The Maltipoo is currently one of the most popular designer breeds in the country.
It is not surprising as they not only make great family and companion dogs, but they are also good therapy dogs.
Unlike many other designer breeds that give you a hard time to find, Maltipoo are readily available with breeders and rescue shelters.
This isn’t always good news, though, as there is the possibility of getting one that is poorly bred dog, which should be avoided at all costs.
Aside from the initial Maltipoo price, responsible pet parenting also demands that you plan for other expenses you will make during the first few years of getting a Maltipoo puppy.
This guide would help solve these problems by giving you enough information on the different Maltipoo costs and ongoing ownership expenses.
You’d also get further advice that would help you make better choices if you choose to buy or adopt.
The Average Maltipoo Price: How Much Does A Maltipoo Cost?
There is no fixed and universal price for purchasing a Maltipoo, but one can get an average following careful research.
Usually, the cost of a Maltipoo puppy falls between $400 and $1,400. That sets the average at $900.
That is the standard, but there are other price ranges. Some Maltipoos that come with rare colors like red, champagne, and chocolate will go as high as $8,000 to $15,000.
Age and size are other factors that influence the cost of Maltipoos. The standard price above is fit for puppies.
Adult Maltipoos are sold at a cheaper price, often falling between $350 and $700.
As for size, smaller Maltipoos tend to cost more than the bigger ones. Below is a table that shows the different Maltipoo costs based on size:
| Size | Height | Weight | Puppy Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toy Maltipoo | 8 – 10 in | Up to 10 lbs | $400 – $3,000 |
| Miniature Maltipoo | 12 – 15 in | 10 – 25 lbs | $400 – $2,000 |
| Teacup Maltipoo | Up to 6 in | Up to 4 lbs | $2,000 – $4,000 |
The Teacup Maltipoo—the most controversial size—happens to be the most expensive of all the variants.
This doesn’t mean it’s the best choice, though. Most of them are fraught with health issues.
Other important factors that influence the Maltipoo price to consider include:
- Breeder: Professional breeders with some recognition hike their prices up compared to puppy mills.
- Generation: When the parents crossed are purebred Maltese and Poodle (1st generation), the offspring is cheaper than crossing other generations. This is because it takes more time with other generations than it does with the 1st one.
- Lineage: Maltipoos bred from a champion’s lineage are often more expensive than standard Maltipoos.
Keeping these factors in mind, you must do good research before purchasing from any breeder.
While you can never be too sure, certain criteria can help you determine which breeder is reputable.
7 Things to Look Out for Before Buying a Maltipoo Puppy
#1. Information
In the act of shopping for a Maltipoo (or any other dog breed), there’s no such thing as too much information.
Sure, it is cool to peruse through the pictures of the puppies on a site, but do not forget to seek out enough information.
You’d find them in the listings, that’s where you have to focus on the details. Every other point in this section has to do with the information as well.
#2. Living conditions
Where the breeder keeps the puppies say a lot about how they were bred. Request to pay a visit to the breeder’s home.
Should the distance be a problem, you can always cover up with video calls.
If the breeder is uncomfortable with you visiting or making video calls, it is a red light that should not be overlooked.
#3. Location of purchase
In addition to visiting the breeder’s home to know how the puppies are raised, you should also make sure you purchase the puppy at their home or a location you can find them.
Unscrupulous breeders have been known to sell puppies with health issues at public places then leave no trace.
Getting their phone numbers and emails are not enough. Any business you have with a breeder must be concrete.
#4. Site pictures
The puppy pictures on the site are another indicator of a genuine or fake breeder. A site with scanty pictures should not be trusted.
For those with pictures, be sure they are taken from the same environment.
It is easy to plagiarize pictures these days, and some irresponsible breeders take advantage of that.
#5. Videos
Videos are more trustworthy than pictures as it is hard to duplicate a video or create a fake one.
Videos also give you a glimpse of the breeder and his/her relationships with the Maltipoo pup.
