Full Comparison of Shih Poo vs Maltipoo [Which one is better?]

Full Comparison of Shih Poo vs Maltipoo [Which one is better?]

A lot of people are really interested in adopting cooler and cuter designer breeds. The popularity and charm of some of these “Designer” breeds have skyrocketed from past some time.

Hey! I am Daniela and I am a huge dog lover and love to talk and communicate with fellow dog parents and lovers. I have helped a lot of dog parents in training their dog to solve any kind of behavioural problems in them through this blog and my Youtube Channel.

In this article, I am going to compare two different designer breeds of ShihPoo and Maltipoo. Designer breeds are the cross between two different breeds of dog.

Parental Difference between ShihPoo and Maltipoo

Shih-poo is a mixed breed between Shih Tzu and a Toy Poodle dog breeds.

Maltipoo is a crossbreed between Maltese and a Toy Poodle dog breeds.

Different Cross Breeds involving Poodles have become very popular as they look very cute and fluffy. Some examples are Cockapoo and Goldendoodle. Different Hybrids of Poodles are very famous among celebrities.

This is the reason these dogs can often be seen going on a morning walk with celebrities. Let me discuss in detail each one of these breeds.

An Overview of Shih-Poo

an overview of shihpoo

 

This breed inherited a lot of qualities from their parents, which means that they are Small, Hypoallergenic and Fluffy. They are one of the newer breeds and were first developed in North America.

Their parent, the Poodle, comes from Germany whereas Shih Tzu belongs to China. The poodle is an intelligent breed and Shih Tzu is an adorable one. Their mixture has characteristic traits of both intelligence and cuteness.

They are generally very small in size and do not need a ton lot of training routine for physical and mental stimulation.  Shih Poo is playful and friendly and is a perfect cuddle companion.

They want a lot of attention and are somewhat more on the lazier side. Shih Poos are the perfect breed to adopt for Elderly Couples or Single person.

An Overview of Maltipoo

overview of maltipoo

 

Maltipoos are fun-loving and affectionate breed. They are very charming and can fit into any family. They like the company of kids as well when socialized at a younger age.

They are Hypoallergenic as well and because of the fact that both their parents do not shed, Maltipoo are a non-shedders as well. Though there can be some pet allergies which I will talk about in the Allergies section below.

Maltipoo is a great option for time parents and they learn training commands quickly as well. They get along with other breeds of dogs as well. They are small, so they can get injured easily.

Maltipoo is an awesome cuddle companion and it’s better to keep them indoors with the family.

ShihPoo vs Maltipoo on Basis of Size  

Shih Poo is generally on the smaller side. As their parents vary from teacup, miniature and standard, the size of Shih poo varies as well. Generally, their height ranges from 8 to 19 inches and their weight ranges from 8 to 20 pounds.

Maltipoo varies in size depending on whether their poodle parent was a toy or miniature. Generally, Maltipoos stand 8 to 15 inches tall and weight 5 to 23 pounds.

When compared, Maltipoo is smaller in size among the two breeds.

ShihPoo vs Maltipoo on the Basis of their Personality 

Shih Poo’s love to play and enjoy. They like to play with a stuffed toy or ball. Shih Poo’s love to cuddle along with their owners.

Since they are a crossbreed, different dogs of this breed can have varying personalities and characteristics. Some might like to meet strangers and some might not be so friendly. Some might get attracted to kids and some might not like kids and look to get aggressive with them.

Though this is not an aggressive breed, they can bark and alert their parents about something suspicious or any of their meal that has been missed. Some dogs of this breed bark too much and their barking behaviour shall be Trained properly.

Maltipoo’s are a fun-loving and affectionate breed of dogs. Maltipoo’s love to spend time on their parent’s laps and sleep there as well if they feel comfortable.

Just like Shih Poo’s, they enjoy a good play session as well. They should be made to exercise and walk for at least 30-45 minutes a day or else they might develop a tendency of chewing the furniture in your house. They get along with everybody as well, especially if exposed to socialization at a young age.

Shih Poo vs Maltipoo on the basis of their Appearance 

Even if you are a huge lover of bigger dogs, you would still fall for the cuteness of both of these breeds. Dogs belonging to both of these breeds have small and round faces.

Shih Poo is available in mostly black and brown colour. Maltipoo is mostly in Cream and White colour.

Here is a comparison image of how they look:

 

ShihPoo vs Maltipoo comparison on appearance

 

Health Problems in ShihPoo and Maltipoo

Just like most of the hybrid breeds, Shihpoo also has teeth problems. A lot of crossbreeds which have Poodle parents face mouth and teeth related problems. If you want to adopt a Shihpoo, please brush them regularly.

Start with their brushing in their puppyhood as it might be difficult to brush their teeth later on in their lifespan. Apart from this, they might even develop breathing problems and heat strokes. Do not take them out to play when the temperature is too high.

They are prone to skin and eye problems as well. Make sure to bathe them once a month.

Maltipoos can suffer from diseases such as Epilepsy, Patellar Luxation (lameness in the leg) and White Shaker Syndrome (Tremors in the entire body).

