MaltiPoo: Your new pet
The Maltese Poodle or Maltipoo is a dog breed, the result of a cross of dogs that resulted in this popular design dog. The design dogs are bred by two purebred dogs to create more attractive dogs, healthier or hypoallergenic.
The Maltipoo is the result of the cross between a Miniature Poodle and a Maltese.
They are frequently described as mixed-breed dogs or hybrids. Basically, with the cross of both breeds is sought to obtain a healthier dog with a much better genetic load than its ascendants’. Some associations of dog breeders consider that this breed is not pure as others.
Besides of Maltese Poodle is also known as MaltiPoodle, Moodle, Malt-Oodles, Multapoo, Maltese-Poodle, Multipoo, Maltepoo, Multapoo, Malte-Poo and Malti Poo.
Maltipoos are recognized as hybrid dogs breed by the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC), the National Maltipoo Club and the Maltipoo Club of America, although are not recognized as dogs breed itself.
Their fur is long, characteristic of the poodle breed, can be smooth, wavy or curly; the important thing is that they don’t suffer from hair loss; therefore they are a good option for allergic people since they are hypoallergenic. They are very agile, joyful, sweet and loving.
Its body is compact and well proportioned. They can be found in a great variety of colors, including black, white, brown, peach and gray.
Many Maltipoos are bicolor, a mix of white and another color in their bodies. Their noses can also be black or pink. This breed stands out for being of domestic character; you can have them in small spaces, preferably for families with older children or senior people because is a bit nervous dog.
You have to be very careful when you play with it because they are delicate for their small size.
They have to exercise much and you have to teach them to socialize to avoid them from getting bored, always being careful and watching them and holding them with a leash. They are very naughty if you leave them alone for a long time, they are stubborn but at the same time loyal to their owner. Surprisingly, these dogs are excellent swimmers.
This animal cannot live in loneliness, it gets depressed and can even die of sadness when it has no company. Something that you have to keep in mind when opting for this breed is that it barks a lot. It is a very anxious animal and it barks because of this anxiety.
These dogs are very sociable with other dogs as long as they are used to this interaction since they are pups. They do not get easily intimidated, they like to play with bigger dogs.
The Maltipoo dog is not functional as a guardian dog since they are affectionate with strangers, they usually make just a warning bark, but then they act tender and open.
Their weight is 2.5 and 4 kg on average. The smallest dogs tend to have longer life expectancy than the big ones. Maltipoos have a life expectancy of between 10 and 15 years.
The maximum number of puppies per litter is 5 or 6. They are susceptible to the heat effects so they should preferably be in fresh environments. In cold weather is necessary to keep them warm and limit their walks until the environment is more in line with their composition.
Although the Maltipoo descends from the Maltese dog, there are a few differences between them.
The main difference between a Maltese and a Maltipoo is the color of its fur. Its white fur characterizes the Maltese while the Maltipoo is usually complemented by another color or at least has some spots.
Besides, the Maltese is a purebred dog and is usually smaller than the Maltipoo.
There are three types of Maltipoo, all of them smaller than the average breeding standard:
- Teacup Maltipoo
- Miniature Toy Maltipoo
- Toy Maltipoo
They are very popular because of their great intelligence and good character. In the year 2015, a Maltipoo won the Palm Dog in the Cannes Film Festival, which awards the best dog interpretation, whether it is live-action or an animated film.
Lucky, who participated in the movie “One Thousand and One Nights”, barked a short speech, which was previously recorded and transmitted during the award ceremony.
The Maltipoo has gained a lot of popularity in the last 10 or 20 years since they are very sweet and adorable, this has liked very much to dog lovers.
History and Origin of the Maltipoo
This breed is a combination of a Maltese and a Poodle. It has become popular in the last 10-20 years. They come from a place not so known, although some believe that they are natives from the United States. The Maltipoo dog is usually extremely small, but the size depends on its parents. It also depends on whether they have more Poodle or Maltese features. They can be long and skinny as a Poodle or short as a Maltese. It is known that the Maltipoos are smart, friendly with strangers and playful dogs.
On its behalf, the origin of the Maltese is also a bit unclear. The Phoenician merchants brought the ancestors of this breed from Egypt probably more than 2000 years ago spreading them in the Mediterranean. In the tomb of Pharao Ramesses II (1301-1225B.C) have been found stone figurines that look like the Malteses of the actuality.
Around the XVII and XVIII centuries, some breeders decided to “improve” the breed, making it even smaller. Linnaeus wrote in the year 1792 that these dogs were of the size of a squirrel. The breed almost disappeared and was crossed with other dogs like the miniature Poodles and the Spaniels. In the XIX century, there were up to nine different breeds of Maltese dogs.
The Maltese of solid color and part-colors were accepted in England from 1902 to 1913, and much later, around the year 1950, in Victoria, Australia. However, later was established that the Maltese had to be white.
On the other hand, some theories state that the Poodle was born in Germany and arrived in France during the revolutionary wars; from there it traveled to Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Currently, three countries are presumed as the origin place of the breed: Germany, France, and Russia. Each one modified the breed with specific purposes.
Another theory is that the poodle comes from Germany and is at the same time descendant of the French Barbet. Native from the German swamps in the middle ages was intended for the hunting of swimming birds such as the duck or goose, in a way that was selected by its characteristics such as its adaptability to muddy terrain and its resistance to water, which makes this breed, along with other, be called water dogs.
Since the XVI, the poodles started to be famous because of their beauty and incredible smart level, especially in the various circus presentations and some works of art by different authors like Alberto Durero and Francisco Goya. In the time of Louis XVI of France, the presence of the Poodles was already very common in the French court.
