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Maltipoo vs Toy Poodle: Differences Explained (With Pictures)

Kathryn Copeland

By Kathryn Copeland

Maltipoo vs Toy Poodle - Featured Image

These two breeds have a few similarities but definite differences too. The Maltipoo has many of the same characteristics as the Toy Poodle because they are a crossbreed of the Maltese and Poodle. But one of the most noticeable differences will probably be in how much you pay for a puppy, as the Toy Poodle is purebred.

Here, we go through what these breeds have in common and what makes them unique. We hope that this will give you a better idea of which of these small dogs will be the best fit for your family.

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Visual Differences

Maltipoo vs Toy Poodle side by side
Image Credit: (L) Master1305, Shutterstock | (R) Jumpstory

At a Glance

Maltipoo
  • Average height (adult): 8 – 14 inches
  • Average weight (adult): 5 – 12 pounds
  • Lifespan: 12 – 15 years
  • Exercise: 40 minutes per day
  • Grooming needs: Moderate
  • Family-friendly: Yes but with older children
  • Other pet-friendly: Yes
  • Trainability: Intelligent, easy to train
Toy Poodle
  • Average height (adult): Up to 10 inches
  • Average weight (adult): 4 – 6 pounds
  • Lifespan: 10 – 18 years
  • Exercise: 1 hour per day
  • Grooming needs: High
  • Family-friendly: Yes but with older children
  • Other pet-friendly: Often
  • Trainability: Intelligent, eager to please, easy to train

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Toy Poodle Overview

brown toy poodle at home
Image Credit: NDAB Creativity, Shutterstock

The Toy Poodle is a highly intelligent dog that makes an excellent family pet. They come in quite a large variety of colors and are athletic and wonderful companions. While they are France’s national dogs, they originated in Germany, where they were used as retrieving water dogs.

Personality / Character

Toy Poodles are quite playful, lively, and eager to please. They are affectionate with their families and great with children, but it’s safer to only bring a Toy Poodle into your family if you have older children.

Toy Poodles are social and love meeting other people. They tend to be okay with other dogs but only with the proper socialization. They are energetic and love being active. If they aren’t given enough to do, they turn to barking and possibly destructive behaviors.

Exercise 🐕

Exercising the Toy Poodle is easy considering how tiny their legs are. Still, they need an average of two 30-minute walks every day.

They are happiest when they are busy, so try finding other methods for their exercise needs. Take them swimming, and try throwing a ball or stick around, as they are excellent retrievers.

toy teacup poodle puppy
Image Credit: Eloine Chapman, Shutterstock

Training 🎾

Training the Toy Poodle is potentially easier than training the Maltipoo. Poodles are known for their eagerness to please and are quite people-oriented, so combine these traits with their high intelligence, and you’ve got a breed that’s easy to train.

They can also be trained in agility and dock diving, which are excellent ways to get in physical and mental exercise.

Health & Care 🏥

The Toy Poodle will benefit from a high-quality diet made specifically for toy breeds. It should also be formulated for the dog’s age and activity level. Consult your vet about how much your dog should be eating.

Grooming ✂️

The Toy Poodle isn’t the easiest part of owning one of these dogs. They need to be brushed every day, and you might want to consider keeping their coats in a short trim. You can do this yourself, but it might be better to leave it to a professional groomer.

Since Poodles are purebred, they are more likely to inherit certain genetic health conditions. Ones known to occur in Toy Poodles include:

  • Hip dysplasia
  • Epilepsy
  • Inflammatory skin disease
  • Von Willebrand’s disease
  • Disintegration of the hip joint
  • Kneecap dislocation

Not all Toy Poodles will experience these conditions, but it’s still good to be familiar with them when you own a Poodle.

Suitable for:

If you have allergies and are looking for a trainable dog that will also make an amazing family pet, the Toy Poodle might be a great fit! They do well in apartments or other small dwellings and can make an excellent first dog for beginners.

