22 Feb Interesting Facts about the Maltipoo Dog Breed

The Maltipoo dog breed isn’t a pure dog but a combination of Maltese and Poodle breeds. This breed is fun-loving, affectionate, active, and charming by nature and adapts to any environment and family: whether living in an apartment, at home, with a family, with or without children, or with men and women who live alone. If you’re also interested in having these beautiful dogs, stay tuned to the end of this article to get more information about them.

A brief look at the Maltipoo dog breed 

• Racial group: mixed races ( Hybrid )
• Height: 20 to 36 cm.
• Weight: 2 to 13 kg.
• Lifespan: 10 to 13 years.

Some important points about the Maltipoo dog breed

• The Maltipoo breed is the result of combining two well-known species, the Maltese and the poodle.
• Maitipoos are active and energetic dogs. They need daily activities, such as fetching or playing in the yard.
• The shedding of the hair of the Maltipoo dog breed is low. Therefore, they’re suitable for those who suffer from allergies but remember that they aren’t hypoallergenic. All dogs have dander and saliva that is allergenic. There’s only one way to know if a Maltipoo suits you. Spend a lot of time with him before bringing him home.
• Maltipoos are kind and have a good relationship with children. Due to being delicate and small, they are easily injured. Therefore, they are suitable for families with children over six years who can care for them.
• This furry friend is a companion dog, and if he’s constantly left alone, he may suffer from separation anxiety.

Personality characteristics of the Maltipoo dog breed

Maltipoos are a hybrid of Maltese and miniature poodles. They are kind and warm, just like their parents. These breeds make wonderful companions for older people and are excellent therapy dogs. Maltipoos are intelligent, emotional, and playful. They quickly become friends with anyone they meet. These breeds are kind and devoted and like to spend the whole day on their owners’ feet or walk beside them.

Common diseases

Maltipoo dogs are generally elderly, but like any other breed, some diseases are more common. It doesn’t mean that all dogs get all of them. Being aware of conditions can help us take better care of our dogs. If you want a Maltipoo dog, ensure its knees and eyes are healthy.

White Dog Shaker Syndrome

White Dog Shaker Syndrome symptoms are imbalance, rapid eye movement, and shaking the whole body. This abnormality generally affects white dogs. Shaking episodes appear from six months to three years of age and typically occur when the dog is excited or anxious. This disease 0pdoesn’t hurt or affect the dog’s mood. If you suspect your maltipoo has this syndrome, consult your veterinarian about treatment options.

Epilepsy

This disease causes convulsions in dogs and may be hereditary or have an unknown cause. However, it can be controlled with medication, but there’s no definite cure. A dog suffering from epilepsy can live a healthy and happy life. But he should be under the proper management of his owner and the supervision of a veterinarian and receive appropriate medication.

Patellar luxation

Slipped stifles are a common disease in small dogs. The hip joint has three parts: thigh bone, knee cap, and calf. In patellar luxation disease, these three parts aren’t right together. It causes the dog to limp or walk abnormally. This disease is congenital, but the knee abnormality occurs sometime after the dog is born. Wear and tear caused by patellar luxation may lead to arthritis or degenerative joint disease. There are 4 degrees of this disease, the first degree in which the joint is sometimes successfully displaced to the fourth degree in which the rotation of the tibia is so high that it can’t be moved by hand. At this stage, the appearance of the dog’s leg is crooked, and its treatment requires surgery.

Portosystemic liver shunt

This kidney disease occurs when a blood vessel causes blood to bypass the liver and thus not be purified. Since the liver is responsible for detoxifying and controlling food metabolism and eliminating drugs, this abnormal blood flow causes multiple dysplasias in dogs. Symptoms of this disorder include poor balance, strange nervous behavior, anorexia, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), intermittent digestive system problems, urinary system problems, drug withdrawal, and growth disorder. These symptoms usually appear before age two; the treatment methods are diet and reconstructive surgery.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy

This problem is a progressive disease that affects the retina. In this disease, the retina is destroyed over time, and eventually, due to the destruction of the cells that receive light, the dog becomes blind. Symptoms usually appear a few years after the dog has this disease. Fortunately, if their environment doesn’t change, dogs can live everyday lives using their other senses and be happy and healthy. Therefore, if your dog is blind, don’t constantly change the place of the furniture in the house so that he isn’t a stranger to the environment and lives comfortably in it. 

Caring and maintenance

These dog breeds are compatible with all types of houses, whether small apartments or large homes. No matter what their home looks like, they enjoy being with their owners and should live with them indoors. They can’t live in the yard or be left alone for long periods. They aren’t suitable for families away from home most of the day. In addition, they are aware of everything, and by barking, they want to tell you about everything. You must constantly and continuously teach them what they can bark for. If they have daily activities and sports, they won’t bother their owners with barking.

Maltipoo dogs are active and need daily exercise and activity for their health, happiness, and lack of behavioral problems. They are intelligent and well-trained. Use positive reinforcement techniques such as treats, games, and encouraging words to train them and see the effect immediately. Make him do 10 to 15 minutes of daily activity, such as walking, playing in the yard, or fetching his ball for you. He can constantly bark if they suspect something or someone. Therefore, before bringing a Maltipoo, learn how to train him, especially if you live in an apartment where your neighbors are sensitive to noise.

Nutrition 

Every dog has its particular needs and conditions. Five-eighths to one-and-a-half cups of dry food is suitable for your dog daily, which is best given in two meals. An adult dog’s food amount depends on many things, such as age, metabolism, size, and activity level. A more active dog eats more food. The quality of the food that the dog eats is also important. Eating a lot of high-quality food also makes the dog fat.

To maintain the proper body of your dog, it’s better to feed him in two meals and not to let the bowl of food be available to him all the time. To determine if your dog is overweight, look at him from above. You should be able to see around his waist. Then run your hand, fingers apart, on his back, from top to bottom of the spine. If you can see his ribs, he is underweight. Your dog’s weight is average if you can’t see his ribs but can feel them without pressing with your fingers. If you must push your fingers to feel the ribs, your dog is obese and needs more exercise and less food.

Grooming

Coat care

Start brushing your dog when he is a puppy so that he gets used to it. Their coat should be brushed every day to keep them clean and tangle-free. Most maltipoo need a trim once or twice a year to keep them tidy, but their head hair must be trimmed monthly. They need a bath once a month so that their hair is clean and soft. The hair around their eyes should be kept short to look good and neat. Brushing and examining your dog should be pleasant for him and accompanied by treats and encouragement. It’s good to get him used to lying on the ground when brushing. This method makes it easy for the groomer to examine your dog.

Cleaning the teeth

Brush your dog’s teeth two or three times a week to remove all the bacteria and plaque that has formed on them. Of course, it’s better to do it every day.

Trimming nails

Trim your dog’s nails once or twice a month. Short nails are necessary for the health of their feet and prevent carpets or sofa fabrics from being damaged. When you hear the sound of nails hitting the ground, it’s time to cut them.

Checking ears and paws

Their ears should also be cleaned so that dirt, moisture, and pollution don’t remain in them. Check his paws regularly, so he doesn’t have wounds, swelling, redness, etc. Examine the inside of his mouth and ears in the same way.

To wrap up

Playful, cute, and cuddly Maltipoo dog breeds are the best pets for those who can satisfy their need for hugs and cuddles and create friendly relationships with them. To have a healthy and lively dog, you must pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.