Maltipoo vs Cavapoo: Which is Best for You? (Comparison & Quiz)
Having trouble deciding between a Maltipoo vs Cavapoo? We’re here to help! Both of these breeds are extremely popular due to their fun personalities wrapped up in an adorable, tiny package!
Adding a furry friend to your family is a huge decision, and finding a breed that is compatible with your lifestyle is so important. Both the Cavapoo vs Maltipoo are great choices, so how do you choose? We’ll review some similarities and differences to help you find your perfect match!
Should You Get a Maltipoo or Cavapoo? Take the Quiz!
This quiz is intended to be a quick reference and not a comprehensive decision. Please do your research and read this entire article to understand which breed is best for your family!
Maltipoo vs Cavapoo: Puppy Selection
Availability / Popularity
While neither of these breeds are quite as popular as the Goldendoodle, breeders and rescues are still fairly common. You may need to be prepared to drive an hour or two to find a reputable Maltipoo or Cavapoo breeder with available puppies, but overall the difficulty of locating one is pretty even between these two breeds.
On average, Maltipoo litters are between 4-6 puppies. Cavapoo litters vary more widely and range between 2 and 10 puppies! While Cavapoo litters may have one or two more puppies on average than Maltipoo litters, they are less consistent in their size.
Price
Poodle mixes like the Maltipoo or Cavapoo are known as “designer dogs” and, as such, cost a “designer” price. In the debate between Maltipoo vs Cavapoo, there can be a small difference in price. Cavapoo puppies are usually sold for between $1,500 and $2,500. Maltipoo puppies may be a little lower in price ranging from $1,000-$2,000.
Prices may vary slightly based on your geographic location, gender, and color. Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true, as that may be an indicator they are a puppy mill, backyard breeder, or a scam.
Cavapoo vs Maltipoo: Appearance
Size
The Cavapoo vs Maltipoo are both on the smaller side. Due to the small stature of their parent breeds, they both only come in two sizes—Toy and Mini.
On average, the average Maltipoo size is just slightly larger than the average Cavapoo size but the difference is pretty negligible. For example, the Mini Maltipoo weighs between 15-25 pounds, while the Mini Cavapoo weighs between 13-20 pounds. Toy Maltipoos weigh in between 5-15 pounds, and Cavapoos between 7-13 pounds.
Appearance
Maltipoos and Cavapoos may easily be confused! That being said, there are a few noticeable differences between the two breeds. Maltipoos tend to have a longer snout, while Cavapoos have a shorter, rounder snout. Additionally, Cavapoos may have longer ears than the Maltipoo thanks to the gorgeous ears they inherit from the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.
Colors
The Cavapoo or Maltipoo can both come in a large range of colors. These can include cream, apricot, black, chocolate, white, and more! Both of these also have the ability to be a single color, bi-colored, or tri-colored. They can be single colored, bi-colored, or tri-colored. This characteristic is highly dependent on the parents.
The most common Maltipoo color is white or a very light cream. The most common Cavapoo color is Apricot or a close shade of Tan.
Maltipoo vs Cavapoo: Grooming & Maintenance
Coat
The Cavapoo vs Maltipoo can have very similar coats. The curliness of their coat is highly dependent on how much Poodle is in their DNA in comparison to Maltese or Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The more Poodle in their DNA, the curlier they will be.
If you have a Maltipoo that is 50% Poodle and 50% Maltese, also known as an F1 Maltipoo, the coat could be straight like the Maltese, curly like the Poodle, or somewhere inbetween. This is also true with the Cavapoo. Other generations, such as the F1B or F1BB, have a higher percentage of Poodle in their genes, and as a result, they’ll often have curlier coats!
Grooming requirements don’t make a huge difference in the debate between Cavapoo vs Maltipoo. Regular grooming is going to be important for both breeds.
Frequent brushing is important to prevent matting. The Cavapoo and Maltipoo should both be brushed every two days. A Cavapoo or Maltipoo with a higher percentage of Poodle in them may require more regular brushing. A dog with a more straight or wavy coat may be able to go longer in between brushings than a curlier-coated dog would.
For either of these breeds, you’re going to want to invest in a quality brush that will keep your Cavapoo or Maltipoo dog’s coat in great condition and free of matting. The best brush for this in my opinion is the Chris Christensen Baby G Slicker Brush. It’s a bit more expensive than a normal, generic brush, it’s absolutely worth every penny.
This section has a clear winner in the battle between the Maltipoo vs Cavapoo. Both of these breeds are allergy friendly, but the Maltipoo is completely hypoallergenic! The Maltese and the Poodle are both non-shedding and hypoallergenic, so the Maltipoo is as well! If allergies and shedding are big concerns to your family, the Maltipoo is one of the safest options.
