When it comes to a hybrid dog, Maltipoos are the one that comes with uniqueness. With their calm, affectionate, and smart nature, there is no doubt that the Maltipoos are known as therapy dogs that regularly go into places such as schools to work with children.
Maltipoos are active and charming dogs that can accompany you on walks every time. If you are interested in Maltipoo puppies, you can find out general information and interesting facts about them in this post. Here you go!
What is a Maltipoo?
The Maltipoo is a cross between a Maltese Terrier and a Poodle that is affectionate and gentle. That’s why Maltipoos are the perfect companion for young families because they can fit in any kind of home, from an apartment to a house. No matter where they live, Maltipoos will love being with people inside—never outside or in kennels.
Maltipoos are the perfect pets for those of you who spend a lot of time at home, especially for elderly people since they can handle them carefully. However, they are very sensitive breeds, so it’s not recommended for you to leave them alone for long periods—preventing them from getting anxious.
Originating in the United States in the 1990s, maltipoos have quickly grown in popularity. Historically, Maltipoos were bred specifically to be a small-breed companion dog for allergy sufferers, with the intention of creating a dog that is small and heartwarming. Even though every puppy is different in the amount of allergens he generates, but in any case, Maltipoo has charming fur with increasing popularity.
Although Maltipoos are not recognized by the AKC due to many health concerns, they are a great choice for an animal lover or a first-time dog owner since they are easy to train and learn quickly. They are also loyal companions that will keep you safe from any threats and will also alert you to everything that is going on.
Maltipoo Coat Color
The interesting thing about Maltipoos is that we never know what color we may get from the resulting cross. Since they’re called a “designer breed,” it may be hard for you to predict their appearance for certain.
The most common colors that Maltipoos have are black, brown, apricot, white, gray, silver, red, and cream. Even some can also be merle or parti that means having large quantities of two different colors in their coat.
Talking about the coat color of the Maltipoo, we can say that they have a low-shedding, low-dander coat with a soft, fluffy, wool-like texture. The length of their coat will vary, ranging from medium to long and from slightly wavy to curly.
Another fact about the coat color of Maltipoos is that they do not have a deep, solid color for the first generation since one parent is a Maltese, which are solid white dogs. When a breeding is done, the solid white of one parent will mix with the coloring of the other parent. It often results in faded coloring.
Because the coat type of a Maltipoo will depend on which genes they’ve inherited, Maltipoos who take more after Maltese terriers will tend to have silky, soft coats with fairly straight hair. Otherwise, if they are more like poodles, they tend to have a curly and thick coat. If they have wiry and wavy coats, it seems to be a mixture of the two breeds.
Maltipoo Size
Due to the size factor of the Poddle parent, it’s also hard to determine the size of a Maltipoo. When it comes to their size, there will be variety involved since Maltipoos combines two different purebred parents.
Generally, Maltipoos can weigh between 5 and 25 pounds, and they will not grow to be more than 14 inches tall, putting them in the small dog category. They can reach their full size between 8 and 12 months old.
In addition, the actual size of each dog will be determined by the genes that they inherit from their parents. We already know that Maltese terriers are small dogs, while Poodles, especially miniature Poodles, are the larger of their parents.
To make it easier for you to check the size of a Maltipoo, you can take advantage of some websites that provide the interactive Doodle puppy growth calculator, e.g., Doodledoods.com. With the use of the tool, you can try to learn more about the different sizes and growth patterns of the Maltipoo breed. So, you can easily predict and track the weight of your Maltipoo puppy from birth to adulthood.
Maltipoo Characteristic
When we talk about the characteristics of the Maltipoo, you will find that they are the kinds of hybrid dogs that are praised for their personalities and temperaments. Maltipoos are calm, loving, heartwarming, and gentle breeds that have a high social life. It does not surprise me if you see Maltipoos who enjoy spending time with their owners above all else.
