Maltese Dogs and Emotional Stress

Some of the signs that a dog is emotionally stressed out are straightforward, but others may surprise you. Signs may include 1 or more of the following:

This article was published during the very stressful time of the coronavirus pandemic, which quickly affected people around the globe. In a matter of months, and with little warning, life changed, and those changes were felt not only by people but by pets too. Aside from this, there are several other events and situations that can cause a Maltese to suffer from emotional stress.

When people feel stressed and overwhelmed, this can easily transfer to others in the household, including pets. So, it’s important to look at your own stress levels, the general vibe in the house, and how your Maltese may be feeling. 

It's been known for some time that stress affects dogs, sometimes to a severe degree. And it's also been proven that stress has measurable and often severe health consequences for humans. So, does long-term stress affect a dog's health? There are many more studies that need to be done in this regard. However, there are some studies on canines and stress that indicate dogs that suffer from chronic stress have shortened life spans, more skin disorders, increased rate of infections, lower antibody response to vaccinations, and increased occurrences of gastric ulceration. 

There’s no need for the house to be dead quiet, but TVs and stereos should not have their volumes blasted. If your Maltese is gets spooked by the vacuum, blender, or other loud household appliances, have someone bring them to another room or outside.  

As a general rule for all dogs, and especially for those that are feeling stressed, it is important to offer a quiet, peaceful, and completely undisturbed area to eat and drink. There should be no foot traffic at all, no one should be sitting nearby, and talking to a dog while they eat or drink should be kept to a bare minimum. If you have more than one pet, though they may like eating together, it can create feelings of competition and each pet may appreciate their own private areas (for example, two separate corners of the kitchen).  

If there are young children in the house or that come as visitors, proper handling should be taught and interactions should be supervised.   

If there is yelling or angry disagreements in the household, this is sure to stress out everyone, including your Maltese. While you cannot always control how someone else acts, if things get heated, perhaps you can leave the room/house with your Maltese until things cool down. 

Dogs are creatures of habit. They like to know what will happen when. So, when things don’t happen as expected, it can cause them to feel uneasy. And when things do happen when expected, it offers a sense of security. 

Some stressful events such as the loss of a family member or not seeing someone special any longer (a dog that used to be a playmate moves away, a favorite groomer retires, etc.) can be particularly difficult to navigate. 

Canine ears contain a very dense network of nerves. When the ears are massaged, this sends certain nerve impulses to the brain, releasing endorphins (the feel-good chemicals that are awesome stress-reducers). 

It may be no surprise that feeling emotionally stressed can cause physical tension. This holds true for both humans and dogs. Canines tend to hold their stress in their upper legs and shoulders (withers). Giving your Maltese a massage on these areas can help ease that tightness and reduce feelings of stress. 

In case you haven’t tried this for yourself yet, aromatherapy involves the scents of certain essential oils, either applied topically or via a mist, which can be very effective in producing calming effects, among other emotional responses. Studies, like this one from the NIH, show that lavender can reduce stress for both humans and dogs. 

Pheromones are chemical messages that travel through scent and work as a sort of communication system. There are many types and they are species-specific, meaning that a human pheromone will not send a message to canines and vice-versa. Dogs rely on pheromones quiet a bit, as these are involved in the greetings that dogs do (when sniffing the anal glands of each other) to learn about the other dog’s gender, health status, and mood. 

An anxiety jacket, also known as an anxiety vest, shirt, or compression wrap is a (normally) soft fabric that wraps around a dog, similar to an adjustable shirt. It provides gentle pressure and the methodology of doing this is similar to swaddling a baby. It can work very well to help keep a dog calm and feeling secure under stressful circumstances. 

It’s not always possible to avoid all stress, but there are definitely steps you can take to greatly minimize anxiety and help your Maltese feel calmer and more secure. 

When a Maltese Smells Bad - Regardless of how a puppy or dog looks, there can be an odd odor. See the most common reasons and exact steps to have your Maltese smelling nice and clean again. 

When a Maltese Chews at Their Paws - Reasons for this include allergic reactions that cause itching, irritation from walking surfaces, stress, and habit. Learn how to respond and stop this behavior. 

When a Maltese Eats Grass - If your little guy or gal loves to munch on grass, see why this can be detrimental and ways you can stop this habit. 

Vaccination Schedule for Maltese - A summary of which shots are needed when. Includes both puppy vaccinations and adult boosters.