Due to changes in taste in terms of their appearance, during the XIX century, the protection of the fur that, until then, had the function of protecting it from hypothermia was disregarded, for which the stylists began to create various cuts such as the British mountain and the Continental. The custom of amputating the tail of newborn Poodles started.
During the Franco-Prussian War, the diffusion of the breed began for millionaires and aristocrats. Only in the XX century, the giant variety predominated, so they later came up with the approval of canine associations such as the Kennel Club. The standard varieties (of scarce diffusion since 1792), miniature (1911), and toy (1957). When the standard was established in 1936, Germany officially recognized the Poodle as a native breed of France, this to avoid any dissection between the two founding members of the FCI.
Therefore, to understand Maltipoo’s origin is essential to study the origins of the Maltese and Poodle breeds, since it is a hybrid between these two breeds but it has become in a separate breed. What it is sure is that after the Maltese and Poodles were introduced in America, the amateurs started to breed them, giving room to this particular breed that everyone loves, even by celebrities, for being an easy to educate and loving dog, and although its origins are clearly European, the Maltipoo turns to be an American dog.
One of the reasons why it started to be bred and the Maltipoo was established as a breed is that they are considered as one of the best companion dogs, having as a particular feature a hypoallergenic fur which makes them attractive to allergic people or people that wants to give their child one or many pets, which prevents respiratory allergies in children, and because of their quiet and playful character there is no risk of attacks to the smallest of the house.
Principal Characteristics
The Maltipoo is one of the varieties that are born as the result of the cross between a Poodle and another breed. It is a really beautiful dog that has become popular in the lasts years because of this feature. It is the direct result of the cross between a poodle and a Maltese. The poodles must be small or miniature to achieve the typical aspect of this new hybrid breed.
At first, looks like a small hairball when it is still a pup, and when it becomes an adult will still be a hairball but a little bit bigger. Its aspect has a lot to do with its character since it is very kind, tame, sweet and friendly with its family and other pets.
It is excellent for people that want to have a dog but live in small places because of their size and low necessity of exercise. It is a dog that adapts well to a sedentary lifestyle although it likes to bark for no apparent reason, which could bother the neighbors if you live in an apartment complex.
The Maltipoo is a dog that possesses the known intelligence of a Poodle, which makes the training very simple. It is a dog whose training and breeding is easy, perfect for people that know little about dogs since in almost none occasion will show a dominant behavior towards its owner.
What is the life expectancy of the Maltipoo?
It is a small dog that has a life expectancy of between 13 and 15 years, which places it in the average life expectancy for small dogs, although it is not a particularly long-lived breed in this group.
Many people wonder why the small dogs live longer than the large breed dogs, in this case, the Maltipoo, with good caring can easily exceed the 15 years of age, but to other big or giant dog breeds as the Great Dane or the Dalmatians, life expectancy does not exceed 12 years. Why does this happen?
The possible answers to that interrogative could be the next:
- The large dogs have demanding food needs: they need to eat food that contains a great number of proteins and nutrients to prevent the wear of their bones and cancer.
- A large dog is considered old when it is 6 years old, while a small dog starts its old age when it is 12 years old.
- They have different routines: large dogs usually need exercise more, more physical activity and more food. All of this produces significant wear on their bodies, which with time results in problems on their organisms that lead them to get diseases and ailments that produce important degenerations in their body and lifestyle, so it is necessary to induce death so that they do not continue to suffer.
- A more hectic life pace weakens the heart: a big part of large-sized dogs die of diseases related to the heart and immune system two factors that keep the body healthy and if they fail, serious consequences occur.
- Large dogs have small hearts: in accordance to their hearts, if you compare a small dog’s heart with its body, the heart of this small dog is bigger than a large or giant dog, for this, big size dogs need more energy to pump blood to all its body, which produces a quick degeneration of the heart.
Luckily, since the Maltipoo is a small dog that does not have too much desire to exercise daily, we can expect a dog that will live for many years.
The general appearance of a Maltipoo
Any international cynological association has not defined an exact standard of the Maltipoo’s appearance since these are unwilling to accept these hybrid breeds, but it is known that they can have three variations while it grows: looking more like a Poodle, looking more like the Maltese or being a combination of both breeds equally.
There is no way of guessing or controlling which one of these three variations the pup will present. We have to remember that to obtain a standard in a breed, many generations of dogs must pass, from which determined specimens are chosen with certain genetic qualities to give stability to the breed; a process that is not currently taking place with the Maltipoo.
What never varies is the softness of its fur, which is very thick, medium-long, fluffy and above all, very soft. It is common to see it growing in waves.
The Maltipoo is easy to confuse with other breeds because the features can be similar to the poodle’s, Maltese’s and other small companion dog breeds’, but little by little and with the help of few breeding houses, specimens with a more defined standard for the breed have been breeding.
The fur must always be of light color. It can be in tones like white, cream, brown, silver, peach and blue, but always light colors.
The Maltipoo’s body is well distributed, with no areas that stand out for being particular. It is a well-developed, robust and muscular dog according to its size. If they have good training, play and go out daily, they will be athletic and healthy dogs. This draws the attention of people looking for a companion dog since the uniformity of their bodies is much appreciated.
The Maltipoo, as it is common in small and athletic dogs, they tend to be gluttons and become obese easily, for which you will have to keep special attention on its diet and avoid giving it candies rich in bad fats and carbohydrates that could easily impact on its weight.
When you see the Maltipoo for the first time you will find that it is a really small dog that won’t exceed 30 cm of height and 9 kg of weight. As minimal, male and female specimens should have a height of 20 cm and a weight of just 3 kg.
