Malti-Pom is originated from United States but Volpino Italiano is originated from Italy. Both Malti-Pom and Volpino Italiano are having almost same height. Malti-Pom may weigh 7 kg / 15 pounds lesser than Volpino Italiano. Both Malti-Pom and Volpino Italiano has almost same life span. Both Malti-Pom and Volpino Italiano has almost same litter size. Malti-Pom requires Moderate Maintenance. But Volpino Italiano requires High Maintenance
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 Italian bred dog is Spitz-type and very ancient. The Spitz breeds have been around since at least 4000BC. Archeologists have found remains that match the Spitz heritage of fox like heads, curly tails, erect small ears. In Greece in 400BC there were engravings of these dogs. Michelangelo painted the breed as he lived with one. In 1888, the Queen of England – Victoria – brought 6 back to England from Florence.
The Italians have loved the Volpino for centuries. These little dogs that resemble the Pomeranian so much but existed much before them. It was very early in the history of the domesticated dog that the Volpino moved from north to south. The Italians called them Volpino because it means foxy dog. They also called them Lupino which means wolfy dog.
The breed was never seen outside of its home range in Italy until the 1880’s and it is still a rare breed. However since the 1980’s the breeders of the American Eskimo brought some from Italy to the US and claimed they were American Ekimo runts. They interbred the Volpino with the American Eskimo creating the toy and mini Eskimo.
The Volpino was a guard dog alerting the Mastiffs to the presence of intruders. The Mastiff would then respond to the intruder. The Volpino was also a popular companion animal due to their easy temperament and their high intelligence level. However they grew less popular and by 1965 there were only a few registered dogs left. There was an attempt to revive the breed in 1984 when dogs that still lived on farms were used as new stock. Even with this, they remain a rare breed and only about 4000 are alive throughout the world.
The Volpino have been denied AKC registration or stock registration as they are considered to be too much like the American Eskimo Dog. However they are recognized by the FCI, the UKC, the ENCI (Italian National Kennel Club), the North American Volpino Club, the Volpino Italiano Health and Genealogy Club and the Volpino Club of America.
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.
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.
The Volpino is about the same size as the Pomeranian and smaller than the American Eskimo Dog. They are a rare breed and they have a soft, thick coat and they can be red, white or champagne. With the pointed ears and muzzles, they do look like a fox. They have large thick tails curling over their back and they have double coats.
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
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.
The Italian Volpino has better health than most dogs due to so much isolation for so many years. However they are susceptible to some diseases and genetic issues.
• PLL Primary Lens Luxation – Genetic mutation of the eye. Very painful and usually occurs between 4 and 8 years of age. Usually results in euthanasia.
• Patellar Luxation – moving knee cap – can result in lameness and/or arthritis.
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.
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.