Reportedly, the temperament of Maltipoos is hard to bear since they are fun-loving and happy to play with their humans. They might go by from the lap of their owner and will enjoy a good play session. If you really want a dog that can snuggle in your arms after a long day, Maltipoos are the perfect choice.
Maltipoos are also smart dogs who really love learning new tricks, making them easy to train. In addition to barking when they get bored, Maltipoos will also protect you a lot since they will bark when they see strangers in front of your house. That’s why Maltese are known as alert dogs.
Another fact about Maltipoo personality that you should know is that they do not want to spend too much time alone. If you leave them alone for a long time at home, they may struggle with separation anxiety. Of course, Maltipoos are the dogs that make the best household pets because they can spend enough time with their humans.
Even though they are affectionate dogs, Maltipoos need to be socialized as properly as possible in puppyhood. Just like other hybrid dogs, they also need early socialization when they are young to get them used to meeting many different people, sounds, sights, and also experiences. However, socialization in dogs will help ensure that your Maltipoo puppy will grow up to be a well-rounded dog.
Maltipoo Food
When it comes to the best food for Maltipoo, raw food is the best meal for the dog, according to some owners. Why? Raw food, however, provides the natural components they really need. Of course, they will adapt and survive for some time. In addition, raw food can be easily created at home with your own DIY raw food recipes.
Another fact you should know is that the stomach of a dog is not anatomically designed to digest and ferment carbohydrates that are commonly used as the main ingredient in kibble. However, grain-free kibble often contains high levels of starchy carbs such as peas, legumes, and lentils.
If you feed your Maltipoo with kibble, it may put their system under pressure that creates metabolically stressful insulin, cortisol spikes and glucagon throughout today. Aside from that, it can also cause inflammation and put strain on vital organs, causing a host of serious health conditions.
In fact, processed dog food that contains high amounts of additives, synthetic, and chemical ingredients can disturb the balance of the microbiome by triggering harmful bacteria. The imbalance can then cause “leaky gut” in your Maltipoo, a condition where the intestine lining becomes permeated.
In the body of a dog, there is a mucous membrane that provides an effective barrier against toxins that pass through and enter the dog’s system. If the lining is disturbed, food particles and toxins leak through and trigger an immune response and systemic inflammation, all of which make your dog more susceptible to illness.
Since most of the immune system on dogs is located in the gut, that’s why the gut environment is important to effective immune response. A healthy gut environment can be potentially supported by giving raw food to your Maltipoo and can also be maximized by dog supplements.
Even though raw food is the best diet for your Maltipoo, processed dog food is not always bad, as long as you identify the ingredients contained in a packaged processed food that is rich with protein, minerals, and vitamins. Of course, the selections with high-quality ingredients will help keep your Maltipoo healthy.
To make it easier for you to choose a Maltipoo dog from the wide variety of brands available, we’ll show you the top 10 best dog foods for Maltipoos based on hundreds of pet parent reviews. Here they are:
- Wellness Small Breed Natural Food for Dogs
- My Ollie Chicken Recipe
- Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Dry Dog Food
- Halo Holistic Chicken & Chicken Liver Small Breed Dog Food
- Blue Buffalo Small Breed Senior Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
- The Farmer’s Dog Turkey Recipe
- Rachael Ray Nutrish
- Castor & Pollux
- Hill’s Science Diet
- Solid Gold Toy and Small Breed
Maltipoo Feeding Time and Diet
Maltipoo’s diet plays an important role in their health. In addition to choosing high-quality dog food formulas, the feeding schedule is also a concern if you have a Maltipoo puppy. The high-quality food and proper feeding time can help to maintain appropriate healthy weight of your Maltipoo.
How much you feed your Maltipoo can affect its weight and physical appearance. However, there are some factors that influence your decision to feed your Maltipoo every day, including:
- The metabolism of your Maltipoo
- The quality of food you’re feeding your Maltipoo
- How much they weigh
- How much exercise your Maltipoo gets
- The age of your Maltipoo
- Whether you want your Maltipoo to gain weight or lose weight
Of course, ensuring the correct ratios of ingredients when making your own raw food is very important. The recommended daily amount is 5/8 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dog food daily, and it is divided into two meals.