The Cavapoo, on the other hand, has one hypoallergenic parent, and one parent who isn’t, therefore it’s impossible to guarantee that the Cavapoo offspring will not shed. With this being said, a Cavapoo does shed less than a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This means if you have mild allergies, this breed may be manageable for you.
Additionally, the percentage of Poodle in your Cavapoo can make a huge difference. Cavapoos with a higher percentage of Poodle will have a decreased risk of shedding and irritating allergies.
The best generations of Cavapoos for allergy sufferers in order from best to worst are F1BB, F2BB, F1B, F2B, F1 / F2 / F3. This being said, genetics are difficult to predict, so even with this outline, your Cavapoo may shed. If this is an important topic for you, it may be best to opt for the breed that will 100% be hypoallergenic—the Maltipoo.
Cavapoo vs Maltipoo: Temperament
Personality
Both the Cavapoo vs Maltipoo are sweet and friendly dogs! Both will make wonderful family pets.
The Maltipoo is a cuddly yet peppy dog. They do have a bit more tendency to bark than Cavapoos when excited, so if you share walls with a neighbor, you may want to take this into consideration.
Cavapoos tend to be very adaptable to changes which makes it good for families. Additionally, they have virtually no prey drive or aggressive tendencies which may make them a good option for families with children or other pets.
If a guard dog is what you’re looking for, neither of these are the right choice…being attacked by 10 pounds of pure fluff and puppy kisses is not intimidating at all! A Maltipoo will do slightly better than Cavapoo as a watchdog due to their tendency to bark.
These cuddle buddies can become very attached to their families. If you expect to be out of the house for extended periods of time on a regular basis, you may want to take this into account. Many Maltipoos and Cavapoos develop separation anxiety and may engage in destructive behaviors if they’re left alone for too long.
Activity Level
There is only a slight difference between Maltipoo vs Cavapoo when it comes to activity requirements. Cavapoos need just a little bit more daily exercise. A half an hour walk daily should suffice. Maltipoos need about 20-30 minutes of exercise daily.
For this reason, these dogs may be better suited for a more sedentary or mildly active lifestyle. If you’re looking for a hiking or running buddy to tackle vigorous exercise with you, neither the Cavapoo or Maltipoo is the right choice for you. Both of these breeds would much rather cuddle up on the couch!
Trainability
While they’re both intelligent, the Maltipoo vs Cavapoo are also both eager to learn and easy to train. This makes them both great options for first-time dog owners.
One difference between the Maltipoo vs. Cavapoo is that the Cavapoo tends to be more difficult to potty train. For some reason, this bit of training takes more practice than some other breeds. Don’t worry too much—with patience they’ll pick it up!
Something to be aware of with Maltipoos is that they can be rather sensitive at times. Raising your voice, and negative reinforcement won’t work well with their personalities. As with most dogs, training that utilizes positive reinforcement may work better at helping them learn new commands. Both of these breeds require significant mental stimulation to keep out of mischief. Simply including walks, training, and fun Brain Games will help keep them occupied!
Good with Kids & Pets?
Families can find the perfect match with either the Maltipoo or Cavapoo. Both breeds have even-mannered temperaments which mean they are tolerant of kids and other pets in the home. Oftentimes with small breeds such as these, it’s recommended that there aren’t kids under the age of six in the house. This is simply because some excited young children don’t realize their own strength, and these small pups can easily be injured.
Maltipoo vs Cavapoo: Health & Wellness
Life Span
In the debate between a Maltipoo vs Cavapoo, the Cavapoo has just a slight advantage when it comes to lifespan. The average Cavapoo lifespan is between 12-15 years. Maltipoos tend to live from between 10-15 years. Of course, each dog is different, so the difference here is pretty negligible.
Potential Illnesses
The beauty of mixed breeds is that they have more genetic diversity, and thus a decreased risk of developing hereditary conditions. While these are generally healthy breeds, there are still health issues that are more likely to affect these breeds
Common health problems in Cavapoos include mitral valve disease, luxating patella, congenital heart problems, cataracts, and ear infections due to those floppy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel ears.
All breeds may have health problems, and all dogs may get into tragic accidents that require urgent veterinary care. That’s why I strongly believe that all dog owners invest in quality pet insurance. Pet insurance can cover up to 90% of veterinary bills for accidents and injuries, which can make a world of difference! I personally use Healthy Paws and find that they offer exceptional coverage for very reasonable prices.
Should you get a Cavapoo or Maltipoo? The conclusion…
If you have moderate to severe allergies or strongly prefer a non-shedding dog, the Maltipoo is the better option for you. While Cavapoos are allergy-friendly and don’t usually shed a lot, they are not guaranteed to be hypoallergenic and non-shedding like Maltipoos are.
Maltipoos may be slightly less expensive (around $500 on average) than Cavapoos.
Maltipoos have more of a tendency to bark than Cavapoos. If you share walls with neighbors, you may want to take this into consideration.
