YvonneM

I can't comment on the purchasing of sibling Maltese puppies but I just wanted to comment that we bought one of our Maltese from a DOL breeder in the breeder listing above - and he is the most beautiful and loving boy ever - he is currently 15 months old - our older boy who just turned 3 was also purchased from a DOL breeder although a different one to our other boy - and he beautiful too - they are less than 2 years apart in age and are best buddies - our older boy was very well trained and obedient by the time we got our second fellow I actually think it made it easier to train the second one - as he seemed to take his cues from an already beautifully trained and obedient big brother!

I'm glad I saw this thread - it's too late for our trip in a couple of weeks our boys are booked into a kennel - but we are planning another trip about March next year so are going to start looking at Aussie house sitters. I think a trial run for a few days is a good idea too.

I kept the few baby teeth that I found of my older boy - they are in a little clip lock Baggie in his special box of stuff - but I never found any of his molars. I'll keep these ones too - I'm such a mushy sentimentalist!! Oh yes - puppies playing in the rain are such fun - wish he thought that going pee on the wet grass was just as much fun!! Put the sprinkler on on a warm day and it's a different story ...

You were right!! He IS a princess - funnily enough the rain has stopped and the grass has dried out and suddenly the grass is the surface of choice - I wasn't sure because he never had an issue with it before but perhaps hemhasmreached an age where he is making preferences LOL! I also wondered whether it could have had to do with teething - in the last 2 days we have found 2 of his,little back molars have fallen out - Yep found them on the timber floors (make an awful crunching sound if theynare stepped on!!). We will,keep a close eye on him when we nexf have inclement weather.

Ok - it seems like my boy might be a bit of a princess then because there's a few out there Im hoping thats the problem and that a couple,of days of dry weather will bring back my perfectly mannered little boy!! We've just been outside for the last 30 mins or so and he simply refuses to go near the grass. Showdog - no he is perfectly happy to go in and out the doggy door and in fact will,use that over the human door even,if we offer the human door - it's so funny - it's like no thanks I've got my own door!! HMD - no storms here the last couple,of days or nights - plenty of rain though!

We wondered whether it was the wet weather too but we've had wet weather before and it's not bothered him. He's inclined to follow our older boy and pee where he pees but right now he refuses to even set foot outside to toilet. Sheridan - we have gone back to basics and take him outside as soon as he wakes in the morning, after meals and after playing - we've waited outside with him for more than 30 mins sometimes - we just lock the doggy door so he can't get back inside and we sit outside with our cuppa and wait. We don't make a big deal about him going to the,toilet and just "hang out" with him hoping that he will realise he needs to go and just go - but he won't go - but as soon as we come back inside there it is!!!

I haven't posted in a little while but still read these forums on practically a daily basis - there's always something to,learn. I'm hoping someone can help me understand my pup's regression in his toilet training. Benson is a lovely sweet natured Maltese and has been a delight since he came to us at 11 weeks old. Toilet training has been relatively easy and he has trained beautifully. We have a doggy door which goes out to the backyard which he has access to 24/7. We also have a two and a half year old Maltese who i credit with assisting in the toilet training of our pup. Benson is almost 6 months old now and has been reliably toilet trained for the last 6 weeks or so. So my problem is in the last 2 days he has refused to,toilet outside - we will take him out as we always have done and stay with him but he simply sits and refuses to go but as soon as we come inside again we will pee or poo. We have had to restrict his access to parts of the house which we never had to do before and have gone back to crating at night - he was free ranging at night for the last 2 weeks or so. Our older boy free ranges at night and he is 100% toilet trained. He was desexed 2 weeks ago but was ok until about 2 days after his stitches came out. Any suggestions? I've tried restricting their access to the house by locking them outdoors however they bark a lot wanting to come back inside because they are house dogs and are used to being with us - I don't want to upset the neighbours with barking dogs!

