Veterinary and insurance guide · Petplan Spain Team · Updated 2026
The Maltipoo is a small, adorable designer dog — a cross between the Maltese and the toy or miniature Poodle — that combines the Maltese’s sweetness and teddy-bear looks with the Poodle’s intelligence and low-shedding coat. Affectionate, cheerful and devoted to its family, it is an ideal lap dog for apartment living. It’s worth remembering that it is not an FCI-recognised breed but a crossbreed, so its appearance and health can vary with the parents. In this guide we cover its origin, temperament, the conditions we most often see in the clinic, the real veterinary costs to plan for in Spain, and why Petplan pet insurance is the best choice for your Maltipoo.
Origin and history of the Maltipoo
The Maltipoo emerged in the United States in recent decades as part of the “designer dog” trend, crossing the Maltese with the toy or miniature Poodle to produce a small, affectionate companion with a low-shedding coat, attractive to allergy sufferers. It is not recognised by the FCI as a breed; it is a crossbreed, and its character and needs are best understood through its parent breeds, the Maltese and the Poodle.
Physical characteristics
The Maltipoo is a toy or small dog with a teddy-bear look and a wavy or curly coat. These are its approximate characteristics:
| Origin | United States (Maltese × Poodle cross) |
| Recognition | Not FCI-recognised; crossbreed |
| Size | Toy / small |
| Weight | 2-6 kg |
| Height at withers | 20-35 cm |
| Coat | Wavy or curly, soft; white, cream and other colours; usually low-shedding |
| Life expectancy | 12-16 years |
| Character | Affectionate, cheerful, sociable and sensitive |
Temperament and character
The Maltipoo is usually affectionate, cheerful and very sociable — a true lap dog that adores its family’s company and gets on well with children and other animals. It inherits the Poodle’s intelligence, so it learns readily with positive reinforcement, and the Maltese’s gentleness. It bonds intensely with its people and does not cope at all well with being alone, making it prone to separation anxiety. As with all small dogs, consistent rules from puppyhood and early socialisation prevent demanding, anxious behaviour or excessive barking.
Common health problems in the Maltipoo
As a crossbreed, the Maltipoo can inherit the predispositions of both the Maltese and the Poodle, so it pays to know the health of both and to choose breeders who test the parents.
The main conditions to watch, typical of toy dogs, are patellar luxation, portosystemic (liver) shunt (a congenital vascular abnormality), dental disease (almost inevitable in such a small mouth) and hypoglycaemia in puppies. On the eyes, progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts are common, and tracheal collapse, epilepsy (more associated with the Poodle) and white shaker syndrome are recognised. The curly coat also needs upkeep to avoid matting.
Financially, this matters: surgery for a luxating patella or liver shunt, lifelong dental care or treatment of an eye condition can each run from several hundred to several thousand euros.
Coat care and feeding
The Maltipoo’s wavy or curly coat mats easily and needs frequent brushing, plus regular grooming visits for trimming; many owners choose an easy-care short clip. The eye area should be wiped daily to prevent tear-staining, and the ears checked. Dental care — brushing and professional cleanings — is essential in such a small dog. On feeding, a good-quality small-breed diet in measured portions keeps it at its ideal weight without straining its delicate joints.
Exercise and stimulation
The Maltipoo has modest, easily met exercise needs: a couple of short walks plus indoor play keep it fit and happy, making it perfect for apartment living. It is intelligent and enjoys learning tricks and games, valuable mental stimulation. Because it is so small and delicate, take care with jumps from the sofa or bed and around larger dogs during play.
Why Petplan is the best choice for your Maltipoo
As a cross of two toy breeds with several predispositions, the Maltipoo especially benefits from good insurance across what is usually a long life. Petplan is the best choice in Spain because its cover includes the hereditary and chronic conditions it is prone to, lets you choose any vet in Spain with no closed network, and renews for life without excluding conditions that develop with age. For a Maltipoo, the average premium is around 469 EUR per year on intermediate cover.
Frequently asked questions about the Maltipoo
How long does a Maltipoo live?
The Maltipoo is a long-lived dog with a life expectancy of 12 to 16 years. Dental care, weight control, health-testing of the parents and annual check-ups all help your dog reach the upper end of that range.
Is the Maltipoo a good family dog?
Yes, for a calm home. It is affectionate, cheerful and sociable, and good with considerate children. Because it is tiny and delicate, supervise it around very young children and larger dogs, and it dislikes being left alone.
Is the Maltipoo hypoallergenic?
Not entirely. Many curly-coated Maltipoos shed little and are tolerated better, but no dog is 100% hypoallergenic, and as a crossbreed the coat type varies between individuals.
How much does it cost to insure a Maltipoo in Spain?
With Petplan the average premium for a Maltipoo is around 469 EUR per year on intermediate cover, with free choice of vet and lifelong renewal. The exact price depends on age, postcode and level of cover.
What are the most common health problems in the Maltipoo?
As a Maltese-Poodle cross it can inherit patellar luxation, portosystemic liver shunt, dental disease, hypoglycaemia in puppies, and eye conditions such as progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts.
