Maltipoos have in just a few years become a highly sought after dog, that a lot of families love to own. But a lot of the people who would like a dog doesn’t always have the resources needed to train one. I decided to look into if Maltipoos are easy to train and how you train them best, and this is my result.
Maltipoos are known as quite intelligent dogs that are able to learn many skills and commands efficiently. Their ancestors were originally bred to be hunting and working dogs, so they usually excel at doing exactly what they are trained to do.
If you are interested in learning training tips for a Maltipoo, why Maltipoos are so easy to train, and if a Maltipoo is the right dog for you, continue reading below.
Origins
Bred from Maltese and Poodles, Maltipoos are regarded as being not only very intelligent but also easy to train. As a hybrid or cross-breed, they get different characteristics from each of the breeds from which they originate.
Poodle: Considered one of the most intelligent dog breeds in existence. Poodles are able to adapt their behavior to fit whatever mood you are in. It is required to begin training early as their intelligence can also lead to them being quite stubborn at times. Poodles are ranked #2 as the most intelligent of all dog breeds.
Maltese: A Maltese isn’t ranked very high when it comes to general intelligence. In fact, they’re ranked 111th smartest dog out of 138 qualifying breeds. But they really excel in some specific areas of dog IQ, such as adaptive and instinctive intelligence.
Basic Training Tips for Your Maltipoo
A good starter command when training any dog is the “sit” command. And not only is it one of the best and easiest commands to teach, but it will also help your dog be a lot more receptive when learning harder commands in the future and it serves as a great foundation for certain commands such as “stay” and “lay down.”
Using treats to train your Maltipoos is by far the most efficient method.
- RELATED ARTICLE: CAN A MALTIPOO BE LEFT ALONE?
Food is a huge motivating factor for dogs and when you’re just beginning with training your dog, it’s also much more effective than praising them verbally. Remember that treats are something that you will have to eventually phase out, but they are a great place in the beginning.
My favorite training treats are these training treats. They have a perfect size as they aren’t too big and won’t leave your dog feeling unfocused or wanting to stop training because his/her stomach is full after a few of the treats.
Another thing that very important is that you build trust with your Maltipoo.
When a dog that sees you as their master or someone that they are safe with, especially if you are working with an older Maltipoo, and not a puppy, they will usually be a lot more willing to pay attention and listen.
Older Maltipoos can be quite uninterested in learning from somebody they don’t know or trust.
One of the best ways to build this trust is by spending a lot of time outside and training with your Maltipoo, goofing around with them or petting them.
Remember that you should never use fear as a motivator when training your Maltipoo. As I said above, you should want your Maltipoo to totally trust and feel safe around you and using fear will only lead to the opposite of that.
And while it is possible to get results immediately by using fear, your dog will only become a lot more disobedient when you’re gone or looking for an escape whenever there’s even a small possibility for him to run.
Always remember that patience is essential. Even though a dog can seem like just another family member, a Maltipoo is still a dog. And while some Maltipoos learn faster, others will learn slower, there aren’t two dogs that are exactly the same.
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You shouldn’t get frustrated or discouraged if your Maltipoo isn’t catching on with new commands from the beginning, it can easily take more time than you expected and that really isn’t any problem.
Just make sure that you keep cooperating with them, and perhaps consider taking a different approach if you aren’t really having any progress in what you are doing.
How to Teach a Maltipoo to Sit
Sit is a great command to start with seeing as it is perhaps the easiest command there is, and it usually doesn’t require all that much time or effort. As with everything when it comes to dogs, the main thing you should remember is reinforcement and repetition.
- The first thing you should do is get your dogs’ attention. You do this by holding a treat in your hand and showing it to your dog but without giving it to them just yet.
- Once the treat has caught your dogs’ attention, hold your hand over their head which will make them look straight up, now you say “sit” or whatever your chosen word for the command is.
- This movement will typically ensure that your dogs’ path of vision will get them to move into a sitting position.
- While he/she is sitting, this is when they can get a treat and also give them a lot of love and verbal praise.
- If they start backing up instead of sitting down, gently press down on their back end while still holding a treat over their head, and keep saying your chosen word.
- When he(she finally sits, reward them with the treat and give them a lot of praise.
Continue to do this about 3 to 4 times, and every time they managee to do it successfully, give them rewards. You shouldn’t keep doing this for hours on end, as your dog will probably end up losing interest and focus. Always make sure to end a training session on a positive note, and when you decide it’s time to stop, and not your dog.
Keep doing exercise this once or twice a day, for as long as it takes for your Maltipoo to fully understand it. When they seem to have completely figured it out, you should start phasing out the use of treats as a reward.
Instead of giving a treat every single time they perform the task, give them one every second or third time, and eventually, they won’t need any treats to perform the command and can do as told just by hearing it.
How to Teach a Maltipoo to Stay
Now that the “Sit” command has been mastered by your dog, “stay” should be next in line. Teaching your Maltipoo how to stay is another very important command that can help ensure your dog turns ou well-behaved.
