The Mini Goldendoodle was bred during the 1990s with the intention of creating a breed that features excellent traits of the Golden Retriever and the Poodle. The breeders aimed to create a breed that had the affection and gentleness of the Golden Retriever while having the intelligence, elegance, and beautiful fur coat from the Poodle.
The Miniature Goldendoodle is a miniature size variant of the Goldendoodle. The Miniature Goldendoodle is a result of crossbreeding the Golden Retriever and the Miniature Poodle or the Toy Poodle. The Miniature Goldendoodle is not recognized as a legitimate breed by any of the major kennel clubs. However, they have a breed standard that was created by the Goldendoodle Association of North America.
However, if you are opting to add a Mini Goldendoodle to your family, you should stick around while we discuss everything that you should know about Mini Goldendoodles, from their appearance to a few tricks that would make grooming your Mini Goldendoodle an absolute breeze.
What Do I Need To Know Before Buying A Mini Goldendoodle?
A couple of things to note before buying a Mini Goldendoodle are its ancestry, appearance and physique, all of which are common traits important to properly identify this pooch.
In addition, understanding how to provide better care and grooming should help give your Mini Goldendoodle a longer and richer life to enjoy.
Physical Appearance
Based on their ancestry, Mini Goldendoodles typically have large and dark round eyes with black noses and medium-sized muzzles, features of which are commonly on Golden Retrievers and Poodles. They have round heads and floppy ears. Mini Goldendoodles have fluffy or feathered tails that are often long.
Their fur coats are medium in length, wavy, and remarkably dense. Mini Goldendoodles can have fur coats of various colors and patterns, including fawn, merle, red, gray, brindle, chocolate, black, white and cream.
Size
Male Mini Goldendoodles are typically between 17 to 19 inches tall and weigh between 20 to 35 lbs. Female Goldendoodles are typically between 16 to 17 inches tall and can be expected to weigh between 18 to 30 lbs.
Do Mini Goldendoodles Have Health Problems?
The lifespan of a Mini Goldendoodle is generally between 10 to 15 years.
Like their parents, Mini Goldendoodles are generally healthy however they are prone to some health issues. These health issues include:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
PRA is a group of eye conditions that result in the gradual deterioration of your Mini Goldendoodle’s retina. During the early stages of PRA, your Mini Goldendoodle will become night blind. As the condition develops, your dog will become completely blind.
Mini Goldendoodles who have been affected by PRA tend to bump into different objects when the light is dim and are reluctant to go into dark rooms. Fortunately, affected Mini Goldendoodles are still able to lead happy lives with proper rehabilitation.
Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation is a condition that is renowned for affecting small dogs like the Mini Goldendoodle. Patella means ‘kneecap’, while luxation means ‘dislocated’. Hence, patellar luxation is a condition that causes your dog’s kneecap to move from its normal position.
As your dog’s thigh muscle contracts, the force applied on the kneecap, forces it to the side of your dog’s knee. Patellar luxation is crippling and often results in dogs being unable to apply any weight on their affected leg.
Patellar luxation is a gateway to several other ligament injuries and joint-related conditions such as arthritis. Fortunately, this condition can be managed and treated through surgery.
The surgery may include adjusting your Mini Goldendoodle’s knee by deepening the groove in the femur or inserting an implant that will prevent the kneecap from moving out of place.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that is characterized by an underperforming thyroid, a gland which regulates metabolism. If your Mini Goldendoodle has hypothyroidism, their metabolism would have slowed down, along with other bodily functions.
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include hair loss, weight gain, low energy levels, muscle loss, decreased tolerance to the cold, and decreased appetite.
Fortunately, hypothyroidism is not life-threatening and can be treated rather easily. Treatment for hypothyroidism is the daily consumption of drugs for the rest of your Mini Goldendoodle’s life.
Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV)
GDV, also known as bloat, is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention to save your Mini Goldendoodle. Bloat occurs when your Mini Goldendoodle’s stomach is filled with gas, which disrupts your dog’s regular blood flow.
As your dog’s stomach is filled with more air, blood and oxygen flow becomes limited. As a result, your Mini Goldendoodle will enter a state of shock. At this point, your dog will require immediate medical attention, or else they will die.
According to the American Kennel Club dogs who are fed one large meal daily, are more likely to bloat than dogs who are fed two smaller meals daily. If your dog eats too quickly or exercises immediately after eating, they will be likely to bloat.
Symptoms of GDV include excessive drooling, an enlarged stomach, pacing, panting, and retching. When treating dogs affected by GDV, veterinarians treat the shock then they take the dogs to surgery.
Ear Infections
The floppy ears of the Mini Goldendoodle make them susceptible to ear infections. Their floppy ears tend to trap moisture easily. The causes of ear infections are typically yeast and bacteria.
The symptoms of ear infections include dark ear discharge, foul odor, itchiness, pain, and constant scratching of the ear. Fortunately, regular ear infections can easily be treated by your veterinarian and will be resolved within a week or two.
