It’s always a great idea to get to know the newest addition to your family as much as possible. One of the most frequently asked questions is whether or not Maltipoos bark a lot and the answer might surprise you.
Sometimes you might see your dog barking and say its for no reason but there’s always a cause for it, we just have to take a closer look into it. We’ll be doing just that today so we can get to understand our Maltipoos.
Do Maltipoos Bark a Lot?
Maltipoos aren’t usually excessive barkers. Every dog will start barking from time to time whether to draw your attention or when they are simply bored. Sometimes it may be a genetic trait passed from the parent dog but in the case of the Maltipoo they are a cross breed of the Maltese and the Poodle. None of the mentioned breeds are known for excessive barking.
Maltipoos are very curious dogs so you might find that whenever they see any sudden movement or anything that catches the eye they might start barking at whatever that might be. This might become a bit annoying but with a bit of training you’ll be able to correct that.
Maltipoos are smart dogs thanks to the genes of the Poodle and Maltese that were passed down to them. With that being said they won’t just sit and bark for no reason so when you do notice that they might be barking alot you just have to find the trigger or if you’ve trained your dog it should be easier.
Main Reasons For Excessive Barking
The fastest way to understanding your Maltipoo is finding the trigger for their barking. Below we’ll be going through the most common reasons that could cause you Maltipoo to start barking more than usual.
- Seeking Attention – Because of how easily obsessed Maltipoos are with their owners and family they’ll get used to always be around someone. When left alone they’ll become lonely and in need of attention. You’ll notice they will barking and make a type of whining sound to try to get your attention.
- Being Bored – Just like humans dog will get bored just the same if not being entertained or keeping active. Maltipoos are always full of energy so if they don’t get enough exercise or mental stimulation they’ll try to get that entertain themself by barking. Normally when barking because of boredom they’ll sometimes barking sitting or laying down and it will be a constant bark directed at nothing in particular.
- Strangers Passing Outside/Nearby Noise – Don’t let their size fool you just like other dogs Maltipoos are also territorial and protective of their owners. If they see any strangers or even hear them nearby they’ll start barking to protect their owner and territory. Normally when doing this they’ll bark and growl to show aggression.
- Anxiety/Fear – Not because our dogs don’t understand things as we do doesn’t mean they don’t get afraid as well. When your dog hears unknown sounds nearby that will sometimes trigger them to think they need to protect their family so you’ll notice them starting to bark. New sounds are also scary to our dogs because they won’t understand what its coming from such as thunder.
How to Train Your Maltipoo Not to Bark When Triggered
There are different steps that can be taken to train your dog to control themselves even when triggered. Today we’ll be going through the a two step method that we found the most effective and you can try it as well.
Ignoring Your Dogs Bark
This is something that people normally do with babies as well to get them to stop crying, this method might not work with every dog but has a high success rate. To successfully do this you need to b e very patient and in control.
If they are barking you need to completely ignore them while in their vision so that they know they will not be rewarded for this behavior. No matter how long they bark you need to stay focused and not as much as look in their direction.
Reward Calm Behavior
Dogs get tired too no matter how much they love barking they’ll bark their energy out. Once they get tired and you notice that they calm down you’ll then give them your attention and treats to show that this is the behavior that get rewarded.
If the barking starts again you’ll just need to repeat these steps until they understand what they’re doing wrong, Maltipoos are smart dogs so this shouldn’t take too long if done correctly. When doing this training you’ll need to ensure that no one else is rewarding the bad behavior when you aren’t around.
Conclusion
Do Maltipoos bark excessively? No, not any more than the average dog. Maltipoos are naturally energetic dogs so they’ll seem to always have a lot of extra energy if not exercising.
These are also very smart dogs so you won’t see them just barking, you’ll mostly find them barking for attention if not being given enough because they love to be pampered and are overall great family dogs and personal companions.