Additionally, if you enjoy exercising but don’t do anything too challenging, Toy Poodles might work for you. They need exercise and are quite active, and most people should be able to keep up with them. But remember that they need to be around people often, or they will suffer from separation anxiety.

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Maltipoo Overview

Portrait of maltipoo dog playing with ball in field
Image Credit: Rob Hainer, Shutterstock

The Maltipoo can be a cross of either the Toy or Miniature Poodle, so how the dog looks depends on the Poodle. Poodles come in a multitude of colors, whereas the Maltese is only white, which can mean the Maltipoo might range somewhat in size (though they will always be small) and in color.

Ultimately, how the Maltipoo looks and their temperament will ultimately depend on which parent it takes after the most.

Personality / Character

The Maltese and Poodle are quite similar in temperament and personality. They are intelligent, loving, playful, and social and enjoy meeting all kinds of people. They are gentle dogs that love attention and will enjoy a play session with you just as much as mellowing out on the couch or on your lap.

Maltipoos make excellent family pets, with one exception. Due to their size, they do better in a home with older children who know how to be gentle with dogs. They also get along with other pets, including cats, but how well they do depends on how well they have been socialized.

Exercise 🐕

Maltipoos might be small, but they are energetic and require a minimum of two daily walks of about 20 minutes each. They can also benefit from playtime in your backyard or a park (or inside the home if the weather isn’t great).

There can be variation in the exercise routine: If you can only manage one walk, try to get in extended playtime too.

Maltipoo
Image By: Elena Bennett, Shutterstock

Training 🎾

This depends on which parent the Maltipoo takes after most. Poodles are intelligent and easy to train, but the Maltese can have a stubborn streak. Regardless of their temperament, though, the Maltipoo will take to training quite well as long as it’s done with positive reinforcement.

Like any dog, you’ll need to ensure that your Maltipoo is socialized well. This includes taking your puppy to new places and allowing them to meet a variety of people and other animals. The more exposure to new environments they get, the more comfortable and confident your dog will be.

Health & Care 🏥

Health starts with diet, and since the Maltipoo is likely to be quite small, you should aim for dog food formulated for small dogs. Once you have the food picked out, use the instructions on the food packaging to determine how much you should feed your dog. You can also speak to your vet.

Grooming ✂️

the Maltipoo depends on which parent they take after the most. Both the Maltese and the Poodle are hypoallergenic and require a fair amount of grooming. The Maltipoo will need to be brushed every day and bathed with dog shampoo about once a month.

The Maltipoo won’t have the same risks of predisposed health conditionsas their purebred parents, but they can still inherit one or more of the conditions that their parents are prone to. In addition to the possible health conditions of the Toy Poodle, here are potential health issues for the Maltese:

  • Kneecap dislocation
  • Heart defects
  • Liver shunt
  • Encephalitis

This doesn’t mean your Maltipoo will inherit any of these conditions, but it’s good to be aware of the potential risks.

Suitable for:

The Maltipoo are excellent companion dogs that will fit in beautifully with families that have older children. While they are active, due their size, they don’t need much exercise, so they can do well in households that don’t regularly go for long hikes or runs.

They are also a suitable size for apartment or condo living, but bear in mind that they can be prone to barking if they are left alone for too long.

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Which Breed Is Right for You?

If you’re looking for a dog that can do well in a home or apartment, is easy to train, but also has a mind of their own, the Maltipoo would make an excellent choice. But if you prefer a dog that is even easier to train and is more active, the Toy Poodle might fit your family better. This highlights the main difference between the Maltipoo and Toy Poodle.

These two breeds are both small (though for the Maltipoo, this can depend on the size of the Poodle parent), intelligent, hypoallergenic, and energetic.

The Toy Poodle is more energetic than the Maltipoo, but the Maltipoo might be less likely to develop a health condition. The differences are minor, so in the long run, you can’t go wrong with either breed!


Featured Image Credit: Left – dezy, Shutterstock | Right – Alla Darkina, Shutterstock

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