Why is My Maltipoo Whining or Crying

While there is no exact science as to why your maltipoo is whining or crying here are a couple of things we do know as we try to understand how to address and care for our maltipoo.

New Puppies

When you first bring your new maltipoo puppy home there will almost always be an adjust period for your puppy. Sometimes it will only last a day or two. Sometimes it can last up to a week. Every dog is different and adjusts slower or faster.

The adjustment period usually consists of your new maltipoo puppy, crying or whining whenever he/she is left alone. This is because the poor thing is in a new environment without anything familiar. We suggest asking your breeder for a blanket or toy that is familiar and has a familiar scent that you can take home with you. It will help your maltipoo feel safe and secure until he/she can get used to the new home.

Communication

Just like barking, dogs who whimper or whine are trying to communicate. Excitement, anxiety, frustration, pain, attention seeking, are all common reasons dogs whine at their owners.

Most commonly, whining or crying is aimed at conveying the desire for food, water, a potty break, a toy, attention, etc. This is similar to how puppies interact with their mothers, by “asking” for something with a whimper or whine. So it’s no wonder adult dogs recruit this same vocal impulse when communicating with their owners.

To be sure, whimpering and whining is an instict. But it’s also learned. After all, it doesn’t take long for puppies to understand there’s a direct connection between letting out a little whine and getting what they want, and that’s how dog “crying” can turn into a problem behavior. Just as barky dogs can drive their owners crazy should they do so constantly in search of attention or anything else they might want, whiny dogs can stress out a household with their regular whining.

Separation Anxiety

Separation anxiety is another condition that can lead to chronic crying. When leaving your dog alone they will sometimes spend their entire days barking and/or whining.

Luckily, there is help! First, consult with your veterinarian to help rule out medical problems (like pain or cognitive decline). If the problem is likely behavioral, a well-recommended maltipoo trainer is an ideal choice for those who seek to end excessive crying behavior.

Keep in mind, most dogs tend not to whine when they’re suffering chronic pain. So although your maltipoo may cry out when stepped on by accident or whimper during recovery, dogs who suffer from constant pain (as with dental pain or the orthopedic pain of osteoarthritis) typically do not display their discomfort vocally. Though counterintuitive to humans, it’s an important point for all dog owners to keep in mind.

How to Calm a Hyper Maltipoo

Having a pet Maltipoo puppy means that you most likely have a hyper and active dog. Does it ever stop? You may be surprised to know that Maltipoos are one of the calmest breeds of smaller dogs. But just like most dogs, they have their days, and mostly when they are younger. So how do you calm a Maltipoo when it's hyper? We’ve put together some categories to consider when your maltipoo is hyper and how to deal with the energy.

Your Maltipoo is Growing Up

When a Maltipoo is first beginning to learn how to bark, walk and run, it is super exciting, and they love it. Running around and barking is one of their favorite things. They love to have fun and enjoy life. But fear not it does go away after age. Once a dog starts into it's growing up phase, it starts to fade slowly. Less noise and running around and more cuddles and laying down. However, it may not ever stop entirely.

Training Your Maltipoo

Yay! The best is yet to come. Maltipoos are super knowledgable and usually easy to train. With determination and patience, you can get your Maltipoo trained in no time. You can teach them how to sit stand and even to take a nap. 

Training your Maltipoo will help direct their energy into learning and obedience. Engaging your puppy in training can also be a fun way to spend time connecting and building trust between each other.

Playing with Your Maltipoo Outside

If your Maltipoo is hyper and you don't know what to do, try taking them outside for some fun. Unlike indoors, outside tends to be a lot more spacious for playing and running around. It is a great way for your puppy to get tired and need to rest when they have a variety of things they can do. 

Exercising Your Maltipoo

Every dog needs exercise, whether they are big, small, or even fluffy. If you need to find toys or exercise equipment that your dog can play with, we have a few toy recommendations for your Maltipoo. Being hyper and energetic is what they are made for. If you can keep them entertained with exercise, they will start getting tired and want to relax.

Keeping a Peaceful Home

The feeling in the home tends to be the main thing that can make your dog hyper or calm. If you naturally have a quiet, peaceful home, your Maltipoo will usually be compatible with it. But if you have a rough more hyper unorganized home your Maltipoos can often be consistent with that as well. If a dog feels unsafe or as if there is an uneasy feeling toward its territory or property that could cause the dog to be hyper too. Make sure your Maltipoo feels safe around its area of food or space. Do not walk around or by its bowl during mealtime or while there is food inside it. A Maltipoo's toys are unique to them so unless you are playing a game with them or you are helping them get their toy don't touch it or take it from them. It could cause hyper behavior from feeling betrayed or at harm. 

Getting Your Maltipoo Familiar with Their Environment

When your Maltipoo is young, they are still getting used to the way of life. New noises such as a washing machine, a vacuum, or even the television might make them hyper seeing as they are not used to that sort of life yet. Other things like having new pets in the home such as a dog, cat, or another type of animal may be causing your Maltipoo to feel less attention or love and could cause them to be more hyperactive. 

