Maltipoo vs. Maltese: Which Breed is Right for You?

You might be wondering, Maltipoo vs Maltese...which one to take home? If you are planning to decide between the Maltipoo or the Maltese, there are a few things to consider. The little pups are filled with character, while both types offer a lot to their right owners that makes them the ideal new addition to the pack.

While the Maltipoos share their DNA with the Maltese, there is a good overlap that happens between the two. But the Poodle parent brings in a bit more to the mix than just their distinctive factor of the curly coat. Here are the things that you should look at: the different things that establish the identity of both the Maltese and Maltipoo, which are truly unique in making the right decision.

Maltipoo Overview

The Maltipoo is the crossbreed of the Maltese with the toy or miniature Poodle. They often inherit their scruffy curly coat from their Poodle lineage, while they are well-known for maintaining their puppy-like personality throughout their whole lifetime. They are extremely affectionate, extremely smart, and playful. They are not a purebred dog as they do not confirm at any standards. Therefore, you can locate the different shapes, colors, sizes, and features that you would find in the Maltipoo. It relies mainly on the dog's generation as they inherit greater Poodle genetics with more of the Maltese genetics.

Maltese Overview

The Maltese are an ancient breed that dates back several years and were created more due to their rat hunting skills with their traits as canine companions. It is due to their working dog background that makes the hounds more than just the lapdogs, as they love a lot of attention. The Maltese are typically pedigree pups, coupled with the fact that they have been around for a long there are different breed standards considering their temperament and aesthetics, as you can reasonably ensure that you end up with something extremely cute.

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Maltipoo vs. Maltese

Personality / Character

Maltipoo: The Maltipoo is often the smart, sweet, and loyal breed that forms the ideal service dog, mainly due to its kind and attentive nature. It is generally carefree and easier to get along with, making it the ideal option for families who have pets.

Maltese: The Maltese breed is often known for being fearless and friendly, making it the ideal lap dog. They are the real people's dogs, as they love nothing about not being around their owners while joining in with the festivities. The Maltese were typically bred as companion dogs, which is the reason behind their energy and friendliness. They are typically considered to be in similar tune with their owners, making them the ideal service dogs.

Training

Maltipoo: The Poodle forms the parent with the ideal intelligence while it relies on the qualities that get passed onto the offspring with Maltipoo, who are easier to train or are close to the average. Typically the smartness of the Maltipoo is somewhere in the middle of the Maltese and Poodle. The Maltipoo mainly listens to commands and always focuses on pleasing their owners, so they rapidly learn the commands. However, they are good within trials like obedience, mainly due to their mixed breed status, as they cannot compete in the competitions or are shown in organizations like the AKC or American Kennel Club.

Maltese: You can train your Maltese quite easily as they are extremely smart and have an adorable nature; however, they might have a bit of a stubborn streak. They are considered to be tough at housebreaking, and patient training and consistency are required here. While your training makes a positive experience, a Maltese is a quick learner. They are also athletic dogs as they thrive well in obedience or agility they are extremely devoted and reliable.

Health & Care

Maltipoo: 

The Maltipoos face a couple of health-related issues. Irrespective of them being crossbred, they are mainly healthier as compared to the other pure-breed dogs, as both the Maltese dogs and the Poodles have identical health issues. The Maltipoos often suffer from the following severe health-related issues:

Portosystemic Shunt

The portosystemic shunt is a liver condition where an extra or abnormal connection forms out of or around the portal vein that reaches the liver. It enables the blood to pass through the liver, with the blood that gets carried through the portal vein is never detoxified. The portal veins collect blood out of the abdomen and their organs, like the gastrointestinal system and spleen, indicating that the toxins build within the blood. This kind of shunt is mainly congenital, which is common among the Toy or Miniature Poodles, and the Maltese make the Maltipoo suffer it.

Shaker Syndrome

Shaker syndrome or idiopathic cerebellitis is typically common among dogs with white coats, causing mild to moderate constant full-body shaking. It is often caused by mild nervous system diseases or, without any discernible reason, considered idiopathic dog breeds like Maltese are often prone to suffering.

