One has to be living in another galaxy not to have seen a photo on social media or met a Mini Golden doodle at the local dog park. These miniature versions of a Golden doodle are designer dogs that make a perfect family dog.
A Mini Goldendoodle is the best blend of two breeds. The ever-popular Golden Retriever and a Miniature or Toy Poodle. Their size makes them favorites as pets. Fans of the Retriever breed and the highly intelligent Poodle appreciate this diminutive cousin for its cuteness factor. They also go by the moniker Mini Golden or Mini Groodles.
Breed mixes are all the rage. Many people prefer a designer dog with their made-to-order characteristics and traits. One of the best features of a Golden Retriever Poodle mix is the low-shedding coat. But most dog lovers can overlook shedding; it’s also about this breed’s attitude and kissable face.
Here’s why these Miniature Goldendoodles are so popular.
About the Breed
The Labradoodle and Golden doodle are exceptional family dogs. However, the demand for smaller versions in the miniature, medium, and toy categories are fueling the market.
Aside from an easygoing temperament, smaller Mini Goldendoodle breeds are ideal for condominium or apartment living. This cross breed is a great canine companion.
Mini Golden doodles have become a great addition to many families because of their dog ancestry. This mixed breed takes a genetic footprint and matches the best traits of purebred Golden Retrievers and Miniature or Toy Poodle breeds.
A purebred Golden Retriever and Poodle share superior intelligence, trainability, and a strong sense of family loyalty. They quickly become obedient additions to any family. Poodles are also water dogs, bred as water fowl retrievers in Germany or France. They also belong in the top five of the AKC’s most intelligent dog breeds.
Crossbreeding the regal Standard Poodle with a Labrador Retriever, aka the Labradoodle hybrid, set the tone of what well-bred crossbreeds could achieve. The rest, as we know, is dog breeding history. And since they’re designer dogs, they come in matching colors and fur patterns to suit a hoomans personal style.
Best traits of a purebred Golden Retriever:
- Obedience
- Outgoing and joyful
- Easy to train and eager to please
- Loyal
- Energetic
- Playful and keep their puppyish demeanor
- Overall healthy
Best traits of a Standard Poodle:
- Super smart
- Affectionate and easy to socialize
- Low-shedding
- Playful
- Guarding
- Moderate energy level
- Very trainable
Most people are surprised to learn that the Standard Poodle, with its sculptured coif portrayed in the show ring, is a hunting dog bred to work. Golden Retrievers have had an illustrious history as loyal hunting dogs bred in Scotland in the mid-1800s. Combining these two champion dogs created the Miniature Goldendoodle people love.
Crossbreeding aims to develop the best traits from both parent dogs. It’s been an astonishing success for the Oodle group, and Mini Goldendoodles are no expectation and a true success story of breeding the best.
History of the Mini Goldendoodle
Readers might be surprised to learn that “Goldendoodles” aren’t such a recent or modern invention. In the 1960s, breeders looked to develop a breed mix with a hypoallergenic feature. As the breeders hoped to create the perfect service pet and therapy dogs with a docile yet fun-loving disposition, they stumbled on a magic combo.
The actual popularity of this Miniature Poodle Retriever mix didn’t reach the masses until the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Poodle mixes are the designer mutt mix of a perfect dog. Since their initial breed-mix success, they have dominated and ventured into other popular crossbreeds like Labradoodle, Cavapoos, Cockapoos, and other poodle dog breeds.
Although compared to older dog breeds, Mini Goldendoodles are the new pups on the block; they’re undoubtedly here to stay.
Mini Goldendoodle Facts
Many people make choices based on hard evidence. The AKC (American Kennel Club) has long set the standard of what makes a registered dog breed. Oodle mixes don’t register on the AKC website because they only deal with purebred, registered dogs.
For people who need facts to convince them, one piece of hard truth can’t be denied: Miniature Goldendoodle puppies are super cute. Cuteness aside, their size and friendly nature are also excellent selling features.
