Crossing a Maltese with a Toy or Miniature Poodle gives you the Maltipoo. This designer dog breed is one of the most popular, and if you’re looking for a small, intelligent companion dog, you can’t go wrong choosing the Maltipoo.
They’re not big dogs, are low-shedding, and are excellent for families, singles, and retired people. But you better prepare yourself to spend as much time as you can with your new furry addition because they suffer severely from separation anxiety and hate to be left alone for any length of time.
Maltese Toy/Miniature Poodle Mix
1. Maltipoo At A Glance
Personality: Friendly, affectionate, full of fun, outgoing, gentle, intelligent, and lovable
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Size & Weight: 7 to 20 pounds and between 8 to 12 inches tall
Exercise Requirements: They need daily outdoor exercise, a decent walk, and a few games of fetch are usually enough
Features: Natural floppy ears
Coat: Wavy soft to the touch and medium to long
Maltipoo History
The Maltipoo didn’t exist before the 1990s, and the initial breeding took place in America. Poodles prove to be one of the most popular breeds to create designer dogs, especially when talking about small lap dog types. However, both parent breeds, the Maltese and Poodle, have some serious history behind them.
Maltese History
Maltese are ancient dogs, and their history goes back centuries around the Mediterranean. Because it’s so long ago, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the dog originated. Suggestions have been put forward for Egypt and southern Europe, but with the dog’s name being Maltese, it’s highly likely he came from the island of Malta, or at least he was taken to Malta hundreds of years ago by persons unknown.
The dogs may have been carried onboard trading ships and sold for food and supplies, earning their keep by killing any vermin living on the boats. Rich ladies favored the Maltese as companion dogs. Even during the 18th century, there wasn’t any breed standard for the Maltese. Most people assume the Maltese have always been white, but solid colors other than white were accepted as recently as 1913 in England. The Maltese made it over to the United States in the 1800s; by 1888, the AKC accepted and recognized the breed.
Poodle History
Everyone recognizes the Poodle, mainly because of the over-the-top haircuts and show appearance. Most people believe the dog originates from France hence French Poodle, but, Poodles come from Germany, where they flourished as water dogs and duck hunters. The Poodle is thought to be crossbreeds of several different water dogs such as Portuguese, French, German, Hungarian, and Russian. There are other stories about the breed’s origin and what is very apparent is no one knows.
Of the three varieties of Poodle, the Standard came first, and it wasn’t until the 1400s that breeders started offering the Miniature and then the Toy. It’s a fallacy that more miniature Poodles are crossed with other breeds; they came about by deliberately choosing undersized Standards to breed with; gradually, over time, breeders produced smaller and smaller dogs. The English Kennel Club accepted Poodles in 1874, and although there’s no record of when Poodles made it to the States, the AKC registered the first Poodle in 1886.
2. Maltipoo Size And Look
Combining two completely different dog breeds makes the outcome unpredictable; you could have puppies resembling the Maltese half or the Poodle half. Then again, puppies can take after both parents; and this can occur in the same litter. There’s also the size of the Poodle to take into account. Because a Maltipoo can have either a miniature or toy Poodle parent that affects the size of the Maltipoo pups, if a Maltese is bred with a Toy Poodle, you would expect the puppies to be Toy size.
But if you were to go with a Miniature Poodle, his size could be as tall as 15 inches, which means a Maltipoo as tall as 14 inches; that’s not a tiny dog. Predicting the size of Maltipoo puppies is pointless; it’s far better to look at the parents and assume the puppies will be somewhere between the two sizes.
3. Maltipoo Temperament
Both the Poodle and Maltese are well known for being affectionate, family-oriented dogs with bags of charm, so there’s no reason to believe your Maltipoo won’t have those same features and personality. You will most likely get a puppy that’s got an excellent temperament, is very intelligent, and will suit any home environment, whether it’s a family with kids, a single home, or retired persons.
