Maltipoo dogs are a crossbreed between Maltese and poodles, bred for their low shedding. They are small, between 8-14 inches and 5-20 pounds, and come in various colors. As lap dogs, Maltipoos are gentle, playful, and enjoy time with their owners. However, they need early socialization and 15 minutes of exercise daily. Potential health issues include seizures, retinal atrophy, and patellar luxation. Daily grooming and hygiene is important to keep their fur and teeth clean. Maltipoos get along with people and other pets but young children need supervision.

1. MALTIPOO DOGS
History
Maltipoo is a crossbreed dog between a Maltese and a poodle hence the name. The dog was conceived
from the desire to have a dog suitable for people who were allergic to saliva or fur often shed by dogs.
The two breeds were therefore chosen as they shed very little fur which could trigger allergic reactions
in some people. It is considered to a designer dog. This is a dog that is purposely bred from two known
types of dog breeds.
Body
Compared to other dog breeds, the Maltipoo are relatively quite small. Depending on the poodle parent
genes, it grows to a length of between 8 and 14 inches. A mature dog weighs between 5 and 20 pounds.
The fur come in many colors such as grey, cream, gold, white, brown, black or a combination of any of
these colors.
Behavior
Having been bred from two lap dogs, the Maltipoo is a very gentle and playful dog. This makes it a dog
of choice for timid owners who are taking in their first pets. It usually likes spending time perched on the
laps of its owners and love being cuddled. It can act as a perfect sentry in that it will bark at any strange
person or situation. However, due to its diminutive size and temperament, it can only alert the owner
but not confront the danger. Just as with other breeds of dogs, the Maltipoo need to be socialized early
enough so that it can learn how to behave towards different people and other experiences.
Health
Just like other pets and indeed all animals, Maltipoo dogs are bound to fall sick from time to time. Some
of the diseases to be wary of include:
a. White Shaker Syndrome – Like the name suggests, this disease causes convulsion-like tremors in
the dog. It can be caused by stress or when the dog is overly excited. It can occur anywhere
between the ages of 6 to 36 months. Though the disease is not fatal, it is important to seek early
treatment by consulting a veterinary doctor.
b. Epilepsy – Like in humans, the disease causes occasional seizures in the dog. Though it has no
known cure, the effects of the disease can be controlled by seeking early treatment.
c. Progressive Retinal Atrophy – This is an eye disorder caused by loss of ability of the retina to
receive and transmit light received from the outside. This disease eventually causes blindness in
the dog if not detected early enough.
d. Patellar Luxation – This occurs when the components of the components of the lower leg are
not aligned properly causing the dog to walk in a skipping gait or even lameness. If not detected
and treated early enough, the disorder can result in arthritis which is an inflammation of joints.
Patellar Luxation can be rectifies through surgery.

2. Before acquiring a Maltipoo, it is important to seek proper medical certification for the dog as well as for
its parents concerning the eyes and legs. Since some medical conditions do not become manifest until
the dog is fully mature, it is important to ensure that the certification for the parents was issued after
the dog had attained the age of two years. The dog has a lifespan of between 10 and 13 years.
Care
A Maltipoo is meant to live inside the house with its owners. This can only be done successfully if the
dog is regularly taken out for exercise and trained on how to behave inside the house. Being quite
intelligent, the dog can be easily trained. Excessive energy in all living things can be quite destructive. It
is therefore important to ensure that the dog gets at least 15 minutes of outdoor exercise every day. If
deprived this opportunity to play outside, the dog can become restless and end up causing destruction
in the house. The dog likes to bark and so it is important to ensure that it is not kept in places with noise
restrictions.
Feeding
The average Maltipoo will require between half-a-cup and one and a half cups of good dog feed in a day
divided into two portions. As is the case with human beings, the amount of food that a dog will eat is
dependent on the rate of metabolism, age, size and the activities the dog engages in. A bigger dog
requires more food than a smaller one. In addition, an active dog has a higher metabolism rate which
results in a greater demand for food. It is however important to ensure that the dog does not become
overweight. This can be checked by looking down at the dog. If the waist can be seen from upfront then
the dog is healthy. One can also place one’s hands over the ribs and try to feel the ribs. If they can be
easily felt then the dog is fine but if one has to struggle in order to feel the ribs then it is time to cut back
on the amount of food given to the dog.
Grooming and Hygiene
If possible, the dog should be cleaned daily to remove any loose fur. The fur must be clipped one or two
time in a year to reduce the heat stored by the fur. The dog should be cleaned at least after every
month, the hair around the eyes trimmed and ears cleaned to remove any moisture or dirt. The teeth
should be brushed at least four times in a week to remove bacteria. It is important to trim the nails as
this ensures that not only are they clean but also do not cause scratches as he dogs are naturally inclined
towards jumping onto the laps of its owners.
It is important to ensure that the dog gets used to this routine early by starting the grooming when it is
still a puppy. This will make the dog more comfortable when being subjected to some of the activities.

3. Interactions
Maltipoos are generally friendly towards people as well as other dogs and pets. However, their small
size make them susceptible to injuries in the house especially from young children. It is therefore
necessary that small children are also trained on how to interact with the dogs and if possible any
interactions between the children and the dog should be under supervision by an older person. They get
along very well with other pets even if they are not used to each other.