch one easy area, make one gentle stroke, mark, reward and release. Build eye and tear-stain-area contact without restraint; any discharge, soreness or other abnormal change belongs with a veterinarian. · Keep human movements small and give the puppy stable footing; practise calm, supported lifting and returning to the ground without using constant carrying in place of training.
General reference range only; individual dogs vary considerably.
05
Development has a clock
The 8–16 week window
Between eight and sixteen weeks, the puppy is learning what is safe, ordinary and worth avoiding.
You cannot pause this developmental period. The goal is not maximum exposure; it is carefully controlled experience at an intensity the puppy can process.
Development timeline
0–3 weeksNeonatal period
Basic sensory and physical development.
3–8 weeksDog-to-dog socialisation
Early dog-to-dog learning begins with littermates and stable adult dogs and continues after the puppy goes home.
8–16 weeksHuman and environmental socialisation sensitive period
Build calm, positive or neutral associations with ordinary life.
About 8–11 weeksFirst fear period
One intense fright can create a durable fear memory.
4–6 monthsTeething
Chewing needs increase as adult teeth replace puppy teeth.
6–12 monthsAdolescence
Expect a second fear period and a temporary “selective hearing” phase.
Sleep requirement
18–20 hours every day at eight weeks
Sleep loss often intensifies frantic biting, zooming and difficulty settling. Use scheduled, protected naps; see Chapters 7 and 19.
Attention span
2–3 minutes, 4–6 times a day
Several tiny successful sessions teach more than one exhausted 30-minute session.
Training with FluffyWA
Day school, board & train and private sessions are quoted after a chat, and boarding or daycare can be booked online with live prices.
