Maltese dogs learn fastest with short, reward-based sessions and consistent rules
Maltese dogs are small, intelligent, and eager to please — which makes them trainable, but also stubborn when they decide they would rather not listen. They respond well to food rewards and praise, but they will ignore commands if they think the payoff is not worth their effort. Training works best in sessions of five to ten minutes, repeated two or three times a day, because Maltese dogs have short attention spans and tire of repetition quickly. Consistency matters more than intensity: if you let your dog jump on guests one day and correct it the next, the dog learns that jumping sometimes works, and training stalls.
The core challenge with Maltese dogs is that they were bred as lap dogs, not working dogs, so they have no instinct to obey for the sake of obedience. They obey because they want what you are offering — a treat, a toy, or your attention. This means you must always have something the dog wants more than whatever it is doing instead. A Maltese that ignores a "sit" command probably does not value the reward you offered, or does not understand what you are asking.
Key Takeaways
- Housebreaking a Maltese takes eight to twelve weeks of consistent crate training and outdoor breaks every two to three hours, because their small bladders cannot hold urine for long periods.
- Teach basic commands — sit, stay, come — in five-minute sessions using high-value treats like chicken or cheese, because Maltese dogs lose interest in kibble rewards quickly.
- Prevent jumping, nipping, and excessive barking by ignoring the behavior and rewarding calm alternatives, because Maltese dogs repeat whatever gets them attention.
- Socialization between eight weeks and four months old reduces fear and aggression toward other dogs and strangers, and should include controlled exposure to different people, sounds, and environments.
Housebreaking: The crate method and outdoor schedule
Housebreaking a Maltese relies on the fact that dogs naturally avoid soiling their sleeping area. A crate slightly larger than the dog's body — roughly 18 inches long for an adult Maltese — becomes the dog's den. The dog learns that the crate is safe and clean, so it will hold its bladder rather than soil the space. Take your dog outside when ready after waking, after eating, after playing, and before bed. For a puppy under four months old, this means outdoor breaks every two to three hours during the day and once during the night.
When you take the dog outside, go to the same spot each time and wait quietly. Do not play or talk to the dog until it has gone to the bathroom. The moment it finishes, praise it and give it a treat. If the dog does not go within ten minutes, bring it back inside, put it in the crate for fifteen minutes, and try again. Never punish accidents indoors — the dog does not understand that you are angry about where it went, only that you are angry, which teaches it to hide and go to the bathroom in corners or under furniture.
Most Maltese dogs are reliably housebroken by four to six months old if you follow this schedule without breaks. If you skip days or let the dog roam the house unsupervised, housebreaking will take much longer. At night, expect accidents until the dog is at least five or six months old — a Maltese puppy's bladder straightforward cannot hold urine for eight hours.
Teaching sit, stay, and come with food rewards
Start with "sit" because it is the easiest command and builds the dog's confidence. Hold a treat close to the dog's nose, then move it slowly upward and slightly backward over the dog's head. As the dog's head follows the treat, its rear end naturally lowers. The moment the dog's bottom touches the ground, say "sit" clearly, give the treat, and praise. Repeat this five times, then stop. Do this twice a day for three to five days until the dog sits reliably when you lure it.
Once the dog sits on the lure, begin saying "sit" before you move the treat, so the dog learns to associate the word with the action. After another week, try the command without the lure — just say "sit" and wait. If the dog sits, reward when ready. If it does not, go back to luring for a few more days. This process takes two to three weeks for most Maltese dogs.
"Stay" is harder because it requires the dog to do nothing while you move away. Start with the dog sitting. Say "stay," take one step back, wait two seconds, then return and reward. Gradually increase the distance and time — three steps back, five seconds; five steps back, ten seconds. If the dog breaks the stay and follows you, do not reward. Return to the spot where the dog was sitting, reset, and try again with a shorter distance or time. Most Maltese dogs can hold a stay for thirty seconds at ten feet by eight weeks of practice.
"Come" is the most important command for safety, but also the hardest for Maltese dogs because they often decide that whatever they are doing is more interesting than returning to you. Never call "come" unless you are certain the dog will obey — if the dog ignores you, it learns that "come" is optional. Instead, practice in a confined space like a hallway or small room. Get the dog's attention, say "come," and when ready reward when it reaches you. Once the dog comes reliably indoors, practice in a fenced yard, then on a long leash in an open area. Only when the dog comes consistently in all three settings should you trust it off-leash.
Stopping jumping, nipping, and excessive barking
Maltese dogs jump on people because jumping gets attention — even negative attention like yelling or pushing is still attention, and the dog learns that jumping works. To stop jumping, ignore it completely. Turn away, cross your arms, and look at the wall. Do not speak, touch, or make eye contact. The moment the dog stops jumping and sits or stands calmly, turn back, praise, and give a treat. Visitors should do the same: ask them to ignore the dog until it is calm, then greet it. This takes two to four weeks of consistency.
Nipping is common in Maltese puppies because they explore the world with their mouths. If your puppy nips during play, yelp loudly — a high-pitched "ow!" — and stop playing when ready. Leave the room for thirty seconds, then return and resume play. If the puppy nips again, repeat. The puppy learns that nipping ends the fun. Do not use your hands as toys or encourage the puppy to chase your fingers, because this teaches the puppy that hands are toys to bite.
