Are you looking for the perfect family dog? The mini Goldendoodle might just be the one you need. Mini Goldendoodles, miniature Goldendoodles, or mini Goldendoodles are petite to medium-sized dogs that are very attentive and affectionate towards their humans.
They have come into existence through the cross between a golden retriever and a poodle. The Poodle can either be a miniature poodle or a toy poodle. This has resulted in a very friendly dog breed that has a mild nature and looks like a teddy bear. Due to this, mini golden doodles have become very popular amongst families where there are kids. These dogs love children and can be your devoted companion. They are known for their energy and prance, like the Poodle, while being gentle and willing to please their guardians, like the Golden Retrievers.
Sounds perfect for a family dog, doesn’t it? However, is this the perfect breed for your needs? If you want more information about the mini Goldendoodle or other dog breeds, please subscribe to The Happy Puppers. Your subscription will allow me to notify you the moment I release the next blog post. This way, you can stay updated with all the latest tips and tricks from the dog care world. If you like watching videos, please subscribe to the YouTube channel of The Happy Puppers, Shruti and Delta. If you have any query you want directly addressed, you can find me live on Twitch. I do coworking streams every day from 11 AM to 7 PM IST and mental health streams on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4:30 to 6:30 PM.
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Miniature goldendoodles
The miniature Goldendoodles are known to love their human guardians. They will follow you around everywhere you go. This breed is quite goofy and loves entertaining its guardians with antics and tricks. Therefore, if you want a dog that is very actively involved in your life, a Goldendoodle might be the one. However, these dogs also do not like being alone for long periods. Being alone for a very long causes them to get anxious and may result in separation anxiety.
Breed history of Mini Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodles came into existence around the 1990s. The primary purpose behind this breed’s evolution was to have a dog who displays the gentleman of Golden Retrievers while having the intelligence and coat of miniature poodles. The Poodle is a very ancient breed. It goes back at least a few 1000 years. They originated in Germany and were initially working dogs. They were used to retrieve waterfowl for their guardian hunters. The French population loved them. Breeders eventually refined the breed into three sizes.
- The standard ones were primarily used for retrieving the waterfowl.
- The miniature ones were used for finding and hunting truffles
- The toy breed who were initially meant as companions for the French nobility.
Most of the time, poodles are considered to be posh dogs. However, they are also known for their sense of humor, are very quickly trained, and have a calm and affectionate nature.
On the other hand, we have the golden retriever. The golden retriever is an extremely loyal and gentle dog that can be trained fairly well. The Golden Retriever breed came into existence in the 19th century because Lord Tweedmouth of Scotland wanted a pup that would be loyal and attentive and still can gently retrieve the waterfowls. The name Golden Retriever was officially provided to the dog in 1920. They act as both loyal companions and working dogs. This is the secret to their success. In the year 1932, the Golden Retriever was recognized by the American Kennel Club and has now become one of the most popular purebreds. They are known as amazing family dogs, are constantly loyal and devoted to their owners, and love kids.
Physical traits and temperament of Mini Goldendoodles
The appearance of the miniature Goldendoodle breed
The mini Goldendoodle starts its life as a little fur ball. As and when this fur ball grows, he becomes a larger ball of fur. The mini Goldendoodle has a dense and soft coat. Most often, these codes are curly. If they are not curly, they will at least be wavy. They are generally of medium length. The coat length can vary in size Since it is a hybrid breed. Mini Goldendoodles are normally available in colors like cream brown, fawn, gray, Isabella Black, or red. They normally go up to 56 centimeters or 18 inches in the case of males and 16 inches or 41 centimeters in the case of females. Their weight generally ranges from 15 to 35 pounds in the case of males and 17-16 pounds in the case of females. By the time the breed reaches ten months, they reach around 95% of their complete physical size.
Body structure
The body of the mini Goldendoodle is pretty well proportioned. They have agile legs. Their faces are extremely cute and appealing, with large expressive eyes, a medium to short muzzle, and a black nose. The eyes are normally amber or brown colored. Their teeth normally meet each other in a scissor formation. The top of their head is rounded, and they have floppy ears. Their tail is pretty long and most often is feathered or at least fluffy. There are also certain areas on their face where they have long hair. Because of this, you may have to groom your mini Goldendoodle frequently. Their personality is very appealing, just like their appearance. This makes them perfect for families with kids. They live up to 15 years.
Mini Goldendoodle breed maintenance
Since mini Goldendoodles have long fur that is generally curly or wavy, you will have to brush their coat at least two to three times every week. When you regularly brush your dog’s coat, it not only prevents matting but also improves the blood circulation in their skin and allows even the spreading of the oils secreted by their body. Even though this breed is an average to no shedder, unfortunately, their coats tend to form mats.
If you are not an expert at grooming your dog at home, my suggestion would be to opt for a professional groomer. You can send your dog to the groomer once every two or three months. The groomer will clean up the coat and scissor out the regions around the face so that your dog looks his best. Some of the mini Goldendoodles are also hypoallergenic. Thus, if you are someone who suffers from allergies, this breed might be the best one for you. However, make sure to confirm this with the breeder before you buy.
Bathing
Bathing is not a compulsory activity when it comes to mini Goldendoodles. You can bathe them as and when needed. You must use mild shampoos so that their sensitive skin does not dry out. Check their ears on a regular basis for any kind of infection or dirt. When cleaning the ears of your dog, make sure to use cotton that has been dampened with a pH balanced ear cleaner and clean the ear. This will help prevent any kind of infection. It is advised that you brush their teeth every day to maintain oral hygiene. You can finish up the grooming process with any nail clipping if that is needed. However, try not to cut too close to the quick or the nail bed.
