Three breeds here have a weight range written into the standard: the Chihuahua at not over 6 pounds, the Maltese under 7, the Pomeranian 3 to 7. The rest are crosses with no standard at all, so they offer a bracket between two parents. No one can promise an adult weight.
Two different kinds of claim
A breed standard is a written document kept by a parent club, and for some breeds it contains a weight clause. Morkie, Pom-Chi, Maltipoo, Cavatese and Malti Tzu are marketplace names. No registry recognises any of them and none has a written standard, so a cross gives a bracket between two parent documents, never a specification. Which is which is the point of this page.
Breeds whose standard caps the weight in writing
Chihuahua
The standard says weight not to exceed 6 pounds. It recognises a smooth and a long coat variety, the long coat “with undercoat preferred”, and describes an alert dog with a terrier-like self-importance. Individual dogs vary from the ideal a standard sets out.
Maltese
Weight is “under 7 pounds, with from 4 to 6 pounds preferred”. The coat is single, with no undercoat: less bulk, no less brushing. The standard calls the breed “gentle-mannered and affectionate”, and again, dogs vary.
Pomeranian
The standard gives 3 to 7 pounds and asks for “an extrovert, exhibiting great intelligence and a vivacious spirit”. The coat is double, a short dense undercoat under a profuse, harsh-textured outer coat, and it is not a coat to shave. More on our Pomeranian size chart.
Crosses whose bracket sits under ten pounds
Morkie (Maltese crossed with Yorkshire Terrier)
Both parent standards cap weight: under 7 pounds for the Maltese, must not exceed 7 for the Yorkshire Terrier. Because both documents stop below ten, the bracket does too. The Yorkie side brings a fine, silky coat that keeps growing, and puppies born black and tan. See the Yorkie size chart.
Pom-Chi (Pomeranian crossed with Chihuahua)
Pomeranian 3 to 7 pounds, Chihuahua not to exceed 6. The smallest bracket on the page, with the coat a coin toss.
Maltipoo (Maltese crossed with Poodle)
Here one parent document has no pound figure in it. The Poodle standard gives height only: Toy “10 inches or under”, Miniature “15 inches or under, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches”. Ask which variety is behind a litter before you read any range, because a Miniature-bred Maltipoo should not be sold as a dog that stays under ten pounds. Compare our Maltipoo and Yorkipoo page.
Two crosses that do not belong under ten pounds
Cavatese pairs a Maltese with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, whose standard gives 13 to 18 pounds. Malti Tzu pairs a Maltese with a Shih Tzu, at 9 to 16 pounds. One parent document sits above ten pounds in both cases, so the bracket crosses the line. They are lovely dogs and they are not on this list, which is why you will not find them in the photographs below.
| Breed or cross | Figure | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Chihuahua | Not to exceed 6 lb | Written in the breed standard |
| Maltese | Under 7 lb, 4 to 6 preferred | Written in the breed standard |
| Pomeranian | 3 to 7 lb | Written in the breed standard |
| Morkie | Bracket of two capped parents | No standard exists for the cross |
| Pom-Chi | Bracket of two capped parents | No standard exists for the cross |
| Maltipoo | Depends on Poodle variety | Poodle standard gives no weight |
| Cavatese | Bracket crosses ten pounds | Cavalier standard: 13 to 18 lb |
| Malti Tzu | Bracket crosses ten pounds | Shih Tzu standard: 9 to 16 lb |
MalteseMeet them- ChihuahuaMeet them
- PomeranianMeet them
- MorkieMeet them
Pom-ChiMeet them- MaltipooMeet them
What we will not tell you
We will not promise an adult weight, for a purebred or a cross. Veterinary guidance from Dr. Jerry Klein is that small breeds finish growing around six to eight months and reach full adult size by about twelve months, so the honest answer arrives at your own vet visits. You will also see “teacup” used as though it were a size. It is not: it is a marketing word, it appears in no breed standard, and it commits a breeder to nothing.
Living with a very small dog in Georgia
VCA names Yorkshire Terriers, Shih Tzus, toy Poodles, Pomeranians and Chihuahuas among breeds prone to tracheal collapse. The honking cough worsens with excitement, heat, humidity or collar pressure, which argues for a harness rather than a collar and for walking at either end of a Lawrenceville summer day. Coughing goes to a veterinarian, not to a size chart.
Judge condition by hand rather than by the scale: VCA’s Body Condition Score approach is to feel the ribs and look for a waist. For what is in the showroom now, see available puppies by breed.
Common questions
Can you guarantee my puppy will stay under ten pounds?
No, and nobody honestly can. For the Chihuahua, Maltese and Pomeranian we can show you a weight clause in the breed standard, which describes the breed rather than predicting one dog. For a cross there is no standard to quote at all.
Which of these is smallest on paper?
By the written clauses, the Chihuahua caps lowest at 6 pounds and the Pomeranian starts lowest at 3. That is what the documents say, not a forecast for a puppy.
Why do published Maltipoo weights disagree so much?
Because the Poodle standard contains no weight for any variety, only height, and a Toy parent and a Miniature parent give very different brackets. Ask which was used.
Come and meet the small ones
Every puppy here is health-checked by our on-staff veterinarian, raised in our family home nursery, and waiting to say hello.
1848 Old Norcross Rd, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
Mon–Sat 12:00–7:00 PM • Sun 2:00–6:00 PM
