Maltese lick their owners out of instinct, affection, and communication, often releasing feel-good endorphins, tasting salty skin, showing submission, seeking attention, or simply because it's a learned habit from puppyhood that gets rewarded with cuddles, much like their mother's grooming. It's a way to bond, explore the world through taste and scent, or self-soothe if bored or anxious, similar to social grooming in a pack.
Licking is a natural and instinctive behaviour to dogs. For them it's a way of grooming, bonding, and expressing themselves. Your dog may lick you to say they love you, to get your attention, to help soothe themselves if they're stressed, to show empathy or because you taste good to them!
Dogs often use licking as a primary means of communication with their human companions. When your dog licks your hands, it can be a sign of affection, a request for attention, or a way of interacting with you. Understanding the context and your dog's body language is key to interpreting what they are trying to convey.
However, their intense love for their humans means they don't do well when left alone for long periods. A lonely Maltese might develop separation anxiety, resulting in excessive barking or getting into mischief.
Yes, it's generally considered to be a healthy practice to let your dog lick your face. Dogs have a much stronger immune system than humans, and their saliva contains antimicrobial agents that can help protect us from infection.
Dogs say "sorry" through submissive body language like tucking their tail, lowering their head, making "puppy eyes," licking, and rolling onto their backs to show they're not a threat, which are appeasement signals to diffuse tension after a conflict or misbehavior, often combined with whining or approaching and retreating. They recognize when their human (or another dog) is upset and use these signs to seek forgiveness, though it's more about reducing stress than human-like guilt.
Leaning into you
Leaning against your leg (or whatever part is closest to them) is a big sign that they love you. If you find your dog leaning against you, take a moment to pet him and show him some extra affection.
#1 Don't feed your Maltese food with additives or fillers.
Another is chemical preservatives which is a top cause of allergies and are linked to many serious health issues. Other ingredients to avoid include fillers (like corn and its by-products), high levels of wheat, meat by-products, and generic meats and oils.
Your Maltese puppy should remain playful and eager to have fun throughout most of their life, but you can expect them to calm down significantly once they reach 3-4 years of age. They will still love to have fun with their family, but they should no longer be bouncing off the walls at this point.
You should not plan to leave your Maltese dog alone for more than four hours a day on a regular basis. As we've discussed, these dogs thrive on companionship and can become very lonely when left alone for long stretches of time.
Dogs lick their humans for all kinds of reasons including as a sign of affection or as a way of saying 'hello' or getting your attention. Licking can also occasionally be a sign that something is wrong.
Labrador Retriever
This outgoing and friendly dog breed has the top spot as being the lickiest of them all. They love to show affection in this way and the Labrador Retriever is friendly with all age groups so they are likely to lick all types of people.
Dogs, while domesticated, are still often ruled by instinct. That means they can develop preferences depending on a variety of factors like: Early socialization: The person who was most present during their critical developmental period (usually between 3-12 weeks) often gets the golden ticket to favorite status.
Affection. Of course, licking can absolutely be a sign of affection too. As much as dogs will lick their owners for attention, they are seeking attention from you because they want to interact with you. You're also pretty tasty to your dog, especially with your post-workout salty skin!
The Maltese have been around humans for over two millennia. As a result, they love people and want to be everyone's best friend! They're affectionate companions who build strong, trusting bonds with their owners. Once you've built a bond with a Maltese dog, they'll want to please you and make you happy.
How to Reduce Excessive Licking
Common Health Concerns for Maltese
The 3-3-3 rule for dogs is a guideline for the adjustment period after adoption, outlining three phases: 3 Days (decompression, feeling overwhelmed/scared), 3 Weeks (starting to settle in, learning routine, personality emerges), and 3 Months (feeling secure, bonded, and truly at home). It helps new owners manage expectations and be patient as their rescue dog transitions, emphasizing calm energy, routine, and space in the early days to build trust.
Wagging tail and body
The most well-known sign of a happy dog is a high and wagging tail. Although every dog breed has a different relaxed tail position, happy dogs will generally raise their tails slightly. And when a dog is really happy, his whole body can wiggle along with his wagging tail.
Maltese dogs are known for their charming and affectionate nature. They thrive on human companionship and form strong bonds with their owners. They love being the centre of attention and enjoy cuddling and lap time.
Disciplining a Maltese, or any dog, should focus on positive reinforcement and gentle, consistent training methods rather than harsh discipline or punishment. Positive reinforcement involves rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, and affection.
Maltese dogs can be easily hurt during boisterous play, so they're not well-suited to families with children too young to know boundaries. They're also known for being sensitive to loud sounds and highly charged environments and can even snap if they feel pushed too far.
An hour for a dog feels much longer than an hour for a human because dogs perceive time more slowly due to their faster metabolism and heightened awareness of routines, so a 10-minute wait can feel like 70 minutes to them, and your hour-long absence feels like an eternity, though they don't grasp clock time but rather the intervals between events like meals, walks, and your return.
The hardest "commandment" (command) to teach a dog is often considered Recall ("Come"), due to powerful natural instincts to explore or play, followed by impulse control commands like "Leave It/Drop It", and complex obedience actions like the "Finish" (positioning at the handler's side) or "Heel", requiring intense focus and self-control, especially with distractions like other dogs or interesting sights/smells.
For dogs, pawing is a natural behaviour, often used to attract attention or invite play. As they grow, dogs quickly learn that repeating actions that get a response will work again. A paw on your arm may lead to you fussing them, playing with them, or even just giving eye contact and speaking.