Excessive barking in Maltese dogs is often a sign of boredom, anxiety, or a need for attention. A Maltese that barks constantly may not be getting enough exercise, mental stimulation, or time with its owner. Increase daily play and training sessions before trying to train the barking away. If the dog barks for attention, ignore it — do not speak, look, or move. When it stops barking, even for a few seconds, reward it. Never yell "quiet" because the dog hears your voice as attention and barks more.
Socialization between eight weeks and four months old
Socialization is the process of exposing your puppy to different people, animals, sounds, and environments so it grows up confident and not fearful. The critical window is between eight weeks and four months old — experiences during this time shape the dog's personality for life. A Maltese that meets ten different people, hears a vacuum and a doorbell, and visits a park during this window will be far less anxious as an adult than one that stays home.
Invite friends and family to your home and ask them to offer treats and gentle handling. Take your puppy to a pet store, a quiet park, or a friend's house. Play recordings of common household sounds — doorbells, traffic, thunderstorms — at low volume during playtime so the puppy learns these sounds are normal. If your puppy shows fear, do not comfort it or pick it up, because this teaches it that fear is the correct response. Instead, stay calm, move away from the scary thing, and reward the puppy when it relaxes.
Socialization with other dogs should happen on neutral ground, not in your home or the other dog's home, where territorial behavior is more likely. A puppy class or a friend's yard works well. Always supervise interactions and separate the dogs if either one shows stiff posture, raised hackles, or growling. A single bad experience with another dog during the socialization window can create lasting fear or aggression.
Managing separation anxiety and crate training
Maltese dogs are prone to separation anxiety because they bond intensely with their owners and were bred to be constant companions. A dog with separation anxiety will bark, whine, or destroy things when left alone, not out of spite, but out of genuine distress. Crate training prevents destructive behavior and gives the dog a safe space, but only if the dog learns to see the crate as a good place, not a punishment.
Introduce the crate gradually. Leave the door open and toss treats inside. Let the dog go in and out freely for several days. Once the dog enters willingly, close the door for a few seconds while you are in the room, then open it and reward. Gradually increase the time the door is closed and the distance you move away. After two weeks, you can close the door and leave the room for short periods. Never let the dog out while it is barking or whining, or it learns that noise opens the door.
To prevent separation anxiety, practice leaving your dog alone for short periods every day, even when you are home. Leave for five minutes, return calmly without fanfare, and repeat. Gradually increase the time. A dog that learns early that you always return will be less anxious when you leave for longer periods. Avoid making departures and arrivals emotional — do not say goodbye or hello, just leave and return as if it is routine.
Addressing stubbornness and training plateaus
Maltese dogs are intelligent but independent, and they will refuse to obey if they decide the reward is not worth the effort. If your dog suddenly stops responding to a command it once knew, the problem is usually that the reward has lost value. A dog that learned "sit" for chicken treats may ignore the command if you switch to kibble. Change back to the high-value reward and the dog will comply again.
Training plateaus also happen when you ask for too much too fast. If you are trying to teach "stay" for one minute at ten feet, but your dog only succeeds half the time, you are asking for too much. Go back to thirty seconds at five feet, master that, then gradually increase. A dog that fails repeatedly becomes frustrated and loses motivation.
Some Maltese dogs are genuinely stubborn and will test your consistency constantly. If your dog obeys "sit" when it feels like it but ignores the command other times, you are rewarding inconsistently. Every single time the dog obeys, it must get a reward. Every single time it disobeys, it must get nothing — no attention, no eye contact, no reaction. After two to three weeks of absolute consistency, the dog will obey reliably.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can I start training my Maltese puppy?
You can start basic training at eight weeks old, when the puppy first comes home. Puppies this age can learn straightforward commands like sit and come, though they will forget them frequently because their brains are still developing. Housebreaking can also begin at eight weeks, though most puppies are not reliably housebroken until four to six months old.
How long does it take to housetrain a Maltese?
Most Maltese puppies are reliably housebroken by four to six months old if you follow a consistent schedule of outdoor breaks every two to three hours. Some take longer if the schedule is inconsistent or if the puppy has a medical issue like a urinary tract infection. Adult Maltese dogs that were never housetrained can learn in eight to twelve weeks with the same method.
Why does my Maltese ignore commands it knows?
Your dog probably does not value the reward you are offering, or it has learned that ignoring the command sometimes works. Switch to a higher-value treat like chicken or cheese, and make sure you reward every single time the dog obeys. If you sometimes reward and sometimes do not, the dog learns that obedience is optional.
Can I train a Maltese without treats?
Treats are the fastest and most reliable way to train a Maltese, but you can also use toys, play, or praise if your dog values those things more. Some Maltese dogs are toy-motivated and will work hard for a game of fetch. Others respond to enthusiastic praise. Experiment to find what your dog wants most, then use that as the reward.
Is my Maltese too old to train?
No. Adult and senior Maltese dogs can learn new commands and break bad habits at any age. Training an adult dog takes longer than training a puppy because the dog has more established habits, but the method is the same: short sessions, high-value rewards, and absolute consistency. An adult dog may learn a new command in four to six weeks instead of two to three.