There’s no guarantee which of the parent’s personalities might be more dominant; you’ll have to wait and see as the puppy gets older. But, there can’t be much to worry about with a Maltipoo because both Poodles and Maltese are beautiful dogs.
One word of caution, ensure you pick your breeder wisely. Remember to check any breeder out thoroughly. Don’t be in a rush to get the first puppy you see. Investigating breeders is crucial for the long-term benefit of both you and your Maltipoo. It’s also essential to meet both the Poodle and Maltese parents and see health clearances for both dogs. If a breeder is reluctant to show you the parents or health clearances, our advice is to cross them off your list immediately.
4. Maltipoo Training And Socialization
Every dog needs a good training and socialization regimen, even toy dogs; some people would say especially toy dogs. It’s easy to neglect the training and socialization part of a toy dog’s upbringing because they are so small, and many owners tend to pamper these dogs. But they are still dogs, tiny as they are; they still possess all their more significant and powerful brethren’s attributes and habits.
As soon as you bring your puppy home, begin housetraining and start them on puppy and socialization classes. Depending on the age of your puppy when you get him home, you might need to wait until he’s had his second vaccinations before you can take him to classes. But start housetraining straight away; don’t allow your Maltipoo puppy to believe it’s acceptable to toilet in your home.
Typical Maltipoo traits that you will need to address are separation anxiety, excessive barking, and jumping. Socialization and correct and consistent training will help you and your puppy overcome these traits. At the same time will also give your puppy a lot more confidence which will calm his nerves, leading to a well-balanced and mild-mannered dog.
5. Maltipoo Barking
Malitpoos bark; in fact, they love to bark. So if you have any issue with neighbors over noise or you think you might if your dog constantly barks, then possible a Maltipoo might not be a good choice. Likewise, if you spend all day at work or out a lot and you’re going to leave your Maltipoo alone, this is the wrong pup to bring home.
A Maltipoo gets very attached to his family and human contact, so leaving him alone will more than likely bring severe separation anxiety. This feeling of fear is especially likely when he’s a puppy, so you should plan on being around almost all the time for the first few months. You can reduce the anxiety somewhat with early socialization classes and training.
6. Is A Maltipoo Hypoallergenic?
Let’s answer this question by saying no dog breed is 100% hypoallergenic. It’s impossible because it’s not so much the dog’s hair that triggers allergies; it’s the dander, and as all animals have this, they cannot be hypoallergenic.
Pet dander is tiny or microscopic pieces of skin that all animals and birds shed. Anyone allergic to this will get a reaction. But it’s not just dander that affects some people; they might also be allergic to other triggers from dogs which are specific proteins found in the saliva, urine, and poo. After a dog licks himself, the saliva dries, and when the dog goes about his day, shaking or scratching himself, the dried saliva takes to the air.
7. Is The Maltipoo A Low-Shedding Dog?
One of the major selling points of crossing certain dogs with Poodles is to produce low-shedding crossbreeds to enable people who love dogs and suffer from allergies to have a dog in their home. People are not the same, and some people have stronger reactions to pet dander, saliva, and proteins from dogs. Poodles are one of the few breeds that don’t shed a lot. Plus, they may go to the groomers more frequently than other dog breeds. Washing and grooming the dog removes many of the allergens from the dog’s hair and skin.
Even though Poodles are low-shedding, to make sure the crossbreed is also low-shedding, the choice of the other dog parent is crucial. Because in this case, the Maltese are also low-shedding dogs, a Maltipoo is far more likely to be low-shedding.
The best advice is not to take chances with this, particularly if you tend to get bad allergic reactions to dogs. Ask the breeder where you intend to buy the puppy from if you can spend time around her dogs and see what, if any, reaction you get.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a Maltipoo for your furry family member is a fantastic choice. If you want a loving, outgoing, playful dog with masses of character, then you choose wisely. Remember the early socialization and training we discussed, and you cannot go wrong.