While it is true that breeders need profit, it doesn’t give them an ill-treatment pass. Another advantage of videos is that it shows you the nature of the pups.
This shouldn’t be a substitute for actual visitation, however. Videos are what the breeder wants you to see. They may not be completely accurate.
#6. Health Guaranty
This is critical as medical conditions can increase future pet parenting bills (more on this later).
The breeder you want to purchase your Maltipoo from should have a health guarantee.
#7. Training Program
Finally, consider a breeder with an established training program.
While this isn’t as critical as the previous point, it does show that the breeder is experienced. Plus, it makes training easier for you.
Adopting a Maltipoo from a Rescue or Shelter is Cheaper
If you don’t have the budget for shopping or just prefer an alternative to shopping, you can opt for adopting. However, it depends on how soon you want a Maltipoo.
It is easier to find them with a breeder than a rescue shelter, and you might end up on a waiting list.
That said, adopting is more practical in terms of saving cost and is better on the moral aspect.
The price range for adopting a Maltipoo puppy falls between $100 and $800.
It depends largely on the organization, some might be more than others.
As a general rule, adopting a senior dog or one with special needs comes at no cost.
The adoption price goes into maintaining other puppies in the shelter. It also serves to cover some expenses the shelter has incurred with the Maltipoo you want to adopt.
The biggest challenge with adopting a Maltipoo is the “baggage” it might come with, gotten from previous owners.
You could be fortunate to adopt one with no issues—possibly the previous owners turned it up for adoption because they were relocating to another country.
On the other hand, some Maltipoos have been with owners who used abusive methods to train them.
Others might not have received any training at all. These dogs might find it harder to trust or could have some behavioral issues you must deal with.
Initial Cost of Maltipoo Ownership: Items
After budgeting for the cost of buying or adopting your preferred Maltipoo, you need to make a budget for some items you’ll need for the start.
These items are essential if you want your pup to grow into a healthy adult. In a nutshell, these are the items and their average costs:
| Items | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Dog bed | $45 |
| Dog crate | $50 |
| Collar and leash | $20 |
| Dog food | $85 |
| Food bowl | $15 |
| Dog shampoo | $10 |
| Coat brush | $10 |
| Chew toys | $20 |
| Poop scooper | $15 |
| Total Cost of Items | $270 |
With the prices in mind, here are the importance of each item listed above:
- Dog bed: You and I are not the only ones who need a bed. Unless you prefer seeing your Maltipoo lying on the floor (a risky choice), get it a comfortable bed it can sleep on or retreat to when you have visitors.
- Crate: This has many purposes. It can help keep your dog packaged while traveling, help with house-training, or control the Maltipoo’s destructive tendencies when it is suffering from separation anxiety.
- Collar and leash: Both the leash and collar are useful while training and going on a walk with your pooch.
- Dog food: The Maltipoo eats well and needs to be fed regularly. Stock up food to avoid starving your pet.
- Food bowl: Just as we use dishes to eat, dogs need a bowl both for eating and drinking water.
- Dog shampoo: The Maltipoo’s coat gets dirty with ease. It needs to be washed occasionally. Dog shampoo is an item you need for the job.
- Coat brush: Like many other dogs, Maltipoos need weekly brushing. Get the perfect brush to do this.
- Chew toys: These playful dogs need objects to play with. A chew toy is perfect for the job.
- Poop scooper: Owning a dog can be a messy business when it leaves poop all over your yard or, worse, in your living room. A poop scooper helps dispose of it.
The prices for these products are average costs, not fixed ones. The brand, its quality, and the number of items will ultimately determine the price.
Initial Cost of Maltipoo Ownership: Services
Besides the cost of tangible items, also make a budget of the first services you should pay for soon after you bring the pup home.
