Malti-Pom vs Catahoula Leopard - Breed Comparison

The sweet little Malti Pom is a dog which comes from crossing two purebreds – the Maltese Poodle and the Pomeranian.

The appearance of this dog will vary according to how much of each breed is in the dog. The exact origins of the Maltipom breed are unknown but many new dog breeds have originated in the United States.

The Maltipom is also not recognized by the AKC because it’s a hybrid of two pure breeds and not looked upon as a new breed. It is however recognized by the American Canine Hybrid Club.

This working dog breed originates from America’s Deep South. In fact it was originally named after a small village in the state of Louisiana and was made the state’s official dog in 1979. The dog is believed to have come from the Mastiff and Greyhound.

Known as war dogs they were left with local tribes who crossed them with wolves, and French Beauceron blood was also included.

A number of Catahoula dog Associations were started and the Louisiana Catahoula Cur Association was formed in 1976, followed by others. These Associations work to promote the breed. In 1995 the United Kennel Club was the first national dog registry to recognize the Catahoula.

The Malti-Pom is a crossbreed, so pinpointing his exact size can be somewhat difficult, but you can expect him to be in the region of 20 to 28cm and weigh in at about 2 to 5kg.

Both the Maltese and the Pomeranian are both toy dogs, so the Malti-Pom is almost sure to be a small dog. His appearance will also vary depending on which side he inherits most of his looks from. Generally though, he has a long coat of straight, soft hair.

He is a low shedder and with the poodle side of him he is looked upon as being hypoallergenic. The coat can be cream, apricot, white or black as well as a combination of these colors.

Temperament:

This is such a friendly, amicable little dog. He is good with children and can get on well with other pets in the home.Children should be taught to be gentle with any dog, but particularly a small one like this.

The Malti-pom is extremely loyal and affectionate with its family members, but ends to form a special bond with one member of its family.

These little dogs are generally reserved with strangers. They are well-behaved, sociable and can mix well with children and pets in the home. These toy dogs are clever so you won't battle with him with training and socialization.

Although the Maltipom looks cute and is an amicable dog, he can bark quite aggressively when he encounters strangers who he believes might harm his family. He makes a good watchdog.

Known as the Leopard dog because of the distinctive spotted patches on his short to medium length coat, this interesting looking spotted dog can have a coat of many colors such as solid colors, brindle and a blend of several colors including blue merle and red merle, black and tan.

He is a muscular and athletic dog of medium to large size with sturdy legs and deep chest. He stands at 56 – 68cm and weighs 20 – 50kg. Many of these dogs have webbing between the toes which gives them an advantage when running through marshy areas or when swimming.

With his floppy ears, the tail is long or bobtailed. An unusual aspect with the dog is his eyes – having what is known as marbled glass eyes which are blue or blueish-white in color.

Temperament:

The Catahoula Leopard Dog can be stubborn and he is also energetic, fearless and highly intelligent. You’ll want to have him trained and socialized early as then he becomes a more relaxed, obedient dog. He is an assertive dog but not aggressive by nature.

Catahoulas in general are even tempered and they are willing to share their space with children in the home as well as other pets. They are protective of children and of their entire human family, making good watchdogs.

Because your Malti-Pom comes from two different dog breeds, you can’t really say what kind of personality traits he will inherit.

Both the Maltese and the Pom are small lap-type dogs who are essentially companion dogs. You can be sure your Malti-pom is going to be cute, social, energetic, vibrant and loving. They are able to adapt well to life in the city or the countryside and a nice walk every day will go down well in terms of exercise. It give your pet a chance to get outdoors and to sniff new scents.

With the Maltese and the Pom being the two parents of this dog breed, you can be sure that you’re going to have a splendid little pet who is guaranteed to bring lots of smiles into your home from his jovial, entertaining ways

The Catahoula makes a fine family pet but he is a dog which shouldn’t be left outside day after day. He is a companion dog and won’t thrive without the companionship of his human family.

He is highly intelligent and also energetic, and if you want him to be relaxed and amicable around other humans and pets in the home he will require training and socialization. For training and ownership, the Catahoula Leopard will require a strong, firm, confident personality and he’ll be an obedient, loving and loyal companion.

Fortunately, the Maltipom is considered to be a healthy dog, and he can live with you for a good number of years with good care. The Maltipom could develop heart issues.

Heart disease is fairly common in dogs and some symptoms will include a cough, loss of appetite and he might tire easily. One of the common types of heart disease is degenerative valvular disease, where the heart valves fail.

It is believed that degenerative valve disease is a heart disease which accounts for about 75% of all heart disease in dogs. Diagnosing heart disease requires a number of different testing methods.

Your Catahoula Leopard is a healthy dog breed and with good care he can live to be 10 to 14 years of age. However, there are a number of reasons why some of the healthiest dogs can become ill.

Knowing about these illnesses means you can take action and minimize the pain and suffering your pet might have to otherwise endure.

Ear Infections:

You’ll notice your pet shaking his head and maybe even scratching his ears. Ear infections are more evident in dogs with floppy ears and there can be an ear discharge. When left untreated, the ears can become painful and then it is time to get him to the vet.

Urinary Tract Infection:

This is a common illness in dogs and can be terribly uncomfortable and debilitating for your pet as he tries to urinate all the time with no success. Signs of UTI can include this excessive urination with little urine coming out, lethargy and discomfort. Take your pet immediately to the vet to be checked over.

Diet:

The Maltipom is a tiny dog, and that’s an advantage actually as he isn’t going to cost you too much to feed. Half a cup of food in he morning and another in the evening will keep him satisfied.

If you give him commercially manufactured food, choose a high quality one specially made for small dogs. You can chop up cooked chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables finely and add this to his dry kibble from time to time as a tasty treat.

A tiny little bit of raw meat once in a while will also keep him healthy. Keep things simple – don’t try all sorts of weird foods with him as he can battle with digestive problems.

General Care:

Groom your pet. Brush him at least twice a week. Check his eyes and ears for infection and remember to brush his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week with special canine toothbrush and toothpaste.

Make sure he is exercised. He'll love a walk each day.

A dog makes such a splendid pet, willing to give loyal and loving friendship to humans, even those who don’t treat him properly. When you think of the unconditional love your Catahoula Leopard dog will give you, surely you want to provide him with good food and shelter.

Love and treasure this 4-legged friend of yours as he is a friend like no other.

Provide identification for Him:

It can be devastating if your dog goes missing, and if he has no identification, to find him might only mean telling people what he looks like. Rather put a collar on him and an ID tag so that your chances of getting him back are just that much better.

You can also have him micro-chipped by your veterinarian and these chips have a unique code which can provide useful information on your pet.

Vaccinations:

Make sure that your pet is vaccinated as a puppy against diseases which could be deadly such as rabies.

Spay or Neuter your Catahoula Leopard:

If you have no intention of allowing your Catahoula Leopard to have puppies, rather have him neutered or spayed if its a female. It is better for them and they can live longer and be free of some ailments that at un-spayed or un-neutered dog may get.