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Positive training · From eight weeks

Maltese Puppy Training Manual

From 8 Weeks

Maltese: short cooperative brushing sessions keep handling predictable and voluntary.

29 chapters · English / 中文

Watercolour illustration of a Maltese sitting calmly on a grooming table beside a brush, folded towels and grooming bottles
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.

Attention is the first cue

Name response & focus

Your puppy’s name has one meaning: “Look at me.” It does not mean “come,” it does not mean “stop,” and it must never become a reprimand.

The name game

  1. Say the name once Choose a random calm moment when the puppy is near you but looking elsewhere.
  2. Mark the turn The instant the puppy turns towards you, mark. Do not wait for a sit or a full approach.
  3. Reward and move on Deliver the reward, then return to normal life. Complete 20 repetitions each day, spread across the whole day.
Watercolour three-step eye-contact exercise using a food lure, marker word and reward
TREAT TO EYES = bring the reward beside your eyes; YES = mark the instant the dog looks; REWARD = deliver the food promptly.

Build voluntary attention

Engage–Disengage

Reward the look you did not ask for

Voluntary attention is more valuable than attention that appears only after a cue. Mark whenever the puppy chooses to glance at you, then gradually practise around a view through the window, another dog or children.

Look at that

Looking is allowed; returning attention pays

Let the puppy look at the trigger. When it finishes looking and turns back, mark and reward. This foundation later helps the puppy disengage from movement, unfamiliar people and social excitement.

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