Maltipoo: temperament, size, price and care

The maltipoo is a cross between a Maltese and a toy or miniature poodle. An adult usually weighs 2–9 kg (4–20 lb), lives 12–15 years, sheds very little and wants to be close to its people.

Below are the key facts in short, with links to detailed articles. The full version is in our free PDF guide.

Where the maltipoo comes from

Breeders in the US started crossing Maltese and poodles on purpose in the 1990s. From the Maltese, the maltipoo gets a silky coat and a need to stay close to people. From the poodle, it gets curly hair and a sharp mind: the poodle ranks 2nd in Stanley Coren's dog intelligence ranking.

Listings use the labels F1, F1b and F2. They tell you who the puppy's parents were, and that decides how predictable the adult dog will be.

How big a maltipoo gets

Size depends mainly on the poodle parent. A toy poodle usually gives a toy maltipoo, a miniature poodle gives a mini. We cover growth curves and a simple rule based on weighing at 16 weeks in how much a full-grown maltipoo weighs.

Temperament: who this dog suits

The maltipoo is a classic companion dog. It likes people, usually gets on with children and other pets, and learns quickly for rewards. It also barks at sounds and visitors, so you need to teach it an "off switch".

The most common behaviour problem is not aggression but fear of being alone. If the dog would be on its own for 8–10 hours a day, think twice.

My maltipoo always greets me at the door and jumps for joy.

Coat, colours and allergies

Neither the Maltese nor the poodle has an undercoat. That is why maltipoos shed little, but they also get cold quickly, and their hair keeps growing and needs cutting. Coat colour can change until about age 2; see maltipoo colours.

The "dog for allergy sufferers" idea doesn't hold up. In a 2012 study, dogs of so-called hypoallergenic breeds had more of the main dog allergen (Can f 1) in their coat than control dogs: 2.26 vs 0.77 µg/g.

Health: what maltipoos inherit from their parents

Being a cross does not protect against the parents' diseases. In 2024 the Royal Veterinary College compared records of 9,402 dogs and found no difference between crossbreeds and their parent breeds in 86.6% of comparisons.

In maltipoos, the main things to watch are teeth, kneecaps and eyes. Small dogs are diagnosed with periodontal disease up to 5 times more often than large dogs, so start brushing teeth in the first weeks at home.

Food and feeding

A 4 kg neutered dog needs about 200 kcal a day, an intact one about 260 kcal. An adult maltipoo eats twice a day, a puppy under 4 months four times. More in how much to feed a dog and how many times a day to feed a dog.

If your dog is picky at the bowl, read my dog won't eat. It is usually about habits, not the dog.

Before you buy a puppy

Maltipoo parents don't have to pass any health tests, so everything depends on the breeder. Read 12 questions to ask a maltipoo breeder, check how much a maltipoo costs and what's worth paying for, then get ready for the first 30 days with a puppy.