The temperament of the Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodles have an amazing temperament that makes them perfect family dogs. They are normally extremely friendly, affectionate, and earnest in nature. Because of their eagerness, amazing intelligence, and friendliness, they make the perfect service dogs. As I mentioned before, you should not leave mini Goldendoodles alone for too long since there is a high chance that they may develop separation anxiety. If they do, you will have to employ counter-conditioning and desensitization to get rid of this. Therefore, my suggestion would be that if you are going to be away from your dog for long periods, you can put your dog in a dog daycare. This way, you will not get bored and will have friends to play with.
Mini Goldendoodles are perfect family dogs if they have been raised well and are completely socialized. These cuddly and cute dogs also get along very well with other dogs and animal companions. They don’t like to bark. However, they will bark to warn you of strangers coming into your property. If they perceive a threat, you will see the other, super protective side of them.
Usually, such dogs only want some attention from their guardians, a couple of games, and a snooze on your couch or on your lap. They can easily adapt to living in apartments. However, you must never sacrifice on the daily walk. If your home has a backyard, they will prefer to investigate every part of it. They are pretty good with family games and happily entertain people. They are very excitable, eager, and devoted to their family. This is why a mini Goldendoodle makes for the perfect family dog.
Exercise
No Dog should be left without exercise. In the absence of exercise, dogs may develop a ton of Pent up energy. This excess energy may come out as destruction of the couch, papers, stealing food, not listening to you, etc. Therefore, exercise is something that should never be skipped or sacrificed for any reason. Many golden doodles can get a ton of exercise at home itself. This is due to their habit of prancing around, doing zoomies on the couch and the floor, etc. However, this does not mean that a walk is not necessary.
When you take your dog on a walk, your dog will learn to socialize with other people and animals. This helps build confidence in your dog. 10 to 15 minutes of playtime in a local park should be enough to burn out some of the mini Goldendoodle energy. Since they are descendants of golden retrievers, they love to swim. Therefore, they would like nothing more than to be given an opportunity to go ahead and swim.
Training
They are extremely intelligent and can be trained fairly easily. However, mini Goldendoodles do not like loud noises. Therefore, when training such dogs, you must focus on keeping your energy positive, using positive reinforcement, and maintaining a soothing tone.
Never punish them
Even if they have committed a mistake, punishment is not the way to teach your dog good manners. If your dog is engaging in unwanted behavior, use a stern NO. The NO should be authoritative but not loud. Redirect your dog’s attention toward other tasks. When his attention has been successfully redirected, reward the behavior with a treat. Eventually, your dog will learn that this is not the behavior you want to engage in because it is not earning him any treats. Dogs are more likely to engage in a task that would get them your affection, treats, and praise.
Not good at being watchdogs
The gentleness and overfriendliness of Goldendoodles do not make them very good guard dogs. They might be just too friendly to qualify for guarding the house. These pooches also do not like to bark. They may choose to not even inform you if someone has come to your door. Due to their openness towards people and towards total strangers, this breed is not favored as a dog for protection purposes or as watchdogs.
Common health issues with mini Goldendoodles
This breed is overall a very healthy breed. However, like every dog breed, there are certain health issues this breed is prone to as well. Some of the most common health conditions that this breed suffers from are
- ear infections,
- hip dysplasia
- progressive retinal atrophy
- Patellar relaxation.
Hip dysplasia occurs when the joint of the hip stops properly fitting into the hip joint. If you are planning to get Mini Goldendoodles, you should confirm with the breeder that none of the parents had had dysplasia and had been tested for the hip dysplasia genes before they were bred.
Just like other dog breeds, the Goldendoodle also suffers from allergy issues. This breed is primarily affected by three kinds of allergies. These can be airborne allergies, contact allergies, or food allergies.
The floppy ear of this breed tends to trap moisture. This can lead to an ear infection. Therefore, you must check your dog’s ears regularly. As long as you provide your dog with good nutrition, regular vet checkups, and proper exercise, your dog should lead a healthy life.
Conclusion
If you live in an apartment, have a family or young children, and are looking for a dog that is hypoallergenic, your prayers have been answered. The mini Goldendoodle is the perfect animal companion for you and your family. They are loyal, affectionate, goofy, do not shed too much, have minimal health problems, and can easily live in apartments. As long as you provide them with little exercise and training, they will be amazing animal companions. They can also be trained as babysitters. Therefore, this dog is the perfect nanny if you have a toddler or infant.
Do you want to know more about apartment-friendly dog breeds? If yes, then subscribe to The Happy Papers. Your subscription will allow me to notify you the moment the next blog post is released. If you like watching videos, do not forget to subscribe to the YouTube channel of The Happy Puppers, Shruti, and Delta. You can also find me live on Twitch. I do coworking streams every day from 11 AM to 7 PM. You can get your concerns addressed directly.
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Frequently asked questions
In most cases, the male mini version will grow up to 18 inches or 46 centimeters, while the female Goldendoodle will grow up to 16 inches or 41 centimeters.
Mini Goldendoodles make for excellent animal companions if you have a family. They are amazing with kids, loyal to the core, and extremely affectionate. They are also very easily trainable and have a goofy nature that they will use to keep you pleased and entertained. They are perfect to have around, even young babies. They can be trained as babysitters too.
Mini Goldendoodles do not like to bark unless absolutely necessary. This is what makes them amazing animal companions. They will bark only if they send an intruder and feel that you must be notified. Barking is generally seen as one of the rarest traits a Goldendoodle may have.
This breed is very energetic and active. They love human interaction and must be engaged in games, socialization, walks in the dog park, and a little bit of exercise. However, they are generally not hyper. A little bit of exercise is sufficient for this breed.