Moodle Puppies: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

What exactly is a Moodle?

A Moodle is a cross between a Maltese and a Poodle, usually a Toy or Miniature Poodle. Overseas the same cross is often sold as a Maltipoo, and Australian rescues list it under both names, or simply as “Maltese x Poodle”. It is not a breed in the formal sense. Dogs Australia publishes a breed standard for each purebred breed it recognises, describing size, characteristics and temperament, and the Moodle is not on that list. For a buyer that means:

• No standard to measure a puppy against. Adult size, coat and temperament depend on the parents, and can vary within one litter.
• No breed club. Nobody sets minimum health checks for Moodle litters or publishes a reference price, the way purebred clubs do.
• No Dogs Australia registered Moodle breeders. This surprises people, so it has its own section below.

Labels such as “F1” (a purebred Maltese parent and a purebred Poodle parent) or “F1b” (a Moodle bred back to a Poodle) are breeder shorthand. No registry checks them, and none makes a puppy safe for an allergic person.

Why is there no Dogs Australia registered Moodle breeder?

Because the state bodies that register breeders for Dogs Australia forbid members from crossing breeds, apart from narrow exceptions. The Dogs NSW Code of Ethics says a member shall not knowingly permit a purebred dog to be mated to a dog of a different breed or a cross-bred dog unless the Board has approved it in advance for the health, welfare or development of a breed. Dogs Victoria's code says dogs “are not permitted to be mated to a dog or bitch of a different breed, to a cross bred dog or bitch”. The national Dogs Australia Code of Practice applies the same rule to every member unless their state body approves.

So the Maltese and Poodle breeders who belong to a state canine body are the people who will not sell you a Moodle. Moodle breeders sit outside that system. Some belong to other registries, which Dogs Australia says are not affiliated with it and cannot issue certified pedigrees. That does not make every Moodle breeder a poor one. It means the checks a breed club would push for are now yours to make.

How big does a Moodle get, and what is it like?

There is no Moodle standard, so the honest answer is “somewhere between its parents”. Here is what the parent breeds' official descriptions say:

Maltese figures and temperament from the Dogs Australia breed standard; Poodle sizes and description from the Dogs Victoria Poodle profile; both read 9 November 2026.

In practice a Moodle is a small, people-focused companion that suits apartments and quieter homes, needs daily walks and play, and does not like long days alone. The coat is the real commitment: it keeps growing, so plan for brushing at home and a professional clip every few weeks for life. Our Sydney guide to Moodle grooming and care covers the routine, including tear staining on pale coats.

Are Moodles hypoallergenic or non-shedding?

No dog is hypoallergenic. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) says: “All dog breeds cause allergies, although some do not shed as much dander, and therefore less allergen is spread.” It also says the main dog allergen is saliva. A low-shedding coat can help some people with mild allergies; it cannot remove the allergen.

Both parents have coats that grow rather than shed heavily, so most Moodles leave little hair around the house. That is not the same as being safe for an allergic person. If anyone at home has asthma or a dog allergy, see a doctor before you choose a dog, spend long, repeated visits with the actual dog, and read our guides to hypoallergenic dogs in Australia and dogs that don't shed.

Which health checks should a Moodle breeder show you?

Results for both parents. Two small breeds crossed together do not cancel out small-dog problems; knees and teeth are a risk on both sides. The useful questions come from each parent breed:

Poodle checks from the Dogs Victoria Poodle profile; liver shunt from the ACVS; both read 9 November 2026. A buying checklist, not veterinary advice.

Patellar luxation means the kneecap slips out of its groove; the ACVS says it mainly affects small dogs, and most affected dogs suddenly carry a back leg for a few steps. On teeth, a Royal Veterinary College study found dogs under 10 kg had about three times the risk of dental disease of dogs weighing 30 to 40 kg. Dogs Australia notes there is no mandatory health testing for breeders nationwide, even for purebreds; with a cross, nobody is asking on your behalf. Our Sydney Moodle health guide and national Poodle health guide explain what to watch for once your dog is home.

What does a Moodle cost?