Just like humans, your Maltipoo also does not all need the same amount of food. There is no doubt that active dogs will need more food than lazy dogs. The quality of dog food you purchase might also be different—the higher the food’s quality, the further it will go toward nourishing your dog.
To track the weight of your Maltipoo puppy, weighing is a must. You can bring your Maltipoo to the best veterinarians for a weigh-in. If you don’t have time to weigh your Maltipoo in a vet clinic, you can use a home weigh-in method with three simple steps:
- First, you can step on the scales and weigh yourself.
- Second, you can pick up your Maltipoo and step back on the scale to see how much your weight while holding your dog.
- Last, you can subtract your weight from the combined weight of you and your dog, so you will know your Maltipoo’s weight.
So, keeping your Maltipoo puppies in good shape can be done by measuring their food and feeding them twice a day rather than leaving food out all the time. Make sure to weigh your Maltipoo regularly to check their actual weight.
Maltipoo Health Problems
According to some sources, the life expectancy of Maltipoo is between 10 and 13 years—some even live up to 18 years and, in rare cases, even longer. Even though health problems are not extremely common for Maltipoos, there will be conditions that threaten the life of the animal.
Although not all Maltipoos can get any health problems, you may need to be aware of them if you consider to care for the hybrid dogs. The following are the health problems that your Maltipoo may get:
1. Hypoglycemia
Due to their metabolic rate, most small dogs like Maltipoos will have problems with low sugar levels that are significantly higher than in larger breeds. If your Maltipoo gets hypoglycemia, they will demonstrate some symptoms, including lethargy, weakness, muscle tremors, seizures, and even death. Well, small dogs do not only need to be fed little and often; they also require calorie-dense food that satisfies their high energy needs.
2. Obesity
In addition to getting hypoglycemia, your Maltipoo may also get obese, which is a common problem among the country’s puppies, particularly for toy breeds. In fact, Maltese and Poodles have different energy levels. If your Maltipoo begins piling on the pounds, a low-calorie food may be best for them.
3. Allergies
Allergies could also be a common problem that a toy breed gets. Just like the Poodle, the Maltipoo is also prone to food intolerance and hypersensitivity. To prevent allergies on your Maltipoo, it’s better for you to avoid foods with random meat by-products and also artificial ingredients.
If your Maltipoo suffers from allergies, they may show some recognizable symptoms, such as dry, itchy skin. A sensitive blend or limited ingredient formula can really help them.
4. Joint Pain
Joint pain can still impact them, particularly late in life, though small breeds are less susceptible to experiencing this. To cure joint pain in your dog, you can try to give them omega-3 fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6. These not only provide relief from associated pain that is caused by arthritis but can also help to prevent joint degeneration in young Maltipoo.
5. Eye Problems
In fact, small dog breeds may experience health problems with their eyes, like retinal atrophy. But you shouldn’t worry since you can provide foods that are rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and DHA to improve their eye health and also support an assortment of other essential body functions.
Well, you can try to look for kibble that contains a wide range of fresh fruits and vegetables to make sure your Maltipoo puppy receives these vital nutrients.
In addition, there are also health problems that a Maltipoo will get, which are worse. Here they are:
6. White Shaker Syndrome
This kind of issue manifests as tremors over the whole of a Maltipoo’s body, rapid eye movements, and a lack of coordination. It usually starts when a Maltipoo is six months to three years old and gets stressed or overly excited.
White Shaker Syndrome is not a painful condition and will not affect your Maltipoo’s personality. However, if you see your Maltipoo showing the symptoms of White Shaker Syndrome, you may need to talk to your veterinarian about the treatment options.
7. Patellar Luxation
This health issue is also known as “slipped stifles” and is a common problem in most small dog breeds. It can be caused when the patella, which has three parts—the femur, patella, and tibia—is not properly lined up. Of course, it can cause lameness in your Maltipoo’s leg or an abnormal gait.
