Maltipoo Care

The Maltipoo is a hybrid of a Maltese and a Mini or Toy Poodle--which makes these crossbreeds fantastic companion dogs that need a lot of attention. Overall Maltipoo care and maintenance will need to include a little daily exercise, frequent grooming--and most of all, loads of TLC!

Below you'll find plenty of details on caring for a Maltipoo: puppy care and development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more are covered here. For answers to your questions about how to care for a Maltipoo puppy, see the following sections!

Though active, these hybrids are quite small, so Maltipoo exercise requirements aren't too extensive. These dogs will fulfill a lot of their daily activity needs just running around being their friendly little selves--but they'll still benefit from a couple of short walks and a little playtime each day.

Specifically how much exercise does a Maltipoo need? The typical adult will only need about 30 minutes of proper exercise per day. You can start exercising your Maltipoo puppy when it's 2½ months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.

Precautions with Maltipoo exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're eight months old
• A leash is recommended when exercising in public
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Prone to separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people
• May get hot or cold easily; best not to exercise in extreme temps

It's important to exercise your Maltipoo every day. These hybrids are active and social--and without consistent activity (always with their people!) they'll become frustrated, extremely "yappy," and even destructive. Regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Maltipoo exercise ideas:

• Walking: Two 10-minute walks per day is a good target
• Fetch: Can be played indoors or out; use the dog's favorite toy
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Dog Park: If properly socialized, Maltipoos enjoy the company of other dogs
• Laser Pointer: Maltipoos go nuts chasing that "little red dot"

When indoors, give your Maltipoo access to balls or toys that will allow the dog to burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

These hybrids don't need much maintenance overall. Maltipoo shedding is minimal, and drooling isn't an issue.

A medium-length, wavy to curly coat is typical for the Maltipoo. Do they shed at all? They do--every dog does--but the shedding is very low, so owners will rarely need to clean up dead hairs. These dogs do need a lot of brushing, though, to keep the coats from matting or tangling. A Maltipoo's coat will also need to be clipped every few months to keep it looking good.

And a Maltipoo almost never drools. If your Maltipoo is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Maltipoo diet will need to include animal proteins and carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. This means the best Maltipoo food is premium dry kibble, as it has balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients. With a premium brand like Royal Canin, Maltipoo dogs will be much healthier and live longer.

Adult Maltipoo dog food portions: about 1½ cups of kibble per day, divided into two meals. Maltipoo puppy food portions are a little smaller: depending on age, about a cup per day, divided into three meals (not two) until the age of six months.

For more info on how much to feed a Maltipoo puppy, see the following chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult formula to the mixture, until the dog s eating it entirely.

If possible, try and stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these hybrids can become overweight--and a fat Maltipoo will have numerous health problems and a shortened lifespan. Help control the dog's weight by having consistent Maltipoo feeding schedules, by not feeding the dog table scraps (and easy on the Maltipoo treats!), and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Maltipoo is overweight, try this test: run a hand along the dog's side, and if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise!

Though opinions differ, most veterinarians, breeders, and owners agree that the best dog food for Maltipoo puppy and adult dogs is premium dry food. While more expensive, this high-quality food provides necessary nutrients dogs need to remain healthy. Cheap, generic food is not recommended for this crossbreed, because it has mostly empty "filler" ingredients that don't meet a dog's nutritional requirements.

Maltipoos will do best with premium food formulated for toy breeds. Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium toy-breed food.