Are Maltipoos Good With Kids? Traits, Behavior & Sociability Explained
Maltipoos are the offspring of breeding two historically family-friendly breeds: a Miniature or Toy Poodle and the diminutive Maltese. The Maltipoo is considered a designer dog and has a big personality for being such a small bundle of fur. Does this big personality mesh well with families? Maltipoos typically do well with kids and families as a result of the breeding parents’ history, so you can feel at ease bringing a Maltipoo home to join the family.
Families & Maltipoos
Both the Poodle and the Maltese have a reputation for being family-friendly. Maltipoos are known to be intelligent dogs, enjoy learning new tricks and behaviors, and love to make their owners happy, so they do well in training classes. Always use positive reinforcement training, and you’ll have a well-trained pup in no time.
Maltipoos are also known to have high-energy bursts, but they can be mitigated by daily walks and a few play sessions every day. Tug of war, fetch, puzzle toys, and chase are just some of the activities that Maltipoos enjoy doing to work out their excess energy. Despite these energetic activities, Maltipoos also love to sit and cuddle with their families at the end of the day.
Children & Maltipoos
Maltipoos get along well with children of all ages, but there are some things to consider before introducing the dog to your household. The dog will need proper socialization from a young age so that they don't feel anxious around children. Maltipoos have been known to experience separation anxiety, so they’ll likely want to spend as much time as possible with the children and adults in the family.
Maltipoos are small in stature and can be fragile, so children in the household will need to learn to be gentle with them. For this reason, it might be better to wait until all children in the household are at least 6 years old to prevent injuries to the dog.
Behaviors of Maltipoos
Maltipoos can be sensitive dogs and need a daily routine to help them thrive in their home environment. They prefer to spend all day with their family members and don’t like to be left alone, but crate-training your dog will help them learn to feel safe even if you’re not at home.
Both the Maltese and Poodle parent breeds are known for being vocal barkers, so Maltipoo owners should be prepared for their cute bundle of fur to sound off often. Maltipoos can be protective of their home and their people and will bark as if they’re a much larger breed.
Conclusion
The Maltipoo is the result of crossing the Maltese with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. These small but vocal pups are family-friendly and do well with children if they’re probably socialized. They’re highly intelligent and react well to positive reinforcement training. They can be high-energy pups and enjoy playing fetch, catch, and more with their families.
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Featured Image Credit: voronaman, Shutterstock
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Shana Loven lives in the Pacific Northwest with her longtime partner and their dog, Bella. She grew up in a large, crazy family with a plethora of pets, ranging from mischievous hamsters to a mob boss of a cat, and several loyal dogs. When she's not using this wealth of experience writing about pets to help out other pet owners, Shana enjoys reading her extensive book collection, crafting miniature scenes, crocheting, and using her former librarian wizardy to conduct research about any topic that interests her.
