What Characteristics Does A Maltipoo Have?
Life expectancy: 10 – 13 years
Adult weight: 15 – 20 lbs.
Adult height: 8 – 13 in.
Origin – United States
What happens when the royal dog of Malta and the national dog of France are mixed together? You get a gentle, highly intelligent, and playful dog, Maltipoo. These dogs have the best of both worlds, with the high intelligence of a Poodle and the gentle and sweet composition of a Maltese dog. In fact, they are commonly used as therapy dogs.
These dogs can fit into any household as they are as fond of children as the kids are of them. Even the elders in the house will get a loving companion. Maltipoos can be a very sensitive breed that cannot be left alone for a long time. Since both the Maltese and Poodle parents are of a non-shedding type, these designer dogs are also non-shedding.
Before taking them home, you should know that these are very vocal dogs. It may even seem like their favorite pastime is barking. However, given their high intelligence, they can be easily trainable. These good traits have gotten attraction from celebrities as well. When you take one home, you’ll be in for many cuddle sessions and loud barks seeking your attention.
What Is The Price Of A Maltipoo?
One thing to note is that this is not a pure-bred dog but a designer dog. Not every dog will have the same features, as maintaining consistency in designer dogs is difficult. We will help you break down the cost of a Maltipoo by categorizing it by initial buying/adoption costs, vaccinations, diets, healthcare, and other miscellaneous costs.
Buying: $2000-$3000
You can get a Maltipoo dog from a breeder, a puppy farm, or a rescue shelter. A private reputed breeder is typically the safest but most expensive option here. A Maltipoo’s price can range from $2000 to $3000 when purchased from a breeder. The price can even go up to $4000 for certain colors or for the reputation of the breeder. Grey, phantom, black and brown are some of the rarer coat colors for a Maltipoo. Other colors available include peach, white, cream, apricot, and red. A teacup Maltipoo, which is the smallest size available, can be priced around $2000. Brown and black Maltipoos can cost around $2500 or higher. Overall, the average price for a Maltipoo from a breeder would be around $2200.
Dogs from puppy farms are generally priced less than breeders, but you should do your research and check the health of the dog before bringing them home. If you are looking for Maltipoo puppies for under $400, adopting one from a rescue shelter is a great option for you. There are many rescue shelters across the US that can help you adopt a Maltipoo pup. Maltipoo puppies’ price range at shelters could be around $100-$300. This adoption fee generally covers the cost of initial vaccinations, as most shelters take care of this before sending the puppy home with you. Adopting an adult Maltipoo can even be cheaper.
What Are The Monthly Costs Of A Maltipoo?
Diets: $50-$75
One big benefit of owning a small dog is their small appetite. Irrespective of the size of the Maltipoo, a 5lb bag of dog food could last around 2 months for a pup and 1.5 months for an adult one. A good quality, vet-recommended kibble could cost you around $30 for that 5lb bag. You can add some meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables, too, occasionally.
Grooming: $50-$100
Due to their low shedding coat, the grooming requirements are minimal. A professional groomer could cost around $50-$100 per session, and one session every 1-2 months should suffice. Regular grooming should include nail trimming, teeth, and ear cleaning once a week at home. If you decide to groom your dog at home, a grooming kit could cost around $50-$70.
Medical Costs: $700-$1200
During the first years, it is recommended you take your pet to the vet about 3-4 times annually. Vet fees can range from $100 to $300 and could include things like annual wellness exams and blood tests, among other recommended preventive care treatments. Other examinations and tests could cost you another $300-$400.
Like all breeds, Maltipoos are at risk of developing illnesses and health conditions during their lifetime. Some common conditions for this breed include - White Shaker Syndrome, Epilepsy, Patellar Luxation, and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). Costs to treat these conditions can be around:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) - $1000-$1500
Patellar Luxation – $2000-$3000
Epilepsy - $500-$1000 per year
According to DVM Adam Christman, while some pet parents may be interested in a "teacup maltipoo," buyers should be aware that "they can have terrible dental disease, luxating patellas, and they can have some heart disease issues. And when they're little, they're more susceptible, especially the little babies, to pneumonia and upper respiratory [problems]." Potential pet parents should be aware of these potential issues before making their decision so that they can have a good understanding of "...what they might be getting themselves into."
What Are The One-Time Costs Of A Maltipoo?
Initial Costs: $400-$500
Small dog or giant dog, you’ll need to get some initial items for your pet before bringing them home. Some of these items include a bed, crate, food and water bowls, collar and leash, poop picker and bags, toys, training pads, odor spray, first aid kit, clothes (think jacket and shoes for cold weather) and a harness. Altogether, the initial expense can total around $400-$500.
Microchipping: $50-$70
The average cost of microchipping is around $50, but may vary from state to state. Along with a dog license, it could cost an additional 10-20 bucks. Spot pet insurance highly recommends every pet parent get all their pets microchipped as it can increase the chances of finding a lost pet.
Vaccinations: $250-$300
There are certain core vaccinations that a Maltipoo would need. These include distemper, parvovirus, Adenovirus, type 1, Adenovirus, type 2, and rabies. All of these could cost you around $150-$200.
There are certain non-core vaccinations as well that are recommended by most vets for a Maltipoo. These include parainfluenza, Lyme disease, and leptospirosis. The cost of these vaccines can be around $130-$150.
Miscellaneous: $300-$350
Some expenses cannot be accounted for, so you should set some money aside for miscellaneous expenses like dog walking, training, dog sitting, traveling, and park visits. You should plan to keep around $300-$350 aside for these expenses every year.
What Is The Lifetime Cost Of A Maltipoo?
Taking into consideration the recurring and one-time costs, the initial buying/adoption costs, and food, medical, and grooming costs, you can estimate that the lifetime cost of owning a Maltipoo is around $13,000-$15,000. This doesn’t include the cost of potential medical emergencies should they happen to your pet.
Expert Insights from the Spot Team
When reviewing the claims that Maltipoo pet parents have submitted in the past, Spot's data team found that the average cost of a Maltipoo claim is about 12% lower than the average claim submitted by Spot customers. Here are a few of the most common conditions seen in Maltipoos and their average costs for treatment:
Allergies - $218
Diarrhea or vomiting - $526
Ear infections - $306
Gastrointestinal issues - $662
Skin infections or irritations - $274
While not all Maltipoos will develop these conditions, pet parents should take their pets to the vet regularly to help ensure the long-term health of their Maltipoos.
How can Spot Pet Insurance help?
Spot accident & illness pet insurance plans offer a wide variety of coverages, from microchip implantation to surgeries and prescription food and supplements prescribed to treat your pet’s unexpected accidents and illnesses. (Prescription food and supplements used for general health or weight maintenance are not covered). For an extra cost, Spot Dog Insurance plans offer preventive care coverage add-ons to help cover the costs of certain routine vaccinations, annual wellness exams, and other preventive care treatments. You can view the add-on preventive care coverage options. Get in touch with us to know more!
Key Takeaways
This highly intelligent, playful, loving, affectionate, gentle, and charming dog breed, Maltipoo, is not only a treat to the eyes but also to the pockets as these don’t cost too much for their lifetime maintenance compared to some other dog breeds. Plus, their popularity makes them easily available. And you can worry less knowing Spot plans can cover up to 90% of your eligible vet bills for covered conditions! So go ahead and get your designer dog home!
Happy Parenting to you and Lots of Love to your Pup!
