Are you looking to learn about miniature Labradoodle puppies? These beautiful mixed breeds are highly popular among dog lovers of all kinds. They’re smart, friendly, intelligent dogs!
Their smaller size, high level of trainability, and potential to be hypoallergenic make them an easy selection for prospective pet owners with specific needs. There’s a reason why these pups make for incredible family dogs and guide dogs!
The Miniature Labradoodle is not a purebred dog, they are designer dogs, which means they are not recognized by the AKC, and information about the breed standards can be difficult to track.
Fortunately, we’ve collected all of the details right here for you, along with plenty of other miniature labradoodle information, including some background on their purebred parents, tips for socialization, potential health issues your pup might experience, and much more.
A Little Bit of Background
If you hadn’t already guessed by the name, the miniature Labradoodle is a crossbreed between the Labrador retriever and a purebred miniature poodle.
Unfortunately, these designer dogs are so popular that they are often bred in puppy mills, where they may develop some of the health problems prevalent in their parent breeds.
Read on to learn about some of those health problems and other genetic factors to consider when you adopt these small dogs.
Labradors
The Labrador retriever is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. These beautiful pups are intelligent and loving family dogs. They were originally bred as hunting companions in Newfoundland. They were recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1917. Labradors can be prone to hip dysplasia and epilepsy, two health risks that miniature Labradoodles may inherit.
Labradors are medium-large size dogs, which makes them significantly larger than miniature Labradoodles. What they do have in common, though, is their gentle but outgoing nature, as well as their intelligence and high trainability.
They also have quite a similar appearance, except for the mini Labradoodle’s coat, which they inherit from their mini Poodle parents.
Miniature Poodles
The small stature of a miniature Labradoodle comes from the fact that they descend from miniature Poodles.
Miniature Poodles are not quite as small as toy Poodles, but they are quite compact in size. They will only grow to about 15 inches tall and weigh between 12 and 20 pounds compared to the standard Poodle who will grow to about.
Poodles are some of the smartest dogs around, which makes them quite easy to train. That’s why you’ll often see this breed in dog shows — the breed was also historically used in circus acts!
Intelligence is only one of the traits that miniature Poodles have passed on to miniature Labradoodles. The Poodle heritage also gave them a loyal and lively nature, as well as beautiful wavy or curly coats.
However, there are a few health issues that miniature Labradoodles have inherited from their poodle parents, as well. This includes hypothyroidism, a condition in which the body fails to create enough thyroid hormone.
They can also inherit an issue known as progressive retinal atrophy, which is a group of different degenerative eye conditions.
Origins of the Mini Doodle
The miniature Labradoodle, or the mini doodle, is a relatively new mixed breed dog that doesn’t have much of a storied history.
The first generation of these designer dogs was created by a breeder in Australia in 1988. The idea was to breed a charming and affectionate pup with a coat that shed less and didn’t have too much of an odor to it but could also perform tasks for their owners as they entered old age.
The resulting dog was pretty much all of those things, but with the added bonus of being absolutely adorable!
Ever since miniature Labradoodles came to America in the late ’80s, they have been an incredibly popular breed for dog owners of all kinds who are in search of an excellent family pet.
They are, of course, a designer breed, so they are not actually recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), but that doesn’t make them any less of an iconic staple within the world of dog lovers.
There are two types of Miniature Labradoodle
There are two types of Miniature Labradoodle: the Mini Labradoodle and the Mini Australian Labradoodle.
Both types of Mini Labradoodles, also called Toy Labradoodles, combine a Labrador Retriever and a Miniature or Toy Poodle. But, the Mini Australian Labradoodle also has American Cocker Spaniel, English Cocker Spaniel, and Irish Water Spaniel lineage in its history.
Looks and Personality
When it comes to looks and personality, the miniature Labradoodle is basically a doggy movie star. These pups are absolutely gorgeous. They have all of the traits you’re looking for in a canine companion.
Let’s take a look at all of the different aspects of the miniature Labradoodle’s appearance and behavior, from their average size to their temperament to the array of coat colors they can have and more.
Mini Labradoodle Size
Well, they don’t call them miniature for no reason. The mini Labradoodle is a smaller version of the standard Labradoodle, averaging about 14 to 16 inches in height and weighing around 15 to 25 pounds.
However, because one of their parent breeds is the Labrador retriever, there is always a chance that they can be a bit bigger than that.
If your miniature Labradoodle puppy is more “labra” than “doodle” you may find that it grows up to 24 inches tall and weighs up to 30 pounds — not exactly huge, but considerably bigger than the average!
Should your miniature Labradoodle puppy take on more of its miniature Poodle parent’s traits when it comes to size, they’re likely to stick around the 14- to 16-inch height range, but they may wind up weighing only 10 to 15 pounds.
Behavior
Miniature Labradoodles have a ton of personality and an easy-going temperament for a beloved family pet.
While you may find that your mini Labradoodle puppy takes on more of the behaviors of either their Labrador or mini poodle parent, there are certain traits that are prevalent in both breeds, which means they are prevalent in miniature Labradoodles, too.
These traits include friendliness, loyalty, affection, and gentle nature. Mini Labradoodles will generally get along well with other pets, but early socialization is always encouraged.
