Why Is my Maltese dog howling and crying at night?

There are many reasons that cause a Maltese dog to howl and cry at night. The most common reasons are they are suffering separation anxiety or they are scared. Maltese puppies especially may howl and cry more at night if they do not feel safe and warm or even if they are bored. There are a variety of solutions for each of these causes.

What are the main causes of my Maltese dog howling and crying at night?

The list of reasons a Maltese puppy might cry and howl at night include:

• They are bored
• They do not like to be alone and could have separation anxiety
• They have a lack of training
• They are just being a puppy and sometimes puppies cry
• They could be in pain or havbe other medical problems
• They could have an upset stomach or feel bloated
• They can hear other dogs howling
• They are scared or frightened

Your Maltese Dog is bored

Dogs in general and Maltese dogs in particular howl at night for many reasons, one of which is boredom. You need to understand that not all dogs stay quiet when they are bored. Some howl out of boredom or depression. Unfortunately, Maltese dogs are a special case when depressed, even though other dog species exhibit such traits. If boredom is the sole cause of its howling, try to provide them with some toys that keep them occupied. You can see our list of toys here: https://maltesedogadvice.com/best-toys-for-a-maltese-puppy/

Your Makltese Dog does not like to be alone and could have separation anxiety

Another reason why your Maltese dog may howl and cry at night is down to anxiety caused by separation. This is especially true if you and the dog share a very close connection. Where does your dog sleep at night? In a cage or confined space? Outside or inside the house, or does it sleep at a spot where it can not gain easy access to you? Humans are not the only ones who express grief when we miss the presence of a loved one; animals do too. Maltese dogs do not like to be alone, and a crying dog is a sign of loneliness or separation anxiety if there is no sign of danger around.

Your Maltese Dog lacks training

Great dog trainers place a lot of emphasis on training. While this may be one of the most unlikely reasons why your pet may howl and cry at night, please do not write it off. An indiscipline dog can be a problem for your household and neighbors too. If your dog feels there is nothing wrong with night howling, it will continue to do so. A lack of training may result in so many other issues, with howling being one of them.

Your Maltese Dog is just being a puppy and sometimes puppies cry

Puppies cry at odd times and for odd reasons, even when nothing appears to be wrong. If your Maltese dog is a puppy or juvenile, expect it to cry once in a while in best-case scenarios. In worse-case scenarios, the howling may become a normal occurrence. A puppy dog with its mother will be comforted easily, but if you are the sole care provider, your effort may not be enough at certain times, leading to howling at night to get your attention.

Your Maltese Dog could be in pain or have other medical problems

One natural reaction to pain or ailment are cries or vocal show of frustration. This is the case with Maltese dogs as well. If your dog is in pain, it may be that it is in pain or ill. While an untrained eye may not know what the issue is, an experienced trainer will. However, regardless of your dog training experience, constant howling and crying at night may signify that something serious is amiss. If you think your Maltese dog may be in pain consult your Vet to get a checkup and they can rule out any medical reasons for crying and howling.

Your Maltese Dog could have an upset stomach or feel bloated

One of the problems with feeding your Maltese dog very late is the problem of indigestion. Indigestion may make your pet very uncomfortable. If it is a stomach upset, it may also cause the same reaction. One sign to know if the issue is stomach-related is very simple to spot. For instance, if it was very quiet before you fed it, and soon after, it started to howl, the food may have caused a stomach upset. Another way to know is if the dog keeps fretting and moving from one place to another, making unusual sounds.

Your Maltese Dog can hear other dogs howling

Howling is one way that dogs communicate with each other. In fact, dog experts call it the DOG LANGUAGE. So, if your Maltese dog hears other dogs howling in the neighborhood, expect it to do the same. If the howling or cries continues for a very long time, your pet may not stop unless you quieten it. When you hear other dogs howling and your dog howls as well, do not no be alarmed; your dog is only having a conversation with his mates.

Your Maltese Dog is scared or frightened

Nothing can upset the peace of a home like a scared dog. So if your Maltese dog is scared of something or a part of your house, it will howl. To better understand this, you have to know how animals respond to fear. Fear response is either flight or fight. Animal species that are mainly hunters by orientation respond differently to animals that are natural prey. In the case of Maltese dogs, they are not as dominant as other dog species like Rottweilers, for example, so they are easily triggered. So a howling or crying Maltese dog may actually be a response to fear.

How do you stop a Maltese dog from howling and crying at night?