The size and the weight in the male and female specimen vary very little. Because of the reduced size of their bodies, they can’t have too many differences in these aspects.
The Maltipoo is a really friendly and sweet dog, as soon as you see it you will feel the need of holding it and treating it as a stuffed animal, since its exterior looks similar to these lovely toys but as beautiful as it looks to one’s sight this small and hairy friend, it must be trained with steady hand to prevent the dog from doing what it likes.
How much can a Maltipoo grow?
There are not too many associations of protection of Maltipoo’s standards, and the ones that exist are simply non-official clubs of breeding. In the absence of an official world standard for the Maltipoo, the breeders can do “what they like” with it, that is to say, that each breeder will have a different aesthetic standard to apply to their pups.
Some breeders can breed Maltipoos that look more like the Maltese and others will dedicate to the selective breeding of those that look more like the toy poodle or small poodle. What is certain is that these features modify their fur, but their size or behavior luckily not too much.
The size of the Maltipoo is usually 20 to 24 cm for females and 23 to 30 cm to males, which makes them one of the smallest dog breeds.
As you already know, these numbers can vary from breeder to breeder but we recommend that you know the parents of the pup you choose. if the parents are too small, bellow 19 cm of height to the shoulders, then the pup will grow to that size or even more, so it is convenient to adopt or buy pups with parents placed in the determined height range, to prevent that the dog goes completely out of the non-official standard of this new hybrid breed.
Soon and if this breed is popular enough, we will see the main breed regulatory institutions as the AKC listing these beautiful dogs in their list with quite specific standards so the breeders can follow them.
The Maltipoo is a very particular dog since it takes the best of the small poodle breeds and the extremely familiar that can result in a Maltese to get a great combination. Besides its beauty, this dog will show a character that it is certainly to be admired and of which you will learn the characteristics below.
Behavior with humans and the general character of the Maltipoo
The Maltipoos are widely affectionate to their masters, they won’t get away from them unless this commands them to. They are lap dogs by nature since the poodle and Maltese are dogs that have been bred to take place in the family.
The Maltipoos are not distrustful with strangers, a feature they don’t share with the Maltese family since these last don’t trust anyone stranger until after a few visits of that person to the home.
This breed is not aggressive either. It is a breed extremely submissive that will be anxious to obey its master, which makes it get along with him very well and with the people of its environment. They are very patient with children, they won’t be the ones to hurt the kids, but the kids could harm it by considering a toy because of their aspect and size.
It is a small and lightweight dog so it must be treated with extreme care and don’t let little kids interact with it if they do not have the basic notions of how treating an animal. Although it is a robust dog, mistreatment, however small, can have serious consequences for the health of the Maltipoo due to its size.
You must keep in mind that falls can be fatal to small dogs so you must not allow children to carry the dog even if they know what they are doing. An accident can happen at any moment so it is better to prevent these cases instead of regretting them.
To prevent any accident, you have to stay always present when a kid plays with the dog, in the end, the Maltipoos love the presence of kids because they feel completely identified with the hyperactivity of these and drain their energy when playing with them.
Although they don’t look like, the Maltipoos can be excellent guardian dogs since they won’t take as normal any sound, shadow, person or animal that walks near its territory; they will immediately start barking repetitively until the situation is back to normal or the owner goes to verify the situation. This behavior can be eliminated through positive training if the owner wants to.
The Maltipoos and their adaptation to different types of family
The Maltipoo can adapt to any environment, they are dogs that have this skill. However, it adapts well or not depends on the family that adopts it because this will be responsible for its care at all times. For a Maltipoo to adapt properly to its new home, its owner and family, in general, should meet some requirements:
Taking it out for a walk
The Maltipoo is like any other dog. It can be a bit sedentary because it is a house dog, but it will always need to drain its energy and walks are an easy way of doing it in which you will be able to recreate too. Take it out for a walk daily or alternatively to keep it healthy, exercised and recreated.
Giving it the attention that it needs daily
A Maltipoo gets sad when its owner does not give it attention. These are lap dogs, for which they need their owner to give them constant attention. You don’t need to sit and have a formal “conversation” with it. You just need to give it a look, a loving word, play with it for a moment or a training session through the day and your dog will be happy.
Making it socialize since its arrival
A Maltipoo needs to socialize as much as any other dog. In its first days of life, its mother will take care of this task. Three months after being with its mother and siblings, you will have to take care of its socialization process until its adulthood age arrives.
To make it socialize just get it together with other small and docile dogs of your house (while you are watching it). You will also have to make your family interact with the dog so it can understand that humans won’t harm it and so it has the trust that characterizes the breed.
How can I know if my dog is a Maltipoo?
Many people get mistaken when choosing a Maltipoo as their companion dog and end up picking a Maltese because these home dogs are very similar to these hybrids. The Maltipoo is more docile with other animals and people so you may want to choose this new breed and don’t want to make a mistake when choosing it. Thus we will give you these tips to learn to distinguish a Maltipoo from other breeds like the Maltese.
The Maltipoo’s fur
The Maltipoo’s fur is a clear determinant. It can be curled like the poodle’s, smooth like the Maltese’s or the typical combination of both that is a bit curled and wavy. The Maltese is a smooth and long-haired dog, so if the suspected Maltipoo does not have fur like the Maltese, you may be in presence of a Maltipoo.
The Maltipoo is heavier
The Maltipoo has not only a more robust body than the Maltese, but it is also heavier, getting to exceed three times the normal weight of a Maltese (3 kg).
The opinion of an experienced breeder
You can get a healthy, vaccinated and “purebred” Maltipoo by the hand of experienced breeders, which have no reason to lie when they sell you a Maltipoo specimen instead of a Maltese.