However, severe ear infections may require surgery and take a couple of months to be resolved. It is worth noting that some ear infections may be secondary infections caused by underlying conditions.
How To Take Care Of Your Mini Goldendoodle?
Physical Activity
Mini Goldendoodles have an average level of energy. They require daily exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Your Mini Goldendoodle should have a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity a day. You should take your pooch on walks as often as you can.
Walks improve your dog’s socialization and increase their confidence. If you are not too fond of simply walking around in the streets, you could take your Mini Goldendoodle to a park for some playtime.
This form of exercise would be fun and an incredible opportunity for you to bond with your dog.
Diet
Mini Goldendoodles should be fed about 2.5 cups of high-quality dog food, divided into two meals every day. The amount of food you feed your Mini Goldendoodle will typically depend on their age, metabolism, and activity level.
We suggest feeding your Mini Goldendoodle Pet Plate dog food. This dog food is filled with several nutrients that your Mini Goldendoodle needs to maintain a well-balanced diet and support their growth and health.
Since Mini Goldendoodles are prone to gastric dilatation-volvulus, you should ensure that your Mini Goldendoodle does not exercise after having a meal. Your Mini Goldendoodle should take some time to rest and properly digest their food before being allowed to run around.
Nutritional Supplements
More often than not, dogs are not able to get all their nutrients, in the correct ratios, solely from their dog food. To ensure that your Mini Goldendoodle gets all the necessary nutrients and vitamins needed to remain healthy, you should add nutritional supplements to their diet.
However, you should consult your veterinarian before adding supplements to your dog’s diet. Your veterinarian will advise you on which supplements you should add to your Mini Goldendoodle’s diet, as well as the necessary dosage.
Are Mini Goldendoodles Aggressive? Temperaments Of Mini Goldendoodles
Mini Goldendoodles are not aggressive. They are quick to warm up to people and interact with different people. The Mini Goldendoodle is a loving breed that will make an exceptional family dog because of their friendly nature.
Their friendly and energetic nature makes the Mini Goldendoodle an ideal playmate for children. Due to their small size, you should ensure that your children are well-advised and supervised so that they do not unintentionally harm your Mini Goldendoodle.
Gentle
It is safe to say that Mini Goldendoodles would not make the ideal watch dogs because of their gentle nature. They do not bark frequently. Your Mini Goldendoodle would be more likely to give someone at your door a friendly greeting rather than bark at them.
Trainability
Mini Goldendoodles are intelligent and eager to please their owners. These traits make them easy to train. Mini Goldendoodles pick up on things rather quickly, so you will not need to repeat things too many times when you are training your Mini Goldendoodle.
However, you should note that every dog is different and your Mini Goldendoodle might need a bit more time than others, so we suggest exercising patience when you are training your dog.
Mini Goldendoodles are also quite sensitive to the intonation of human speech, so using a gentle tone would be more useful than a harsh tone and harsh punishments when training them.
Are Mini Goldendoodles High Maintenance? Grooming Tips For Mini Goldendoodles
Mini Goldendoodles are hypoallergenic and experience minimal shedding which makes them a low maintenance breed.
However, it is still necessary to care for their fur coat. Here are a few tips to maintain the health of your Mini Goldendoodle’s fur coat:
Brushing
Even though Mini Goldendoodles have low-maintenance fur coats, they tend to matt quite easily. To ensure that your Mini Goldendoodle’s fur does not matt you should brush their fur coat about 2 to 3 times a week, using a pin brush.
Mini Goldendoodles have tense fur coats, so it may be quite challenging to brush thoroughly without harming your dog. To remove loose hair and thoroughly groom their roots, we suggest using the Furminator Undercoat Tool.
Bathing
You should bathe your Mini Goldendoodle only as often as necessary. When you bathe your dog, you should use a nourishing shampoo, such as the Pro Pet Works All Natural 5 In 1 Oatmeal Shampoo. It will nourish and completely cleanse your Mini Goldendoodle’s fur coat.
Mouth And Ears
Mini Goldendoodles have floppy ears which are prone to ear infections. You should check and clean your Mini Goldendoodles ears at least once a week. You should ensure that your Mini Goldendoodle’s ears are free of dirt and moisture to prevent an infection from setting in.
You should generally brush your Mini Goldendoodle’s teeth at least 2 to 3 times a week.
Related Questions
How Much Should I Pay For A Mini Goldendoodle? You can expect to pay between $1500 to $3000 for a Mini Goldendoodle puppy. The cost of a Mini Goldendoodle may vary based on several factors, such as the quality of their parents, both location and reputation of the breeder.
Do Mini Goldendoodles Like To Swim? Mini Goldendoodles can swim. Like their parent, the Golden Retriever, Mini Goldendoodles enjoy being in the water and they are natural swimmers.
Do Mini Goldendoodles Sleep A Lot? As puppies, Mini Goldendoodles sleep a lot. They tend to sleep for an alarming number of hours, about 18 to 20 hours a day. However, as they get older, they tend to sleep less. As full-grown dogs, Mini Goldendoodles can sleep for about 12 to 14 hours a day.