I have used Meadowmist for over 10 years with out last little guy who was a maltese x - he was totally spoiled at home and I wanted to make sure he was well looked after when we went away. One time we were away for nearly 4 weeks. I never had any problems. Our boy stayed in their special care which is heated at night in winter and cooled at night in summer. They only have 4 special care rooms. Each dog had its own carer for the dU ration of their stay. I always provided my own (cooked) food for my boy which they were happy to feed him and they supplemented with their own as well if I wanted to. He had play time (which did cost avout $5 per day extra). Play time is in lovely fenced grassed paddocks (smaller for,the littles) and they are not socialised or mixed with other dogs without your consent. I have no hesitation in recommending Meadowmist based on my own personal experience with them. In more recent years though we have been using Don't Fret Pet - take a look at their website - lots of into there. You set your criteria of what you want in a carer (eg, I wanted a carer with no children and a doggy door available) and you can set how fR you are prepared to travel for a carer. Once they match you up with someone you visit them with your pet and inspect their home, garden and security to make sure you are satisfied and if you are happy you let the, know and confirm the booking. We have used the same lady at North Parramatta the last 2 times we have gone away for our current boy Nd will be using her again in Decembef this year. I liked that he got too stay in a home, inside, and even slept on her bed with her if he wished. Hope some of that info helps. I'm sure there are plenty of really suitable places for your fella to bed down for a couple of nights!!

How do they prevent dog fights? My friend's dog was attacked by another dog in some pet facility and I wonder if this could have been prevented. For this reason I am very worry to place my dog in pet motels. I've never had any problems with fights - my boy is kennelled in their special care facility - he is the only dog in his kennel. He is exercised with no other dogs unless I give my consent which I will not. I always ask that he has play time one on one with his carer at the facility. I would be very unhappy to find that he had play time or been exercised with another dog without my explicit consent. He is booked in for a 5 day stay in March again.

I can recommend Meadowmist at Marsden Park which is western sydney - have used them myself for many years and very happy with them. They have regular care and special care which is pricier - I always use special care for my maltese boy. In fact he is boarding there for today only while I have my house pest sprayed. They have a website so you can look them up.

Hmmm - so my boy is not so weird after all - he likes to shove his nose into my eye socket too - most particularly just as I have woken up and am givi my eyes a good rub - he tries to shove my hands out of the way so he can,lick!!

Another vote for Quakers Hill vets from me too - looks like there's a few that go there.

Great article and very helpful. I had remembered reading it quite some time ago out of interest, and this last weekend my boy had an episode of reverse sneezing. I would have otherwise rushed in a panic to my emergency vet quite convinced he was gasping his last breaths! Read article to hubby who also found it very helpful - and the suggestion of covering over the nasal passage for a couple of seconds worked a treat. Brought him out of the sneezing episode instantaneously!

My 18 month old Maltese has, over the last few days, developed an irritation on the top eyelid of his left eye, almost right on the lash line. It is not dissimilar to a small blister. It is quite irritating to him and he is inclined to rub his face against the carpet, on the couch or on the bed. When he does this the eye becomes red, watery, a little puffy and looks very uncomfortable, as I am sure it is. This morning the irritation seems to have also moved to his lower eye lid. It seems to clear up overnight and looks pretty good in the morning and during the day when he doesn't rub it, but flares up every time he does. A visit to our vet today and she says he suffers from hayfever. Vet has given him some tablets which are to be taken one a day every day for 7 days and then every second day for a further 14 days, along with an ointment to be put on the eye. As hubby took him to the vet (and I am at work as I post - shhh, don't tell!) I am not sure of the names of the tablets and ointment. Just wondered whether anyone else has had their dog suffer from hayfever and if so, how did you treat it? As he is a Maltese he has a long coat, but we keep him groomed and trimmed every month at a local grooming salon. He is due for grooming this Saturday but vet said not to get him done as shampoos etc may cause more irritation. All and any advice gratefully received - I hate to see my little boy in any pain and discomfort. Is there a gentle shampoo or something that I could wash him in myself?

This is my greatest fear - that my beautiful boy would be hurt, or worse, as a result of a moment of MY inattention. He is never allowed off lead until I am 100% certain that no harm can come to him .... and even then I still worry.