Maltipoo Breed Information
Maltipoo puppies are a stunning doodle crossbreed of a purebred Maltese and a purebred Miniature Poodle. These cute puppies are cheerful, smart, playful, and big fans of cuddles. Given the remarkable set of qualities they inherit from their parents, the Maltipoo puppies are sure to impress you with their receptiveness to training, upbeat personality, and loving nature. Maltipoo puppies grow into well-balanced adult dogs that are naturally friendly and affectionate. They get along well with other household pets, and are fond of being part of a family with children.
BREED TYPE / MIX
Doodle Hybrid / Poodle crossed with a Maltese
ENERGY
Moderate
SHEDDING
Minimum
TRAINING
Responsive
TEMPERAMENT
Affectionate, Energetic, Gentle, Intelligent, Loving
ADULT WEIGHT
5-10 lbs
ADULT HEIGHT
9-12 in
LIFE SPAN
10-14 yrs
Characteristics
- Maltipoo puppies are a mix between a purebred Maltese and a purebred Miniature Poodle
- Other names the Maltipoo mix is known by are Maltepoo, Maltese Poodle mix, Multipoo, and Teddy Bear Maltipoo
- Sweet, gentle, and playful, Maltipoo puppies make an excellent addition to a family with kids
- Given their eagerness to please and high intelligence, Maltipoo puppies respond very well to training
- Maltipoo dogs are originally from the United States
- Known to be responsive to human emotions, Maltipoos make amazing therapy dogs
- Hypoallergenic Maltipoo. As a mix between two hypoallergenic dog breeds, the Maltipoo has low dander and a low-to-non-shedding coat
- Adult Maltipoo dogs are very friendly towards other dogs, pets, and strangers
- Maltipoos are a moderately energetic dog breed that can adapt to an active or relaxed lifestyle
- As a low-maintenance dog breed that is independent and easy to train, the Maltipoo is a great match for seniors, single owners, families, and novice owners
Appearance
Maltipoo dogs are toy-sized, graceful, elegant, and perfectly adorable. Like their parents, they have a strong, athletic build, dark, round-shaped eyes, small floppy ears, dark-colored button noses, and a fluffy tail that is curled at the top. Their steps are graceful, their demeanor is kind, and their body language inspires friendliness.
The Maltipoo hair is usually wavy or curly, rich, thick, and low shedding. Maltipoos can come in various colors that are inherited from their parents and appear with different color patterns. Color combinations and solid-colored coats are both common in adult Maltipoo dogs. Common Maltipoo colors include black, white, brown, chocolate, red, cream, and apricot.
As a mix between two toy-sized dogs, the Maltipoo generally weighs less than 10 pounds and as little as 5 pounds and has an average height of 9 to 12 inches. The adult Maltipoo size is smaller in Toy, Teacup, and Micro Teacup Maltipoo dogs.
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Temperament
Maltipoos are calm-tempered dogs that don’t possess aggressiveness or territorial behavior. They are kind, sociable, and very friendly dogs when it comes to others. Sweet, lively, and perfectly gracious, the Maltipoo was made for an environment in which affection and love are dominant.
Maltipoo dogs and puppies enjoy having a crowd around them, especially if they are the center of attention. Given their need for entertainment and passion for tricks, these dogs are bound to put on a show for family members and friends. As people-oriented dogs, they are also friendly towards strangers. They enjoy attention from anyone willing to give it, and they are fans of praise and compliments.
Maltipoos also love being part of a large family or a multi-pet household, but they can become jealous if another pet gets more attention than them. Spoiling these dogs too much can also come with undesirable consequences like over-attachment, excessive barking, refusal to follow commands, or separation anxiety when left alone. If not spoiled, Maltipoo dogs are naturally independent, well-behaved, and perfectly happy to be on their own a few hours per day.
Care
Maltipoo Grooming
Maltipoos are a low-shedding dog breed with very few grooming needs. To have an easy time grooming your dog at home, it is best to begin short grooming sessions when your puppy is very young. Allowing your puppy to get comfortable with being handled before its first haircut is not only beneficial for the transition from home to professional grooming, but also for making the home grooming process a lot easier. Usually, grooming requirements depend on the length and haircut of your dog’s hair.
