Choosing to become a dog owner is a difficult decision. From going through the adoption process to choosing the right breed, there’s a lot to think about before bringing a new family member into your home. One of the most popular breeds is the Maltese. These adorable furry friends are perfect companion dogs. Part of what makes them so popular is their character and the fact that they’re small. So even people living in small apartments can have them as pets. However, sometimes people worry about the temper of their new pet. Specifically, whether they are aggressive. Are Maltese aggressive dogs?
Maltese are not aggressive dogs. In fact, they are very sweet-tempered, affectionate, and playful. They make for excellent family dogs, even for people with small children. As a result, most Maltese are calm and friendly as long as they are raised well. This is important to remember since every dog needs to have specific rules established to know who the so-called leader of the pack is. As long as your dog knows that it’s you, Maltese are some of the friendliest and most approachable dog breeds.
Maltese are not aggressive dogs, but very affectionate and playful by nature. Let’s take a closer look at their temperament.
And we will also deal with the question of why Maltese can become aggressive after all and what you can do about it. Finally, we will also explain why your Maltese might be aggressive to everyone else but you.
What Is The Temperament Of Maltese Dogs?
Maltese dogs are often considered to be companion dogs due to their easygoing attitude and personality. They are good with children of all ages as well as older people, which makes them perfect for families.
On the other hand, they don’t need other dogs around them, so they’re also wonderful for single people. Their playful personality allows them to fit almost any person.
Although they don’t need other dogs or pets in general around them, they still get along well with other animals. So if you already have a dog or cat, your new Maltese will not be a problem.
This breed is very energetic and loves to play around, learning tricks. They require a good dose of exercise each day, at least about 20 minutes. But you can do that even at home by playing fetch. Or by going on your regular walks.
Maltese don’t do well on long walks or runs, so they’re not a good breed for extremely active people. However, it’s still essential to maintain a good level of exercise as Maltese can develop joint problems if they don’t exercise enough.
What Can Make Maltese Dogs Aggressive?
Maltese, just like any other dog breed, need to have rules established concerning their behavior. If they don’t, they can become aggressive. This is because dogs who don’t have any rules or boundaries believe that they’re the leaders and alphas of the house, which can make them aggressive.
As a result, it’s important to train your Maltese dog to ensure that it doesn’t happen. Training your dog also guarantees that your dog will be well-behaved outdoors and around other people.
Furthermore, aggression is often a response to fear. Therefore, if your newly-adopted dog acts aggressively, it can be a sign of abuse by previous owners. If that’s the case, it’s important to take your pet to the vet and establish trust between you and your furry friend.
It may take some time for your pet to trust you and realize that you won’t hurt it, but the aggression should stop with time. It might also be beneficial to enlist the help of a professional dog trainer to fix your dog’s poor behavior.
Why Is My Maltese Dog Suddenly Aggressive?
If your Maltese has never been aggressive but now displays aggressive behavior, it’s time to take your pet to the vet. Aggression is not only a symptom of fear, but it can also indicate some health problems.
Remember that your dog can’t simply tell you what’s wrong using words. So it’s doing the best it can to communicate with you.
In addition, pain or discomfort can lead to aggression in Maltese. Especially when your dog gets aggressive after someone touches him in a certain spot.
Additionally, a visit to the vet can help determine what’s causing this sudden aggression. The vet will perform tests and decide whether the problem is physical or emotional. That way, he can address the problem in the best way possible.
What’s more, older dogs can display aggressive behavior when they start losing hearing or vision. Again, this is due to fear.
Can You Fix Aggression Issues In Older Maltese?
Maltese dogs aren’t aggressive by nature, so as long as you raise and train the dog right, they shouldn’t be aggressive to anyone. However, older Maltese who were raised with no rules or experienced abuse, or have health problems can be aggressive.
In this case, the old saying, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” is correct, but not entirely. It’s definitely harder to train an older dog who has already developed a personality and a certain way of being than a young puppy. However, it isn’t impossible.
If you adopted an older dog and it starts showing signs of aggression, it’s important to get him checked by the vet to determine if it’s something physical. If not, the next step would be a professional dog trainer.
Such a trainer can help you address the behavioral issues that your Maltese is experiencing and fix them. This might involve, for example, trust-building exercises or teaching your dog boundaries and treating you as the leader.
Why Is My Maltese Aggressive Towards Everyone Else Besides Me?
If your Maltese is aggressive to the people that come visit you or growls at people passing you by during walks, your dog might feel the need to protect you. This may stem from your furry friend feeling as if he is the alpha, thus the protector of the household.
This type of aggression is often caused by the lack of training and boundaries between the owner and the dog. Dogs need to know their place, and they have to listen to you. If they don’t, they can bark and attacks strangers and even your family members.
In order to fix this behavioral issue, it’s essential to enlist the help of a dog trainer, as it’s very unlikely that you’ll be able to fix it yourself without any experience. A professional dog trainer will be able to help you teach your dog that you’re the boss, thus eliminating aggression in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Maltese are friendly dogs by nature. They have no tendency to aggressive behavior.
However, they can still behave aggressively for various reasons. For one, they have a protective instinct and want to protect their owner from perceived dangers. On the other hand, aggressive behavior in Maltese can indicate health or psychological problems.
In any case, you should have your Maltese examined by a vet if he behaves aggressively. If there is no health problem, you should consider a professional dog trainer.