Mini Goldendoodle Pros And Cons
Sometimes called a Goldenpoo or Goldenoodle, the Miniature Goldendoodle is created by crossing a miniature or toy Poodle with a Golden Retriever. The result is a mild, friendly, family dog that looks like a teddy bear come to life. They’ve recently become very popular because they’re so cute, affectionate, attentive, and good with children. Their energy level matches the Poodle genes while their gentleness and willingness to please is reflective of the Golden Retriever. They are devoted friends who crave cuddles and will follow you around just to be near you. They are smart dogs with a silly streak. Don’t leave them alone too long; when they’re separated from you, they can become sad and anxious.
Miniature Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodles do not make good watchdogs.
While they may be friendly and gentle, the Mini Goldendoodle just might be too friendly and gentle to guard the house when you’re away. This crossbreed is not known to be noisy, and in fact, they bark infrequently. Your Mini Groodle may not even bark when someone comes to the door!
Due to their quietness and openness toward people — even total strangers — the Miniature Goldendoodle is not recommended as a watchdog or as a dog for protection.
These dogs are all about low maintenance grooming.
Little to zero shedding equals a typically low maintenance dog. The Miniature Goldendoodle is a relatively easy keeper in the grooming department. As with shedding, the level of grooming is determined by the dog’s genes: a dog with more Golden Retriever will require more frequent grooming, and a dog with more Miniature Poodle will have shorter, curlier hair that requires fewer trips to the dog salon.
Remember that low maintenance grooming doesn’t equal no grooming at all. Even Mini Goldendoodles with curlier hair can experience matting, and occasional trimming and clipping may be necessary, so keep an eye on your dog’s coat and brush when needed.
Because of their friendly, gentle natures, Miniature Goldendoodles thrive as service and therapy dogs. Their loyalty, protectiveness, and affability make them an ideal partner for people with disabilities.
Mini Groodles are also excellent sniff dogs and guide dogs, with some even becoming check dogs and steer dogs. This crossbreed is capable of doing it all!
Their gentle temperaments make them a great addition to the family.
Mini Goldendoodles make fantastic family pets. They are non-aggressive, highly intelligent, loving, playful, fun, sweet, and enduringly loyal. Sensitive to tone of voice, the mini groodle is eager to please and very social. Additionally, because of their low prey drive, Mini Groodles tend to get along very well with other companion animals, like other dogs and cats.
This hybrid is excellent with kids of all ages, and is gentle enough for interaction with even the youngest children in the family.
Mini Goldendoodles have a moderate energy level and are easy to train.
The Mini Groodle is a moderately active dog who requires around 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise. They adapt quickly to most hot and cold weather climates, making them an excellent all-weather dog selection. This crossbreed is excitable but will match their energy level to yours, so plan on snuggling on the couch together.
Mini Groodles are eager to please and very smart which means they are incredibly easy to train. This dog will not need many training repetitions because of how swiftly he learns commands. In particular, Mini Groodles make good agility dogs and the retriever in their bloodlines means that many learn to swim and love it.
Miniature Goldendoodles are active enough to help you stay active too, so pick up that leash and head to the park!
This hybrid is hypoallergenic and perfect for owners with allergies.
Have you ever wanted a dog but your allergies prevented you from owning one? Do you love dogs but can’t stand vacuuming up furry hairballs all the time? The Mini Goldendoodle might just solve both problems.
One of the essential characteristics of this crossbreed is its low shedding factor. Mini Groodles who have more Golden Retriever in their genes will have longer fur and therefore some minimal amounts of shedding. Those Groodles with more Miniature Poodle in their genetics will rarely shed at all.
Although no breed is entirely allergen-free, the Miniature Goldendoodle is as close as you can get. It’s the perfect dog for easy clean-up and for avoiding allergic reactions.
Get ready to have your new buddy by your side — a lot.
Miniature Goldendoodles are so loyal and people-oriented, they may want to be with you all the time, and that can be a problem. Mini Groodles may become too attached to their owners and suffer from separation anxiety when left to their own devices.
Separation anxiety can result in unwanted behavioral issues, such as constant barking, howling, chewing, and other destructive actions. To prevent separation anxiety, make sure you socialize your Mini Groodle properly and give him plenty of mental stimulation, such as puzzles, to ward off boredom (and chewed up furniture) until you return home.