The Maltipoos are hybrids, therefore, their cost is lower than the Maltese’s.
The Maltipoo don’t have formal recognition by cynology clubs worldwide so they can’t be considered purebred dogs, rather it is the resulting dog of the cross of two breeds that are recognized by these clubs. So since they are not an established breed of dogs, their cost is lower.
The Maltese poodles come into trust quickly
If, in addition to all the characteristics we’ve told you about before, you see that the dog you want to buy or adopt gets calmed after the person that is going to give it to you say hi and you then interact with it, then the dog may be a Maltipoo.
The dogs of this breed at the beginning will warn with several and alarming barks the presence of someone unknown, but then, when they realize that it’s not a threat, they’ll be kinder with the guest, that in this case, will be you.
If the dog you want to adopt has these characteristics that we’ve commented to you about, then you might have found your next pet, an adorable Maltipoo.
The behavior of the Maltipoo with other dogs
In general, the Maltipoos behave sociably and kindly to other dogs and animals.
They are defined as tenacious, playful and very energetic, these have the fame of being tremendous when they are at home alone. They are a little stubborn but this doesn’t make them less loyal and close to their owner. They love being in the company of their masters and other pets, they are very sociable. A characteristic of the Maltipoo is its great disposition to exercise in good opportunities, although they have many times of relaxing.
The Maltipoos love listening to themselves, so most of the specimens bark frequently. This practice must be stopped as soon as possible so it won’t become firm conduct that may suppose a problem to their socialization with other dogs or pets. Some of them don’t bark that much, but if a person or unknown pet enters its home, the Maltipoo will act protective and will react with energetic barks, warning of the arrival of a possible threat.
This breed is not particularly of the guardian type because is not on its gens, but it won’t help them from feeling concerned for the well-being of their home. Maltipoo is a distrustful and cautious dog with strangers, so it could be hard to get it close to someone new, whether it is a dog or a person. This specimen has no hint of aggressiveness so it could rarely attack, it prefers only to warn from far in most of the situations.
These dogs are usually loving and joyful with their families. If there is another pet in its home, it would make great games and life partner to it. The Maltipoo is usually sociable and outgoing with the other dogs, making friends everywhere, but some exceptions don’t have so opened behaviors with others, so these would have to be socializing more frequently whether on walks or with visits in their homes.
If somehow the Maltipoo has strange or inappropriate behavior when socializing, one of these factors may change its way of relating:
Exercise
If it exercises too little can be a problem, the Maltipoo could present hyperactivity that can be very annoying if is not treated. Doing exercise sessions is good and comfortable for the dog as for the owner. These sessions can be walks with games and toys that stimulate the dog to physical activity. You can take these moments to make the dog socialize naturally without having to force it.
Positive reinforcement
This method is a good activity motivator and consists of awarding the dog with candies or some object of its interest. It is also a way of training while socializing that can be used if the dog-related well with other dogs.
Feeding
If you don’t give your dog proper and balanced feeding, is probable that its behavior will be affected for the excess of energy, being hyperactive and barking to anyone. On the other hand, the dog could be sedentary and with little interest to relate. Thus, it is necessary to choose a balanced diet and thus avoid these issues.
Too energetic behavior
The other pets probably feel bothered if the Maltipoo behaves too unquiet, making the other dogs stay away and find another partner. Correcting this problem is easy, pet it while it’s calmed and peaceful, awarding it is a great motivation for it, so it will be more disposed to obey. Don’t yell at it or speak to it in a tone that could upset it, speak with a quiet and soft tone.
Heavy games
When playing is possible that the dogs make abrupt moves that on some occasions can harm someone, if this happens you have to show its authority saying “no” to it in a firm tone without yelling.
Socialization
Give it its space and freedom to relate with other dogs. In walks is where it meets many other pets, the best you can do is letting it socialize at its own pace without having to isolate or force it. Create a pleasant environment for the dog, so that it feels safe.
Consistency in training
All of the family members should participate in the dog’s training for this to be successful. You have to agree with others on the orders given to you if each member has a different attitude, the dog will feel confused and you’ll make it insecure.
Zeal and pregnancy in female Maltipoos
If you have a Maltipoo couple at home, you surely want to have more because these lovely miniature dogs are never enough, that is why we will tell you everything you have to know about zeal and pregnancy of the Maltipoo female
Duration of zeal in the Maltipoo
All Maltipoo females will go through a fertile stage, that is, they will be able to mate with a male and give birth to a puppy with characteristics of the involved male and female. The zeal in the Maltipoo (as in the rest of breeds) has four principal phases that are divided in:
Proestrus
It lasts for nine days. In this phase, the vulva is swollen and there is the presence of blood in it. The males will be very interested in the female, but she will not allow the mounting.
Estrus
The estrus also lasts nine days, though it could occur in a range of 3 to 21 days. During this period, the Maltipoo will accept to be mounted. You can know that this phase is occurring when the flow that formerly was of blood, now changes to a brown color. The ovulation will start two days after the estrus starts.
This is the period where the female is popularly denominated as “in heat” because the female will be fertile and will accept the male to copulate. Because of this, it can be said that the zeal of the Maltipoo lasts from 3 to 21 days.
Metestrus
The metestrus of the Maltipoo can last 90 days, these will be after the proestrus and the estrus if she was not mounted. In this phase, the Maltipoo may experience symptoms of psychological pregnancy that should not be neglected.
Anestrus
This will be the period of sexual inactivity of your female Maltipoo during which it will not be possible to mate since apart from not allowing it, the pregnancy attempts would not be successful. Besides, the male wouldn’t see her “attractive”. This period lasts 75 days on average but could be longer or shorter, thus defining if the zeal will be on a smaller or larger time scale.