Facts
- Low or non-shedding
- Small compact size
- Life expectancy is 12 to 16 years and longer
- Very trainable
- Requires mental stimulation
- Moderately energetic
- Adaptable to a single person, families with small children, and seniors
- Great for apartments or fenced homes
- Generally healthy
- Not guarding dogs but prone to barking
Mini Goldendoodle Appearance
If there ever was a teddy-bear dog, then the Mini Golden is it. Their adorable faces, luxuriously soft curly coat, and comical antics make them irresistible.
Size
Mini Goldendoodles are small but sturdy dogs with an average height of 13 to 20 inches. However, they may carry some dominant gene from their ancestors and grow taller or smaller. They typically remain portable and can fit into small carriers ideal for traveling.
Weight
Many of the toy breeds reach their maturity size sooner than larger breeds. Expect a Miniature Golden to reach their adult weight of 15 to 35 lbs by the time they’re eight months old. There are always exceptions.
Since these breeds are still in their early generations of breeding, it’s challenging to determine the puppy’s adult size at birth, like in purebreds.
Coat
Pet owners love Oodle breeds for their luxurious but fun coats. Most have medium to loose curling hair that is easy to care for and maintain.
Since they shed very little or not at all, Mini Goldendoodles make perfect dogs for people with sensitivities or allergic reactions. However, they’re not purely hypoallergenic since half of their pedigree comes from Golden Retrievers.
Regular professional grooming makes their fur glisten and unmatted. Brushing your dog once or twice a week at minimum is a must. It promotes a soft coat that Miniature Goldendoodles are famous for.
Color
Depending on their lineage, standard colors are apricot, tan, cream, red, brown, and black. There are also rare shades like sable, phantom, blue, and silver.
Although it’s difficult to predict, with 100% accuracy, reputable breeders should know the history of the puppy’s ancestry and provide the history of the dominant colors and fur texture.
Mini Goldendoodle Temperament and Personality
Wouldn’t it be something if a dog with such an adorable face had the personality of a monster? Luckily, that isn’t the case. Mini Goldendoodles are as fun and loving as their faces suggest.
Mini Goldendoodles are loved because they exhibit these traits:
- Fun and affectionate
- Lively people dogs
- Attention seekers
- Sociable and get along with dogs and cats
- In-your-face type of dog
- They don’t fare well alone for long periods
- Under stress, they might develop separation anxiety and become chewers
- They might become barkers if not trained properly
Bringing any pet home requires a commitment from the entire household. Mini Goldendoodles need your attention and affection and require exercise to stimulate them mentally and physically. The first year can be challenging. A great way to master puppyhood is to enroll in puppy classes.
Mini Goldendoodle Health and Care
No one gets a clean health bill without hiccups along the way. Mini Goldendoodles are a healthy mix but carry over some genetic diseases of their grandparents’ DNA.
A reputable breeder should make you aware of any potentially serious health concerns. However, a veterinarian examination is the best to prevent or delay health problems.
A Mini Goldendoodle might come from a puppy mill. Make sure this designer breed comes from parent breeds with a healthy, traceable Mini Goldendoodle breeder’s location.
Dog’s history is important to help track potential health concerns. Mini Goldendoodle puppies should be the offspring of a Golden Retriever and a Miniature Poodle.
Hip Dysplasia
Although this is more common in larger dogs, it is hereditary. Unbalanced nutrition can lead to aggressive growth that can contribute to the cause. Also, the type of exercise, excess weight, and ancestry are the leading causes of this disease in Miniature Goldendoodles.
Dogs with hip dysplasia suffer from a malformed hip joint. This condition is painful and develops into mobility problems, lameness, and arthritis. It becomes more pronounced as the dog ages. Your vet can assess your Goldendoodle puppy for this condition at a young age or use X-Ray technology.
Patellar Luxation
Miniature and the toy poodle often suffer from dislocated knees (patellar luxation). Physiotherapy or surgery might help reduce the severity or alleviate discomfort in your Mini Goldendoodle.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy:
PRA can cause blindness. It’s a degenerative disease that affects night vision until it progresses further. Though PRA is not painful, for your Mini Goldendoodle, it is an inherited eye disease from the Golden Retriever Poodle mix.
