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.