How often the Maltipoo is in zeal?
Normally, the zeal appears in a period of 5 to 10 months. No factor determines exactly which day the Maltipoo female will begin to be suitable for mounting. Only males can perceive the smell of the female in heat that will be especially attractive to them and then will proceed to mount her.
During the zeal, you must be very careful if you have more than one male dog close to your female Maltipoo because not-planned mountings could take place and if the male is a medium-sized dog then mortal complications can occur during the labor.
The zeal in the Maltipoo will start after 6 or 7 months of age.
When can a Maltipoo get pregnant?
The fertile period of a Maltipoo varies a lot, it can last from 2 to 3 weeks, although in some cases it only lasts from 3 to 5 days. This fertile stage of the Maltipoo will start approximately nine days after the bleeding starts. You mustn’t let other much bigger dogs that the Maltipoo mount her because the labor could get very complicated because of the size of the pups.
If you want that the female gets pregnant from another dog of its same breed, then you should keep them together in the same environment. There is no other action you have to make because the male will be able to smell the urine of the female and this will let him know that the Maltipoo is in heat.
The female may not let the male mount her at first, but you should not worry because eventually this will happen and they will copulate. It is not convenient to force it because the female can be very aggressive with an insistent male.
All the pre-copulating jobs will be done by the female’s urine that carries the message “I’m ready to mate with a male!” in its smell.
You will know exactly when the female Maltipoo is ready to copulate when it moves its tail sideways before the presence of the male and his tries to mount her.
It is a dog’s costume to smell the erogenous zones of its congeners to obtain information at a smelling level about the other dog. In this case, when the male Maltipoo smells the intimate area of the female, this will have an erection because of the pheromones that this area expels and it will be ready to mount the female Maltipoo.
Although the male has an erect penis it does not mean that intercourse is simple. This may require several attempts to mount the Maltipoo successfully. The dog’s penis has a bone that helps maintain an erection easily and also has an area that will help to keep it inside the vagina during the time that intercourse lasts.
During the copulation, the male will ejaculate twice or even more times. One will happen early, with repetitive assaults. After this one, the male turns and produces other ejaculations over an hour that will be responsible for getting the Maltipoo pregnant.
How long does the pregnancy of the Maltipoo last?
It could pass a whole month since the Maltipoo is in a state and physical signs that point to pregnancy will not appear yet. But if you witnessed the mounting, you should be prepared because the most probable thing is that your Maltipoo is pregnant and in some months you will realize it.
To take the best care of her, you have to give her dog’s food for puppies, this way, the feeding of the pups will be covered since these croquettes contain more vitamins and proteins than the food for adult dogs.
An infallible proof that will tell you if your dog is pregnant or not consists in perform an ultrasound after a month of the mounting. This ultrasound will reveal the number of pups she is carrying and their health status.
It is at this moment when you will start feeding your Maltipoo with small puppies’ croquettes.
The pregnancy of the Maltipoo lasts from 50 to 63 days, after this period, it is necessary that you visit a veterinarian because your dog could be presenting a complication in its labor process and will need assistance. If the vet fails to stimulate the Maltipoo to have a natural labor, then the cesarean operation will be necessary as a last resource.
Needless to say that, during the gestation time, the dog should be in quiet places, without much noise and where she can rest at ease. It is not recommended to carry her or for children to play with it. It should always remain on the floor, to prevent that someone accidentally presses her belly.
She can still exercise and play, but you have to be very careful. Avoid it from jumping, running and taking long walks to keep the pups healthy.
You will have to respect these two months of pregnancy, giving to your dog all pertinent cares that it needs for a healthy pregnancy, having her inside of the house, giving her a comfortable mattress and putting its food and water plate inaccessible places, close to where she sleeps or usually is in.
You mustn’t let her lay in crowded places of the house since during these months her needs for sleep will increase and she may not realize that people are walking close to her to move of place and she gets stepped on. The best thing is to reserve a corner that is not too far from the living room and put everything she needs to rest there.
How can I know if my Maltipoo is pregnant?
After the first month, you could notice at a glance that the abdomen area of your Maltipoo is swollen down and to the sides, which can give it the appearance of an obese dog, but it is not so, but in its belly, their puppies are growing.
To know when a dog is about to give birth, you have to watch its behavior. Usually, the day before and the same day that she plans to give birth, she will be very unquiet and looking for the ideal place to snuggle next to its puppies. It will normally look for rags to improvise a comfortable and safe area for her and her puppies before giving birth.
You have to also look close to the next physical characteristics that your dog will present with the course of the pregnancy:
Swollen Tits: the breasts of the pregnant dogs almost always have a particular pink tone and also acquire some swelling. They will not grow exaggeratedly, just a little, but this will be enough for you to notice that it is pregnant. However, this point may not be decisive since during the psychological pregnancy the breasts can also swell.
Vaginal discharge: pregnant dogs can secrete viscous and translucent liquid from their vagina, which may also have a pink color. This means that the opening of the vagina is being sealed to protect the area and give way to pregnancy.
At last and as a determinant characteristic is a bulging belly. You could see it from below and sideways. If your Maltipoo presents all these characteristics, then she is happily pregnant.
How many puppies can a Maltipoo have?
Given the small size of the Maltipoo, thanks to its parents the Maltese and the small o toy poodle, you should not expect a great number of Maltipoo puppies. The reduced space in their body makes it impossible for them to have large litters as in the case of the Golden retriever or the Dalmatian, whose females can give birth to a litter of up to 14 puppies.
