Breed Grooming · 10 min read
How to Groom a Maltipoo at Home
Keeping your Maltipoo's soft coat beautiful, healthy, and tangle-free — including tear staining, bathing, and the most popular Maltipoo grooming styles.
The Maltipoo — a cross between the Maltese and the Miniature or Toy Poodle — is one of the most popular small breed dogs in America, prized for its gentle temperament, minimal shedding, and soft, often wavy coat. Maltipoos tend to have softer, silkier coat textures than many other doodle breeds due to the Maltese influence, which also means their coat needs a slightly different approach than a typical curly doodle. Understanding the Maltipoo's specific coat characteristics and the common challenges of the breed — including tear staining — will help you establish a grooming routine that keeps your Maltipoo looking their absolute best.
The Maltipoo Coat: Soft, Silky, and Distinctive
Maltipoo coats vary depending on which parent's genetics predominate in each individual dog. Dogs with a stronger Poodle influence have tighter curls and a denser texture similar to other doodle breeds. Dogs with a stronger Maltese influence have a flatter, silkier, wavier coat — beautiful and luxurious but requiring specific handling. Many Maltipoos fall somewhere in between, with a soft wavy-to-loose-curl texture that is neither fully silky nor fully curly. White and cream are the most common Maltipoo colors, though apricot, gold, and parti-colored coats also occur.
Because white coats show everything — staining, debris, and tear marks — white Maltipoos require more frequent bathing than some other breeds and consistent daily attention around the face. The Maltese parent also passes along a tendency toward tear staining, a reddish-brown discoloration around the eyes caused by porphyrins in the tear fluid. Tear staining is a cosmetic concern rather than a health one in most cases, but it is highly visible on a white coat and worth managing proactively.
Brushing Your Maltipoo
Maltipoos with silkier coats should be brushed every 2 days using a pin brush or gentle slicker brush. Maltipoos with curlier coats need every-other-day to daily line brushing with a slicker and metal comb. The approach is the same regardless of texture: work section by section from skin outward, always on a lightly conditioned coat rather than a completely dry one. The comb is your quality check — if it runs through cleanly from root to tip, you're done with that section.
Pay special attention to the area under the collar, behind the ears, in the armpits, and around the legs. These are the highest-mat-risk zones on a Maltipoo. For dogs with a flatter, more Maltese-influenced coat, the leg feathering and ear fringing mat quickly when wet — after rain walks or bathing, brush these areas as soon as the coat begins to dry rather than waiting until fully dry.
Tip: Use a conditioning spray before every brushing session on a Maltipoo — the silky coat texture is prone to breakage when brushed completely dry.
Managing Tear Staining
Tear staining is one of the most common aesthetic challenges for Maltipoo owners. The reddish-brown staining around the eyes is caused by porphyrins — iron-containing molecules excreted in tears. It is not dangerous or painful, but on a white or cream coat it is highly visible. Managing it consistently produces significant results; ignoring it allows it to worsen and become harder to remove.
Daily management: wipe the corners of the eyes with a damp cloth or unscented pet wipe to remove discharge before it dries and stains. Trim the hair around the eyes short so it does not wick moisture against the face. For active staining, a tear stain remover used consistently over several weeks will gradually lighten existing discoloration. Switching to filtered or distilled water instead of tap water has helped reduce staining for some dogs — minerals in hard water can worsen it. If staining is sudden or dramatic, rule out a blocked tear duct or eye infection with your veterinarian before assuming it's purely cosmetic.
Bathing and Drying
Bathe your Maltipoo every 2–3 weeks. Use a whitening or brightening dog shampoo for white and cream coats, followed by a moisturizing conditioner. Leave the conditioner on for at least two minutes before rinsing thoroughly. For the face, use a tearless puppy shampoo and work carefully around the eyes. Rinse the face last and very gently — you want clean results without shampoo getting into the eyes.
Dry completely with a pet dryer on low heat while brushing through the coat simultaneously. The silkier Maltese-influenced coat texture can be enhanced by stretching it slightly while drying — this produces a soft, flowing finish rather than a frizzy or wavy dry. A properly blown-out Maltipoo coat is genuinely beautiful and much easier to manage than an air-dried one.
Popular Maltipoo Grooming Styles
The most popular Maltipoo styles: the puppy cut (uniform 1–2 inch length giving a full, rounded appearance), the teddy bear cut (round scissored face with slightly longer body length), and a slightly longer flowing style that leans into the silky Maltese quality of the coat. Most owners choose a puppy or teddy bear cut for practical reasons — they are easier to maintain and look consistently adorable between appointments.
Professional grooming every 6–8 weeks maintains any of these styles well. Ask your groomer specifically about the face shape — Maltipoos look best with a round, full face rather than a flat or blunt scissor cut. The goal is a soft, teddy-bear quality that complements the breed's gentle, expressive features.