Breeds / Small
Maltipoo puppies
The Maltipoo is friendly, outgoing and gentle with children and other pets when socialised early. They are sensitive and eager to please, and are prone to nuisance barking and to separation anxiety.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Maltese and Poodle
- Country of origin Not published
- Adult weight 2.3 to 9.1 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 5 to 20 lb
- Adult height 20 to 36 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming High
- Coat type Long silky to curly
- Typical lifespan 12 to 16 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Usually good
About the Maltipoo
The Maltipoo crosses the Maltese with a Toy or Miniature Poodle and is bred purely as a companion. Adults are tiny, from 2.3 kg upward, standing 20 to 36 cm, and the coat arrives either curly like the Poodle or long and silky like the Maltese. They are sensitive little dogs that read their owner closely, want to be in the same room, and respond much better to reward based training than to any kind of correction.
Exercise needs are modest. Grooming is not: daily brushing, regular clipping, tear staining to wipe away and teeth to stay on top of. They are gentle with children when socialised, though a dog this small is easily hurt by a toddler, so supervision runs in both directions. The usual errors are excusing barking because the dog is small, and leaving one alone too long, which builds the separation anxiety the cross is known for.
A cross, not a breed. The Maltipoo is a cross rather than a standardised breed, so size, coat and temperament vary and can favour either parent, and a first cross of two purebred parents is less predictable than a later generation bred back to a Poodle. Adult weight in particular depends on whether the Poodle parent was a Toy or a Miniature.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Maltipoo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are high. Start daily brushing and short, positive handling sessions at eight weeks, well before the adult coat arrives, or the first professional groom will be traumatic. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
- Legg Calve Perthes disease, diagnosed by hip radiographs in a young lame dog
- Periodontal disease, found at annual dental examination
- Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, detectable by DNA test and eye examination
- Idiopathic epilepsy, diagnosed from witnessed seizures with other causes excluded on blood work and imaging
- Portosystemic liver shunt from the Maltese side, screened with a serum bile acids test
Your Maltipoo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Maltipoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 2.3 to 9.1 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 9.1 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other small breeds
More on the Maltipoo
Previous: Maltese · Next: Manchester Terrier (Standard)
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- petmd.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- Health notes from Maltipoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/maltipoo. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
No published figure for country of origin, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
Photo: TheSamDe, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.