Maltipom
Find Maltipom Breeders Near You
Connect with certified breeders who have Maltipom puppies available.
Find Maltipom BreedersGet to Know Maltipoms
- Big Personality in a Small Package: Maltipoms combine the Maltese’s gentle affection with the Pomeranian’s bold confidence, creating a small dog with a surprisingly expressive personality.
- Highly People-Oriented: They thrive on human companionship and often prefer to be involved in daily routines rather than left alone for long periods.
- Low-Shedding but High-Maintenance Coat: While shedding is typically minimal, the coat’s texture makes regular grooming essential to avoid mats and tangles.
- Excellent Watchdog Traits: Alert and vocal, Maltipoms will quickly announce unfamiliar sounds or visitors, despite their small size.
- Adaptable Companion: They adjust well to apartment living, travel, and quieter households, making them suitable for a wide range of lifestyles.
Breed History
The Maltipom is a designer hybrid created by crossing the Maltese and the Pomeranian, two long-established European companion breeds. Breeders aimed to produce a small, affectionate dog with a lively personality, attractive coat, and adaptability to modern living. While not a recognized pure breed, the Maltipom gained popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries as companion-focused mixed breeds became more common. Today, they are cherished primarily as loving lap dogs and alert household companions.
Personality and Behaviour
- Affectionate & Devoted: Maltipoms form close bonds and often seek physical closeness with their owners.
- Alert & Vocal: They tend to bark to alert their families of changes in their environment.
- Playful Yet Gentle: Energetic bursts of play are balanced with a love for cuddling and relaxation.
Care
- Exercise: Short daily walks and interactive indoor play meet their physical and mental needs without overexertion.
- Training: Use gentle, positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation and manage barking tendencies.
- Grooming: Brush daily or at least several times per week to prevent tangles and maintain coat health.
Maltipom Summary
Weight
Lifespan
Exercise
Trainability
Temperament
GroomingWhat to ask your breeder?
Here's a short summary of what you should be asking your breeder:
Maltese Health Testing
| Screening | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Cardiac Evaluation | One of the following: Congenital Cardiac Exam - minimum age 1 year Advanced Cardiac Exam Basic Cardiac Exam - minimum age 1 year |
| Patellar Luxation | OFA evaluation - minimum age 1 year |
| Serum Bile Acid Test | (Optional) Although not yet required for CHIC registration, it is recommended that Paired Serum Bile Acid levels be done as an indicator test for liver shunt and microvascular dysplasia (MVD). |
Pomeranian Health Testing
| Screening | Considerations |
|---|---|
| Cardiac Evaluation | One of the following: Advanced Cardiac Exam Basic Cardiac Exam |
| Patellar Luxation | Veterinary Evaluation of Patellar Luxation. Results registered with OFA. |
| Health Elective Testing | One of the following: ACVO Eye Examination. Results registered with OFA. Autoimmune Thyroditis Evaluation from an approved Lab. Results registered with OFA. |
| Hip Dysplasia | (Optional) OFA Radiographic Hip Evaluation |
| Legg-Calve-Perthes | (Optional) OFA Legg-Calve-Perthes Radiographic Evaluation |
How Much Does It Cost to Own a Maltipom Per Year?
Determining the cost of owning a Maltipom is essential for responsible dog ownership. Use our calculator to estimate expenses, including food, grooming, veterinary care, and more.
The Ultimate Dog Cost Calculator
Calculate NowFrequently Asked Questions About Maltipom
When you talk to a breeder, you're not just asking “do you have available Maltipom puppies?” You're looking for a match in the process of rehoming a dog. As a prospective dog owner, you are assessing how predictable the dog's health, temperament, and long-term welfare will be and whether the breeder's practices reduce avoidable risk.
You should engage in a conversation about the following topics:
- Which health tests and genetic screening do you do specifically for Maltipom, and can I see the results?
- What do you do if a puppy develops a serious genetic condition? What contract, policies and support do you offer as a breeder?
- How are puppies raised from birth to 8+ weeks? Ask about socialization, philosophies on early neurological development, handling, and exposure.
The real cost of a dog isn't just the puppy price. After year one, the cost of a dog includes the predictable annual costs + the unpredictable “risk costs.” Your goal is to make the cost legible before you commit, as one of the top causes of surrendering a dog is not being able to afford the dog in later years.
To help you assess these costs, Paction has created the Ultimate Cost Calculator. You can also read an article written by a Paction breeder on why a prospective dog owner should focus on the ongoing costs of dog ownership and not “how much” the puppy costs.
Every dog breed has certain health issues that tend to occur more often, but what matters most is how predictable and preventable those risks are. For many breeds, common concerns include inherited conditions (such as orthopedic, eye, or cardiac issues) as well as lifestyle-related challenges like weight management, dental health, skin or ear problems, and anxiety.
Responsible breeders help reduce inherited risk through appropriate health testing, careful selection of breeding pairs, and transparency about family history. To understand more about responsible breeding programs that prioritize health and genetic screening of breeding pairs, check out Making Science Simple: Canine Genetics for Puppy Shoppers.
As an owner, you play an equally important role. Consistent preventive veterinary care, proper exercise and enrichment, healthy nutrition, and early screening can significantly improve long-term health outcomes.
Whether a Maltipom is right for you depends less on the breed itself and more on how well its typical energy level, temperament, and care needs align with your daily life. Important factors include your schedule and activity level, living environment, household dynamics (such as children, other pets, or allergies), and tolerance for noise or independence. Long-term fit also comes down to maintenance like grooming, training needs, and how often you travel or rely on outside dog care.
Use Paction's Dog Breed Matchmaker and Pup Time Estimator to find out more about what dog is right for you.
