A Maltese with a spitz streak
The Maltipom crosses a Maltese with a Pomeranian, and unlike most toy pairings the two parents are not variations on one theme. The Maltese is an old Mediterranean companion breed — fine-boned, silky-coated, bred for laps and nothing else. The Pomeranian is a spitz, scaled down from much larger northern farm and sled dogs, and it kept the spitz architecture: a dense double coat, pricked ears, a tail carried up over the back and a strong opinion about the doorbell.
A Maltipom lands somewhere between the two, and exactly where varies from puppy to puppy. Some carry the long, flat Maltese coat. Some carry the stand-off Pomeranian double coat. Plenty sit in between, with ear set varying the same way. That range is normal for this cross, which is why we would rather introduce you to a particular puppy than describe a template.
Character
Small, confident and busier than the size suggests. The spitz side brings alertness — a Maltipom generally knows who is on the driveway before you do — and the Maltese side brings the attachment, the following you around, the preference for a lap over a dog bed. Together they make a dog that is very good company and slightly too willing to comment on the world.
They pick things up quickly. Toy breeds are often under-trained because owners can simply pick them up instead of solving the problem, and that is the trap to avoid. A Maltipom that has learned to walk on a loose lead, settle on a mat and stop barking on cue is a genuinely easy dog to take places.
Which coat did you get?
Grooming depends on which parent the coat favours, so it is worth asking about the specific puppy.
A silkier, Maltese-leaning coat lies flat, grows long and tangles rather than sheds. It wants combing through to the skin every day or two and a trim every couple of months.
A plusher, Pomeranian-leaning double coat behaves completely differently. It sheds — properly, in seasonal pushes — and it needs an undercoat rake and line brushing rather than a comb dragged over the top. A double coat should be tidied rather than shaved; the outer coat is what keeps the sun off the skin, which matters through a Florida summer.
Exercise, heat and daily routine
A Maltipom is an apartment-friendly dog by size, but not a low-input one by temperament. Short walks plus something to think about — a scatter feed, a chew, five minutes of trick training — will do more for its behaviour than distance ever will.
In Orlando and Nashville summers, walk early and late, keep to shade and grass rather than midday asphalt, and let the dog set the pace. Small dogs sit close to hot pavement.
The puppy stage
Get handling in early. Feet, ears, mouth and coat all need to be touchable by a groomer, so make that ordinary at home while the puppy is small enough to enjoy the attention. Toothbrushing is far easier to introduce at twelve weeks than at three years.
House-training follows the usual toy-breed rule: small bladder, frequent trips, fixed routine, no shortcuts.
Maltipom questions, answered
How big does a Maltipom get?
Genuinely small. Maltese are usually under 7 pounds and Pomeranians 3 to 7, so most Maltipoms finish between 4 and 9 pounds and stand around 7 to 10 inches at the shoulder. This is a true toy-sized dog, and the practical consequences follow from that: steps up to the sofa, a harness rather than a collar, and care about where people put their feet.
Are Maltipoms good with young children?
This is one cross where we would push back gently on a household with a toddler. The temperament is fine; the frame is not. A dog under nine pounds can be badly hurt by a fall from a child’s arms or a knee landing in the wrong place. With children old enough to sit down and let the dog come to them, a Maltipom is excellent company.
Do Maltipoms get on with other dogs?
With similar-sized dogs, usually well. The complication is confidence rather than temper. The spitz side produces a dog with no sense of its own dimensions, quite willing to see off something twenty times its weight. Manage the introductions and the size gap yourself rather than leaving it to the small dog’s judgement, particularly at a dog park.
Why do white Maltipoms get stains under the eyes?
Tear runoff shows up on a pale coat, and a Maltese-leaning Maltipom has exactly the coat to show it. It is largely a cosmetic matter. Keep the hair around the eyes trimmed short so it is not resting against them, wipe the area with a soft damp cloth daily and dry it properly afterwards. If staining appears suddenly or the eye looks sore, that is a vet visit rather than a grooming problem.
What colours do Maltipoms come in?
Maltese are white, but the Pomeranian brings a long list — orange, cream, sable, black, parti-coloured and more — so a litter can vary considerably. Colour also shifts with age on the Pomeranian side. Sable puppies in particular often lighten or change tone as the adult coat comes through, which means the twelve-week photograph is not the finished dog.
At what age is a Maltipom fully grown?
Toy breeds finish early. Most Maltipoms reach close to adult height by around eight to ten months and then fill out a little across the rest of the first year. The coat takes longer than the body. Adult texture settles in over the second half of that year, and that is usually when owners find out which parent’s coat they actually ended up with.
Meeting a Maltipom in person
Because this cross varies so much, seeing the puppy is the whole point. Browse what is in store on our puppies for sale page, check the newest litters under new arrivals, and then come and see us in Orlando or Nashville. Our team can explain the warranty, walk you through financing through TerracePets, and answer questions on (855) 488-8250.