Maltipoo Pug Mix: What’s It Like?

The Maltipoo is sometimes referred to as the cutest dog in the world due to its big eyes and teddy bear like coat. The Pug on the other hand often splits opinion between those who adore their oversized, sometimes bulbous, eyes and flat muzzle and those who think they have not been blessed in the looks department.

With this in mind, the Maltipoo and Pug is not everyone’s first thought for a hybrid. It really is hard to imagine as they seem worlds apart at first glance. However, if were have managed to pique your interest read on to find out what might just come with this more obscure cross.

Maltipoo History

The Maltipoo is a popular Doodle cross in its own right. Comprising of Maltese and usually a small Miniature or Toy Poodle parents, this small breed is favored for its forever puppy-like appearance. The addition of Poodle genetics allows for greater variation in their coat color and type than the pristine white straight coat of the Maltese alone. 

To find out more about the Maltipoo be sure to check out our other articles “Are Maltipoos AKC Registered?” and “Are Maltipoos Good with Other Dogs?” along with other titles

Pug History

The Pug is thought to have originated in China and dates back as far as 400 B.C. This slightly comical-looking petite breed has always been first and foremost a companion dog. In fact, these affable little characters were so good at endearing themselves to their humans that they often were highly prized by the richest members of Chinese society including emperors.

The modern-day Pug has gained renewed popularity with the explosion of social media where owners and aficionados of the breed share all manner of pictures and merchandise adorned with the Pug’s instantly recognizable face.

What Do You Call a Maltipoo Pug Mix?

As the Maltipoo Pug is not being bred in any great numbers at present it is yet to have adopted a universally recognized combined name. The Maltese and Pug have already been crossed to make the Malti Pug while the Poodle and the Pug have been crossed resulting in a Pugapoo but what fun name could we bestow on the Maltipoo Pug?

We could go with Malti Pugapoo but that could be confused for a Maltese cross Pugapoo. With that in mind here at Know Your Doodles, we feel the only suitable title for this cross would be the Pugamaltipoo.

Why is the Maltipoo Pug Cross Being Bred?

Despite our best efforts, information, pictures, and details on this elusive cross remain scarce. There are definitely mentions of occasional accidental litters of this cross however for the most part people seem fairly satisfied with either a Maltese cross Pug or a Poodle cross Pug. There does not, as yet, seem to be much appetite for a three-way mix of Maltese, Poodle, and Pug.

Is the Pug Maltipoo Mix an Ethical Cross?

The ethics of cross-breeding dogs can often be questioned by those committed to preserving purebred lines. A Maltipoo Pug cross would be a hybrid dog which means it is a mix of three different (purebred) breeds.

What makes the concept of ethics in this cross more interesting is that the modern-day purebred Pug can often present with health issues purely related to the selective breeding of the parents in its line. This means they can have health problems associated with their ever-increasingly flat-faced appearance. Many now advocate for crossing the Pug with another breed in order to improve their quality of life.

The Maltipoo offers up as good a match as any to diversify the Pug genetics, being of a fairly similar size and being considered an overall healthy breed. As always though, the ethics of breeding often hinge more on the practices of individual breeders than the selection of dogs being crossbred.

The Benefits of a Maltipoo Pug Mix

Unfortunately, as this cross is not widespread, we do not have owner’s accounts to draw on to understand more about what is good about this cross. We can make some general observations though based on what we know about the parent breeds.

As mentioned above, one of the major benefits of adding a Maltipoo to a Pug is the potential to reduce some of the health issues common in each parent breed. This cross would be 25% Maltese, 25% Poodle, and 50% Pug. This means the issues arising for the Pug from being stocky and flat-faced could be diluted by the slighter build of the Maltese and Poodle, while the longer snout of the Poodle could lengthen the muzzle to improve breathing.

Of course, adding even, a smidge of Poodle genetics offers up the potential to reduce shedding and pass on a degree of the aesthetically pleasing and lower shedding curly to wavy Doodle coat.

The Cons of a Maltipoo Pug Mix

One of the biggest challenges in a Maltipoo Pug mix is potentially predicting exactly what you may get both in terms of appearance and temperament. Although all three are considered Toy breeds, they are visually very different in terms of appearance and size with the Pug being right at the top of the Toy breed classification while some Maltipoos coming in at the teeny tiny end of the scale.