8. Epilepsy
Epilepsy can cause seizures in your Maltipoo. This health problem can be managed with medication, but it can’t be cured. If you have a Maltipoo with this health problem and you treat him properly, he will live a full and healthy life.
9. Portosystemic Shunt (PSS)
This is not the normal flow of blood between the body and the liver. Of course, it’s such a big health problem since the liver is responsible for detoxifying the body, metabolizing nutrients, and eliminating drugs. The symptoms of PPS will usually appear before two years of age.
If your Maltipoo gets PPS, he may show some symptoms such as lack of appetite, poor balance, intermittent gastrointestinal issues, hypoglycemia, urinary tract problems, stunted growth, and drug tolerance. To cure your Maltipoo, you can opt for corrective surgery that can be helpful in long-term management.
10. Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
This health problem will affect many small breeds; the Maltipoo is no exception. If your Maltipoo gets Legg-Calve-Perthes, the blood supply to the head of the femur will be decreased, and the head of the femur that connects to the pelvis will start to disintegrate.
Usually, this issue will appear when your Maltipoo puppies are 4 to 6 months old. So far, this condition can be cured with surgery to cut off the diseased femur so that it will not be attached to the pelvis any longer.
11. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (RA)
This health issue occurs in the dog’s eyes and eventually causes blindness from the loss of photoreceptors at the back of the eye. PRA can be detected years before a Maltipoo demonstrates any signs of blindness.
Well, these are some health problems that your Maltipoo may get.
It’s highly recommended for you to check the health concerns that affect both Poodle and Maltese before you buy a Maltipoo. In fact, both parents must have health clearances from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) that certify that the eyes are normal including a DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for patellas (knees) and thyroid.
However, health clearances are not issued to dogs younger than two years old since some health issues may not appear until a dog reaches full maturity. If necessary, you can try to look for a breeder who does not breed Maltipoos until they are two or three years old.
Maltipoo Exercise and Training
Even though Maltipoos are active small dogs, Maltipoos also require daily exercise and playtime just like any other dog breed. However, Maltipoos shouldn’t have to walk and jog every day, instead aim for 30 minutes walks twice daily.
Not only do Maltipoo need proper training and exercise, but they also have the opportunity to socialize with other dogs when they meet new people. To train your Maltipoo, you can begin as early as possible—the sooner you start socializing and training your puppy, the sooner they’ve learned all the necessary behaviors and skills.
If you regularly train your Maltipoo as early as 8 weeks old, he will get used to training and obedience from a very young age. The command “Sit” could be the first command you can give to him. Afterwards, you can give other commands, including “Stay,” “Come,” and “Down.”
In the case of training your Maltipoo, there are several tips to get the best result. Here they are:
- Make sure to reward your Maltipoo with special treats like a small piece of crisped bacon, sweet blueberries, or raspberries.
- Reward your Maltipoo at the exact moment when it is in the correct position or has just done your command.
- Train your Maltipoo when he is hungry since he will be excited to do your command, even if you usually reward him after. It’s not the best time to train your Maltipoo right after dinner.
- Make sure to be consistent when training your Maltipoo. If you want your dog to consistently follow your commands, you also need to regularly and consistently teach him. You can try to have sessions at the same time each day, the last for properly at the same time. Make sure to always teach in the same manner, using the exact same words and praise.
- Be patient when you’re training your dog since he won’t obey a command in only one day. Generally, a dog may learn a command within two to three weeks. So, make sure to give that command on a regular basis. If not, your Maltipoo could forget what you worked so hard to instill.
So, if you want to train your Maltipoo easily and get the best result, you can try to follow some of the tips and tricks above.
Maltipoo Care
When having a dog, it couldn’t be separated from the fact that you have to take good care of him to keep it healthy and charming. A dog with a healthy body, beautiful coat, good personality and well-trained cannot be ignored from the role of his owner.
