The Miniature Labradoodle is an adorable breed that is a mix of a Labrador and a Poodle. Their fur has the curl of a Poodle and the wave of a Labrador, which can create the most lovely little ringlets. As with any dog, their fur can differ depending on their parents.
Essentially, they’re the same as a Labradoodle only smaller. I occasionally see a beautiful Miniature Labradoodle called Teddy, who is much bigger than you’d expect him to be. He is the gentlest, curliest and most loving dog despite his great strength and power.
This breed can be as small as 14 inches tall and as big as 24 inches tall, depending on their genetics. They tend to weigh between 10 and 30 pounds and have a lifespan of around 12 to 15 years, so like any dog they’re a big commitment. However, if you’re happy to bring them into your home and provide them with love, care and attention, they’ll be your best friend forever.
They come in several different colours depending on their parents. Teddy is a mousy brown colour and has tight ringlets in his fur that are so fun to touch. As a result of his thick curly fur, he does get quite warm in summer and so he needs a short cut for the hot weather.
I’m going to share with you 9 things you should know about the Miniature Labradoodle. Obviously, all dogs are different depending on their temperament and what they do and do not like. Please be aware of this when reading through the article.
Contents
1. They were first bred in the 1990s
According to Paw Culture, the first ever Labradoodle was bred in 1989 in the hopes that it would be a good guide dog for a lady whose husband had allergies. I’ll talk more later on in the article about whether the Miniature Labradoodle is hypoallergenic.
Not long after that, adorable Miniature Labradoodles were born and raised.
2. They make great running partners
Miniature Labradoodles are very active dogs, which can make them great running partners! If you need someone to go with for your early morning runs or evening jogs, your best bet could be your dog.
Teddy has long legs and needs lots of exercise to keep him happy, healthy and satisfied. To be honest, I’m not sure I could run with him simply because he’s so excitable that he might pull me over. However, with a bit more training I reckon he could get the hang of it.
Even if you’re not looking to run, these dogs need exercising regularly. Whether you’re going for a stroll in the park, a run in the woods or a hike up a cliff, your Miniature Labradoodle will be happy to have time outdoors.
Teddy looks completely different once he has had a hair cut!
3. They’re excitable
As with lots of Poodle crosses, the Miniature Labradoodle is incredibly excitable. Every time I see Teddy again, he stands up on two paws and wags his tail. Sometimes he gets so excited that we wees a little, so best to keep your feet out of the way!
As these dogs are such happy dogs, they can make great companions. As Teddy has proven, they have good memories and enjoy the company of humans. If you love them and are happy to see them, they’ll be just as happy to see you too. They will probably love you more, too.
Teddy even gets excited to see other dogs, which is the only reason why we are not allowed to let him off his leash. As he is so excited to see anyone and anything, it is hard to get him back if he runs towards something. He always wants to say hello to humans and dogs alike.
4. They come in different shapes and sizes
As stated at the beginning of this article, Miniature Labradoodles can come in a range of sizes. Some of them small and some of them not-so-miniature. Their size is just one of the reasons that they can be so unique. Sometimes it is hard to tell how tall they will grow because it depends on their parents.
This breed can also come in a range of colours such as:
- Cream
- Black
- Brown
- Apricot
- Chocolate
They can come in variations of these colours, such as a mousy brown or chocolate brown.
Not only are their size and colour unique but their fur is too. This is down to their parents – a Labrador tends to have straight to wavy fur but a Poodle has variations of curls and ringlets.
The Miniature Labradoodle’s fur could be:
- Wavy
- Curly
- Tight ringlets
- Coarse
- Soft
- Short
- Dense
- Thick
It’s likely that each Miniature Labradoodle that you meet will be different to another.
Teddy loves being out and about on a walk, picking up all of the scents.
5. They tend to be great family pets
As Miniature Labradoodles tend to be affectionate and active dogs, they can make lovely family pets. This means that they could be a great park buddy for you and your kids. Your dog could even motivate your children to do more exercise outdoors, as they are likely to enjoy time outside with their pets.
Apart from being outdoors, Miniature Labradoodles can fit in well with the family indoors too. Teddy is a very strong dog but is the gentlest one I’ve ever met. Although he pulls on his leash, he takes a biscuit from your hand so slowly and nicely. Dogs who have a temperament like Teddy’s can be great for kids because it means that they understand when they need to be gentle, particularly when in confined spaces indoors.
In fact, the RSPCA stated that dogs can help children to develop kindness and respect. They also said that they can help children to start to take responsibility, which helps them grow into a mature young adult.