The Maltipoo can have in each litter as a maximum of 8 puppies (and this is in exceptional cases), and as a minimum of 3 pups. Knowing this, you have to prepare the space where she is going to give birth long before it happens. For this, you should get some old but clean towels and have them close so that at the time of the labor you have them available and can prepare the “nest” in advance.
Labor must be in a closed place. The yard is not an option because the Maltipoo is not a dog that develops very well in the yard, its puppies either, even less if they have just born!
Approaching 50 days of gestation you should start all the preparations for the birth since this can happen that same week. Prepare clean towels where your female Maltipoo can lie down and feel comfortable and intimate. The room should be dimly lit and quiet, there should be no unknown people watching the labor.
Usually, the Maltipoo only accepts its master to be with her in this special moment for both. The presence of other people could make her feel uncomfortable, making the labor harder and longer.
Finally, you must make a “fence” around the area where the Maltipoo will give birth to prevent that the newborn puppies run to what is unknown to them. The puppies can’t see during their first days of life, but they may want to walk around. It is important that the pups are always close to their mother to get warm and food.
You can help the new mother taking care of the pups looking out that she will not crash them with her body, that all of the pups are near to hear and avoiding that strangers visit her while she is breastfeeding the puppies.
Diet and alimentation of the Maltipoo
The Maltipoo needs a balanced and quality diet but in the right quantities. You have to keep in mind that it is a very small dog, it has a sweet aspect so on most of the occasions it will be treated very permissively, giving it the quantity of food that it demands and in some cases, even human food.
Do not let yourself be manipulated and do not give in at any time because otherwise, it will become a custom for it. It is very important to put a boundary between basic care and your complacency, a perennial training is needed in these cases. If its behavior is not corrected, it will be a real problem in the future. It would be a very cute dog but with a fatal behavior.
Choose good quality food designed for small breeds is the most appropriate since it can be difficult for the Maltipoo to chew, swallow and digest too large pieces. It is also essential to choose an adequate amount of food; this is key for its well-being.
Good food is compound by balanced elements. The main presence of proteins and carbohydrates is fundamental. To identify it you have to consider the ingredients that the ingredients on the label where the meat should be one of the first two ingredients on the list, otherwise it may be of low quality and does not give your dog the resources it needs.
However, there are other methods to feed your Maltipoo. You can prepare homemade food special for it. To do this is better to consult with a veterinarian that can give you the exact indications of the diet that your pet requires daily. Your dog will not have the same nutritional demands of a human, so on occasions can be hard to calculate the ingredients.
No Maltipoo is the same as another, so there is not an exact pattern of their diet, this must be following its weight and exercising level. In the food packages, there are indications of how many foods you have to give the dog, but you also have to remember how much the dog exercises daily because it will define if it needs more resources on its diet.
An average adult Maltipoo needs around 200 calories a day to feel satisfied. To active and athletic dogs is necessary that you give them more food than you would give to an inactive dog, this is because it needs more energy to do all its daily work, with about 300 calories would be fine, but it all depends on the amount of exercise and training it handles.
To establish the meal hours is best to have a fixed schedule. There is also the method of free feeding, this means leaving to the Maltipoo’s disposition a lot of food, allowing it to eat whenever it wants. This a good method but it has its cons as causing obesity to the dog. The best method then would be giving the dog balanced portions of food at stablished hours.
The Maltipoo is better fed twice a day so you would have to divide the grams or calories daily into two portions, there must be the same amount of time between meals, it is best to decide an easy schedule to meet it. A good schedule would be during breakfast and the next portion at dinner.
This food regimen is for adults because puppies need more nutrients to complete their development healthily. The puppies need to be fed more times a day.
If the pup has between 8 and 12 weeks of life, you must divide its food into four portions.
If the puppy is between 3 and 6 months of age, you must divide it into three portions.
If your pup is between 6 and 12 months of age, you have to feed it dividing the food into two portions.
The Maltipoo puppy will need on average 300 or 400 calories to grow and develop with no problem. As it grows, the daily amount will be reduced to maintain a healthy weight when it becomes an adult
The food also includes candies. If you give the dog candies too often, it could get overweight. In these cases, is best to opt for a natural and healthy solution to reduce excessive calorie intake. Rewards such as banana slices, blueberries, watermelon chunks, and small carrots are good options.
Many human foods are toxic to the Maltipoo that you have to avoid to prevent the dog from getting indigestion or any other disease. Things like caffeine, chocolate, yeast, nuts, avocado, and alcohol are harmful to it.
Health and Cares of the Maltipoo
The care of the Maltipoo is varied, like in any other pet dog, small and with woolly fur. The principal cares have to do with its leafy fur, so the brushing and baths have to be taken into account eventually.
How to properly take care of the hygiene of the Maltipoo?
Its fur grows in the form of waves unlike the poodle, whose fur is coiled, and the Maltese, which has smooth and silky fur like silk. It can be said that the Maltipoo’s is a combination of these types of fur.
This waved fur requires the same care that one could give to the poodle and Maltese’s fur, for which could be a double job, something that you have to consider when adopting a Maltipoo since you will be spending a good part of the day taking care of its fur.
If you let its fur grows by itself, in a few weeks you will see the entanglement and you will have to leave your Maltipoo practically “bald” so the fur could grow again and you have the opportunity to take good care of it this time, brushing it and untangling the knots manually.
As for baths, these should be done at least once every month and can be extended up to a month and a half at most. When bathing it is recommended to use special products for dogs, such as pH-controlled shampoos among other veterinary soaps. Human shampoos can easily give it skin allergy and mistreat its fur because these are not formulated for its delicate skin.