Like their parent breeds, miniature Labradoodles are very intelligent dogs, which gives them high trainability. For this reason, you’ll often see Labradoodles used as service dogs, therapy dogs, and guide dogs.
Their high level of intelligence means that they are keenly aware of their owner’s emotions. They offer a great deal of companionship and affection when they sense that their family members are in distress.
Coat Colors
The many beautiful coat colors and coat types that miniature Labradoodle puppies can possess are defining characteristics of the breed.
From wool to fleece to shaggy to wavy to kinky, there’s a wide variety of different looks your pup can have — and they’re all dazzling. Some coat types are even allergy-friendly.
They either shed very little or don’t shed at all, which means that mini Labradoodles are often deemed to be a great choice for allergy-suffering dog lovers.
There are a variety of coat colors that your mini Labradoodle puppy can display. Their final color and coat style depends on which of the parent breeds’ genes are the strongest.
If your pup is more Labrador, you’ll see it reflected in a yellow, chocolate, or black coat.
If they’re more miniature poodles, the coat can be apricot, blue, brown, gray, cream, silver, red, silver-beige, or white.
Care Tips
There’s quite a bit to know when it comes to caring for your miniature Labradoodle puppy.
They may be small, but they are demanding, especially when they’re young! Don’t panic, though.
Just make sure to check out the following mini labradoodle care tips below.
Grooming
Your mini Labradoodle puppy’s grooming needs are going to depend on which parent breed they get their coat from.
If they have a Labrador’s double coat, you can stick to brushing them weekly. If they have a miniature Poodle’s coat, they’re going to take a little more work than that.
Their curly hair can become tangled easily and that can be painful for your pup. Try to give them a daily brushing to keep their hair tangle-free and comfortable.
Remember, whether your miniature Labradoodle has a shedding coat, a low shedding coat, or a non-shedding coat, you still need to be diligent about how you groom them.
Give their chest, neck, armpits, and floppy ears extra attention, as those are the areas that tend to be the most prone to mats and knots. Also, remember that even a hypoallergenic dog may cause you allergy issues if you allow their hair to gather, so stick to that grooming regimen!
Grooming
Your mini labradoodle puppy’s grooming needs are going to depend on which parent breed they get their coat from.
If they have a Labrador’s double coat, you can stick to brushing them weekly. If they have a miniature poodle’s coat, they’re going to take a little more work than that. Their curly hair can become tangled easily and that can be painful for your pup. Try to give them a daily brushing to keep their hair tangle-free and comfortable.
Remember, whether your miniature labradoodle has a shedding coat, a low shedding coat, or a non-shedding coat, you still need to be diligent about how you groom them.
Give their chest, neck, armpits, and floppy ears extra attention, as those are the areas that tend to be the most prone to mats and knots. Also, remember that even a hypoallergenic dog may cause you allergy issues if you allow their hair to gather, so stick to that grooming regimen!
Feeding and Nutrition
Mini labradoodle puppies are just like any other puppies: They need a proper diet that is properly portioned in order to grow up healthy and strong.
When they’re very young, they like to eat quite often, generally up to four times a day. As they grow older, you’ll feed them less frequently, but with larger portions. A typical miniature labradoodle diet should include about 1.5 to 2 cups of dry food per day.
Do your best to provide your pup with all-natural food that is rich in meat proteins, fruits, and vegetables. It may cost a little extra, but it can increase your dog’s lifespan and reduce the number of costly vet visits you’ll have to make.
Feeding and Nutrition
Mini Labradoodle puppies are just like any other puppies: They need a proper diet that is properly portioned in order to grow up healthy and strong.
When they’re very young, they like to eat quite often, generally up to four times a day. As they grow older, you’ll feed them less frequently, but with larger portions. A typical miniature Labradoodle diet should include about 1.5 to 2 cups of dry food per day.
Do your best to provide your pup with all-natural food that is rich in meat proteins, fruits, and vegetables. It may cost a little extra, but it can increase your dog’s lifespan and reduce the number of costly vet visits you’ll have to make.
Exercising
Being a Labrador mini poodle mix means that miniature Labradoodles are high-energy dogs, so you’ll need to give them plenty of exercise to keep your pup from getting bored or destructive.
Strive to give them at least 30 to 60 minutes of good exercise per day. This can include walking them around your neighborhood or through a local park, taking them on runs with you, playing with them in your backyard, or allowing them to play with other dogs.
If you find that your dog is getting into a lot of trouble or acting crazy when it’s time to relax, it’s likely because they’re not getting enough exercise. Don’t take it out on them — just take them out!
Health
The overwhelming popularity of both the miniature labradoodle and standard Labradoodle breed has led to a lot of poor breeding practices for them, which unfortunately means that the health issues prevalent in their parent breeds are often inherited. This is why it’s important that you get your pup from a reputable breeder who cares about their dogs.
Health issues to be aware of in your miniature labradoodle include elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, epilepsy, Addison’s disease, Cushing’s disease, and progressive retinal atrophy.
All dogs have genetic predispositions to certain health issues, so the best thing you can do is to remain diligent and develop a good relationship with your vet.
Summary
There you have it — a quick guide to everything that you need to know about your miniature labradoodle puppy.
It’s great that you’ve taken the time to go over this guide so that you know how best to care for your new family member.
Remember, all dogs take plenty of time and effort, but the rewards you can reap are absolutely priceless. Good luck!
