Maltese Dogs

There are many people out there who believe having a dog can be a problem when you work and you have to be out all day long because of it. But for all of us dog lovers, who cannot conceive the idea of not having this friends (and sometimes lifesavers), there has to be some way to keep it all balanced. Having our dog safe and calm in our home while we are at work, without the main concern: will Fido be ok and not make a mess while I’m out?

Well, for all dog-owners, there are some techniques and ways to keep our dog alone, minimizing the possibilities of barking and destroying.

• Create an indoor den. Leaving your dog outside all day long is a bad idea. There are a few factors to consider: sudden bad weather, annoying neighbors and bad behavior because of too much freedom. Try using a crate if you or a surrogate come in during the day to let your dog out for a break. If no one is coming, another option is to make a toilet area in the farthest part of the room. If you are willing to do the cleaning, you can use newspapers; if you have the money, you can buy a dog litter tray.
• Create a haven. Most of you know that a bored dog is a destructive dog that can harm himself by chewing and/or swallowing all the wrong things. To prevent this, leave a blanket, toy and a nice comfy bed in the place your dog will be during the day.
• Create mental stimulation. There are treats available for you to give your dog, which will have him entertained during most of the day. Try leaving a Kong toy or a Buster Cube filled with some treat (like peanut butter, meat, or dry food). Your pet will spend most of the day trying to get the treats.
• Create pleasant sounds. Something that has always worked for me is leaving my dogs with the radio or the TV on. Classical music works like a charm, also the sound of human voices. Some people tape their own voices and leave that playing all day long. Remember it has to be something soothing and calmed, not rock or heavy metal music.
• Create sustenance. Always a bowl with food and one or two with water should be left (just the necessary amount of food of course).
• Create unemotional leaving and return. Try not to make of your leaving and your arriving home a big show. It’ll only get him anxious. Before you leave, spend some tie with your dog. Playing with him till he is tired and taking him to the potty work really well.
• There are some other alternatives, but try all these before thinking of giving your mood stabilizers. There is a Prozac for dogs. It’s not addictive, but it’s a last resort that should only be used under veterinarian control.

When it comes to choosing a veterinarian, it’s a good rule that he/she is someone familiarized with our dog. But there is something we mustn’t forget: in the end we are the ones ultimately responsible for our dog’s health. We will have to observe our dog’s behavior in order to tell when something is not right.

When a dog is healthy, we’ll see they’re attentive, observant and vivacious, fully awake of what’s going on. The appetite will not be missed, and the movements will be fluid and agile, the sleep will be regular, not excessive, and they will be in a good mood.

If the opposite happens, and our dog presents mood changes or bad-temper and symptoms such as drowsiness, lack of appetite, slow or fast breathing, low or high temperature, blood in the feces, urine or vomit, or perhaps nose bleed we have a very sick dog.

Diseases can be many. Infectious, parasites or others can be affecting the health of our dog. In any case and to be completely sure of what’s affecting the wellbeing of our dearest friend, going to the vet is the safest and more responsible way to go.

When it’s time for your dog to take a bath, there are some basics you will need: a neuter pH shampoo, a comb, towels and hairdryer. To avoid making of this a traumatic experience for your pet, it’s better to start doing it since their earlier ages. During the first six-month of living, dry shampoo and talcum powder will be used to clean our dog.

The whole bathing ritual is quite simple. Inside the bathtub the dog will be wetted completely, being careful not to let water go into the dog’s ears. Once washed up, we rinse and do a second washing if necessary. A special conditioner could be use if the hair of the dog is too long. It is very important the water is not too hot. The temperature of the water should be only a bit higher than the dog’s body temperature.

Once completely clean, we will use the towel dry and remove the excess of water. To finish the drying the hairdryer must be used. Never use it too close though; otherwise the skin of our dog could suffer because of the heat.

Finally and when completely dry, we’ll do the brushing to give our Maltese the silky hair look that has made them famous

Having your Maltese in the best shape will require of some daily cares. This is a breed known for having the tendency to present eye and dental problems. You will have to do a regular cleaning of the eyes, to avoid infections.

Because this is a small-sized dog, the teeth will be also much smaller. With this comes the tartar, if the tartar layer thickens, it could be possible the inflammation of the gums and the instability of the tooth as a consequence. To keep and maintain the dog’s denture clean, a toothbrush should be used. In more extreme cases when the tartar layer is too thick, seeking the advice of your veterinarian would be the best thing to do.

Another very important thing you can’t forget is the ears. These too will require of special care. The problem here will be the hairs and the accumulation of wax it comes with it, in the surface of the auditive pavilion. This can make annoying and unhygienic knots. It’ll only take the gentle removal of the knots to avoid further infections.

The nails and the hair between the fingers should be taking care of periodically to avoid difficulties when your dog walks. It will also help to maintain the paws cleaner.

A daily sprucing up of the hair is essential, especially when your Maltese is a long-haired one. With a soft hairbrush or a comb, we can maintain the silky and lustrous hair of our dog.