If your Maltipoo has a teddy bear cut or a puppy cut, you will need to brush it once or twice every week. If you opt to keep your Maltipoo’s hair long, you will need to brush it once every two days to avoid tangles or matting. Your Maltipoo will also need to have its ears checked and cleaned regularly, and its teeth brushed a few times per week. You can give your Maltipoo a bath every month or so to keep its coat shiny and smooth, or sooner if required.
Maltipoo Exercise Needs
As puppies, Maltipoos have plenty of energy to spend and will require more frequent walks throughout the day. Up to 5 daily walks would be ideal for young Maltipoo puppies, not only to help them learn where to go when nature calls, but also to allow them to investigate and discover their surroundings. For adult Maltipoos, exercise requirements are lower.
One or two daily walks of a combined 30 minutes should suffice to keep them exercised. Indoor games, chases, and their favorite fetch activities, are also great ways to keep your Maltipoos exercised, stimulated, and happy.
Maltipoo Health
As hybrids, Maltipoo dogs enjoy excellent health. Generally, mixed breeds like the Maltipoo are not prone to the same health problems as their purebred parents. Some health conditions that are possible within the Maltipoo breed include white shaker syndrome, cataracts, patellar luxation, and hypoglycemia.
Maltipoo Lifespan
The Maltipoo life expectancy is between 12 and 15 years. To help your Maltipoo exceed 15 years of age, provide a healthy diet of high-quality dog food or home cooked meals that are especially designed for dogs and keep your dog exercised regularly.
Maltipoo Training
Maltipoo puppies are an easy dog breed to train, especially given their drive to please. As a cross between two of the world’s most intelligent dog breeds, Maltipoo puppies inherit a greater intelligence than most dogs. They can be trained easily for basic dog commands and are also excellent puppy students for agility and obedience training. When training a Maltipoo puppy, it is recommended to use a gentle approach and reward-based training methods. Generally, Maltipoo puppies enjoy their puppy treats as much as petting and words of praise.
To have a well-socialized Maltipoo adult dog, it is best to begin introducing your Maltipoo puppy to different dogs, people, pets, and children, as early as possible. Begin introducing your puppy to various friends or family members indoors first, in a quiet and low-distraction environment. Once your puppy is comfortable with interacting with others in its comfort zone, you can move on to a place where there are more distractions and gradually introduce other people or pets.
Leash training should also begin indoors, before your puppy’s first walk, to ensure a smooth transition. Allow your Maltipoo puppy to become comfortable with its leash or harness before its first walk, and practice basic leash commands and recalls indoors.
History
Maltipoo puppies are a designer crossbreed of a purebred Maltese dog and a purebred Miniature Poodle. Like most Poodle crossbreeds or doodle breeds, the Maltipoo puppies were designed to be hypoallergenic companion pets for allergy-suffering owners. They were first created in the United States a little over three decades ago and, although they aren’t as ancient as some pure breeds, their popularity has matched that of their parents. Since their inception, Maltipoos charmed the world with their dog skills and instincts. They have proven to be even more remarkable than Maltipoo breeders envisioned when they began designing them.
In the 30 years or so since they first appeared, the Maltipoo dogs have made headlines with their elegant appearance and delightful personalities. They have shown excellent qualities for therapy work as well as great responses to any type of training. As it was intended, Maltipoo puppies also benefit from better health, often being protected from the ailments that affect their parent breeds, all as a result of their crossbreed genes.
Although most Maltipoo puppies are a first-generation crossbreed of a Maltese and a Poodle, there are also second and third-generation Maltipoos like the Maltipoo and Maltipoo mix and the Maltipoo backcrossed with a Poodle. Given their ever-rising popularity, Maltipoos are also found in different size variations such as the Toy Maltipoo, Teacup Maltipoo, and Micro Teacup Maltipoo.
