Maltipoo Genetics: Size, Coat, Colours and Temperament
What's inside a Maltipoo: how big toy and mini Maltipoos get, why most have long, wavy coats that shed little, where their colours come from when one parent is always white, and what to expect from a Maltese and Poodle mix.
By PuppyGenes · How we research and write our guides
A Maltipoo is a cross between a Maltese and a Poodle, usually a Toy or Miniature, so it's a small dog. Both parents grow long coats, so Maltipoos have long hair, and the Poodle adds curl and furnishings, which gives most first-generation Maltipoos a soft, wavy, furnished coat. The Maltese has a single coat with no undercoat, which helps keep shedding low. And because the Maltese is always white, a Maltipoo's colour depends mostly on the Poodle side.
The short version
- Two parent breeds: the Maltese and the Poodle, usually a Toy or Miniature.
- Small: Maltese weigh under 3 kg, and Toy and Miniature Poodles about 2 to 7 kg.
- Long, wavy coats: both parents pass on long hair; one curl copy from the Poodle usually gives a wave.
- Low shedding, not hypoallergenic: no dog is reliably hypoallergenic.
- Colours come mostly from the Poodle side, because the Maltese is always white.
- It isn't a kennel-club breed, so there's no breed standard and plenty of variety.
The two parent breeds
The Maltese is believed to be the oldest European toy breed, according to the Canadian Kennel Club, with likenesses on art objects dating back 3,000 years. It weighs under 3 kg, with 2 to 3 kg considered ideal, and stands up to 25 cm. Its white coat is a single coat with no undercoat, flat and silky, hanging straight to the ground.
The Poodle comes in three sizes set by height. Maltipoos are usually bred from Toy Poodles, under 25 cm, or Miniature Poodles, 25 to 38 cm. Our guide to the Poodle covers the breed in depth.
How big will a Maltipoo get?
| Parent | Typical adult weight |
|---|---|
| Maltese | Under 3 kg, with 2 to 3 kg ideal |
| Toy Poodle | 2 to 3 kg |
| Miniature Poodle | 5 to 7 kg |
A Maltipoo usually ends up somewhere between its parents' weights. One with a Toy Poodle parent is often close to its parents at 2 to 3 kg, while one with a Miniature Poodle parent can be a little bigger. Puppies from the same litter can still differ, especially in later generations. Our guide to doodle sizes explains why size labels vary from breeder to breeder.
The Maltipoo coat
A study of more than 1,000 dogs from 80 breeds found that three genes explain most coat types in purebred dogs: one for furnishings, one for curl and one for coat length.
| Gene | Maltese | Poodle | Typical first-generation Maltipoo |
|---|---|---|---|
| FGF5 (length) | Long | Long | Long |
| KRT71 (curl) | Straight | Curly | Usually wavy (one curl copy) |
| RSPO2 (furnishings) | Doesn't change the first-cross result | Furnished (two copies) | Furnished, because one Poodle copy is enough |
Long-haired breeds such as the Maltese carry two copies of a long-hair version of FGF5, as a 2016 study of more than 4,200 dogs found, and the Poodle's coat grows long too, so Maltipoos have long coats. The Poodle passes on a furnishings copy, and one copy is enough to show, so a first-generation Maltipoo is furnished whatever the Maltese carries. In later generations, an "improper" coat without furnishings is possible if both parents carry a non-furnished copy. Our guides to furnishings, curly coats and improper coats explain each gene.
Do Maltipoos shed?
Most shed lightly. The Maltese has no undercoat, the Poodle passes on furnishings, which research links to lower shedding, and a wavy or curly coat traps loose hair instead of dropping it. The trade-off is grooming: a long, wavy coat mats without regular brushing. Our guide to doodle shedding covers the genes involved.
Low shedding isn't the same as low allergen. A study of the main dog allergen found higher levels in the coats of so-called hypoallergenic breeds, including Poodles and Labradoodles, than in other dogs, though airborne levels in their homes were no different. If allergies are a concern, spend time with the specific dog first and talk to an allergist. Our guide to hypoallergenic dogs explains the evidence.
Where Maltipoo colours come from
The Maltese is always white, and a white coat can hide other colour genes the dog carries. The Poodle comes in any solid colour, plus patterns such as phantom and parti. So a Maltipoo puppy's colour depends mostly on the colour genes the Poodle parent passes on, plus anything the Maltese carries hidden under its white coat.
- White, cream, apricot and red come from red-yellow pigment, from cream to deep red.
- Black and brown need dark pigment, which a Poodle with a working MC1R copy can pass on; brown also needs a brown copy from each parent.
- Phantom and parti patterns come from tan-points and white-spotting genes; a puppy usually needs a copy from each parent, and the Maltese can carry them hidden under its white coat.
A puppy's coat can also change colour as it grows, especially in lines with Poodle "fading" genetics. Our guide to Goldendoodle colours explains the same genes in more detail, and our coat colour hub covers how they work across all dogs.
Temperament
The CKC describes the Maltese as among the gentlest-mannered of all little dogs, intelligent, affectionate and seemingly fearless, and the Poodle as intelligent and quick to please. The CKC also notes that the Toy Poodle isn't robust enough to be a small child's pet, which applies to any very small dog. A Maltipoo may share some of these tendencies, but breed is a loose guide to any one dog: a 2022 study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9% of behavioural differences between individual dogs.
What a DNA test shows for a Maltipoo
A DNA test turns guesses about your Maltipoo into estimates based on its own genetics. The PuppyGenes report covers six sections:
- Breed ancestry: how much Maltese and Poodle is in your dog, plus any other breeds.
- Coat colour predictions.
- Physical appearance: coat length, curl, furnishings and shedding, each where the sample supports it.
- Temperament and size predictions, including an estimated adult height and weight.
- Genetic diversity.
- An oral microbiome snapshot.
The report does not include genetic disease or health screening. Our guide to doodle DNA tests walks through two example reports. If you're weighing a test, our guides to whether dog DNA tests are legit and dog DNA testing in Canada cover what to check before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
- How big do Maltipoos get?
- Most are small. A Maltipoo usually ends up between its parents' weights: about 2 to 3 kg with a Toy Poodle parent, and somewhat more with a Miniature Poodle parent, which weighs about 5 to 7 kg.
- Do Maltipoos shed?
- Most shed lightly. The Maltese has no undercoat, the Poodle passes on furnishings, and a wavy coat traps loose hair. Every dog still sheds some hair, and the coat needs regular brushing.
- Are Maltipoos hypoallergenic?
- No dog is reliably hypoallergenic. Research has found the main dog allergen in the coats of Poodles and other so-called hypoallergenic breeds. If allergies are a concern, spend time with the specific dog first.
- What colours do Maltipoos come in?
- White, cream, apricot, red, black and brown, plus patterns such as phantom and parti. Because the Maltese is always white, the colour comes mostly from the Poodle parent's genes.
- What's the difference between an F1 and an F1B Maltipoo?
- An F1 is a first cross between a Maltese and a Poodle. An F1B is an F1 crossed back to a Poodle, so it carries more Poodle ancestry and is more likely to have a curly coat.
From general to personal
See how this applies to your dog specifically.
Our at-home Complete Dog DNA Test adds your dog's own results to these tips across six report sections: breed ancestry, coat colour, physical appearance, temperament and size predictions, genetic diversity and oral microbiome. The report does not include genetic disease or health screening.