Maltipoo vs American Staghound - Breed Comparison

The Maltipoo is a popular dog breed – a cross between the Maltese and Poodle. The dog originates in the United States.

The Maltipoo is a cross breed but it is often referred to as a designer dog because of it being purposely bred. The cute little dog has been created to be a companion dog, suiting allergy sufferers because of him being a low shedder and considered hypoallergenic.

The Maltipoo isn’t officially recognized as a true breed. Some Maltipoo Clubs and Registries have been formed.

The American Staghound is hunting dog and type of sighthound that is not recognized as a separate breed. They have historically been bred to hunt coyotes and then other game. Even though they are not considered a separate breed some of their breeding lines have existed much longer than some officially recognized breeds. The American Staghound is a cross between the Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound. There was probably some Borzoi mixed in as well. The Staghound is believed to have traveled with General Custer across the American West. The breed is a long-legged running dog with the speed of a Greyhound, the sighting ability of sight hounds and more endurance than any running breed. They are incredible athletes with amazing agility and have been bred to course game – coyotes mostly – and therefore are bred with a very intense prey drive. In the past they chased stags and deer and today they chase coyotes and hare. Coyotes are much faster than wolves and fight just as hard. The American Staghound is the only breed fast enough to track down the coyote. However, the breed is not recognized by the AKC. Hunting with an American Staghound today is not very different from hunting with them in medieval times. Strict breeding practices and the non-commercialization of the breed has led to the almost perfect preservation of this hunting breed. They have not changed very much over the centuries. They have been breeding Staghound to Staghound since the early 1800’s. At times very, good hunting dogs from Greyhound and Deerhound stock are added to the mix. For hundreds of years now the closed breeding has led to what might be the finest coyote chasing sighthound possible.

The small Maltipoo stands at between 20 and 35cm and weighs about 2 to 6kg. There is no breed standard for this dog. The coat is fluffy and is more inclined to be wavy than curly. It can become quite long and most people prefer to have him professionally clipped.

Coat colors vary from white to cream, apricot and brown or it can be a combination of these colors. He has a tail which some people prefer to dock, but if not, the tail is long and curls, sometimes over the back.

Temperament:

Owning a Maltipoo, you’ll quickly discover that this little dog is active, feisty, bright and, fun-loving, and your life is pretty much not going to have a dull moment with him in it.

If you’re a first time dog owner you’ll love the Maltipoo as he is pretty much easy going. He makes an excellent family pet as he is even tempered. Make sure your kids have been taught how to treat him – with respect, gentleness and kindness. Never allow toddlers to climb over any dog – big or small.

The Maltipoo is intelligent too and this means training and socialization will be easy for him. Many people use them as therapy dogs and they definitely seem to have an affinity with older people, bringing joy into their lives with their bright nature.

They are dogs that can adapt to life in the city or the countryside, just so long as they are with their beloved human family. They’re essentially indoor dogs but will gladly venture outdoors if it means ball games on the lawn with the children or a walk outside the confines of his home. This gives him the opportunity to smell new aromas, a physically and mentally stimulating game for him.

When you look at the American Staghound you can clearly see the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound lines. They have strong running muscles in their long legs and deep chest. He is of course a sight hound, so his vision is acute. His running endurance is second to none. It is this endurance in running all day that makes the American Staghound difference from the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound. Yes, both the Deerhound are greyhound are great runners, but the American Staghound runs just as fast with an endurance level ten times that of the other hounds. His heavy bones structure and thick skin are also different from the other racing fast sight hounds.

Your Maltipoo is guaranteed to bring much joy into your home. He is a social dog, loving to spend time with his human family, whether indoors our outdoors. He is an active dog so will look forward to his walk every day.

Treat your little pet with love and good care, after all he has got so much companionship to offer and deserves the best there is to that the 12 to 15 years he has are filled with health and happiness.

