Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese" Compare Labrador Retriever and Poodle. Which is better: Labrador Retriever or Poodle or Maltese?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Labrador Retriever	Poodle	Maltese
Origins	England Canada	Germany France	Italy
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Gun Dog	Companion Dogs	Companion Dogs
Popularity Rank	1	7	33
Reviews	2	1	0
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Other Names	Labrador, Lab	French Poodle, Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Grosse Pudel	Maltese Dog, Maltese lion dog
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917 as a Sporting breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1887 as a Non-Sporting & Toy breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888 as a Toy breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Retrievers - Flushing Dogs - Water Dogs group, in the Retrievers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Poodle section.	Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Bichons and related breeds section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club
Price	$1000-$2000	$1000-$1500	$600-$800

General Appearance - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Size	Medium	Medium	Small
Weight	Male: 60-75 pounds (27-34kg), Female: 55-70 pounds (25-32 kg)	Male: 45-70 pounds (20-32 kg), Female: 45-60 pounds (20-27 kg)	6.5-9 pounds (3-4 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 67.5 pounds (30.5 kg), Female: 62.5 pounds (28.5 kg)	Male: 57.5 pounds (26 kg), Female: 52.5 pounds (23.5 kg)	6.7 pounds (3.5 kg)
Height	Male: 22-24 inches (56-61cm), Female: 21-23 inches (53-58 cm)	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 8-10 inches (21-25 cm), Female: 8-9 inches (20-23 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 23 inches (58.5 cm), Female: 22 inches (55.5 cm)	15 inches (38 cm) or more	Male: 9 inches (23 cm), Female: 8.5 inches (21.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Coat	Dense Waterproof Hard Short	Curly	Feathered
Colors	Yellow Chocolate Black	Apricot Brown Gray Silver White Fawn Blue Cream Red Beige Black	White
Grooming	Effortless: The Labrador Retriever requires minimal grooming.	Professional: This breed needs a lot of work to keep in good condition.	Average: The Maltese requires average grooming effort.
Shedding Level	Labrador Retrievers shed moderately.	Poodles shed none to minimal.	Malteses shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Temperament	Affectionate Cheerful Friendly Intelligent Loyal Playful Social Alert Energetic Gentle Loving Going Responsive	Active Faithful Intelligent Alert Instinctual Trainable	Active Easygoing Intelligent Responsive Docile Gentle Playful Sweet Tempered
Intelligent Rank	Outstanding: Labrador Retriever is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Outstanding: Poodle is one of the brightest dog breeds.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.
Trainability	Labrador Retrievers are very easy to train.	Poodles are easy to train.	Malteses are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Labrador Retriever is a highly playful breed.	The Poodle is a playful breed.	Malteses, like any other dog breed, like playing.
Sensitivity Level	Labrador Retrievers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Labrador Retrievers may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.	Poodles are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Malteses are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of social interaction.	Poodles need a lot of social interaction.	Malteses need a lot of social interaction.
Barking	Average: The Labrador Retriever barks occasionally.	Average to high: The Poodle is a vocal breed.	High: The Maltese is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Labrador Retrievers are average watchdogs.	Poodles are good watchdogs.	Malteses are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Labrador Retrievers are average defenders.	Poodles strongly protect their territory.	Malteses strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Moderate The Labrador Retriever has an average chance of biting somebody.	Low The Poodle has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Maltese has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Labrador Retrievers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Poodles have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Malteses have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Labrador Retrievers have average wanderlust potential.	Poodles have average wanderlust potential.	Malteses are not the biggest explorers.
Prey Drive	Labrador Retrievers have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Poodles have low to an average impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals.	Malteses have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.
Apartment Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.	Poodles are very apartment-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very apartment-friendly dogs.
Adaptability	Labrador Retrievers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Poodles adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Malteses adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Labrador Retrievers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Poodles tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Malteses tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Stranger Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very stranger friendly dogs.	Poodles are stranger friendly dogs.	Malteses are very stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very kid-friendly dogs.	Poodles are very kid-friendly dogs.	Malteses are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are cat-friendly dogs.	Poodles are cat-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are very dog-friendly dogs.	Poodles are dog-friendly dogs.	Malteses are very dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Labrador Retriever is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Poodle is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Maltese is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Poodles are one of the best breeds for elderly people.	Malteses are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Labrador Retrievers are usually friendly towards other pets.	Poodles are usually friendly towards other pets.	Malteses are one of the friendliest dog breeds.
Good For First Time Owners	No Labrador Retrievers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Poodles are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Malteses are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Yes Labrador Retriever breed usually likes being on a boat.	Yes Poodle breed usually likes being on a boat.	Not really Maltese breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Health Issues	The Labrador Retriever is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Poodle is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Maltese is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Acute Moist Dermatitis Bloat Cataracts Cold Tail Ear Infections Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Myopathy Osteochondrosis Dissecans Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Tricuspid Valve Dysplasia	Addison's Disease Allergies Bloat Canine Atrial Septal Defect (asd) Cataracts Cushing's Syndrome Ear Infections Epilepsy Hip Dysplasia Hypothyroidism Legg-perthes Disease Neonatal Encephalopathy (news) Optic Nerve Hypoplasia Patellar Luxation Premature Graying Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Runny Eyes Sebaceous Adenitis Von Willebrand's Disease	Collapsed Trachea Hypoglycemia Patellar Luxation Portosystemic Liver Shunt Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Reverse Sneezing White Dog Shaker Syndrome
Life Expectancy	10-12 years	12-15 years	15-18 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	Yes	Yes
Energy Level	Labrador Retrievers are high energy dogs.	Poodles have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.	Malteses have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you.
Exercise Need	Labrador Retrievers need a lot of exercises.	Poodles need quite a lot of exercise.	Malteses exercise need is very minimal.
Sleeping Need	Labrador Retrievers don't need too much sleep.	Poodles are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.	Malteses sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed.
Avg. daily food consumption	Recommended daily amount: 2.5 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	High: The Labrador Retriever breed has a strong tendency to overweight.	Average to High.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers warm weather
Stinkiness	High The Labrador Retriever has a high chance of bad smell.	Medium The Poodle has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Maltese has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Labrador Retriever is an average drooler.	The Poodle is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Maltese is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Labrador Retriever vs Poodle vs Maltese

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	5-10 puppies	2-4 puppies	3-5 puppies
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