Meet Marvin the Maltipoo: A Formidable 5.3 Pound Athlete

Four hour hike? No problem. 10K? Done and done. This little guy may only be 5.3 pounds, but he is mighty.

I always wanted a dog that could join me on runs and hikes, but with a 10-pound limit for dogs in my lease, I wasn't sure I'd find the right match. When my husband and I adopted Marv we didn't know anything about his temperament or activity level, so given his toy-like size, I was quite fearful to run too far with him at first. I mean, his legs are only 7 inches or so. How far could he possible go?

Far, I found out. Whenever I'd slow down to see how he was doing, he'd start to tug forward on the leash to keep going...and going...and going. Marv's turned out to be a great running buddy and even motivates guilts me into running further when I get tired and want to give up. There's something quite humbling about seeing your rabbit-sized dog look up at you with a pitiful expression of disappointment when you're feeling fatigued.

While we mastered running together, I still wondered if he could handle a hike. Again, the 7 inch legs were a concern, especially if it gets really steep and you need to scramble for a bit. But one day as we were wrapping up a run, we popped into a pet store and lo and behold, they had a baby bjorn of sorts for small dogs! It was the answer I didn't know existed (you can see just how happy I am about this find...Marv, on the other hand, not so much).

Shortly after we tried hiking with Marv in the Hudson Valley and he was incredible! We've been on countless hikes now and while we usually bring the doggy bjorn as a backup, we've only had to use it a handful of times (and maaaaybe only 1 or 2 times were legitimate - I really just wanted an excuse to put him in it).

We continue to be impressed with his boundless energy and athletic prowess, even as he ages well into adulthood. Just this week we hiked a total of 8-9 miles and ran another three. We often get some stares or laughs when we cross paths with other hikers (especially those with "real" dogs), and few can believe he's up to the task. But he's shown us that at 5+ pounds, he is as capable of running and hiking distances as dogs 10-20x his size, and he loves it to boot! Need proof? Just look at that face!