Helping Your Maltipoo Release Energy

If your dog doesn't have enough space or area to move around in that may cause it to be hyper. Maltipoos need a healthy way to release energy and exercise. Not allowing them the chance to have the right amount or type of activity decreases their happiness. It may even cause them to be hyper or loud to make up for their loss of current time. 

Giving Your Maltipoo the Proper Attention

If you give your Maltipoo too much attention and are only giving them active time when they are with you, they might start to cling to you, and they will start to need you with them to have fun, causing them to be hyper and loud in order to get your attention.

Thank you for reading this article. If you are interested in adopting a Maltipoo from us, you can visit our adopt page or contact us online. We have the best selection of Maltipoo puppies and offer to train your puppy before they join your family.

Is Your Maltipoo Getting Enough Sleep?

Maltipoos, like most dogs, take a lot of naps throughout the day. Sometimes they will sleep up to 14 hours a day, including their naps. If you are having trouble with your Maltipoo getting sleep at night, there may be things in their routine that are causing this. Maltipoos are great lovable puppies and aren't usually hard to handle. If your Maltipoo is not getting the sleep it needs, we can help! I’ve listed some reasons that may be causing your Maltipoo to lose sleep and what you can do to help them.

Not enough exercise

If your Maltipoo seems to be sleeping a lot during the day and is only having trouble during the night, it may be because they need more exercise throughout the day. Activities such as running around the house or chasing a toy doesn't count as exercise. They need to go on a walk or be able to get some real exercise outside of the house. If this is the reason your Maltipoo is losing sleep, you will notice some boredom or more naps throughout the day. To fix this you may need to get some equipment that can keep them moving around or you can take them on a walk at least once a day. 

Sickness

If your Maltipoo is acting more tired than usual and is taking naps about one hour apart, your Maltipoo may be sick and could even have hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is a sickness that is most common in dogs before the age of 6 months. To ensure that your puppy does not have this type of illness, rub some maple syrup on their gums. There may also be other types of illnesses causing your puppy to be tired more often. To test this out, you may need to take your Maltipoo’s temperature and try playing some games with it. If your Maltipoo doesn't come when you call and continues to lay down try giving them a treat or holding their favorite toy when you call them. If they continue to stay where they are at and look tired that could be a sign you need to take them to the vet. 

Age

Once a Maltipoo starts to get older it gets tired more easily and will take more naps throughout the day. This shouldn't be a cause for concern unless the Maltipoo is whining or having a hard time sleeping at night. 

Medication

If you've put your Maltipoo on another type of medication and they are getting sleepy more frequently, it is probably just the medication but should be looked at right away. Check with your veterinarian to see if it is a common side effect or if they should be taking a smaller dosage.

Things that can help your Maltipoo stay asleep at night

Having a personal room or area 

When you are off to work during the day that leaves your Maltipoo without a friend or playmate. This may cause them to fall asleep more when you are gone and then have less sleep during the night. To fix this, you can have a separate room for them to play in with extra toys and equipment. Also, having a buddy or another pet to play with during the day could help keep your Maltipoo entertained and get more sleep during the night. 

Having a Schedule

When you are home, it is always better to keep to a schedule with your Maltipoo. This way, they are in a routine and can stay asleep better at night. Having a plan can even keep them asleep all night unless they need to get up to use the bathroom. Here are a few things you should include in your schedule:

• Grooming

• Walking

• Play Time

• Nap Time

• Training 

• Family Time 

• Sleep Time

Thank you for reading this article, "How much Sleep Should Your Maltipoo Get?" If you are interested in adopting a Maltipoo puppy, you can visit our Available Puppies page or contact us online. At My Doodle Maltipoos it is our goal to breed the best and healthiest Maltipoos. You also have the option to have us train your puppy before they are welcomed into their new home. Have an amazing day! 

Are Maltipoos Aggressive?

Maltipoos are very intelligent animals and easy to train as long as you are consistent and train them correctly, which means no yelling or aggressive tactics. Using these tactics will make it more difficult for your maltipoo to learn obedience and aggression might increase if you don’t handle it right.

Although maltipoos are not commonly known to be aggressive, let’s look at a few reasons why a maltipoo might be aggressive.

Trying to establish dominance

Your little maltipoo might be showing signs of aggression such as growling, showing her teeth, or nipping at you when you try to take something away or when you get near her food. If this is the case, she may be trying to protect her status as a pack leader and exercise her perceived dominance over you.

Some ways to train your maltipoo to learn that humans are the pack leaders, is by ignoring your maltipoo if she barks at you because she wants something you have. Don’t let your little maltipoo do things you wouldn’t let a larger animal do such as jump up on you and walk all over you. If your maltipoo has something she shouldn’t, don’t try to fight her for it until she releases, but instead make sure things she’s not supposed to have are not available around the house. If she does have something she shouldn’t, present her with something that she can have and then remove the item you would not like her to have from being available in the future.

Pain or Health Issues

If your maltipoo is normally a happy non-aggressive dog but starts to show signs of aggression later on, it could be because of pain she’s feeling which can sometimes be internal. If your maltipoo begins to growl or nip at you if you touch her, I would advise you take her to the vet to be examined to make sure there is nothing wrong and that your maltipoo is not sick.

