Maltipoo Pros and Cons (Should You Get a Maltipoo?)

Planning on getting a Maltipoo? Wondering how it stacks up against other breeds in terms of ‘taking care’ of it? Well, let us run you through the Maltipoo pros and cons.

Now, we do hope that you do not decide whether to purchase a Maltipoo puppy based on this article alone. While we can certainly help steer you in the right direction, remember that adopting an animal is a huge decision. Think long and hard about whether a Maltipoo is right for you. 

As the Australian singer-songwriter, Sia sings, “Puppies are forever, not just for Christmas.”

Let’s dive in.

The Pros of Getting a Maltipoo

We are going to start with the positive aspects of getting a Maltipoo. We LOVE Maltipoo’s like a hybrid Poodle dog mix. But we need to be honest about the benefits AND the drawbacks of this breed. 

Hypoallergenic

Before we talk about this pro, we want to point out that if you are allergic to animals’ fur, you will be at least mildly allergic to the Maltipoo.

There is no such thing as a 100% hypoallergenic dog. Such a breed does not exist. And we should know! This website is dedicated to Poodle mix-breeds (and other almost hypoallergenic dogs like the Portuguese Water Dog).

In fact – the search for a hypoallergenic dog is why we researched and adopted our Miniature Labradoodle Puppy Max. All dogs have protein dander (the cause of allergies), which occurs plentifully in the saliva. A true hypoallergenic dog would need to have no spit. And that dog does not exist!

Breeds like the Labradoodle or Maltipoo are about as close as you can get to hypoallergenic.

We are talking about the Maltipoo because, for most people, it will not trigger conditions such as asthma or seasonal allergies. This is because it does not shed fur.

Most Maltipoo owners do not experience allergies even if other dogs trigger their issues. 

Of course, even if you do not suffer from allergies, this may still mean that the breed is right for you. After all, it is not going to be shedding fur all over your home. This means less cleanup!

Small in Size

The Maltipoo weighs between 10lbs and 20lbs (4.5 to 9 kilograms). This means that it is fantastic for homes that are tiny too. In fact, this makes a good dog for a small apartment. Obviously, it will still need to have a bit of space to roam about in, but surprisingly not that much. 

Small dogs are often healthier. That certainly is true as there are not that many health issues for the Maltipoo, either. They tend to be pretty healthy as animals. We want to point out that you should always be talking to a breeder to find out about the parents.  

Just like all dogs, health issues are passed down from generation to generation. This is why you need to know what the parents are like. This is why you should also ensure that you are only buying from a reputable breeder. If rescuing a Maltipoo– be mindful of the unknown and provide regular Veterinary visits. 

Friendly Dog

While this breed does love a good bark at every opportunity, it is a surprisingly friendly dog. Obviously, you should still be looking at each dog as an individual, but this breed doesn’t really have an aggressive streak.

Once it knows you, it is going to be perfectly friendly around you. This is why it is an excellent dog for kids.

You should probably bear in mind that this is a dog that can be quite territorial at times. If a dog it doesn’t know enters the house, then it will probably bark and snap at it, but this shouldn’t be that much of a problem most of the time. 

If you already have a dog, you will probably want to introduce the Maltipoo to it slowly, in a controlled situation. You will also want to ensure that the two of them get on before leaving them alone with one another.

Energy

This is a dog that doesn’t need much in the way of walking. A single twenty-minute walk per day is often all that it needs. As long as it has access somewhere that it can use the bathroom, it barely needs to go outside. (Consider a porch potty like the DIY self-draining dog toilet I built for my puppy) 

This is a dog that tires itself out pretty quickly. If you give it a few toys in your home, then it will play with them. It is easy to keep occupied like that. While playing fetch in your home will not be a substitute for a walk, you can play with them a little like that, and they will get tired.

That being said, many people are not fans of the amount of energy that the Maltipoo has indoors. It is not a dog that enjoys staying in the same place for very long. So, until the dog’s energy levels are completely drained, you will have something that is quite energetic bouncing around.

Easy to find

This is a dog that has shot up in popularity in recent years. While this can be an expensive dog, it is easy to find, which means you probably will not need to hunt around too long for a breeder.

We cannot stress enough just how important it is that you try to track down a reputable breeder. You should never, ever buy dogs from puppy mills!