How often and how to cut the hair of the Maltipoo?
The coat can be left uncut for a long time, even the Maltipoo itself could lose the old fur naturally and the cut would not be necessary. But the truth is that haircut is a recommended practice especially, to facilitate the grooming of a dog of this breed.
With a haircut, the Maltipoo will not have that much easily tangled fur, making easier the brushing and minimizing the possibility of mites appearing and hiding in their waved fur.
In hot times is also recommended to cut Maltipoo’s fur because it could face heat shocks easily due to its small size and staying in enclosed areas. With less fur, the dog could store less heat in its body making easier to cool.
The fur has to be cut with scissors so it won’t get dull and tangled, so, unless you have hairdressing knowledge, a professional in dog grooming should help you and be there when the cut is done. We recommend that you stay in the place because many groomers say that they do the cut with scissors and instead they use the shaving machine.
You have to know that it is necessary cutting the dog’s nails with the same frequency that you cut its hair, whether you cut them carefully, knowing that in the nails are nerves that could bleed if you cut them, or that you go with a professional in canine esthetic. You can also file its nails.
Before cutting its hair, you need to bathe the Maltipoo to remove the dirt from the fur and the body and thus avoid allergies. The fur should be moist when cutting to facilitate the task.
Before you cut the hair, you have to brush it to eliminate knots, thus you will determine where to start. You have to start on the area that is most affected by the tangles and knots and then you cut the other areas accordingly to how much hair you removed in the first one.
How is the health of the Maltipoo in general?
The purebred dogs constantly suffer from different genetic problems that appear due to the shared genes from generation to generation between parents and siblings of the same litter. Although the two breeds from which the Maltipoo descends do not possess the best of healths, the combination of these enriches the genetic map of the Maltipoo, making it stronger against determined genetic conditions that its parents present.
Some of the health conditions that could affect the Maltipoo are:
Cryptorchidism: in males, this problem avoids one of the testicles from descending from the abdomen to the scrotum. It’s presented when the dog is 12 weeks. The pup with this problem has to be castrated to prevent tumors during adulthood.
Epilepsy: some specimens can suffer from epilepsy around 6 months of life until 5 years of age. It is a condition that could or not require medication. You must consult a veterinarian in case your dog presents an episode of epilepsy.
White sharker: it can happen in specimens of light color fur. It is a condition that makes the dog shake and has less coordination in some movements. It can be treated.
Retinal atrophy: this condition it can be presented as in poodles as in Maltese dogs. Consists of the eye degenerative atrophy of the dog as the years go by. Due to this problem, the dog could be partially or completely blind to the affected eye. The Maltipoos bred in houses specialized to the breeding of this species must be free of this kind of condition.
Frequent exercise for the Maltipoo: the best way of keeping it healthy
Although these are dogs that have a good sedentary lifestyle, the Maltipoos Maltopo need physical and mental exercise to be healthy. They are smart dogs that obey their master without thinking twice, something you can take advantage of to perform positive training session in which, at the same time, it can have fun.
You could also organize games in which you use its sight or smell, they are very curious dogs who like games and spending time with their master, so they will love spending this quality time with you.
You can take it out for a walk daily for a few minutes, or take it out for longer walks in alternative days. It is not convenient for your dog to be too exhausted on these walks. Remember that is a house dog and is not used to long walks.
A good diet for each stage of its life
From puppies you must provide a diet based on croquettes for baby dogs, these croquettes can be easily found in any mall and they will give the dog all the vitamins it needs. If instead, you decide to offer them a homemade diet remember that there are ingredients to avoid at all costs such as foods with alcohol, chocolate, avocado, beets, and semi-raw potatoes cause these ingredients could poison them.
From six months of age, the Maltipoo’s feeding will change to two portions a day.
How to train or educate a Maltipoo
The training of the Maltipoo is no challenge for its owners. It is a quite educated dog that on almost any occasion will dare to challenge its master, so it will be simple to train it successfully.
The Maltipoos don’t react well to aggressiveness from their owner in training sessions, so try to keep your frustration to yourself and have a lot of patience when training them, since screams and offensive signals will make it turn into a fearful and sad dog because the person that is supposed to take care of it and the one who it craves to spend time with, dedicates to mistreat it physical or psychologically.
To prevent any kind of mistreatment against the Maltipoo and other dog breeds, a very effective training plan has been designed, this is called positive training. As its name says, this kind of training is focused to congratulate what the Maltipoo has done right and keep the congratulation when it does something wrong.
When the dog is training congratulations seem like a good prize, but the Maltipoo loves snacks, so you can mix its passion with your need for it to learn to relieve itself in the yard, for example.
Following this example, imagine that the Maltipoo defecated in your carpet, in this case, you have to tell it “no” in a firm tone, but not yelling, then you take the stool to the yard and place it where you want the dog to defecate, where it won’t affect the environment, then, when you see that your Maltipoo is placing in the typical position to defecate tell it quickly “no” and take the dog to the yard where you placed the stool the first time.
If you are lucky, the dog will understand quickly that that is the right place to defecate and when it does it for the first time in that place you will have to award it with a tasty and healthy snack, like homemade meatballs.
Do not accuse the Maltipoo of defecating inside the house if you don’t find it doing it, all you will get is to confuse it because, on its mind, it doesn’t know that defecating inside is wrong, you will be the responsibility of changing that mentality.
As of the last point on this example, you could clean well the area where the dog defecated with strong aromas so it will not smell any trace of stool and the only place it will have to defecate in will be the yard.
As you see, training a dog is a long process, is not something that you will achieve from night to morning, but with patience and of course, a tasty snack, your Maltipoo will know what is wrong and what is right in record time, getting to be a model dog.
