Maltipoos, the results of mating a Maltese and a Poodle, has proven to be a popular lap dog choice among new dog owners. However, Maltipoos are bred for more than their looks and a cute sounding name back when it was first bred.

To begin, Maltese, one of the ancestor breeds responsible for creating Maltipoos, has been referenced to as early as 6000BC. Maltipoos are very attached and loyal to their owners, and are sometimes a little too aggressive for their owners' liking. They also boast significant intelligence compared to other species of dogs.

Poodles, as the other half of the Maltipoos' parentage, are more docile compared to Maltese. Poodles are also some of the most intelligent dog species around, capable of easily learning many things. Poodles are originally used as gun dogs, although there are still a few Poodle gun dogs in activity.

Maltipoos were first bred with the intent of creating a low shedding, small sized dog that are also intelligent. The first trait (low shedding), is a fairly desirable trait because it can appeal to people who have allergies to dog hair. The second trait (small size), can be used to cater to potential owners who want a pet, but lacks the residential space that larger breeds need.

As with a lot of hybrid dogs breeds, Maltipoos as a "species", failed to produce offsprings with consistent traits because of the ongoing first generation breeding (i.e. breeding Maltese and Poodle instead of breeding Maltipoo with Maltipoo), which led to its lack of recognition as a real breed.

Even so, Maltipoos remains a popular choice among dog breeders. Maltipoos have even earned a reputation as one of the more popular dog breeds among celebrities, often sitting in the handbags of these celebrities.