Top 12 Things to Know When Considering a Maltipoo as Your Next Family Member

I know you. I was you. Searching the internet for other people who have maltipoo puppies and only finding a few with all the details you need. Like are they friendly? Do they like kids? Do they get along with other dogs or do they have the dreaded little dog syndrome? What about potty training? I have all of these answers in more and I’ll be honest. I promise.

Here’s the Top 12 things to know when considering a Maltipoo puppy, plus some training tips to help along the way.

1. They are super easy to potty train! Just do it right from the start. Take them out every 20-30 min and they will understand quickly where they are supposed to go. We got Bailey very young and he has only had about 4 accidents in the house and it’s been 2 months! Another key…. Never let them out of your sight when training this way you can watch for signs they have to go before anything happens.

2. They are friendly. Very friendly. They love people in general. They will not be a guard dog. So if you are looking for something tough? Well, did you see the picture of the dog above? He looks like a cartoon sidekick. Not going to instill a whole lot of fear in someone.

3. Are they good with kids? Yes as long as the kids are good with them. Here’s the deal. Puppies and dogs have teeth. They like to chew and kids including mine don’t always know how to act around a puppy. They are so cute and soft let me just grab it and pick it up and squeeze it. Nope. Don’t do it kid. Any dog you sneak up on is going to be startled and get snippy. So if you chose to get a Maltipoo or any pup your kids will need training too. Bailey is actually very patient with our 2 year old but sometimes he gets over excited so have to separate them. Always keep a close eye on kids and dogs until you have 100 percent trust in BOTH of them.

4. Do they bark a lot? That depends on what you consider a lot. Mine barks for attention sometimes. The best way to deal with it even though it’s hard is to ignore it. Unless he’s letting me know he needs to go outside, I will not acknowledge his barking. When he stops and is quiet he gets praised for being good. Same thing during meals. It’s hard the first couple times but that brings me to my next point… they learn fast.

5. Maltipoos are crazy smart. They learn quickly and are very reward driven. But sometimes the reward needs to change. Some days a treat will get him to participate in training and some days it’s a new toy. Just be tuned into how your puppy is listening and you will know if it’s time to change it up.

Plotting world domination. The fur in his eyes makes him look fierce

6. They really need mental stimulation. Being the smarty pants that they are, daily training is a must! 15 minutes minimum. We aim for that twice a day. Start simple with sit and come. Then add down. Keep repeating the basics and slowly add in more.

7. Ankle biting… I hate to admit it but yes. It’s something we are working on and it’s gotten better but our ankles are the closest things to his face. On days where ankles are being chased we put Peppermint oil on our legs or pants and the smell reminds him that legs are not for chewing. If ankle biting is an issue for you and you don’t want to train it out of them prob want to get a taller dog out of ankle reach.

8. Chewing in general is a problem for all puppies regardless of the type of dog. So far we are 2 months in with minimal damage. The best way to do this is give them ALL the toys for chewing, ropes, balls, plush with squeakers All the types you can find. Make sure anything you don’t want chewed is off the floor. Don’t leave them to roam until they know what’s okay and not okay to chew.

9. They like the chase. If they find something they can’t have and haven’t leaned to drop it…. Well get ready to play chase till you get it back. A better idea is to find something they want more and make a trade. Squeak a ball and toss it or grab a treat and work on drop it. I don’t suggest grabbing it from them… remember all those teeth they like to use this is a sure fire way to instigate nipping and growling a big no no across the board.

10. Grooming! Every day. You have to brush them every day. They do shed a little and it gets caught in their fur that’s why it’s not all over the place. So use treats to get them used to brushing and do it daily. I can’t stress this enough. And keep their tiny booty trimmed or you will be very sad and doing a lot of extra baths.

11. Eyes. I know it’s part of grooming but it needs its own section because it’s so important. If you don’t want the dreaded tear stains you have to clean them daily and give them good water to drink. They are worse when their are a lot of minerals in your water. It may seen bougie but give that puppy filtered water and you will start seeing less and less of the stains and just clear goop. I also really like the Angel Eyes tear stain remover. It’s helps.

12. Last but not least are they loving? If you want a maltipoo because you are looking for a tiny best friend who will sit in your lap but still go for walks and play fetch. You going to be very happy with your choice and I hope you love to be licked because you pup will love you and love to lick you. But please be okay if they love your spouse more than you and don’t get your feelings hurt. They definitely play favorites and the tail doesn’t lie. You can see from the crazy wagging where their loyalty is.

I’m sure there will be many more things for me to share as he grows and changes some of these puppy habits out. However I can tell you this. I am so happy Bailey came into our lives and having a maltipoo is everything I hoped for and more.