Aggressive during play time

Almost all dogs love playtime. It’s a great way to let out energy but it can easily get out of hand. Biting during play might seem fun and harmless when your puppy is 10 weeks old, but it can really get out of hand as they get older.

Here are a few things you could try to reduce or eliminate biting during play time:

When puppies play with other puppies, you’ll often see them chasing and nipping at each other. This all seems innocent until one of them lets out a YELP! and they both jump back wondering what happened. This yelp actually helps the other dog understand that they are being a little too rough and should learn to tone down their level of play.

If you use this technique while playing, your puppy will quickly learn how to be more gentle. Play around with her until she bites you and once she does, let out a yelp and hold your hand still and limp. Your puppy might be a little shocked and wonder what happened. Wait 5 or 10 seconds and then continue to play again. Continue this each time she bites and you might find she will stop using her teeth during play.

If this doesn’t work and biting gets to be too much, you can also use something like peppermint spray or a harmless spray that a puppy might not like. As you play with her and she bites you, let out the same yelp and then spray in the puppies mouth. This will help your puppy learn that every time she bites, she’ll get a bitter taste and will eventually learn that teeth are not for human skin.

Aggressive because of fear

This case may be unfortunate but if you have an adopted maltipoo and she has had experience of being abused, or if she is naturally just a more timid puppy, she may bite or run away because she feels intimidated. If this is the case with your puppy, it’s important to develop a pattern of trust. Make sure you’re not using any negative or harsh words or tactics and that you are calm and patient during training.

If you reach out your hand to pet your maltipoo and she shows her teeth or growls, consider giving her a treat to keep her occupied while you slowly and softly pet her. Some might think this is rewarding bad behavior but it’s quite the opposite. Your dog is growling or nipping because of fear. If she gets a treat during these times, her thoughts focus more on the love and affection and the treats. The more comfortable and at ease she feels, the less she is likely to show aggression in the future.

Consider hiring a professional trainer

Although I have given you a few guidelines, no 2 dogs are alike and situations can vary tremendously so there may be times it is recommended to hire a professional trainer. If your maltipoo shows continued aggression, especially if you have children in the house, talk to a professional trainer and ask for recommended steps to solve this aggression.

Do Maltipoos Bark a Lot?

All dogs will bark at one time or another, it’s just what dogs do. To determine whether the Maltipoo barks a lot, we must look at the Poodle and Maltese breeds. Neither breed is has a reputation of being an excessive barker. Some dogs are bred to be barkers for different reasons. There are guard dogs and watch dogs that bark when they sense any kind of threat. There are also hunting dogs that are trained to bark to scare prey out of their hiding places for hunters.

There are no real statistics of which dogs bark the most, it is all matter of opinion. Small dogs have the reputation of being the biggest barkers, but most barking depends on the dog’s environment. There is usually a specific reason for barking and if you make sure your Maltipoo is well taken care of, there shouldn’t be very much barking going on. Below, I will talk about the different reasons for barking and how to prevent it.

Boredom

Maltipoos get bored just like any other dog if they don’t have any activities to keep them busy. If a dog is bored, the barking will be a constant/rhythmic barking. It will sound like the dog is barking just to hear her own voice and can last for hours. A bored dog barks out of loneliness or to get rid of excess energy.

To keep your Maltipoo from getting bored, you should have a variety of toys for them to play with. It will teach them to play independently. Be sure to have toys for chewing and reward-giving toys. Rewards can be either treat-releasing toys or toys that respond with noise or movement when touched. Refer to my Best Toys for Your Maltipoo article. It is also a good idea to have 2 sets of toys for you Maltipoo to be switched out every week so they don’t get bored with them. Just be sure to leave their favorite toy out at all times as Maltipoos can become attached to certain toys.

Attention

When a dog is left alone for long periods of time they can become lonely and crave attention, which causes them to bark or whine. Some dogs will bark and whine together, sounding like a whining child when they want attention.

To prevent attention-seeking barking, keep you Maltipoo on a schedule for activities. If you have a set time for walking, training, playing etc., your Maltipoo will get used to the schedule and know that he will be getting attention soon. Older Maltipoos are great at knowing when things are supposed to happen, and if it doesn’t it can cause barking. Maltipoo puppies live in the moment and will bark as soon as they need/want something so it’s a good idea to keep them on a strict schedule.

Fear/Anxiety

Every dog has fears just like humans. If they hear a new sound, it can scare them and cause them to bark or whine. Feeling cornered may also cause them to be aggressive. Or if they see someone that they don’t know, they might go into protection mode and bark. The barking is usually high pitched if they are anxious or scared.

There isn’t much you can do about the noises outside or the neighbors coming home every night. The best thing you can do for your Maltipoo in these situations is to offer them some reassurance that there is no danger and distract them with something to do.

While both the Maltese and the Toy Poodle are sometimes said to be barkers, neither breed has a very bad reputation for being an excessive barker. These two breeds are neither hunting dogs or watchdogs. So looking at this purely by the breed, the Maltipoo is not an excessive barker. 

With this being said, a Maltipoo will bark. There are very few dogs that do not.