Von Willebrand’s Disease:
VWD is a bleeding disease (not hemophilia) stemming from a lack of protein that helps platelets clump. It’s a condition that affects humans and dogs and is hereditary. There is no treatment, but the disease in well-cared for Mini Goldendoodle is manageable with care.
Mini Goldendoodle Food and Diet
All dogs benefit from high-quality protein food. Invest in premium dog food to save on vet bills and ensure your Mini Goldendoodle receives the best nutrition. Your family pet won’t develop health issues associated with a poor diet.
Premium dog food can be wet or dry, or a combination. Raw is also a healthy option to provide your dogs. However, what is essential is that you feed your Mini Goldendoodle the right food for each development phase. Since a Miniature Goldendoodle stems from a Golden Retriever and Mini Poodle, it needs a balanced diet.
- Puppy–under 15 to 18 months
- Adult–over 15 to 18 months
- Senior–over 8 years old
Puppyhood for a Mini Goldendoodle is crucial. You want your puppy to receive nutritious food that helps it grow at the right pace. Therefore, don’t feed a puppy, adult, or senior food as it will miss essential nutrients for bone and tissue (body mass) development.
Another issue you’ll want to address at the puppy stage is how to feed them. Do you want to raise your dog as a grazer with access to kibble 24/7 or as a gobbler? Gobblers eat on a schedule and quickly eat the food.
Many people prefer the gobbler method, which helps puppies schedule their poop routine. Some champion this method as it promotes a healthy appetite.
Your vet might have good dog food recommendations for your Miniature Goldendoodle. Some dogs or puppies also benefit from bone broth supplements.
Mini Goldendoodle Grooming
Goldendoodle puppies and adults are low maintenance, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need regular grooming like haircuts, brushing, ear cleaning, nail trimming, and baths. This smaller-sized, low-shedding dog requires relatively little maintenance.
Grooming should start early to get a Mini Goldendoodle puppy used to being handled. While it doesn’t mean a trip to a professional groomer, get your puppy used to a hairbrush and fingers running through its fur. It also means handling sensitive toes and looking inside their ears for any build-up, ear infections, and ear mites.
Typically Mini Goldendoodles need very few baths unless they roll in something ‘disgusting’ or muddy, as they will from time to time. Expert dog groomers suggest taking your puppy for its first official grooming date at five months.
They’re also a non-smelly breed, so their dog or puppy odor shouldn’t offend sensitive noses. (Personally, I’d buy any Eau de Puppy cologne.)
Bathing your puppy at home will take a bit of practice. Most dogs, however, adapt quickly to being in the bathtub and shower. Use warm but not hot water. Ensure you dry them thoroughly and get them used to the blower dryer at a low setting.
While a blow-dry job sounds like it’s for divas, it isn’t. Having a dog used to a blower is an excellent introduction to noise and being in control. Also, if you have to bathe your dog in winter, you want to ensure they’re good and dry.
Grooming isn’t just about fur. It’s also about trimming nails which can be daunting for pet owners. However, this grooming necessity is vital.
You have to trim your dog’s nails. Touching, tickling, and rubbing your puppy’s paws is a wonderful way to get them accustomed to being handled. Additionally, Miniature Goldendoodles thrive from affection.
Invest in a good pair of standard clippers or a rotary nail filing tool to cut your Mini Goldendoodle puppy’s nails. It takes practice but not trimming your dog’s nails is cruel. If you’re new to using a rotary tool, they’re fantastic. As a safety tip, make sure you don’t catch the dog’s hair or tail.
Sometimes dogs with floppy ears get ear mites. Regular cleaning with a soapy cloth and scheduled inspections should become part of the routine.
A perfect time to check on puppy ears is when you snuggle on the sofa. Healthy ears generally don’t have an odor or a waxy substance. Talk to your vet about the best cleaning solution if your dog gets mites. Mites make your dog’s ears itch.
Ticks are nasty and also like these so-called designer dogs. Although your Mini Goldendoodle dog might have a nice dense coat, ticks latch on and transmit diseases like Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Look for ticks around the neckline, inside the ears, between toes, and even along the gum line.