This dog was bred to run fast and long after something it sees. They are not considered hyperactive but won’t live well in a confined space such as an apartment or condo. You will need a single-family house with a large yard. Though they are affectionate, family dogs, they are not cut out to be guard dogs. They are not especially protective or territorial, though they may bark at what they can see in the distance. They are calm in their homes if exercised enough and great with children. They are often gentle and loving. They are pack oriented and accept other dogs, but they are not welcoming toward cats or other prey sized animals. Be careful with the AS around small children as he might knock them down or see them as prey as well. They consider anything smaller that runs to be prey. When chasing prey, they are not only fast and enduring, they are tenacious and courageous. Remember that this is a breed that has been bred true in order to hunt and only in order to hunt. Their hunting instincts will override almost any other. Over the centuries only the best hunters were allowed to be bred so that only the best hunters would be born.

The Maltipoo is such a bright little dog, brimming with energy, but even so, he can get sick, just like with any other dog.

Dental Problems:

Small dogs are prone to dental problems and gum disease and tartar build up can cause many problems and tooth loss. Any dental infections can lead to infections which can put the entire body in jeopardy.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This is a degenerative eye disorder that can cause blindness and although there is no cure there are things that the vet can do for your pet.

The American Staghound has been bred so consistently within the breed and true that they exhibit very few health problems. All running dogs are susceptible to joint issues, but the Staghound has less than most. Two issues they do face more often are a problem with anesthesia if they ever need it and the propensity to be vulnerable to bloat. Since they are a centuries old hybrid there are no real health issues born of genetics.

The Maltipoo is such a sweet little dog – you want to be sure that you look after him as well as can be.

Vaccinations:

Always take your pet for regular veterinary check-ups if you suspect he is ill. If you get a Maltipoo puppy you will need to take him to the vet because there are a number of vaccines he will need to prevent him from picking up some life threatening canine diseases. Some of these are parvo and rabies among others.

Also, as your Maltipoo reaches adulthood you will need to decide whether you will have the dog spayed or neutered to prevent puppies.

Grooming:

Groom your Maltipoo to keep the coat in tip top condition. Brush him at least twice a week to keep him free of loose hairs. It’s a nice bonding session for your pet too and it gives you the chance to check for fleas and ticks. Most Maltipoo owners take their pets to professional groomers to have the coat trimmed as then he looks and feels more comfortable in warmer weather.

Be careful about bathing him too often as even the mildest shampoos can irritate his skin and it strips the coat of natural oils. Other grooming needs will require you keeping his nails short and cleaning his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week. Because he has floppy ears, check inside them as they can collect excess wax and debris.

If you are unsure about these kinds of grooming needs, check with your vet or groomer because doing it wrong could cause injury to your pet.

Sleeping Space:

Give your pet a soft, warm, dry bed to sleep in. You can make a soft ‘nest’ on the floor or you can buy a sleeping platform or traditional dog basket.

Diet:

With a Maltipoo, choose a high-quality small breed dog food if you are going to feed him commercially manufactured food. This is to ensure he remains healthy. Try and keep your diet simple for your Maltipoo to avoid stomach problems.

For variety, add in some chopped boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables to his dry kibble. The amount of food you give him will depend on his size and activity levels but you want to avoid feeding him too much so that it leads to obesity. Obesity can bring on a host of dog illnesses.

As opposed to one larger bowl of food, rather feed him two smaller meals which is far healthier for him. Remember to always have a bowl of fresh, cool water standing close by.

Feeding

It is important that you don’t ever over feed you American Staghound as they are thin and bred to run. Even though they are heavier boned than their closest relatives, they are still very susceptible to obesity if overfed. The adult AS should be fed about 4-6 cups of dry food every day in at least 2 meals but 3 of more would be better. This will prevent bloat.

Health issues

As previously mentioned there are no genetic issues with the health of the American Staghound. Bred for one reason and one reason alone for many centuries has led to this healthy state. Also, as stated previously they can have issues with bloat and anesthesia. The issue with anesthesia comes from the fact that the American Staghound has very little body fat to muscle ration. The issue with bloat or torsion can be avoided with many smaller meals and not running your Staghound right after they eat a large meal.

Exercise and games

Of course, the American Staghound loves to run and if you are not going to hunt with her, you will have to find another source of vigorous physical activity. Every day from puppyhood on the AS must be stimulated mentally and physically in order to grow and mature correctly. He must have a home where the freedom to run is an everyday experience, not a dog park once a week. If you ride bikes, race walk or run on a daily basis this might be the dog for you. They obviously excel at games like lure coursing and can be good at agility.