Here are some groomings you should give to your Maltipoo:
1. Haircuts
Coat is the most important part of Maltipoo’s body that really needs care. That’s why Maltipoo can become high maintenance dogs when it comes to grooming. Even though Maltipoos have a low-shedding coat, you will have to brush daily to keep his coat clean and tidy. If you don’t regularly brush their coat, they may get painful matting or sores on their skin.
2. Bathing
Generally, Maltipoo will need a bathe once a month to keep the coat clean and soft. You also need to trim his hair around the eyes to keep it looking neat. Their coat can only be clipped once or twice a year, except for the area around their eyes and face that need to be trimmed monthly. When bathing, you also need to clean his ears since dirt and debris will be trapped here.
3. Nail and Teeth Care
Generally, small dog breeds will typically spend more time indoors than outdoors. Of course, it can lead their nails to not have a chance to file down naturally. So, you need to examine and trim his nails every month to make sure they stay healthy. If you hear his nail clicking on the floor, it’s a good time for you to trim his nail. If your Maltipoo has short nails, it can keep the feet in good condition and will not stretch his legs when jumping to greet you.
Brushing his teeth regularly is also a must. This grooming can get rid of tartar buildup and bacteria. It’s highly recommended for you to brush your Maltipoo at least two or three times a week to keep his teeth clean and healthy.
Of course, you can start grooming your Maltipoo as early as possible when he is a puppy. It aims to allow him to get used to it. If necessary, you can try to handle his paws frequently. However, dogs are very sensitive with their feet. So far, grooming can be a positive experience filled with rewards and praise.
Maltipoo Habits
Just like other dog breeds, the Maltipoo will also demonstrate their habits, both good and bad. We’ll show you some habits that a Maltipoo shows. Here they are:
1. Sleeping Habit
When it comes to Maltipoo’s habit, we may need to discuss Maltipoo sleeping habits. We found that when you have a new Maltipoo puppy, he will not sleep as you wish, making his sleeping time so frustrating for you.
It cannot be denied that Maltipoo may have trouble falling or staying asleep or have unusual sleeping habits, which will interfere with his or her daily routine. On average, the number of hours that your Maltipoo sleeps is a minimum of 14 hours. However, some may sleep up to 18 hours per day.
2. Chewing Habit
In addition to sleeping habits, chewing is another interesting habit that a Maltipoo demonstrates. If you have a Maltipoo who starts to teethe, you may find him chewing anything at home. However, it’s very normal for Maltipoos to chew anything around your home, like furniture, when they are teething.
Chewing with your dog can really help relieve the discomfort of erupting teeth. When they’re teething, you may need to keep your furniture out of the reach of your dog. However, chewing anything can trigger any health problems on your Maltipoo.
In addition to chewing furniture, your Maltipoo will also chew anything around your house, such as shoes, furniture, carpet, baseboards, etc. Since chewing is a normal habit for Maltipoos, you still have to make restrictions to control your puppies by putting away any dangerous things that can trigger any health problems if your Maltipoo chews them.
Why Many People Love Maltipoo
Although some people do not suggest taking care of a hybrid dog due to health problems, we found that all of the breeds many people love today are crossbreeds—the Maltipoo is one of them.
Over past years, there is an increasing acceptance of hybrid dogs. Breeders who have crossed different breeds believed that their goal of producing a certain dog was a well-intentioned effort to give the world a new breed in various aspects such as size, coat color, appearance, temperament, habits, etc.
Maltipoos are very popular in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. From all of the different hybrid dogs, Maltipoos rank in the top 5 of these 3 countries. Even though Maltipoos are not recognizable breeds, we hope Maltipoo puppies someday be looked upon as a great and serious effort producing another healthy and quality purebred.
Another fact: Some celebrities, like Ashley Tisdale, reportedly have two Maltipoos named Sushi and Ziggy, and New York’s top model also has a Maltipoo named Mochi.