Litter Box Training for a Maltese

The Maltese is a pure white toy breed dog. It is a spunky and intelligent little dog that learns very quickly under the right circumstances. Most Maltese will refuse to ask to go out when the weather is cold or raining because of their lack of insulating fur. Teaching your Maltese to use a litter pan is actually quite easy. In most cases, it is easier than training him to go outside. The litter pan offers your Maltese a convenient, hygienic place to relieve himself, preventing accidents during cold or inclement weather.

  1. Advantages to Litter Training

    • The process used to litter-train a Maltese is the same one used to housebreak him to a newspaper or to go outside. Newspapers are less than ideal, in that they are not absorbent and allow urine to run out into the floor. Puppy pads are more absorbent, however they can become quite expensive and somewhat unsightly. Training your Maltese to use a litter pan is important because these finicky dogs will tend to refuse to go out during periods of inclement weather and during the winter, causing accidents in the house or health issues such as constipation or bladder infections.

    Introduce the Pan

    • The first step in getting your Maltese to start using the litter pan is to make an introduction. Place the dog and the litter pan in a small, confined area and let him check it out. Encourage him to get into the pan, and praise him when he does. During this period, do not leave the dog confined for long periods of time unless you are gone, as you don't want him to begin making negative associations with the litter pan.

    Training Process

    • As you begin housebreaking your dog to the litter pan, you will need to keep him in sight at all times so you can monitor his behavior and take him to the litter pan as soon as he shows interest in having to relieve himself. Assume he will need to use the restroom as soon as he wakes up from a nap, within 30 minutes or so of eating and within a few minutes of hard play. Anticipate those times and make the pan easily accessible. If you catch him in the act, scold him with a quick, but firm "no" and then take him to the pan. Do not rub his nose in the accident or use a newspaper to reprimand him for his misdeed.

    Positive Reinforcement

    • Praise for doing the right thing goes a lot further than punishment for a mistake. If your Maltese uses the pan, reinforce this behavior with lavish praise and even a food reward. Maltese are extremely intelligent dogs, and yours will learn quickly if he receives plenty of positive reinforcement.

    Litterpan Maintenance

    • Keeping the litter pan clean is paramount to training you Maltese to use the litter pan. Although it's important to have the scent of urine and/or feces present, as dogs will tend to use the same areas over and over again to relieve themselves, an overly dirty pan will have the opposite effect and discourage the dog from using the pan.

    Accidents

    • Cleaning accident spots thoroughly is the key to completing the housebreaking process. Once again, your Maltese will continue to go in places he has gone before. This includes your carpet and linoleum. Take care to thoroughly clean any accidents using an enzyme-based cleaner. This will ensure that all traces of the odor are removed.