This might worry you but they occur only to some dogs and most of the dogs live a healthy life.

ShihPoo vs Maltipoo on the basis of the Quality of their Coat 

Shih Poo has different kinds of coats depending on what percentage of genes they have acquired from different parents. Some dogs have curly hair with a short coat and some have long coat with silky hair.

 

It depends on which kind of coat do you like to cuddle. What’s your choice?

Some Shih poo’s even have a coat in between these two kinds of coats. This breed sheds a little as well, so it would be better if you keep a broom with you if you travel with your Shih poo.

Also, clean their coats every week or twice in a week to keep them neat and clean.

Maltipoo’s, on the other hand, do not shed. Maltipoo has a short to medium size coat which is fluffy and curly. This is what makes you feel so comfortable when they sleep on your lap.

I once had a Maltipoo sit on my lap and it really feels incredible.

If you are not the kind of person who wants to have a brush and clean your dog’s coat regularly, you might consider Shih Poo.

 ShihPoo vs Maltipoo on the basis of their Grooming 

Shih Poo is prone to Skin problems so make sure to bathe them once or twice a month. You shall also brush them once or twice a week depending on your free time.

If you have a long hair Shih Poo, Hire a Professional Groomer to trim their hair whenever they grow too much.

Maltipoo’s needs to be brushed daily so that their fur does not matt. Their hair needs to be trimmed as well, though you can do that as well.

Maltipoo’s tend to have hair above and around their eyes. Make sure you trim them properly with caution to make them look tidy and decent.

Both of the breeds are similar in some way. They both should get their teeth brushed as much as you possibly can. At first, you might find it very hard to do this but your dog will get used to it if you start this from their puppyhood.

You can also get Dental sticks for this purpose. Make sure to trim nails at least once in a month. I know they both demands a lot of care and grooming from the parent, hence you can also take them to a groomer once a month for all the bathing, trimming and nail grooming.

ShihPoo vs Maltipoo on the basis of Training

shih poo training 1

 

If you are someone who experiences a lot of difficulties in training their dogs, Shih Poo might not be for you. They are very intelligent dogs but training them can be a pain in the ass.

They are difficult to house train and potty train. To house train and Potty Train your ShihPoo in just 21 days, I recommend House Train any Dog Program. ShihPoo’s must be Crate trained initially in their puppyhood and if they cry inside the crate, you can have help from this article.

You need to become a Pack leader if you want to get rid of any kind of behavioural problem in your ShihPoo. Positive reinforcement training and Short training sessions will really help you.

Don’t worry too much about training, as you can train any breed of dog if you start from puppyhood.

Maltipoo’s are easier to train as compared to Shihpoo’s. They can learn basic commands like sit, stay, stand and recall easier. Though, you need to start teaching them early on.

It can be a little difficult to train Malitpoo’s for Advanced training commands.

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You can definitely go for this program if you wanna train a ShihPoo or Maltipoo(or in fact any breed) for Literally Anything. Here’s a Review of TODT by someone who has personally used Doggy Dan’s course.

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What’s the Average Life Age of ShihPoo and Maltipoo?

Both the ShihPoo and Maltipoo are small dogs and small dogs have a larger average life expectancy rate than larger dogs. Though both of these breeds are prone to injuries and you shall take care of them.

Shih-poo has an average life of 10 to 15 years and Maltipoo have average life rate of 10-12 years.

Shih-Poo vs Maltipoo on the basis of their Behaviour with Children 

There’s not much of a difference between Shih-Poo and Maltipoo on the basis of behaviour with children as they both are known to be behaving well around the kids.

Both the breeds enjoy playing with kids and enjoy their company, especially if they are exposed to kids in their puppyhood.

However, I would recommend keeping infants and children under 5 away from these breeds.

Comparison between the Diet of ShihPoo and Maltipoo 

Both the breeds of dogs eat good quality dry pet food. Both the breeds are crossbreeds, that’s why they are prone to dental problems. Hence, it is important to feed both of these dogs dry pet food.

However, there are some Hidden Secrets of Dog Food Industry that you must watch.

Both the breeds have a tendency of overeating, so you shall have a look at that. A cup and a half twice a day will suffice for both the dogs.

What can be the Cost to look after Shih Poo and Maltipoo?

ShihPoo and Maltipoo do not need large money to look after.

Both breeds need quite a lot of grooming. If you have adequate free time, you can always take care of nails and hair grooming yourself. If you can’t groom yourself, there can be some fees.

When it comes to cost of food, the cost is minimal as both Shi-poo and Maltipoo are small dogs with low diet.

Conclusion: Which one is better?

shihpoo vs maltipoo comparison

 

Both Shih Poo and Maltipoo are energetic, playful and love human company. Both of them can stay in a small place with a family or even a single person.

The main difference is Grooming and Training. You may need to invest a good amount of time for grooming ShihPoo’s and Training them is a really hectic task. Other than that, both the breeds need your time and love, so be sure to spend as much time as you can with them.

It is very important to train ShihPoo’s brain first.

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