The Maltese Chihuahua mix, or Malchi as the dog is affectionately known, is a designer breed, having a happy, playful disposition.
The Malchi is a hybrid of the Maltese and Chihuahua. However, the professional bodies, such as the AKC (American Kennel Club), do not recognize him as a distinct breed.
Designer dogs are becoming ever more popular, even adding a long list of celebrity owners to their ranks, such as Kate Beckinsale and her Maltese Chihuahua mix, Ingrid.
More examples of designer dogs include the Chorkie (a Yorkie Chihuahua mix) or the Pomchi (a Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix). There is even a Chihuahua and German Shepherd mix, although no-one has yet thought up a name.
The Malchi – Chihuahua Maltese Mix Official Recognition
There are now official bodies that wish to recognize the various designer breeds, which is a great idea. It could lead to some essential conformities in designer breeds. If they are here to stay, it seems that’s very likely; then there needs to be a standard for each designer breed.
It is necessary to measure them to reduce the number of bogus breeders and improve breeding standards. Doing this doesn’t mean to compare individual dogs against each other but how they conform to the designer breed’s set standard.
Official bodies that register designer breeds:
The Maltese Chihuahua Mix Personality
As you would expect, a dog with a Chihuahua and a Maltese for his parents is only ever going to be a companion dog, first and foremost. Because of those genes, he will, of course, inherit the personality of both original breeds. Still, as those dogs themselves are loving, affectionate, and dote on their pet parents, then it follows, nothing will change with the Malchi.
As companion dogs, they cannot be left alone for any long periods. The Malchi will fret and suffer the most terrible separation anxiety. Better to pop him in a carrier and take him along with you, if you can. It doesn’t do their personality any good to be left alone; they can become destructive and a little aggressive.
If you consider the Chihuahua and his personality, they generally don’t get on well with very young children, even though they have a lively and playful temperament. Very young children tend not to handle little dogs as though they are real living creatures, often tormenting and teasing them. So a Maltese Chihuahua mix may inherit such a personality, or he could have the Maltese character, which is slightly more forgiving of young children.
The Maltese are real people-pleasers; they love their owners. Like the Chihuahua, they love to play and are very energetic. Of the two breeds, they are more comfortable and quicker to train and socialize. And definitely easier to potty train. Both parent dogs can be a little yappy and don’t particularly welcome strangers to the home. So a Maltese Chihuahua mix could inherit a combination of these personalities.
Maltese Chihuahua Mix Training
It’s always a little of a personality lottery when a puppy’s parents are from two distinct breeds. Yes, you can refer to the parents and get some idea of your designer dog’s personality. But you never know what temperament he will inherit or from which of his parents. It would make your life a little more comfortable with training if your puppy inherited the Maltese personality, especially with potty training. Crate training can be a great help when your potty training a Maltese Chihuahua mix.
Socialization forms a massive part of training any dog. Introducing a puppy to strangers, other pets, and different environments are essential if you want your puppy to grow to be a well-balanced individual. If the Chihuahua genes are prevalent in your puppy, then socialization is even more crucial.
As we mentioned, Chihuahuas tend not to like strangers, especially around the home. You’ll likely need to work hard to socialize your Malchi, but it needs doing from a very young age. The best period to socialize puppies is from 6 weeks to 14 weeks; these are the crucial weeks, any later and they are already learning new, bad habits.
Even if your puppy looks like they will inherit more of his Maltese parent’s genes, don’t forego the socialization. It’s an essential step for any puppy.
Strangers And A Malchi
When anything threatens this breed, which, because they are so small, can seem to a Malchi quite often, they can growl, snarl and even bite. This nature needs addressing early on in the puppy’s life – the same as socialization, the younger, the better to nip this behavior in the bud.
To get over these tendencies, with both people and pets, their interaction with strangers needs to be positive, gentle, and non-threatening. This type of interaction allows the Malchi to gain confidence and see that these experiences are not threatening.
Parents should never leave children alone with any dog, irrespective of the dog’s size. Not only because of the dog’s actions but also because of the way unsupervised children may treat a small and fragile dog such as the Malchi. They might be small, but they have the same instincts as any dog breed, and if they are hurt or mistreated, they can retaliate with aggression.
As expected, Maltese and Chihuahua mixes don’t need masses of exercise; in fact, it’s not good for them to be over-exercised. The Malchi will get enough of his exercise needs from playing indoors. But they should still be taken for a nice relaxing walk in the fresh air at least once every day.
They are pretty energetic little dogs, but sometimes you need to protect them from themselves and not allow them to tire too quickly or become over-exerted.
Conclusion
If you want to be the parent of a Maltese Chihuahua mix, choose the breeder you buy from wisely. Don’t rush into it; look for more than one breeder selling Malchis. That way, you can compare what you see, how healthy they are, and what the breeder tells you about the puppies and the parents. Try to make sure you meet at least the mother, but preferably both parents. You also need health certificates for the parents.
The Maltese Chihuahua mix, the Malchi, will make a wonderful companion dog. Their personality will enchant you, and if you want a loyal and affectionate dog, then this breed is for you.
Remember what we said about socialization with the Malchi? It’s a crucial step in his upbringing and should be a considerable part of his training.