These services will maintain good health and stop your pooch from misbehaving. Here are the major services you should also budget for.
| Services | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Vaccination | $300 |
| Pet insurance | $250 |
| Deworming | $20 |
| Neutering/Spaying | $200 |
| Flea and tick medication | $200 |
| Vet check-up | $400 |
| Total Cost of Services | $1,370 |
Here are the roles they play:
- Vaccination: This prevents your Maltipoo from getting some illnesses. Vaccination also boosts health and can protect people from developing further complications if the vaccinated dog scratches or bites.
- Pet insurance: Pet insurance helps cover up some future costs if any medical emergencies pop up. Consider it saving for tomorrow.
- Deworming: Some breeders do this before selling the dog to you. If they didn’t, you should ensure it’s done as it prevents infections.
- Neutering/Spaying: Involves the surgical removal of a dog’s reproductive organs. This helps in birth control and can curb some gender-related problems like marking territories. It also prevents ovarian cancer.
- Flea and tick medication: These medications make the dog’s coat a bad place for fleas and ticks. They are usually prescribed by a veterinarian.
- Vet Check-up: To prevent your dog from developing any future medical issues, take it to the veterinarian for regular checkups.
Total Expenses for the First Year
If you add the purchase price, food, treats and the cost of the items above, you’d be looking at an estimated cost that falls between $2,900 and $6,600.
This is a roundup of every expense you are likely to make in the first year, but it would not be made at once.
If it seems too high for you, there are ways you can reduce costs.
For starters, most people would prefer spending monthly from their paycheck. Getting the monthly cost will make the expenses seem less daunting.
We’ll also give a lifetime estimate to gain a bigger picture, and cover other important expenses.
Monthly Cost of Maltipoo Ownership
If looking at the estimated cost for the first year is discouraging, consider splitting the subsequent years into months.
Some of the services and items are to be done occasionally, so you won’t need to spend on them each month after the first time.
In a month, here are the important expenses to look out for:
| Expenses | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Dog food and treats | $85 |
| Pet insurance | $20 |
| Chew toys | $5 |
| Vet check-ups | $30 |
| Flea and tick medication | $15 |
| Miscellaneous | $10 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | $165 |
Altogether, the total expenses you might make in a month are $160.
Again, this is an estimate which might change when you consider the product, its quality, and the amount needed.
Lifetime Maltipoo Expenses
To gain a complete picture of the road ahead, estimating the cost of owning Maltipoo through its life will serve as a map.
The Maltipoo has a long life span of 10 to 15 years. Throughout these years, you’ll be responsible for its welfare.
Getting a lifetime estimate will save you the difficult decision of abandoning halfway because of the high cost.
Considering all the above calculations, the estimated lifetime cost of a Maltipoo will fall between $20,200 to $34,000.
This covers all we mentioned above, but not the extra expenses you might make for some recommended services that could boost your dog’s well-being.
Extra Expenses
These services are grouped here because they are optional. They come as bonuses, the icing on the pet parenting cake, but are not essentials.
They include:
- Grooming ($20 to $50): If you want to get a professional touch on your Maltipoo’s coat and other parts of its body like the nails, you can hire the services of a professional groomer.
- Dog walking ($15): Dog walking services are good for busy people who may not have time to exercise their Maltipoos. It is better to delegate this task than to neglect your pooch and come back to a destroyed living room.
- Day Care Services ($15): Need to travel on an official assignment and can’t bring your Maltipoo along? You can leave it at a good daycare center where professionals will look after it till you get back.
- Kennel Club Registration ($90): As a designer breed, the Maltipoo can’t be registered under the American Kennel Club or other major ones. However, some associations like the Designer Breed Registry can register it.
Another service not yet mentioned is that of medical treatment. Not only is it compulsory, but it also requires a lot of details.
Therefore, we reserved a section for it.
Maltipoo Health Problems and Treatment Costs
As healthy as the Maltipoo is, it can suffer from some medical conditions. Most of these can come without warning, so it is better to make plans for them.
As we said above, having pet insurance can help subsidize these costs.
Here are some of the major medical conditions and the cost of treatment:
- Epilepsy ($200 to $500): Epilepsy is an incurable condition that manifests in dogs the same way it does with humans: through constant seizures.