Personality-wise the Maltipoo and Pug can be quite different too. The Pug definitely has a clownish streak while the Maltipoo is considered a bit feistier and definitely has a bit more in the brains department. How much a resultant litter takes after each parent is really anyone’s guess.

The other drawback of combining three toy breeds in one cross is that there are health conditions common to all three purely related to their small size. While some hybrids benefit from a reduced risk of health issues by selecting parent breeds who do not overlap, this is not the case for the Maltipoo Pug.

What to Expect from the Maltipoo Pug Mix

Size and Weight

To predict the potential size of a Maltipoo Pug cross we have to make an estimate based on the parent’s size as there is not a great deal of documented litters.

The Maltipoo is a small breed and can be expected to be between 8lbs and 12lbs in weight and 7″ to 14″ tall.  The biggest factor in determining a Maltipoo’s size is whether a Toy or Miniature Poodle parent was utilized. A Toy Poodle parent will create a smaller Maltipoo while a Miniature Poodle parent will generally be resultant in a larger size Maltipoo.

The Pug by comparison is overall a bit larger and heavier. An adult Pug can be expected to stand between 9″ and 15″ in height and could weigh as much as 20lbs.

It makes sense that the Pug would carry the litter to prevent a Maltipoo from being unable to birth puppies that become too large. Given the weight discrepancy between the two parents, it makes it more likely that there will be variation in the litter with some taking after the smaller Maltipoo and some taking after the Pug.

As a general guesstimate, we could expect an adult Maltipoo Pug cross to be in the region of 10″ to 15″ in height and between 10lbs and 20lbs.

Color and Coat Types

We can hypothesize that the Maltipoo Pug will present with some variation of their parent’s coat and color types.

The Pug brings very recognizable coloring of fawn/tan body and typically black marking around the face and muzzle. In terms of coat type, a Pug is short and smooth and would be considered a moderate shedder.

As the Maltese parent of the Maltipoo only comes in white and very light shades, the majority of Maltipoos will be fair color in coat. Most often they are white or cream but they do have the potential to be any variation of Poodle coloring too however this is rarer. The Maltipoo’s coat type will be medium to long and wavy to curly. Most Maltipoos are low shedding.

It really is a roll of the genetic dice when trying to predict the coat type and color that will result from crossing the Maltipoo and Pug. It would be expected that they will present as longer coated than the Pug with a waved pattern that will shed less but require more diligent grooming.

Color really is a gamble however as the mix of 50% Pug, it is likely Pug coloring and marking patterns may be more prevalent.

Health

Adding the Maltipoo to the Pug helps with some very Pug-specific health issues which may be less likely to be seen in the resultant hybrid litter. However, there are some health concerns that befall both the Maltipoo and Pug and as such may be passed on.

These primarily relate to their small builds as Toy breeds. A list of the potential health considerations is outlined below:

  • Dental issues
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Some eye issues
  • Diabetes/hypoglycemia

This is not an exhaustive list and is a list of possibilities, not certainties. As a hybrid small breed, the Maltipoo Pug will benefit from a longer life span of up to 15 years if they do not experience significant health complications.

Temperament

The positive temperament traits likely to be seen in the Maltipoo Pug include an affectionate, friendly and loving nature. The Pug is generally more docile than the sometimes-hectic Maltipoo which may make for a more balanced pup.

The potentially less desirable traits could be resource guarding as both the Maltipoo and the Pug are known to be somewhat territorial and protective. While this can be addressed with training if the cross inherits a good dose of Pug stubbornness this could be infinitely more challenging.

Exercise Needs

A Maltipoo Pug cross will likely have low to moderate exercise needs. This is due to their smaller size and also the potential for a flatter muzzle due to the Pug, meaning prolonged vigorous exercise could compromise their breathing.

The combination of this cross will be just as happy playing games at home as walking around the block. Outdoor space would not be essential however at least one walk a day would be recommended to keep them happy and fit.

Feeding Requirements

How much your Maltipoo Pug will eat each day will depend on what parent it takes after more. Maltipoos are much slighter than Pugs, so if your pup is on the petite size it could be 1 cup of good quality dry food split over two or even three meals a day.

If your Maltipoo Pug is more Pug-like, then it may be up to 1 and a quarter cups over two meals. This is only a rough guide, and a vet should always be consulted for advice on feeding and dietary needs if there are any concerns or sudden weight loss/gain.