Parentage presents some potential health concerns.
All dog breeds have medical issues associated with them, but in the case of a crossbreed like the Miniature Goldendoodle, there is a double dose of concern. Both Golden Retrievers and Poodles have genetic maladies and are prone to certain diseases, like cancer. A dog that is the product of these two pure breeds is, in some cases, doubly exposed to its parent breeds’ weaknesses.
Here is a list of the potentially serious health concerns that mini groodles may develop:
- Hip dysplasia – This is a condition in which the thigh bone becomes displaced from the hip joint. There is a strong genetic component with this condition, which can be avoided through genetic testing
- Sebaceous adenitis – Skin disease
- Ear Infections – Goldendoodles can be prone to ear infections. This is due to their long hairy ears that can reduce air flow and increase moisture that can cause infections
- Addison’s disease – Also known as hypoadrenocorticism, this disease decreases hormone production from the outer part or cortex of the adrenal gland
- Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis – Disease which causes a narrowing at the aortic valve of the heart
- Von Willebrand’s disease – a blood condition that affects clotting
- Various eye diseases – Common eye diseases include progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and glaucoma
Other, less severe conditions that the miniature goldendoodle may have are ear infections, allergies, and hip dysplasia.
Always be sure to purchase your dog from a reputable breeder.
Because Miniature Goldendoodles are hybrids, they are susceptible to having health issues and varied coat colors. You can avoid some of the health issues associated with this crossbreed by purchasing your dog from a reliable, proven breeder.
A conscientious, responsible breeder will offer the following:
- proper socialization for puppies, preferably with exposure to children
- an uninflated, reasonable price
- veterinary records with updated vaccines and worming
- a genetic test to check for inherited diseases
- two-year health guarantee
Avoid getting your dog from a puppy mill, and ensure a long, happy, healthy life with your Mini Groodle by purchasing her from a good breeder or adopting her from a rescue organization or shelter.
Where can I find a Miniature Goldendoodle?
Here are a few ways to find a miniature Goldendoodle.
Breeder
The most common way to get a Goldendoodle is to buy one from a reputable breeder. But finding a reputable breeder can be difficult.
The Goldendoodle Association of North America (GANA) is trying to fix that with their Ribbon Reward Program and membership requirements.
Only breeders who perform required health testing as outlined on the GANA website are eligible for membership. In addition, breeders are awarded either a Red Ribbon or Blue Ribbon based on the type of health testing they perform on the dogs.
The Red Ribbon shows that the breeder performs the basic health tests required by GANA. A Blue Ribbon is awarded to breeders who perform additional recommended tests as directed by GANA.
The GAMA maintains a list of breeders and their ribbon status.
My advice is to stay away from on-line “puppy for sale” websites and puppy stores. They are commonly used by puppy mills to hide who they really are. Puppy mill puppies often have underlying health conditions that cannot be detected when you first get them.
Plus, mating dogs and their puppies are kept in inhumane conditions at puppy farms. Please help stop puppy mills by not buying from them either directly or indirectly.
Local Shelters
While finding a Miniature Goldendoodle at a local shelter may be rare, it does still happen. Keep an eye on your local shelter’s website and Facebook page if they have one.
Rescue Groups
Another option is to look for a rescue organization that has doodles. On occasion you can find a Golden Doodle mini puppy in need of re-homing, but it’s not that common.
Guardian Home Program
You can also look for a quality breeder that offers a Guardian Home Program near you. A good quality breeder understands that dogs need to live in a home with a family. To do this some breeders use guardian homes to provide dogs with a family of their own when they are not actively being bred.
Although the terms of a Guardian Home Program will vary by breeder, the basic idea of the program is the same.
General Guardian Home Programs Overview:
- You are responsible for routine care and veterinary services for the dog as determined by the breeder
- Dogs are selected by the breeder
- You must live within a predetermined distance from the breeder. Usually it’s within an hour’s drive
- Dogs will be bred for a specified number of times before they are released from the program
- The dog will spend time at the breeder’s location during their pregnancy and whelping period
Benefits of getting a dog from a Guardian program:
- Pick of the litter
- Reduced cost for a dog
- Enhanced testing of the dog for genetic conditions
Retired Mini Golden doodles
Some breeders will “retire” their female dogs from breeding after they have had a certain number of litters or are unable to breed. Once retired they will be spayed and offered for adoption.
