[Bijousmom]

Bijou follows me from room to room and I can't move without him right there with me. It was cute at first, but now it is getting irritating. I feel like a prisioner in my own home. If I step outside of his sight even for a minute he acts like I have been gone for hours. I don't know what to do, please help.

 

[Laceys mom]

I should have named Lacey "Velcro Strip." She is with me everywhere. I remember when my son was a baby and I could not go to the bathroom without him. Thought I was done with that...wrong! Lacey has to even be in the bathroom with me. She is great about me leaving for work and such but in the house she is attached to me. If she thinks I have been in the bathtub for too long she will do this little bark and bounce thing...so cute. She does wait in the morning for me to wake up but boy does her little butt bounce with joy when I finally do get up and start my day. Ever since she has been home with me when I leave I tell her "goodbye" and I don't make a big deal about it. When I come home I tell her "hello" but I don't make a big deal about that either. I think these little ones are just very big on having us around.

 

[k/c mom]

Yep, K & C are like that.... they are my shadows constantly. But I love that about them. Here is what our new SM member, Foxstone Maltese, says about this characteristic of Maltese on her web site: http://www.foxstonemaltese.com/maltese_faqs.htm#2.


"My puppy wants to be with me all of the time. He follows me everywhere and if I have been gone he greets me as if I have been gone forever....is this normal?

Maltese dogs are, in my opinion, companion animals in the truest sense of the word. They do not like to be alone and do not thrive under those conditions. They want to be with their person whether they are traveling around the world or just taking a bathroom break. In other words, it is very normal for your Maltese dog/puppy to want to be with you 24/7."

 

[Bijousmom]

I also feel guilty if I have to leave the house because he barks the whole time. I tried leaving him in his large metal crate and that wasn't any better because he had a BM in it and I had to wash everything that was inside. I have read that peanut butter inside a kong toy might help to keep him entertained. Can I use real peanut butter or does it need to be the kind in the can? I am open to any type of entertainment, please help. Maybe I should put him in the carrier beside my bed where he sleeps. I do always leave the TV on animal planet channel.

 

[k/c mom]

Originally posted by Bijousmom@Aug 16 2005, 10:38 PM
I also feel guilty if I have to leave the house because he barks the whole time.  I tried leaving him in his large metal crate and that wasn't any better because he had a BM in it and I had to wash everything that was inside.  I have read that peanut butter inside a kong toy might help to keep him entertained.  Can I use real peanut butter or does it need to be the kind in the can?  I am open to any type of entertainment, please help.  Maybe I should put him in the carrier beside my bed where he sleeps.  I do always leave the TV on animal planet channel.
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Regarding the barking when you're gone...... You'll need to train him to know that when you leave, you'll be back. Put him in his crate (whichever is his favorite place to snooze) and say a phrase... such as "Mommy's going out". Then leave for about a minute or two. Come back and don't make a big deal of being back. Let him out of the crate, etc. Then a little while later do it for maybe 3 minutes... then later on do it for 5 and then 10, etc.

Each time you leave, say the phrase and extend the time you're gone. I would do this over a couple days. He will get the idea that you'll be back. Also, by saying the phrase, he will know that when he hears that that you come back. I did that with my first Malt and with K & C. Now when I say, "I'm going to work", they both go trotting off to their crates. And the experts say not to make a big emotional thing out of leaving or returning. Just keep it matter of fact..... Of course, he will likely still go bonkers with excitement at seeing you when you return but that's OK!

P.S. Oh, forgot to mention.... if he is barking when you return, wait until he is not barking to let him out of his crate. You don't want him to associate barking wtih your coming home, etc.

 

[Maxismom]

Originally posted by Bijousmom@Aug 16 2005, 07:21 PM
Bijou follows me from room to room and I can't move without him right there with me.  It was cute at first, but now it is getting irritating.  I feel like a prisioner in my own home.  If I step outside of his sight even for a minute he acts like I have been gone for hours.  I don't know what to do, please help.

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Maxi is the same way everywhere i go there he is sometimes he can be resting so comfortable and i go into another room and he gets right up
im like maxi "mommy isnt leaving" i feel sad that he feels like that but this must be a trait of the breed
yesterday i was home and my dog walker comes on tuesday and weds
( gives me alittle break) she has been walking maxi for over a year now
so she comes in the house and he does his routine jumping up and down
we put the leash on him she goes to take him out for a walk he cries for me
i said maxi just go already

he goes and within 5 minutes he is back she said he kept turning back to come home
(waste of money) but i was like ok , this is my fault because i take him everywhere with me so he is attached
which is fine also in a way he shows me so much love,

 

[Bijousmom]

Thank you for the information and I will try this starting today. He will go in for exploratory surgery for neutering on the 25th and I really don't want him to go crazy at the Vets' office and maybe popping stitches or something.

 

[Maxismom]

that is a great website with facts
thanks

 

[paris]

Originally posted by Laceys mom@Aug 16 2005, 07:41 PM
I should have named Lacey "Velcro Strip."  She is with me everywhere.  I remember when my son was a baby and I could not go to the bathroom without him.  Thought I was done with that...wrong!  Lacey has to even be in the bathroom with me.  She is great about me leaving for work and such but in the house she is attached to me.  If she thinks I have been in the bathtub for too long she will do this little bark and bounce thing...so cute.  She does wait in the morning for me to wake up but boy does her little butt bounce with joy when I finally do get up and start my day.  Ever since she has been home with me when I leave I tell her "goodbye" and I don't make a big deal about it.  When I come home I tell her "hello" but I don't make a big deal about that either.  I think these little ones are just very big on having us around.
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This is almost exactly how Paris is. She will lay beside the tub while I am trying to relax and in the mornings I usually wake up to two paws on my shoulder and an adorable little white face staring at me or licking me trying to get me to wake up. Wouldn't trade it for anything...