The socialization is a factor that must never be disregarded in the training of the Maltese Poodle
To any dog, the stage in which it relates to other dogs is vital. The first phase of socialization is the time that the pups spend with their mother and siblings, time that will help them to learn how to live properly in litter and to get along with other dogs since they will know what place they have in the family.
Their mother will teach them basic terms of smelling, not being aggressive with their siblings, feeding and many other things, that is why is not recommended to separate the pups too soon of their mother because it could result in incomplete socialization and make them have a bad relationship with humans and with other dogs.
After this early stage in the socialization of the pup, the phase in which we will have to make it socialize with the people of its environment once it gets home begins. To do it, we only need the family to be kind with the dog, hold it and pet it, with this, it will understand that no one is going to be hostile to it and that it can trust all members of the family.
Naturally, with the person that the dog will be most given with is its owner, that will be the one to spend more time with it and feed it.
How much should a Maltipoo exercise?
As every small dog, Maltipoo has good energy levels, so much that they need to play with their owner at least 30 minutes a day to get distracted and drain the need of spending time with him.
Since it is not a large dog, it does not have too many energy reserves, so it will get tired in a bit of time and will go to rest to its favorite corner of the house.
It is recommended for the Maltipoos to live inside the house or in small and controlled exteriors, as a little yard. In case of having a Maltipoo that lives in the yard, the exercise should last half an hour, and in case that it lives inside the house, the exercise must be extended to an hour, taking it out for a walk or playing with it in the yard.
You must not get confused by it looks of a toy, they are good friends with the sofa, but also keep a lot of energy when there is an activity that it enjoys, as when you invite it to play find the ball, find snacks that you hide in the yard, catching the frisbee or going out for a walk.
The Maltipoos are not hard to please talking about exercise and recreational activities. You only have to pay attention to it over the day so it won’t feel lonely and take time to play and exercise with it. It also loves to entertain people, because of its size the Maltipoo results funny with its daily occurrences so don’t miss them!
The Maltipoo are nature lovers, make sure of going to the boulevard with it regularly so its entertained and don’t think about going out for itself, they are beautiful dogs and there are people that could want to steal them.
Finally, you can put in practice the method of positive training so the Maltipoo feels much more motivated to learn different commands. This technic consists of performing, before any great training, one or two sessions of training separated by some minutes in between.
The Maltipoo will be visibly excited at these training sessions as it knows that a great reward will come later and will do everything possible to learn quickly and then go out to the activity that wants to share with you so much.
You do not have to repeat this method daily to avoid exhausting the dog. Alternate tasty and healthy snacks along with this technic and you will see how your beautiful Maltipoo will be exceptionally obedient.
The ideal environment for the Maltipoo
The Maltipoo is a dog that adapts especially to spaces like house interiors and apartments. It is a small specimen and it does not need big spaces, so its relatively easy to find it a good spot at home.
Besides, inside the house, you can take better care of the dog because is not the same living in a large garden or land where a more independent environment for the dog would develop. The Maltipoo loves spaces inside the house where enjoy more security and company.
This breed stands out for being sociable and closed to their family so their favorite environment is where this is. However, having a dog inside the house also needs to establish stricter rules and routines about its behavior and schedules.
Before introducing the pet to the house you must do some changes in the position of the objects. Many times the spaces are not exactly adequate to the dog, so you have to fix it and make room. The Maltipoo does not need much space but enough to find the necessary comfort.
Some measures that can be taken to balance the spaces of the home could be accommodating some furniture and objects that are in the middle of the spaces so that the Maltipoo does not stumble or collide with them. It should also be applied in the halls and places with decorations, corners and narrow spaces to avoid hurting or breaking something when stumbling over it.
Create a space meant for it, it will need to have its own space to relax and comfortably play. You must procure not to place it somewhere crowded in the house where there is noise. This place should have everything the dog needs: its toys, food plates, and the sleeping place is the basic.
A safety measure to your Maltipoo is keeping the doors and windows closed. This dog tends to be curious so it could try to scape in some moment if you do not take the necessary measures. If the house has a balcony you must be even more careful, the Maltipoo is a very small dog so a fall from the second floor would be mortal.
You have to teach the dog about the danger that this implies, holding him when it looks out from the window or balcony with a firm “no” or “careful”, with time the dog will understand that these are dangerous places where it has to be careful.
The access to the bathroom and kitchen must be always supervised so it won’t eat anything it finds in these areas. You have to teach them not to take anything from those areas. In these places is common to keep cleaning substances and more, which represents a risk to the pet. To try get their attention away from those places, put a freshwater plate for it away from the kitchen and bathroom so the Maltipoo won’t look for water there.
There must always be a defined place for the dog to relieve itself, a newspaper is an easy and comfortable way of cleaning it. There is also the method of taking it outside for it to do it there, but for this, you would need to take it out a few times a day, in case of living in an apartment. If it lives in a house, the dog could decide when to go by itself.
To prevent that the Maltipoo has too much energy and runs frenetically around the house, that energy must be drained with activities that get it tired such as taking it out for a walk. You must take the dog out every day although the dog lives in a house with a yard.
The routine can be divided into two parts, a session of 45 minutes to an hour in the morning, and the next one could be in the afternoon when the sun is hiding and can also last 45 minutes to an hour. You can take these walks for the dog to relieve itself more comfortably.
If you live in an apartment, playing sessions will not be a problem. You can use toys or a ball in this little space cause the dog is extremely small. The owner can actively participate in the game by inviting the rest of the family, therefore the Maltipoo will feel happy and in the company of its loved ones.