Maltipoo puppy: the first 30 days at home, step by step

A maltipoo puppy learns habits for life in its first month at home: food, sleep, toilet training, being handled and staying alone. What matters most is fixed times, 4 small meals a day and a calm introduction to the house, not a huge shopping list.

Below is a week-by-week plan. Print it or tick it off on your phone.

Before your puppy arrives

• a bed or pen in a quiet spot,
• harness, lead, ID tag,
• bowls, puppy pads, chew toys,
• the food the puppy ate at the breeder's, for the first 1–2 weeks,
• covered cables, blocked stairs, a lidded bin,
• a booked first vet visit.

A harness instead of a collar is a good choice from day one. It puts less pressure on the windpipe, and tracheal collapse is more common in small dogs.

Week 1: routine and calm

• 4 meals at fixed times,
• toilet breaks after sleeping, eating and playing,
• first short trips out of the room without the puppy,
• a check-up and vaccination plan.

In the first days the puppy sleeps a lot. Don't invite all your friends straight away. The puppy needs to get to know you and the house first.

My maltipoo spent her first night sleeping with us, and that settled her.

Weeks 2–3: touch, sounds, first commands

• daily touching of paws, ears and muzzle, always with a reward,
• first brushing and "pretend" tooth brushing,
• new sounds: vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, doorbell,
• learning its name and "sit".

Maltipoos learn fast because they get a sharp mind from the poodle. Rewards and praise work. Shouting backfires, because these are sensitive dogs.

Week 4: new food and the first groomer visit

• a gradual switch to new food over 7–10 days,
• after vaccinations, calm socialising with people and dogs,
• a "get to know you" groomer visit, no haircut,
• weighing and writing down the result,
• staying alone for 15–30 minutes.

Weigh your puppy at 16 weeks and double the number. That gives you a rough adult weight. More in how much a full-grown maltipoo weighs.

Feeding a maltipoo puppy

Until 4 months a puppy eats 4 times a day, then 3 times, and from around 6 months 2–3 times. The smallest puppies have little energy in reserve, so they shouldn't wait long between meals. The full chart is in how many times a day to feed a dog.

Don't overfeed "just in case". A lean puppy that grows steadily puts less strain on the kneecaps, which are a weak spot in small breeds.

Alone time: start in week one

The most common behaviour problem in maltipoos is fear of being alone. You teach it in small steps: first leave for the next room, then a few minutes behind the door, then a quarter of an hour. Come back calmly, without a big greeting.

If your dog will need to stay alone longer later on, start practising now, not on your first day back at the office.