If you have a Maltese dog which is howling or crying at night then there are a few suggestions to help them to stop. These solutions for a crying Maltese include:

• Give them stimulus so they are not bored.
• Use a toy with a in built heartbeat to relieve separation anxiety
• Train your Maltese to be left along for a longer period
• Get a veternarian to check over your Maltese for health issues
• Feed them less at night
• Feed them earlier
• Do not encourage your Maltese dog to howl or cry
• Use a white noise machine to cover other noises

Give them a stimulus such as a toy, so they are not bored.

There are different ways to calm a howling Maltese dog. One of the ways to do so is to offer it a stimulus. A stimulus can be anything but make sure it is something that will capture its attention for a while. For example, toys or a light snack can be something your pet will find stimulating. Or even a cuddle can do the trick. Avoid feeding your dog heavy food late at night just because you want it to be quiet, as heavy feeding may lead to an entirely different problem. If you are looking for toys to entertain a bored Maltese check out our list of toys here: https://maltesedogadvice.com/best-toys-for-a-maltese-puppy/

Use a toy with an inbuilt heartbeat to relieve separation anxiety

A special toy with a built-in heartbeat can also relieve your pet of its anxiety. While a calm, thumping sound may not mean much to you, it certainly means a lot to a dog. A calm thumping sound like a beating heart coming from an object will capture its attention. As the sound continues, do not be surprised to see your dog extend its ears and pay rapt attention to the object as it tries to understand why the object is making such a sound. Dogs are curious creatures. A list of recommended toys for separation anxiety can be found here: https://maltesedogadvice.com/best-toys-for-a-maltese-puppy/

Train your Maltese to be left alone for a longer period

If you want your Maltese to be comfortable while alone for a long time, especially at night, you need to train it. A dog that hates to be left alone will cry to get your attention at night. Sleeping with their caregivers is one thing domesticated pets like. If you don’t want constant howling to be your lot, start training your Maltese to stay alone from a very young age. Try by leaving it on its own for a short period at night, then gradually extend the timeframe until it gets used to the experience.

Get a veterinarian to check over your Maltese for health issues

A healthy dog requires work. If your dog is sickly, it will always express pain and discomfort, especially at night. So, to ensure it is always healthy, don’t wait until you notice something serious before consulting a vet. For example, if you notice that your Maltese is always howling at night even after it has been well fed, and you can not seem to identify what the problem may be, take it to a vet in the morning for a health check.

Feed them less at night

Overfeeding is one of the leading causes of howling and wailing pet dogs. In a bid to ensure that their pet is well fed, many pet owners overfeed them. Just so you know, an overfed Maltese is just as bad as an underfed Maltese. While you want your dog to stay healthy by giving it a nutritious diet, you also don’t want it to suffer indigestion issues. So, we advise that you feed your pet less at night. Less food will lead to fast digestion and eliminate food-related stomach upsets at night. Speedy digestion will also allow it to sleep soundly at night

Feed them earlier

While feeding your pet less at night is a smart thing to do, feeding them on time is also advisable. No matter the food volume, late feeding may still lead to indigestion problems. So to be on the safe side, consider feeding your pet as early as possible between 5 pm-7 pm at night. Anything later than 7 pm may is not healthy.

Do not encourage your Maltese dog to howl or cry

Avoid any scenario or trigger that may cause your dog to howl or cry at night. An agitated dog will respond one way or another. Forcing it to stay quiet will only make it more restless. So the best course of action is to encourage it not to cry by protecting it from triggers. If it is easily scared, don’t leave it alone in a dark room. Just know what works for your dog and act accordingly.

Use a white noise machine to cover other noises

There are different types of noises, and one of them is white noise. White noise helps people sleep, and it has the same effect on pets too. So if you live in a neighborhood with distracting sounds or you have appliances in your home that make discomforting sounds, a white noise appliance can be used to ease your dog’s anxiety and cause it to sleep. Check out these cheap white noise machines at Amazon by clicking here.

Should You Ignore a Crying Maltese Puppy at Night?

There is no clear cut answer to this as it will depend on why theya re crying. If they only cry at night then it is likely a separation anxiety problem and you should let them cry for a while. if they are also crying during the day then it could be a medical or diet issue and theese should be checked by your Vet. be rest assured that with some training a Maltese puppy will stop crying at night.

Do Maltese puppies cry a lot ?

All puppies have their own personaility regardless of breed. Maltese Puppies tend to cry more if they are left with their parents for a longer period of time because they expect to feel the warmth and safety of their parent when sleeping. As a Maltese puppy becomes more accustomed to its surroundings and its owners it will feel safer and secure and will stop crying.

How did this Article do on answering your questions?

We strive to provide the most accurate, most comprehensive information on Maltese dogs. if you feel like we missed a question or you have another solution for a crying Maltese dog then please comment to let us know about it.