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Males lifting legs
by TERRY
ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Still trying to decide,on male verses female,to add to our family.We have a 5 ib. 17 mo. old.neurted,and might ad," hyper "male now. Will two males in the household, cause a problem,of one or both lifting their legs in the house?? I've heard this. I will take him to visit the puppys, before we decide, in about a week. So far ,our poll is running,2 for 1,for a female. At this point,we are looking for a layed back personality,also. Can't wait.
DISCUSSION:
Terry - I had a female spayed Maltese from the time she was 7 weeks old - our painter did a job for breeder and they couldnt pay for his services so gave him pup which he had for one week before giving her to me. Because she was away from her litter so young she was never properly socialized so was calm and gentle with us but nervous if little kids or other dogs were around. I now have male neutered Bichon and female Maltese puppies - the male is getting over his leg lifting habit. I told him very sternly if he ever peed on my walls, furniture bed or whatever again I would put clothespin on his willy or get him sex change operation. He took my words seriously and I have not seen any sign of leg lifting lately. Just before his operation he peed on my king size bed - sheets duvet and cover -his operation was late October so I guess he is out of testosterone by now but he is probably thinking I peed on the bed and got my testicles removed - she may be serious and I could wake up my own sister (LOL). Seriously I preferred a female when I got him but his female litter mate bit my ears so I took him. I was seriously grieving for my first Maltese at time so not rational. I would take a female next time although females can jump on your bed or sofa and pee too. If you live in quiet calm environment I think you impart that to the animals - if you have chaotic lifestyle and pandemonium reigns then I would expect a puppy to be hyper. I would think a laid back puppy would become hyper if living conditions changed and vice versa.
Shirley
Shirley, that is soo funny! LOL Terry, my vote is for a female!!! But it sounds like you're doing the right thing by taking your little boy to visit the new pups.
BeeGee
I've only had two "pairs" of dogs (two others were only dogs), one pair was two spayed females, the current pair is the surviving elderly spayed female and Spunky, a young neutered male. I think there's generally less likely to be competition for food, toys and maybe attention when you get the opposite sex. But if you have a male neutered at a young age I think "leg lifting" is not so much of a problem. Spunky was neutered at about 4-1/2 months and has been perfect in the house (on this subject at least) since shortly after he was neutered. He never has literally "lifted his leg" in the house. He uses papers and doesn't raise his leg. The first time I ever saw him raise his leg at all, was at age 18 months, on the lawn area in front of my building. I was surprised that he did that at all.
Margy S
My first Maltese was a little female, and very easy to housebreak. I now have a little male, who was age 1-1/2 when I got him. He had not been neutered yet, and he did mark the sofa first thing. After he was neutered, he is now the perfect little gentleman, and hasn't had one accident in the house, and when he does go outside, he doesn't lift his leg anymore. I must admit that my Mom's Pug gets along better with this little guy than she did with the little female maltese.
Denise R.
Hi,Well, since you've already got a male, you may want to get a female (be sure to have her spayed) to keep the risk of "alpha dog competition" down. ;) Let us know what you do!
Amy
I would recommend meeting the parents of any puppy that you may buy so that you can see what their temperments are. I have two females, one is VERY relaxed and the other is a frisky pirana wannabe. It is interesting to note that they both act just like their mothers (some would say just like people). I have four dogs total (3 breeds) and only one is a male. He definately is the most aggressive, despite neutering at 6 months. Good luck in your search!
Robin MC
I have had a bad experience with a male Maltese, so I can give you the other side of the picture. I first of all made the bad mistake of falling in love with a four-month old Maltese in a pet shop and taking him home, going against everything I've known for years about buying dogs! :-) He turned out to be a very alpha-agressive little guy. We had him neutered at six months of age and finally, when he was 11 months old, we found a new home for him because nothing I could do would cure him of leg lifting. He had been through three levels of obedience training, was great at beginning agility, and lots of fun to have around. But he would NOT quit lifting the leg and spraying furniture, carpets, and draperies; he was especially bad when we had company or overnight guests. I was told that to really cure him, I would have to crate him and watch him like a hawk for about six months, and probably I would have to recarpet the house to get the odor completely out. I finally found him a new home and explained the problem to the person who took him. She caught him in the act right away the first evening, scolded him, got him outside, and never had another problem with him that I know of. Go figure!!! Anyway, I now have a little girl furbaby and couldn't be happier. She is delightful, and we look forward to lots of years of obedience and agility with her. So my vote would definitely be for a female of the species. (I've always had females of other breeds previously, and so I guess I'm prejudiced to begin with.) Good luck, whatever your decision.
Peg
Hi Terry,I to am getting ready to get my first male maltese next week and I have the same concern about him lifting his leg. I have a female and I'm hoping that if I nuture him at 6 months it will help. A breeder also told me that the first time you catch him hiking his leg inside to pop him with a rubberband. This seems mean to me but she says it has always worked. Good luck on your new baby. Stacey
Stacey
My first Maltese was a male, the smartest male dog I have ever known. He was my very best friend. Second Maltese, another male, I then, got my first female, and she's a Daddy's little girl. I was a Daddy's little girl, and I have twin sons, so I do tend to fav males. I do have to say, when my female was pregnant, she was so warm and loving to me, she is still nursing, but I don't get that loving anymore, only Daddy !! As long as the Breed is Maltese, you can't go wrong with either sex !!
Jan Scofield
Stacey - if I caught Baxter lifting his leg I sure would want to pop him with a rubber band but by the time I found one he would be wondering what the h..l is wrong with that mother of mine - our newspapers used to come with rubber band and I always kept a few around one of the knobs in the kitchen but then I discovered I had a dog that liked rubber bands so got rid of them. I couldnt find a rubber band in a hurry now if it would save my life. Our mailman had a bad habit of throwing his rubber bands from stacks of mail on the lawn and it was always a mad dash to get to the things before the dog. He looked like he was chewing bubble gum when he got one and the ones the mailman left for him were far superior than the newspaper ones - I mean these had to be almost half inch wide - double bubble size. Since Baxter was neutered I have noticed that he sometimes doesnt lift his leg some times he just stands there and stretches and pees - it really looks macho when he does it. But when he goes for walk he sure lifts his leg.
Shirley
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