Breeders will generally announce the retirement on their own websites. Finding a retired breeding dog is rare since most reputable breeders now use guardian homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Mini Goldendoodles hyper?
This hybrid can be an energy-filled furball, especially during their puppy stage through adolescent years. Poodles are bred to work and Golden Retrievers are used for sports. With highly active parents, how energetic will their Doodle offspring turn out? How much time should you keep aside to provide the exercise a Mini Goldendoodle on a daily basis?
Are Mini Goldendoodles good dogs?
Absolutely! Thanks to their heritage, they were able to inherit their parental breed’s intelligence, as well as being great with kids and excellent family pets. It’s still best if you get to know this fido better in terms of personality, so you know as well whether they can be easily trained or not.
How big is a Mini Goldendoodle?
Miniature Goldendoodles can either be a mix of a Golden Retriever with a Miniature or Toy Poodle. As mentioned above this designer dog has an average height of 13 to 20 inches (33 to 51 cm) and can weigh between 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 22 kg), some can reach a weight of 40 or 50 pounds (18 to 23 kg). Cute aren’t they? This pooch uses its manageable size as a way to deal with this quirk. Another issue with this breed (and most miniaturized canines) is these health problems.
Do Mini Goldendoodles bark a lot?
Mini Golden Retriever & Poodle mixes aren’t known for being noisy, but for being gentle and friendly. Still, each dog is unique and some are more vocal than others. But since they’re generally viewed as infrequent barkers, you can find out in this section if this mixed breed can serve as a protector of your home.
What is the cost of a Mini Goldendoodle?
The price of a Miniature Goldendoodle can range from $1,600 to $2,600. Their value can be influenced by factors like the quality or pedigree of the parental breeds and litter, if the pup is trained, and the breeder’s location. Do you think that it’s worth it if the doggo you’re interested in have these qualities with regards to their coat, purpose, and maintenance?
What colors do Mini Goldendoodles come in?
The mini, like the standard, can come in a variety of colors. Goldendoodles can inherit any of the colors from either the Golden Retriever or Poodle.
Golden Retrievers carry genes for shades of cream, apricot and red, while Poodles can carry genes that include shades of cream, apricot, red, black, chocolate (dark brown), silver and gray coloring.
Poodles also carry the genes for popular color patterns, like Parti, and Phantom and less the less popular gene for fading
Will my Mini Goldendoodle have long wavy hair?
Since both the Golden Retriever and the Poodle have long hair on their bodies so will a Goldendoodle.
But to get the long facial hair, long eyebrows and wavy coat associated with the doodle they must inherit the furnishing gene. This gene is carried by the poodle and is dominant. Meaning they only need to inherit one gene.
Therefore, an F1 Goldendoodle, which is a first generation cross between a poodle and Golden will inherit the gene giving them the trademark teddy bear look.
However, later multi-generational doodles may not carry the genes if they inherit 2 non-furnishing genes from the Golden side.
Since you can tell which genes a dog may pass down to their offspring just by looking at them, it’s possible for two wavy haired Goldendoodles to produce puppies with either wavy, straight or curly hair on their face.
The good news is that there is genetic testing that can tell us whether a particular dog has the genes needed to produce the teddy look
Final Thoughts
With a Miniature Goldendoodle, you get the best of both worlds: the friendly, eager to please Golden Retriever, and the loving, loyal Miniature Poodle. The Mini Groodle makes the perfect family dog and is versatile enough for everything from swimming to service. However, Mini Groodles do have some energy, don’t make good guard dogs, and are prone to genetic diseases.
So are you ready for a Miniature Goldendoodle? Many Mini Groodles are thrilled with their canine companion, but you need to determine if this crossbreed will be a good fit for your family and home life. What do you find attractive about the Mini Groodle?
If you own a Mini Groodle, what do you enjoy most about her and what do you wish you had known before you brought her home? Let us know your thoughts about the Miniature Goldendoodle. Leave us a comment and share your experience with this popular crossbreed.