Patellar Luxation

Patellar Luxation is typically the discoloration of the patellar or the knee in the legs. It happens all of a sudden with the patellar sliding back right into place while it gets popped out, happening several times. Smaller breeds, like the Toy Poodle and Maltese, are generally predisposed to patellar luxation due to the size of the Maltipoo, which is often more likely than the other breeds to suffer it.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is considered a neurological disorder often caused by of misfiring of the brain neurons. These form the bursts of electrical activities caused by different forms of seizures, which are often focal or general. Signs of epilepsy in dogs include shaking, twitching, or seizing episodes. The Poodles are often prone to epilepsy, which is generally a common condition.

Maltese:

The Maltese dog breed often faces a couple of health-related issues, which are often genetically predisposed to a few of them turning more serious.

Patellar Luxation

As already discussed, the Maltese often suffer from patellar luxation. This is the typical condition where the knee of your dog slides out of place, leading to your dog limping or becoming lame in just one minute and fine the next. This is a treatable condition; however, it proves expensive if it starts reoccurring and the insurance fails to cover it.

Portosystemic Shunt

The other condition that both the Maltipoo and the Maltese have is the portosystemic liver shunt. This is the typical condition that is more than likely to impact the Maltese dogs. It consists of the malformation or branching out of the portal veins that collect the waste products and blood out of the gastrointestinal systems or the spleen. It is typically a treatable illness with the help of surgery, dietary changes, and medications.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition that impacts small dog breeds of the toy group, like the Maltese. It indicates low blood sugar and quickly turns deadly, specifically in older or younger dogs. When there are fewer amounts of glucose present in dogs' blood, the body lacks proper energy to function and tries to shut down.

Dental Issues

Toy breeds are often prone to dental health issues like overcrowding due to their normal-sized teeth being in smaller mouths. Overcrowding often leads to food getting stuck, tooth decay, plaque build-up, and possible periodontal diseases.

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Grooming

Maltipoo: While the Maltipoos typically inherit the curly coat of the Poodle with the regular grooming appointments and the daily brushing often required to keep their coats tangle-free and shinier coat free from shed hair. Not every Maltipoos inherits this kind of coat with a few straight or wavy coats like their Maltese parents. In either instance, the dogs have higher levels of grooming requirements.

Maltese: The Maltese are recognized for being hypoallergenic, although no dog is 100% hypoallergenic. They don't shed and have long, single white coats. The silky hair grows long and should be brushed regularly to prevent tangles and knotting, but it does not need heavy grooming unless very soiled. Regular grooming trips to the groomers are recommended unless owners are prepared to take some time to use styling products and clips to keep hair out of the owner's eyes.

Suitable For

Maltipoo: Maltipoo is a friendly and playful dog breed that requires much time at home and is good for the family with an active lifestyle. The moisture is reduced and The Maltipoo isn’t a lapdog like the Maltese but is small enough for apartment living. These sweet dogs also proved themselves as good dogs for older people since, when trained, they will be companions and could also help if needed because of their high intelligence level and curiosity. Maltipoos do well around children as long as the child is sensitive to the size of the dog. They require grooming frequently and cannot be recommended for people who do not have time, or who cannot afford to groom frequently.

Maltese: The Maltese is appropriate for families with older children, who will not cause any harm to tiny creatures and will not be as rough when playing. The Maltese can be a perfect companion for children of preschool age, as well as for older children, adults, and even for the elderly population for both an active and a sedentary lifestyle. The Maltese dog breed is not good for families with young children or families that have limited time to devote to the grooming of this breed’s stylish and fluffy coat.

Which Breed Is Right for You?

The Maltipoo and the Maltese are both dogs that share some characteristics, but they also have their differences. The Maltipoo is another dog that would be better suitable for families with children because it’s slightly larger than the Maltese and, therefore, safer around children. Maltese feel so protective of their family that it may not take the amusement of a child as playtime and may grow restless. Both dogs require a fairly minimal amount of grooming, but both could do with some daily brushing. What this does mean is that if ignored these dogs will become matted within a short time and develop complications.

Suppose you are considering a Maltese for senior citizens. In that case, you must know that it is relatively inexpensive to maintain one, but the first expense is high to get a purebred Maltese. The Maltese and Maltipoo are suitable breeds for apartments; besides, they are both very friendly dogs. 

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Conclusion

Adding a new pup to your home is filled with joy; however, getting one is often a tricky affair, mainly when you are still determining which breed is the right one for you. Choosing on the basis of looks can create a disaster. That is why our post has a complete comparison between both dogs, and we hope that the details can help you land the ideal choice for you and your family.