Maltese goes on the attack! Please advise...

Hello,

I have been housesitting for a friend who's been in the hospital and have been caring for her dogs, one of whom is a male Maltese. The other five are other toy/miniature breeds. Teddy is staying with my friend because his owner has cancer. He is used to getting lots of attention from two little girls who haven't visited him for a long time. He is unused to other dogs. His only way of communicating is growling and barking. He pushes his way onto my lap and practically sleeps on top of me. Lately, he's twice attacked a friend of my friend who's come over who is mean, called my friend stupid (he's verbally abusive when he's been drinking), snubbed me, and tried to send a cat to the pound just because its tail was chewed off by a dog. My friend took the cat in--it's a lovely cat. Recently the guy brought over a pregnant feral cat that he captured. She had five kittens at my friend's house. I happen to know that the guy is a very mean drunk, and now he wants one of the one-month-old kittens!! Over my dead body! When Teddy the Maltese went ballistic and attacked the guy, I had to walk away because I started laughing. Go, Teddy, go! I squeeze him, growl back at him, etc., yet he is a real teddy bear with me. Question: why do you all think Teddy attacks this guy (who makes no overtures toward Teddy at all)? Do you think he senses that the guy may have mistreated animals? I should add that Teddy chases a couple of my friend's cats. Sometimes I walk him so he can let off steam. I suspect he may feel a little abandoned and that the other dogs may get on his nerves a little. Opinions?

P.S. I'm very fond of Teddy.

I'm sorry, I found it very hard to follow your story of whose dogs are where.

Re. your question, the only time I have ever known my older dog to growl at anyone, was at a very drunk person, who repeatedly tried to approach us in a pub where we were on holiday, despite his mates telling him to back off as he was upsetting the dog. In my experience, dogs just do not understand "drunk", and just think the person is acting in a very odd / scary way.

I hadn't considered the possibility that the guy was drunk when he came over and Teddy attacked him. So that's it! I suspected Teddy smelled something on him that he didn't like (like the guy's cats, but I pet my friend's cats at her house, so that couldn't be it). The guy wasn't walking or talking funny, though (he didn't act drunk), but you never know. The dog sensed that something wasn't right. Sometimes animals just know things, don't they? Do you go by how your pets have reacted to people around you over the years? I know some pet owners do. Thanks so much for your insightful response.

Well I certainly wouldn`t have you house-sitting for me if you allow abusive people in and encourage the dog to attack them
I`m amazed you find it funny.
Does your friend know about this?

Why on earth are you letting this drunk man in the house in the first place? Teddy doesn't like him because he's, like you have said, threatening and dogs are not stupid as far as human body language goes.

He's feeling very insecure right now and this isn't helping.

Hi. I didn't let the person in, my friend who owns the house did when he came over to replace the kitchen faucet. I never let him in, I just happened to be there. This same guy was going to take a lovely cat to the pound (to be killed) because a dog chewed her tail off, or nearly so. My friend, whom I was housesitting for, rescued the cat and had her tail amputated. She is now the happiest, friskiest cat you've ever seen. In addition, the guy called my friend "stupid" over the phone when he was drunk. When the Maltese went on the attack, I was a good 20 feet away, standing behind him. The Maltese was waiting for the guy at the gate when he came in and then pounced on him. So I didn't "encourage" Teddy, not at all, and the guy wasn't hurt, or I wouldn't have thought it amusing. Simply put, you weren't there, and you made an incorrect assumption about my supposedly encouraging Teddy. He has a mind of his own, and anyone familar with this breed will tell you how smart and independent they are. Enough said.

Mel

Hi. See my reply to an indignant ClaireandDaisy. I would never associate with him (he snubbed me at one point) but I can't tell my friend what to do. When sober, he has helped her, but like most drunks, has a Jekyll and Hyde personality. I forgot to mention to ClaireandDaisy that my friend saw the whole thing, including my having to walk off because I was laughing. The guy trapped a pregnant feral cat in his house and took her to my friend's, where she recently had five kittens. The guy is asking my friend for a kitten, and I told her not to give him one of the precious darlings. She says she won't. So he took in a pregnant cat. Like most people, the guy is both good and bad. I know I am. But I hate meanness more than anything.

Teddy's in a new situation with new people and that's going to make him anxious/insecure. If he's used to regular walks then make sure to keep up on that as it will help him feel better.

As for him attacking the guy, that cant happen anymore. He's doing it because he's already stressed and he can feel that that guy is a threat. If he comes over while your are at your friend's again, the best thing to do is leave. You said its happened twice and thats one too many times for it to happen (I can understand an accident once, but not twice). The last thing you want to do is give Teddy back to his owners with a behavioral issue, and if you continue to let him attack this guy, that's exactly what will happen

dogs have far greater senses than humans, he can probably sense he is an unbalanced person.

Very sensible response. As a matter of fact, I have been taking him for walks with my friend's Papillon. I call them the "Dynamic Duo." What energy. Whew! Great advice--more frequent walks. Thank you.