Remember that all dogs are different and so you must supervise your children and dog until you feel comfortable. Dogs can act differently when put under stressful situations, so make sure that they do not pose any threat to your children.
6. They do not shed much fur
Most Labradors that I have met have shed a lot of fur to the point where it would be left on my clothes. A Poodle however, can be the opposite and do not shed too much fur at all.
This combination can mean that your Miniature Labradoodle does not shed as much fur as your typical Labrador. Teddy sheds hardly any fur as he has tight ringlets that sit neatly against his body.
Although no dog is hypoallergenic, the Miniature Labradoodle can come close due to the nature of shedding less fur.
Please be mindful that no dog is really hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic means that it is less likely to cause an allergic reaction. It does not mean that they cannot cause any allergic reaction at all.
The American Kennel Club describes hypoallergenic dogs as producing less dander. Dander is the excess skin from your dog that can cause the allergic reaction in a human. So, if you suffer from hayfever or other allergies, it might be worth looking into the types of dogs that are hypoallergenic. The Miniature Labradoodle is just one of those breeds.
Teddy is a playful dog that enjoys the company of humans, other dogs and his toys.
7. They have some common health problems
As most dogs, the Miniature Labradoodle has some common health problems that you need to know about before committing to one. All of these things can add to your vet bills and the quality of life for your dog, so you must make sure that you are aware of any potential issues so that you can combat them if they occur.
Different breeds come with different possible health issues. In this case, we’d be looking at the health issues of both Labradors and Poodles.
Any dog with big floppy ears can suffer from ear infections. This is because bacteria can be stored and grow within their ears as it is a dark and warm place. You can read up on the different types of ear infections and how they are treated but make sure you also understand the symptoms to look out for.
These symptoms could include:
- Your dog scratching his ears regularly
- A strong smell
- Excess skin flaking from his ears
Labradors are prone to health problems such as hip and elbow dysplasia. It can cause arthritis and pain for your pooch as the sockets of the hip and elbows are no longer functioning as normal. Make sure you take note if your pup walks any differently or seems in more pain than usual.
Poodles also suffer with a few common health problems. One of those is cataracts, which is when there is a clouding across your dog’s eyes. It affects their ability to see clearly and could result in blindness. The easiest way to look out of this in your pup is to see if there is any whiteness on their eyes.
Another common health problem that Poodles can get is with their skin. In fact, a lot of dogs can suffer from this health problem as it is quite common for them to have itchy, flaky and generally irritable skin.
In terms of treating their skin allergies, try to look at their lifestyle first. A dog’s skin is just like ours, it needs to be looked after and can be affected by what we eat. However, I appreciate this is not always the case so seek advice from a vet if you have ongoing issues with your dog’s skin.
8. They’re intelligent
Cesar’s Way stated their top 10 smartest breeds and the Poodle comes out second. They have said that this is because the Poodle can be trained to ‘track, hunt, retrieve and obey’.
This means that your Miniature Labradoodle’s Poodle parent could have transferred their smart genes!
Teddy is quite a smart dog – he remembers us even if he hasn’t seen us in a few weeks. The only reason I’d say he can be a little daft is because he is so excitable, which means sometimes he is hard to train as he is overcome with happiness.
This Miniature Labradoodle is considerably smaller than Teddy!
9. They can be easy to train
Due to the Miniature Labradoodle being quite a smart breed of dog, they can be easy to train. You need to make sure that every rule you put in place is done so from the offset to have the best chance for them to understand your commands.
In terms of training your dogs later on to do other things, this is definitely achievable with some time and practice. Obviously I’ve said that Teddy is hard to train due to his excitable ways but there’s no reason why he could not learn with a bit of extra time and attention. Some dogs just take more patience than others.
Teddy loves being outdoors, whether that’s in the garden or out on an adventure.
As stated before, all dogs are different and everything spoken about in this article is based on thorough research and my own experience with the breed. If you are unsure if this breed is for you, try spending time with one before committing to one yourself.
I thoroughly enjoy the time that I spend with my doggy friend Teddy. He really is the gentlest giant (yet not so miniature) that I’ve met and he just really enjoys being around people. If you are after a dog that has a soft temperament and a kind heart, a Miniature Poodle could be the one for you.
To summarise, here are the key things to take away from this article:
- They come in all different shapes and sizes – seriously…
- Their weight, height and colour is determined by their genes
- They can make great family pets
- They can be great for people with allergies
So, is a Miniature Labradoodle for you?