The seizures could be either mild or severe. Some last for long and others stop after a short period. Either way, you can reduce the seizures with medications.
- Portosystemic Shunt ($2,000 to $12,000): Portosystemic Shunt occurs when there is an abnormality in the blood flow between the liver and other parts of the body.
Symptoms include impeded growth, vomiting, and loss of appetite. It is costly to treat.
- Colitis ($100 to $300): This is caused by infections and parasites and leads to an inflammation of the large intestine (also known as the colon).
Symptoms include diarrhea with some blood and mucus, painful defecation, and weight loss.
- White Shaker Syndrome ($300 to $4,800): This usually affects small white dogs like the Maltipoo. It makes your dog tremble uncontrollably, but it isn’t painful and can be treated with medications.
- Legg Calve Perthes Disease ($1,000 to $3,000): The Legg Calve Perthes Disease is an illness small dogs are prone to. It occurs when the femur starts to deteriorate, leading to inflammation of joints and bone.
These illnesses all require medical attention and should not be treated at home. Don’t hesitate to consult the veterinarian when you notice these symptoms.
How to Reduce Expenses
Let’s be honest, owning a Maltipoo is expensive.
If you have enough income to purchase from a quality breeder and cover all other expenses, feel free to skip this section.
But if you want to cut some costs, here are tips to help:
- Adopt, not shop: As we’ve seen, adoption is a cheaper option compared to shopping.
It is also more trustworthy than getting from a backyard breeder, so make it your choice if you need to reduce expenses.
- Go for quality: When buying goods, we mistakenly assume we’re saving more when we get cheaper ones. However, quality items last longer. The longer you use them, the less you’d need to buy.
- Learn how to groom your dog: Hiring a professional groomer will get the job done, but you can save the cash by doing it yourself.
Grooming the Maltipoo does require some effort, but it is learnable. Make it less of a chore and more of a bonding moment between you and your pet.
- Make vet check-ups compulsory: Regular veterinarian check-ups do need money, but they are cheaper than having to treat an emergency condition.
Make it your goal not to skip check-ups, and you’d be able to monitor your pet’s health.
- Get items in bulk: Another purchasing mistake we make is buying items like food in small quantities. In the long run, it is better to buy in bulk and store them for use.
- Make pet insurance a priority: Of course, you can never be too careful. Medical conditions can pop out of nowhere, and good pet insurance coverage can soften the blow on your finances.
Where to Adopt or find Maltipoo Puppies for Sale
To make your work easier, here are some sites you can shop for or adopt a Maltipoo.
Bear in mind that these are suggestions, not endorsements. Apply due diligence before closing any deal.
Below are some breeders you can consider if you want to get a Maltipoo puppy:
- My Doodle Maltipoo
- Buckeye Puppies
- Pierce’s Precious Puppies
- Denning Farms
- Polos Maltipoos
- Bear Creek Maltipoo
Here are some sites, animal shelters, and rescues where you can possibly find a Maltipoo for adoption:
Commonly Asked Questions
Why are Maltipoos so expensive?
Maltipoos are popular designer breeds, which make it be on the high side. Other factors like the breeders’ reputation, coat color, location, and health warranty influence the cost.
Do Maltipoos make good pets?
Maltipoos were gotten from two exceptional parent breeds, the Maltese and the Toy Poodle. Thus, they are suitable for many families.
They also make good first-time dogs and can cope in different environments. The Maltipoo is an excellent household pet with very few challenges.
Closing Thoughts
Getting any dog as a pet requires careful financial planning, and that includes the Maltipoo.
Though expensive, it is worth having because of the joy and affection it brings to the home. If you want to shop, get a good breeder.
If adoption is what you prefer, ensure that the adopted dog is one you can handle.
Let your calculations extend towards other expenses besides purchasing/adoption, especially the vital items and services.
With the information gotten from this guide, you should be able to make the right choices.
You May Also Like:
30 Maltese Mixes (Crossbreeds With Pictures)
