In recent years, the cross between Maltese and Poodle called Maltipoo has gained a good amount of popularity. They are known to have an adorable appearance that they inherited from their Poodle parents. Besides, many people also love them due to their loving and caring personality. In addition, they can get along well with both kids and the other pets.
While this breed is known to be lovely, cute, and have a good personality, it does not mean it is perfect. Before purchasing a Maltipoo from a reputable breed or adopting one from a rescue, you have to know the imperfection of this breed so that you can decide if it is the right one to bring one home. So, what is the downside of a Maltipoo?
There are some downsides of Maltipoos. Some of them are as follows:
- Maltipoos can be expensive
Despite not being considered as purebred dogs by the American Kennel Club or AKC, Maltipoos can still cost a lot. A Maltipoo puppy can cost $4,000. One of the reasons why they are pricey is that the demand is pretty high. A lot of people want to pet them as they can be a good addition to their family. As the competition to get a Maltipoo is pretty tough, there is a chance for irresponsible people to take advantage of it. To avoid yourself getting a sick Maltipoo home, you are recommended to get one from a reputable breeder. While the price may be higher compared to the other places, these breeders are usually proven to offer the best thing. Do not be tempted by cheap prices offered by puppy mills. Not only they tend to give sick puppies but also make the parents overbred.
- Maltipoos have sensitive temperament
Maltipoos are known to be sensitive and they can be more sensitive if their environment keeps changing. Not only that, they can also show sensitive temperament if they are in chaos. If you are the kind of person who tends to move around a lot or if your place is always chaotic, forget getting a Maltipoo home as it would not be good for it.
- Maltipoos bark a lot
Even though they are small, Maltipoos actually make a lot of noise. In fact, they are known to be natural watch dogs. In some cases, it can cause problems, even though some of them can be trained to not bark a lot.
- Maltipoos are known to be stubborn
Depending on the dog or puppy itself, Maltipoos can be stubborn. In this case, they take after their Maltese parents. With this personality inherited from their Maltese parents, they tend to not obey the commands asked by their owners. It does not mean they lack intelligence. It just means they are rebels and only want to do the things that they want to.
- Maltipoos have coats that need some maintenance
The straight and curly mixed coat of Maltipoo needs a daily brushing. Aside from that, the coat also needs trimming. These things are not cheap. The price tends to be around $75. If you have limited money and have skills to do both brushing and trimming, just do it by yourself. Even if you are not skilled, try to learn it. One thing to make sure is to be careful not to cut the dog or puppy or trim down too far.
- Maltipoos can get health issues
While it is true that the mixed breeds like Maltipoos are seen as healthier compared to purebred dogs, there is still possibility of them to be prone to some health issues, such as
- White Shaker Syndrome: This one causes tremors throughout the whole body. Besides, it is also caused by the lack of coordination.
- Epilepsy: This one causes seizures in Maltipoos.
- Patellar Luxation: This one is caused by the patella, femur, and tibia not being aligned well.
- Portosystemic Shunt (PSS): This one refers to the abnormal blood flow between the liver and the body. The symptoms of this issue include lack of appetite, incoordination, poor balance, urinary tract issues, and stunted growth.
- Legg Calve Perthes Disease: This one consists of the degeneration of the femur bone and it causes bone and joint inflammation.
- Retinal Atrophy: This one is proggressive vision loss and blindness.
- Tiny Mouth Syndrome. This one is caused due to no room for proper teeth development.
- Colitis: This one refers to the inflammation of the inner lining of the colon.
- Collapsing Trachea: This one refers to weak windpipe.
- Hypoglycemia: This one refers to low blood sugar.
- Maltipoos have separation anxiety
Just like most “pandemic puppies”, Maltipoos are prone to separation anxiety. You can tell that they have anxiety when they display symptoms of anxiety such as barking, howling, whining, destructive chewing, digging, defecating or urinating inside the home. However, it will be no issue if you know how to handle it well. All that you have to do is to give them good and consistent training. The good training is the one that is given at a young age. During the training, tell them that a crate is not dangerous and is a safe place. To avoid them getting anxiety, do not forget to teach them that you will always come back and will not leave them forever. The main key is consistency. If you ask a trainer to train them for you, make sure to give them a list of the things that you want the dog or puppy to learn if needed.
After reading about the downsides of Maltipoo, what is your final thought? Do you still want to get one home? Every breed has its own pros and cons and no one is perfect. While some downsides are bad and cannot be helped, some others are actually able to be fixed. If you don’t really mind the downside of Maltipoo and still want to get one, feel free to visit a reputable breeder or a rescue.