We cannot give you a breeder price we can stand behind. For purebred breeds we read the prices that Dogs Australia member breeders publish on their own websites and report the range. That method has nothing to measure for a Moodle, because member breeders cannot breed one, and there is no breed club guide either. Any figure on a listing site is one seller's asking price, not a benchmark. A high price does not buy health testing; ask what the price includes.

What we can show you is what rescues publish:

Fees as published on the date shown. A reference, not a quote: fees change and some dogs are priced individually. Adoption fees normally include desexing and microchipping, which you would pay a vet for after buying a puppy.

The purchase price is the smaller number over a dog's life. Run the first year, including clips every few weeks and dental care, through the dog cost calculator.

What do Moodles in rescue look like?

Mostly young adults and adults, plus the occasional puppy. Across the rescues we aggregate, Maltese crosses are the most common small low-shedding dog listed, crossed with Poodles, Shih Tzus, Jack Russells and terriers. Moodles are listed under several names (Moodle, Maltipoo, Maltese x Poodle, Poodle cross), so search more than one. They are often surrendered when the grooming, the dental care or a dog's dislike of being alone was underestimated.

An adopted adult answers the questions a Moodle puppy cannot: its coat has grown in, its size is settled, and you can see how it behaves with people and other dogs. The rescue will usually have had it vet checked, desexed, microchipped and vaccinated. What you usually will not get is its parents' health results, so book a baseline vet check, including teeth and knees, in the first weeks. Older Moodles suit quiet homes well; our senior dog adoption guide covers what to expect.

How do Moodle scams work, and how do you check a seller?

Scamwatch says scammers set up fake websites, social media profiles and marketplace listings for popular breeds and pets that do not exist, and that if a pet is very cheap, it is likely a scam. It advises viewing the pet in person or on a video call with the breeder. A Dogs Victoria fact sheet says popular breeds and mixes feature commonly in scam ads, and warns that ads may display microchip, source or membership numbers lifted from legitimate breeders. A small, fluffy dog sold as “hypoallergenic” is an easy ad to write.

Because a Moodle breeder cannot be a Dogs Australia registered breeder, the checks that matter are the ones every breeder must pass:

1. The state number. A breeder identification number in NSW, a Pet Exchange Register source number in Victoria, a supply number in Queensland, a DACO breeder number in South Australia. Look it up on the official register yourself and confirm it matches the seller, the location and the microchip number. Our puppies for sale guide sets out every state's scheme.
2. Both parents. Meet the mother where the puppies are raised, and ask about the father. Dogs Australia says responsible breeders should show you all the dogs on their premises, and suggests asking whether your own vet can check the puppy before you buy.
3. Health results on both parents, as in the table above.
4. A reverse image search of the puppy photos and a search of the ad's exact wording, which often turns up the same text elsewhere.
5. No bank transfers to strangers. Pay only once you have seen the puppy, by a method that gives you some protection.

Should you adopt or buy a Moodle?

Adopt if you can be flexible about age. Maltese crosses are listed more often than most small dogs in rescue, an adult arrives with the vet work done for a published fee, and you can see its coat and character before you commit, which matters more for a cross than for a purebred. Buy if you need a young puppy and will do the checking that the lack of a breed standard and a breed club leaves to you: state breeder number, both parents, both sets of results.

If what you really want is a small dog of predictable size and coat, look at the parent breeds, which have breed standards and Dogs Australia registered breeders. Our Maltese adopt-or-buy guide covers one side. Still deciding on the type of dog? Try the what dog breed am I quiz or the adoption readiness check, and compare other small crosses in our Cavoodle and Spoodle guides, or browse the best apartment dogs.

Find a Moodle near you

Each page shows Moodles listed right now by rescues in that city, and each listing links to the rescue where you apply directly.

• Moodles for adoption in Sydney
• Moodles for adoption in Melbourne
• Moodles for adoption in Brisbane
• Moodles for adoption in Perth
• Moodles for adoption in Adelaide

Low-shedding dogs of every type, listed by city: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

Local Moodle adoption guides: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth, Adelaide.