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.
20
Protect the growing body
Exercise limits & growth plates
Use self-paced ground exploration, small-scale scent games, indoor problem-solving and light trick training. Being small does not remove the need to move and learn on the ground, but a growing puppy still follows the manual's general growth-plate protections: avoid forced mileage, repeated jumping and endless high-speed turns. Carrying is useful for immediate safety, not as a substitute for teaching confident movement in suitable settings.
GOOD = low-impact sniffing, self-paced ground play and structured tug; NOT YET = repeated stairs, jumping or running beside a bicycle while growth plates are developing.
Before twelve months: limit impact, keep exploration
Replace repetitive impact with low-impact, puppy-controlled activity.
Avoid or limit
Safer option now
Repeated stair climbing
Level-ground sniffing and exploration
Jumping down from a sofa or vehicle without a safe access plan
Block access or introduce a stable non-slip ramp or controlled low step gradually
Aerial Frisbee catches and sudden stops
Low, controlled toy games without jumping
Long-distance running beside a bicycle or with a jogger
Short sniffing walks under the puppy-age plan
Prolonged running on hard ground
Short free play on soft ground with a similar-age puppy or friendly adult dog
Repeated high-speed turns and sudden stops
Food searches and calm problem-solving
Jumping or twisting during highly arousing play
Short, controlled play with all four paws kept low
Forced activity or movement on unstable, slippery surfaces
Calm, puppy-controlled movement on stable footing
Review points after twelve and eighteen months
Age is a review point, not automatic clearance; obtain a veterinary check before adding intensity.
Stage
What may open gradually
Guardrail
At about 12 months
Longer structured walks and easy, low-impact hikes
Veterinary review first; do not assume all growth plates have closed.
From 12 to 18 months
Build distance or duration in small steps on forgiving surfaces
Increase one variable at a time and continue limiting repetitive jumping and sharp turns.
After about 18 months
Condition gradually for running or higher-impact dog sports in a legal, controlled setting
Only after veterinary clearance and progressive conditioning; never tether a dog to a moving bicycle or vehicle.
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.