Trim any long hair around the eyes of your Miniature Goldendoodle using safety scissors. This hair might also collect tears and form dust collector ducts, which is common in other dogs.
Intelligence and Trainability
It’s all in the family. Golden Retrievers and Poodles rank among the top ten for smarts. They pass that gene onto their mixed offspring. Mini Goldendoodles are bright but with a bit of mischief built in.
Let’s say they know they’re so cute that they can get away with their antics. Mini-standard Goldendoodles tend to learn quickly and need at least an hour of daily exercise.
Since they’re smart, commands don’t have to be enforced or repeated. Mini Goldendoodles benefit from agility training suitable for their physical and mental stimulation. Most also like outdoor activities like splashing in the water or playing under a water hose.
Mini Goldendoodles love to exercise for at least 20 to 30 minutes twice daily to burn off steam and develop social skills at the local dog park. Goldendoodle Mini dogs, like other pets, are active dogs that need help building social skills.
In ensuring their security and optimized training during such outdoor escapades, taking note from the Halo collar reviews and SpotOn fence reviews could be beneficial. These smart collar technologies not only aid in setting secure boundaries for your vivacious Mini Goldendoodles during their playtimes but also seamlessly integrate with training routines, offering a reliable, invisible leash during those refreshing, spirited water hose plays.
Family Compatibility
Mini Goldendoodles are a fantastic addition of joy, fun, and boisterous activity to all dog owners or families. It’s why their pet parents think they’re the best family dog. (Some parents might even prefer them over their children.)
This breed is an in-your-face kind of dog. That means if you want alone time in the bathroom, you’d best shut the door, or you’ll have an audience. Goldendoodles like to be in the family’s center and love everyone equally. They’re the perfect pet for singles, seniors, families, and multiple pet owners.
FAQ’s
If you’re still undecided if Mini Goldendoodles are the right cross breed and canine companion for you, here are a few frequently asked questions to wipe away any confusion.
Do Mini Goldendoodles Shed?
Yes and no. This breed has two sets of genes that contribute to this trait. One Miniature Goldendoodle doesn’t shed; the other sheds a lot. Most Mini Goldendoodles don’t shed very much or not at all.
Do Mini Goldendoodles Bark a Lot?
No point in lying, a Miniature Goldendoodle dog barks. They bark when they’re happy or in distress. It’s just one quirk you’ll have to contend with or work on training. However, while they bark, it’s usually just a quick yip to say what needs to be said.
Are Mini Goldendoodles Good Dogs?
Mini Goldendoodles tend to make excellent companions, but like all dogs, they need to learn some manners. However, since they’re brilliant and friendly, with early socialization and some suitable training methods and consistency, they’re among the best choices for most households.
Are Mini Goldendoodles Hyper?
A wise dog whisperer once said that dogs pick up signals from their owners. So what you transmit, the dog will pick up. Mini Goldendoodles are high-energy dogs that can be boisterous but are not hyper. They also get along with other dogs.
Provide a Miniature Goldendoodle with mental and physical stimulation. Don’t leave them for extended periods to avoid behavioral issues and prevent separation anxiety. Enroll them in puppy classes or doggy daycare for exercise to prevent mischievous problems.
Conclusion
Anyone with a heart will fall in love with a Goldendoodle Mini. If one ever sits on your lap and licks your face, your chances of surviving are slim. This adorable dog breed will worm its way into your heart and never leave.
Mini Goldendoodles are one of those poodle mixes with a solid foundation from a Golden Retriever that make it the best family dog. However, this cross breed can suffer from separation anxiety which toy poodles are famous for. Separation anxiety in many Mini Goldendoodles can develop into an acute condition.
Having a dog is a huge responsibility and not a privilege. Do some thorough research about owning a pet before you commit. If you do adopt one, kiss your freedom goodbye.
Dogs are all or nothing when it comes to love. However, Mini Goldendoodles guarantee constant joy even when your favorite shoes get chewed, or they bring out your undies for all your guests to see.