Because it is such a popular mix – you will infrequently encounter Maltipoos at animal shelters too. Be sure to check rescues before you adopt – you might meet your best friend!

The Look

Some people absolutely love the look of the Maltipoo. It is even better knowing that this is a dog you can pick up in many different colors. There are many different Maltipoo coat colors! This means that it shouldn’t be that difficult to find a Maltipoo that fits your personality.

Lifespan

This is a small dog, which means that the Maltipoo lifespan is relatively high. With the Maltipoo, you can expect it to live around 15-years.

Some have been known to live a little longer than this, but 15-years seems to be about the average. This is in line with the lifespan of other small dogs like the Cavapoo.

The Cons of a Maltipoo

Now that we have the pros out of the way, it is high time that we took a look at some of the more known downsides of owning one of these dogs. We have tried to stick to downsides that are specific to this breed.

Although, do bear in mind that there may be more downsides than the ones listed here. Since it is a newer breed, you may find that some breeders may have issues with their Maltipoo dogs that have not been listed here.

The Cost

They may be small dogs, but they cost a considerable sum of cash. We are talking $2,000+ for a single puppy. This isn’t really a dog that you will be typically able to find at your local shelter either, which means if you want to adopt one, paying a breeder is often the only option.

For many, not being able to rescue this dog from the shelter is quite off-putting enough.

We do not know everything about this breed. 

What we don’t know yet about Maltipoos is a significant concern.

The Maltipoo is a breed that hasn’t been around for all that long. In fact, this dog has only been popular for approximately 20-years (it was bred a short while before that). This means that there isn’t that much information about long-term health issues and information about actually raising the dog.  

Chances are that there are not any major health issues with the Maltipoo, but it is something that you do need to bear in mind. Both parent breeds are super healthy – but a cross is a risk that must be considered!

Luckily the most commonly encountered issues are simple fixes that we already know. For example, a Maltipoo might temporarily be a stinky dog, but the reasons are easily identifiable and fixable.

Separation Anxiety

While some small breeds do well on their own for hours and hours on end, the Maltipoo is not one of these dogs. It is heavily prone to separation anxiety, so if you work long hours, this will probably not be the right breed of dog for you. 

Should you get a dog if you work fulltime? Things to consider before adopting a new dog in this article.

Behavior

This is a dog that barks… sometimes a lot. Yes, this is something that you do tend to get with many small breeds of dog. However, the Maltipoo seems to be more prone to barking than most dogs. It is pretty tough to train out of them too. It is as if this dog is naturally territorial. 

Sometimes Maltipoo dogs will also growl. A growling Maltipoo can become a frustrating issue. Learn the common causes of growling and how to stop it.

Toilet train early – or regret it.

One of the most searched for Maltipoo phrases on this website relates to toilet training. It is so frustrating when a dog just doesn’t seem to learn when and where to toilet!

Find out why your Maltipoo puppy pees everywhere and strategies to implement immediately to stop this serious problem.

Grooming

You will need to brush your Maltipoo dog every other day. If you don’t, then their fur can look rather shabby. This will take a decent amount of time, even if the dog is on the small side. 

An under groomed Maltipoo coat will also become matted and not be soft. We don’t want a clumpy or tough to pet coat!

See our guide on how to brush your Maltipoo and the best budget-friendly tools you need to buy.

Feeding the Dog

The Maltipoo may be a small breed of dog, but sometimes they eat like there is no tomorrow. Expect to give the dog a fair amount of food. At times, you may feel as if it has a bottomless stomach. It really consumes that much!

This is where there may be an issue. If you do not watch what the dog is eating, there is a strong chance to be obese. In fact, this is probably the main issue with the breed. It is easy to have an obese Maltipoo. Given that more than 50% of dogs in the USA are obese (Society Research) – you must be mindful of this fact.

Luckily there are plenty of natural, healthy, and high-quality dog foods that will specifically meet the Maltipoo needs. See the best dry foods for the Maltipoo breed in our review resource.

Maltipoo Pros and Cons Summary

So, there you have it. Those are the Maltipoo pros and cons. As we said at the start, we hope you do not base your entire buying decision on what we wrote here.

Even if it does seem like a brilliant dog for you, it will still be a living creature that you are bringing into your home for almost 2-decades.

Make sure you find out more about diet and living with a dog before you actually commit yourself to one. Once you commit yourself to one, we can promise you that you will likely end up with a beautiful dog.