Can I leave my Maltese dog outside?

Lots of Maltese dog breeders have a strong belief that it is cruel to leave any dog outside, especially a smaller breed like a Maltese dog. Nonetheless, experts have suggested that larger dog breeds could be left outside with lots of fur and fat so that they can cope with the weather conditions outside, which can sometimes be very hectic. But can a Maltese puppy be left outside?

No, a Maltese dog should not be left outside.

Maltese dogs don’t have many layers of fat, and they don’t have thick fur to protect from the cold. Maltese puppies also require lots of love, human care and attention. Leaving your Maltese puppy outside for most of the day can make it feel sad and distant from you. Maltese dogs thrive on attention, they love to give attention, and they also love to get attention. Their baby-like size makes it easy for them to lay with you on the couch, not taking up much space at all.

Maltese dogs are better suited for indoors, as they are adapted to temperatures that are suited well to humans. This is due to the Maltese puppies clingy nature to humans and the fact that they are very skinny digs covered by their fluffy fur. Maltese dogs require much more care, since they are much less likely to fend for themselves compared to a bigger breed of dog. If they don’t get the attention they need it could cause some behavioral issues for the Maltese puppy. Maltese dogs are a very social breed, this means that become sad if they aren’t receiving attention. It is common for dogs to become depressed if they are separated from their owner for a long period of time. This could be the cause of why your Maltese dog may become very cranky at visitors. If your Maltese puppy is sad for a long time it can cause it to become more depressed while also making it susceptible to many health issues. 

While keeping your Maltese dog in your house is a good idea it is also good form them to be outside time to time. If they stay in the house for a long period of time they can begin to feel isolated. Letting them go outside for around twenty to thirty minutes is great for their health. It lets them use their energy and run around for a while. Maltese puppies also like it when you or your family play with them outside because they love attention and are attention-seeking dogs. But getting exercise doesn’t have to be in the yard. You can go on walks with your Maltese dog if you feel more comfortable having them on a leach right next to you.

What Should I Be Concerned About While Leaving My Maltese Dog Outside?

Allergies : Maltese dogs are very prone to allergies. Having your Maltese puppy have an allergic reaction outside and you not being there could cause some problems. This means you have to look after your Maltese puppy carefully and treat them with great care. Your Maltese dog could be allergic to something, and you could have no idea that they are allergic to anything. This is why it is necessary to keep them in your sight at all times, especially outside!

Time Length : If you are going to be leaving your Maltese dog at home you should leave only leave them for eight hours at the most. If your Maltese puppy is going to be left outside alone it should definitely be for less than eight hours since they are outside in the harsher weather conditions and not indoors in the nice comfortable temperature. At the most six hours is how long you should leave a dog outside. However, with a Maltese you should aim more for the four or five hour mark. 

Predators/Larger Dogs : A concern you are sure to have if you want to leave your Maltese puppy outside is if there are predators around. They can be an easy target for things like large birds (hawks, eagle etc.) and Coyote’s. They can also be in danger from snakes entering your yard. The snakes could be poisonous and easily slip into the yard. Also, insects can easily try to have a go at your Maltese dog. They can get stinks from bugs which they could have unknown allergies too. Some bugs can be very fatal to Maltese dogs. Also some plants that appear in your yard could be poisonous for your Maltese dog. 

Weather : The weather conditions is also another concern for your Maltese puppy. It’s probably your biggest concern as Maltese dogs can get sick when they exposed to humid or freezing environments. They could develop hypothermia from the cold weather conditions. Your Maltese dog having a very low body heat can lead to death if you leave them out in these weather conditions. They could also suffer from a heart stroke if you leave them out in very hot conditions. The high temperatures aren’t good to leave your Maltese puppy in as they can’t get rid of the rapid heat by panting because of their short nose. It is hard to notice symptoms of overheating while your Maltese dog is in the yard. The symptoms for overheating include,

  • Change in breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Slower Walking
Cute Maltese puppy
Cute Maltese puppy

What precautions you should take when leaving a Maltese puppy outside?

If you have to leave your Maltese puppy alone, there is good news. Some people say that Maltese puppies love being outside and playing with toys. If you have to leave your dog at home there are few precautions you should take.

Fence Your Entire Yard

You must have the appropriate fencing if you want to keep your Maltese dog safe in your backyard. The fence is very important as it keeps your Maltese puppy safe in the yard and makes sure they don’t escape. But it’s also important because prevents predators like mentioned above from getting into your yard and hurting your Maltese puppy. 

Have a Kennel

Having a kennel in your backyard provides shade from the hot weather conditions causing your Maltese dog to be less likely to get heat stroke. Also, when there is a storm they are able to go inside their kennel where they will be safe from thunder and lightning. Maltese dogs who live in the yard also need a place to stay when the rain starts to pour down. This is why the kennel is such a great idea. It is a place for your Maltese puppy, to stay away from the rain, cool off from the heat and overall just relax. If your Maltese dog gets tired they can also have a little nap in their kennel to recharge after exercising.

