Are Maltipoos Aggressive?

Maltipoos are very intelligent animals and easy to train as long as you are consistent and train them correctly, which means no yelling or aggressive tactics. Using these tactics will make it more difficult for your maltipoo to learn obedience and aggression might increase if you don’t handle it right.

Although maltipoos are not commonly known to be aggressive, let’s look at a few reasons why a maltipoo might be aggressive.

Trying to establish dominance

Your little maltipoo might be showing signs of aggression such as growling, showing her teeth, or nipping at you when you try to take something away or when you get near her food. If this is the case, she may be trying to protect her status as a pack leader and exercise her perceived dominance over you.

Some ways to train your maltipoo to learn that humans are the pack leaders, is by ignoring your maltipoo if she barks at you because she wants something you have. Don’t let your little maltipoo do things you wouldn’t let a larger animal do such as jump up on you and walk all over you. If your maltipoo has something she shouldn’t, don’t try to fight her for it until she releases, but instead make sure things she’s not supposed to have are not available around the house. If she does have something she shouldn’t, present her with something that she can have and then remove the item you would not like her to have from being available in the future.

Pain or Health Issues

If your maltipoo is normally a happy non-aggressive dog but starts to show signs of aggression later on, it could be because of pain she’s feeling which can sometimes be internal. If your maltipoo begins to growl or nip at you if you touch her, I would advise you take her to the vet to be examined to make sure there is nothing wrong and that your maltipoo is not sick.

Aggressive during play time

Almost all dogs love playtime. It’s a great way to let out energy but it can easily get out of hand. Biting during play might seem fun and harmless when your puppy is 10 weeks old, but it can really get out of hand as they get older.

Here are a few things you could try to reduce or eliminate biting during play time:

When puppies play with other puppies, you’ll often see them chasing and nipping at each other. This all seems innocent until one of them lets out a YELP! and they both jump back wondering what happened. This yelp actually helps the other dog understand that they are being a little too rough and should learn to tone down their level of play.

If you use this technique while playing, your puppy will quickly learn how to be more gentle. Play around with her until she bites you and once she does, let out a yelp and hold your hand still and limp. Your puppy might be a little shocked and wonder what happened. Wait 5 or 10 seconds and then continue to play again. Continue this each time she bites and you might find she will stop using her teeth during play.

If this doesn’t work and biting gets to be too much, you can also use something like peppermint spray or a harmless spray that a puppy might not like. As you play with her and she bites you, let out the same yelp and then spray in the puppies mouth. This will help your puppy learn that every time she bites, she’ll get a bitter taste and will eventually learn that teeth are not for human skin.

Aggressive because of fear

This case may be unfortunate but if you have an adopted maltipoo and she has had experience of being abused, or if she is naturally just a more timid puppy, she may bite or run away because she feels intimidated. If this is the case with your puppy, it’s important to develop a pattern of trust. Make sure you’re not using any negative or harsh words or tactics and that you are calm and patient during training.

If you reach out your hand to pet your maltipoo and she shows her teeth or growls, consider giving her a treat to keep her occupied while you slowly and softly pet her. Some might think this is rewarding bad behavior but it’s quite the opposite. Your dog is growling or nipping because of fear. If she gets a treat during these times, her thoughts focus more on the love and affection and the treats. The more comfortable and at ease she feels, the less she is likely to show aggression in the future.

Consider hiring a professional trainer

Although I have given you a few guidelines, no 2 dogs are alike and situations can vary tremendously so there may be times it is recommended to hire a professional trainer. If your maltipoo shows continued aggression, especially if you have children in the house, talk to a professional trainer and ask for recommended steps to solve this aggression.