Maltichon Care

As the Maltichon is a hybrid of a Maltese and a Bichon Frise--two toy-sized, white-coated breeds with dynamite personalities--this crossbreed is itself a super-friendly little dog with a gleaming white coat. Overall Maltichon care and maintenance won't take a great deal of work, but will need to include a little daily exercise--and plenty of TLC!

Below you'll find details on caring for a Maltichon including puppy development, exercise needs, diet and nutrition, and more. Answers to your questions about raising a Malichon are found in the following sections!

Overall, Maltichon exercise requirements aren't too extensive. These dogs will fulfill much of their daily activity needs just running around being their friendly little selves--but they'll still benefit from a couple of short walks and a brief period of play each day. And since they're intelligent, Maltichons will do well with exercises (like games and canine sports) that stimulate them mentally.

The typical adult Maltichon will only need about 30 minutes of proper exercise each day. You can start exercising your Maltichon puppy when it's 2½ months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the puppy grows.

Precautions with Maltichon exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're eight months old
• A leash is recommended when exercising in public
• Yards should be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• Possible separation anxiety; exercises should be done together with people
• Might get cold easily; no exercising in freezing temps

It's important to give your Maltichon at least a little exercise each day. Though they're sweet-tempered, without consistent activity these hybrids may turn fussy and disobedient--so regular exercise will be great for both the dog's and your own peace of mind! A few Maltichon exercise ideas:

• Walking: Two 10-minute walks per day is a good target
• Fetch: Can be played indoors or out; use the dog's favorite toy
• Hide-and-Seek: Good indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Dog Park: Maltichons enjoy the company of other dogs
• Canine Sports: These dogs can excel in obedience or agility trials and other events
• Laser Pointer: Your Maltichon will go nuts chasing that "little red dot"

When indoors, balls or toys will help your Maltichon burn excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

These dogs don't need much maintenance overall. Maltichon shedding is minimal, and drooling isn't an issue.

Maltichons have medium-length coats that, depending on whether they favor their Maltese or Bichon Frise parents, can be either silky or fluffy (and often somewhere in between). In any case, these crossbreeds' coats don't shed much at all. Even so, owners will need to brush their Maltichons regularly to keep the coats from matting and tangling. Hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will rarely be necessary for owners of these dogs.

And a Maltichon almost never drools. If your Maltichon is drooling excessively, it might be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.

The Maltichon diet will need to include animal proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids--nutrients every dog needs to maintain its health in the long term. The best Maltichon food, therefore, is premium dry kibble. If consistently fed a premium brand like Royal Canin, Bichon-Maltese mix dogs will receive balanced portions of the above-listed ingredients.

These crossbreeds do best with food formulated for toy breeds. Royal Canin and Blue Buffalo are recommended brands that carry excellent lines of premium toy-breed food.

The typical adult Maltichon will only need about 1½ cups of premium food per day, divided into two meals. Maltichon puppies need a bit less: depending on age, about a cup per day, divided into three meals (not two) until five months old.

For more info, see the following chart:

*--Around this time, transition to adult food by first mixing in a bit of adult formula with the puppy formula. Over the course of a week, with each meal add a little more adult food to the mixture, until the dog is eating it entirely.

If possible, try and stick to the above-listed portions. If constantly overfed (and under-exercised), these crossbreeds can become overweight--and a fat Maltichon will have numerous health problems and a potentially shortened lifespan. Help control your Maltichon's weight by having consistent feeding and exercise schedules, and by not leaving food in the dog's bowl all the time.

If you're worried your Maltichon is overweight, try running a hand along the dog's side; if you can't feel any ribs, it's diet time--which means less food and more exercise.