Have Something For Them To Do

Maltese puppies are very social dogs as mentioned before, they enjoy having humans around to trade attention with. Without humans in the yard your Maltese dog will start to feel lonely and bored. Putting a few toys out in the yard will make them have something to do while waiting for you to return home and give attention to them. Them being bored could easily lead to them roaming around the yard searching for holes to squeeze through to leave the yard.


Food And Water


Food and water should be provided if you are leaving your Maltese puppy outside. After running around or playing with toys your Maltese dog is bound to feel tired. They will be panting and will need lots of water to drink after all their exercise. They will also become really hungry while outside so having a bowl of food is important for your Maltese puppy. You made need to provide more water than usual on hot days because your Maltese dog won’t be comfortable in the hot weather and will be panting like crazy. They will instantly gulp down lots of water to make themselves feel cooler and more comfortable in the hot weather conditions.

Install Security Cameras

Security camera are a great purchase if you have a Maltese dog. Security camera will help monitor your Maltese dog while you are away, at all times. You can observe your dog at any times with these security cameras to make sure they are doing ok in the yard on their own.

Inspect The Yard

Considering how much risk there is to leave your Maltese dog in your yard, you may want to take so time to inspect the yard thoroughly. This should be a regular things as there are many things you want to watch out for, these include,

  • Holes in the fence
  • Sharp objects around the yard
  • Poisonous plants
  • Snakes hidden in the grass (depending on where you live)

Talk To Your Vet

You should always talk to your vet first before making any big decisions involving your Maltese puppy. Getting professional advice on whether your Maltese dog should stay at home and how you should go about it, is definitely a decision you should talk to your vet about first.

Maltese outside
Maltese outside

What Dog Breeds Can Live Outside?

The idea of keeping your dog in a yard is becoming a less-favored idea. People see it as cruel and mean to leave your dog in the yard for the majority of the day. Some experts even believe it is dangerous for any and all dogs. However, certain breeds of dogs can survive better in yards than others.

Large and furry breeds can spend much more time outside in the cold than other dogs can and are much better in the colder conditions. Despite that, short nosed breed dogs go very poorly in hotter weather conditions. 

Some of the best dogs to keep outside are,

  • Livestock guard dogs breeds. (If they are very active they should be kept outside at all times)
  • Sled Dogs (As an example, Alaskan Malamute along with Siberian and Alaskan Huskies. They do very well in yards because of their very thick fur and the layers of fat that keep them warm enough for the freezing weather conditions.
  • German Shepherd (Can stay warm in colder weather conditions)
  • Bernese Mountain Dogs (Can stay warm in colder weather conditions)
  • Tibetan Massifs (Can stay warm in colder weather conditions)
  • Newfoundlands (They do very well outside)
  • German Short-haired pointers (Suited to be better in warmer conditions)
  • Labs (Suited to be better in warmer conditions)
  • Great Danes (Suited to be better in warmer conditions)

Dogs like pugs and french bulldogs are very uncomfortable in warmer weather conditions. As it is for the Maltese puppies as they find it harder to deal with the warm climate. Other dogs that find it hard to stay outside for a long time due to weather conditions are,

  • Bull Terriers
  • Japanese Spaniels
  • Shih Tzus
  • Puggles
  • English Toy Spaniel
  • Pekinese
  • Shar Pei

And many other short-nosed dogs are prone to heat stroke. All of these dogs are not a good choice if you want to have an outside dog as they suffer from all the things the Maltese dogs do, mentioned above.

An important factor in leaving a dog outside is if you decide to leave one of the better suited dogs outside you should leave them outside all the time. This develops a regular and daily habit for them. The only exception is for when they are sick as the dog’s health must always come first. Also, if the dog have been bred to live indoors suddenly putting them outside is hard for them.

Maltese dogs are great for your family, they are traditional indoors dogs and love to give you affection and for you to give them infection. This can be just simple pats and letting them lick you. Putting Maltese puppies outside has many dangers with it. Maltese dogs should also not be in isolation all the time and it is nice for them to go outside and run around freely and play with you and your family. Also keeping your Maltese outside all the time would be very dangerous because of how extreme temperatures can affect them. Therefore, if you are looking for an outside dog a Maltese puppy is not the dog for you. You should try a larger breed that fits your needs, as the Maltese dog is a house dog who requires lots and lots of affection.

How did we go at answering your Question on can you leave a Maltese dog outside?

leaving a Maltese dog outside is not recommended but it can be done for short periods. Do you have any other tips on precautions you can take when leaving your Maltese dog outside? have you had a dog which lived outside or inside and what do you find worked best? Let us know in the comments as we are always trying to improve our content for our readers and provide the best researched, most comprehensive information on Maltese dogs.