- Start off this session by first telling your dog to “Sit”.
- When your dog sits, stick out your palm and say “Stay” (or whatever word you prefer for this command) with a calm and steady voice.
- Now take a couple of steps backward. (One or two steps should be fine to start with) and give your dog a reward if he/she manage to stay as told.
- Keep doing this while gradually increasing the number of steps you take back every time.
“Stay” will usually take a little while longer to learn for your dog as it is all about them learning self-control. As long as you remember to be patient, and as before, don’t overdo this exercise so your dog loses interest.
Just practice a handfull of times every day until they have this completely mastered. It could take up a few weeks, so don’t end up losing hope and be frustrated if your Maltipoo isn’t catching on right away. I haven’t met a single dog that was able to do this the first many times.
How to House Train Your Maltipoo
One of the first things you should do is house train your Maltipoo as having accidents all over your home isn’t exactly enjoyable.
House training is also the hardest thing to teach a puppy compared to other basic commands because it’s something that just takes a lot of effort, consistency, and commitment from your dog, as well as it does for you.
The best method to start house training a dog is by establishing a schedule for feeding. If you ensure that you feed your dog at the exact same time every single day, it is much easier to predict when they will have to go to the bathroom.
Schedules and routines will ensure that most of the confusion you could get with a dog is gone, and it will allow your dog to learn new training routines faster, and thereby making the basic general training of them a lot easier.
When your Maltipoo is done eating, take him/her outside and show what spot you want them to use as a bathroom. You will probably have to wait a few minutes outside together with them. Have your treats ready for when it’s successful, and praise your dog as much as possible. Keep doing this until they can go outside and use this spot all by themselves.
Do be aware of any of the signs that dogs show when they have to go to the bathroom and make sure that you can get them outside before it happens inside your home. The signs you should look out for include things such as circling around the home, pacing and intensely sniffing the ground.
Consistency is very important when training your dog, so guide them to the same spot that you want them to use every single time. They will only be confused if you constantly change your plans.
How to Teach Your Maltipoo to “Come”
Another very important command you should teach your Maltipoo is to come when called for.
Mastering this command will help them to keep away if they could get in any sort of trouble, or just stop them if they are about to do things they aren’t supposed to.
This command also works as a great base for other more advanced commands, as it will teach your Maltipoo to come directly to you instead of you having to lead him/er when you want something done.
For this training session, besides the usual treats, you should get a good harness and a leash for your Maltipoo.
- The first step is that you hook up your dog with the leash and then move the distance of the leash away.
- Then squat down and get to the eye level of your dog, and then use your chosen command, it could be anything from their name to just a whistle, and then pull on the leash simultaneously.
- When your dog comes to you, praise him/her verbally and give them a treat.
- Continue to do this until your dog will come to you just by saying your word of command, and you don’t have to pull on the leash anymore.
- When this is mastered take your dog to a safe and enclosed place where it’s possible for you to take the leash off your dog, and then make them perform this same exercise again.
- As with the previous exercises, you can begin to phase out the use of treats and end up only giving verbal praise.
The same rule of thumb that applies when training your dog to sit or stay is that this exercise is something you should only do for about five to ten minutes a day until they have it perfected, as getting a bored dog isn’t something we want.
End the training session while you and your dog are still in good spirit, and do it again another day until it’s mission accomplished.
It can take a few days before you are able to ditch the leash so be patient. Never get mad or try rushing them, if your Maltipoo isn’t getting it right away, just be patient and continue trying, and in time, this will be a cakewalk.
Is a Maltipoo Right for You?
Maltipoos have become quite popular dogs, in part due to their intelligence, but also their adorable nature. Now that we’ve looked at how to train a Maltipoo, and if you think it’s something you could do, the next question could be…
Is a Maltipooright for you? That depends on what specifically you are looking for.
If you’re looking for a family dog:
Maltipoos make for a great family dog as they are affectionate, kind, and fun-loving. They are great around children, and also most other animals. They aren’t an aggressive breed which is great for families.
If you’re looking for a companion:
A Maltipoo makes a great companion dog and they love being around people. They love pleasing their master and desire all the attention they can get.
If you want a dog that doesn’t shed:
If you are looking for a dog that doesn’t shed, then a Maltipoo isn’t the right dog for you. And while it’s not a lot, they do shed, so consider this before getting one
If you are looking for a low maintenance dog:
Maltipoos require a bit of maintenance. And while they usually don’t take a lot of time to train but they do require a good brushing at least twice a week. They also need daily exercise so if you are looking for a dog that just lays around the house doing nothing for most of the day, a Maltipoo definitely isn’t the best fit for you.
Conclusion
If you’re bringing a Maltipoo home with you, congratulations, you’ve chosen a breed that is extremely outgoing and friendly, with enough love to share with the entire world, and also with the new family.
There are many different ways to train your Maltipoo, but the key is to start the training when they’re as young as possible and always keep it positive.
I’m sure you won’t regret it if you decide to get one of the adorable dogs.
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