Lil bro just woke up

Long time lurker, first time posting about this. I could really use some advice.

I have Paopao, a 3 year old Maltese. He came to us in 2023 and for the first couple of years there was no problem at all, because I worked from home and he was basically with me 24/7. This year I had to go back to a regular office job, and that's when everything fell apart.

The moment I start getting dressed he gets all worked up, barking and jumping at me like he's cussing me out for leaving him alone again, and grabbing my keys just makes it louder. Once I'm gone he howls and scratches at the bathroom door the entire time I'm out. It got so bad a few weeks ago that he scratched his paws raw. My property manager has complained multiple times about the noise and is now threatening to end our lease. I'm honestly scared of losing my home over this.

What we've tried:

- Confining him to the bathroom with a treat ritual. He figured out the treat part fast, the howling never stopped.

- Practicing really short absences, out the door and back before he even notices. Some days it's still just seconds and I can't tell if it's doing anything.

- Leaving him with a frozen kong and scatter feeding. He won't touch any of it once I'm gone.

- Leaving music or a podcast on. No real difference.

- Making departures boring, no goodbyes, no drama. No change.

We've talked about medication a lot between ourselves, but we really don't want to go down that road unless it's the last resort. I know training is probably the real answer and I'd love to hear from people who've been through this.

For those whose dogs improved, what actually moved the needle? And is training for being alone full time realistic when you have no choice but to leave every weekday?

Happy Friday fellow floof friends 🐶❤️ wanted to share the new trick my boy learned at the ripe age of 8 🙏🏻

He’s only looking at the treat I have in my hand 😂

Make sure to be good to your pup and give them lots and lots of love! Muffie (1st pic/on the left) and Coco (2nd pic/on the right) agree

My best friend

My Méimei has environmental allergies as well as food allergies. She's been doing great on a salmon and barley dog food and Cytopoint shots every month. Recently her allergies have flared up. I'm not sure if its the change of season, maybe a new shampoo used at the groomers, or the introduction of a new treat that has her itching and pink all over. We've removed the new treats and I'd like to switch her shampoo and conditioner to something that will help wash away any allergens stuck on her and also provide relief. I'm overwhelmed by all the choices online, so I'd like to hear from my fellow Maltese moms and dad's what's worked well on your babies? Also, do you have a ear cleanser you like that helps relieve itchy ears? Picture shows how pink Méimei's eyes get when her allergies are bad. Thank you 💕

My babyyyy
I’m at an appointment missing my baby 🥹❤️

They got along just fine!

I don’t know why she suddenly got so frustrated with the tent. 😆 She looks so proud of herself at the end.

That’s it that’s all.

Ceci’s mom here again! I posted earlier about puppy blues and received so much support from this group—I’m very thankful for that, and I'm feeling better each day. ❤️

Recently, Ceci started doing what looked like a reverse sneeze. I sent the breeder a video, and she said it was normal and common for the breed. But something didn’t feel right. She started slowing down and wasn't as playful as usual, and I also felt that she was a bit warm.

I decided to take her to the vet, where they found she had a fever and her lungs sounded congested. They took an x-ray, and it looks like she has some form of bronchopathy or pneumonia. We’re currently waiting on the final results. This is her after getting a shot, poor baby, was so upset.

But that’s not even the worst part... She had been itching, and the breeder’s vet had prescribed Celestamine. She acted really strange after taking it. She seemed nauseated, started whining, and ran around the house as if she were in distress. I stopped the medication, and our vet confirmed today that was the right move. The dose the breeder’s vet prescribed was far too high for her age and weight, she could have died!

I’m so thankful she’s doing fine now, but I'm also really angry. Never doubt your gut when you feel something’s not right.

She is a year old. 🩷🩷

My pup looks like he has a little blonde hair coming out of his head, is he pure bred? The place we got him stated he was pure

Got our girl back from the groomer yesterday and noticed her skin seems very pink (had to shave her down because of matting and knots.) Does this seem too pink that it can be an issue? She scratches throughout the day but don’t think it’s enough that this is from scratching.

Also what the hell did the groomer put in between her eyes 😂😂 I hate it but my dog is a bitch and won’t let me get close enough to remove it lol

Hi everyone! I’m thinking of getting a Maltese puppy and wanted to know how friendly they are. Do they tend to bite or harm people, or are they generally affectionate and good with humans? Would love to hear your experiences with the breed! 🐶