This is your guide for the best types of mini doodle dogs, a.k.a. mini doodles. If you’re looking to bring a dog into your home but don’t want a large dog breed – that’s alright. You can always opt for small doodle dogs. These small dogs make great pets. Most Doodles are bred with a Poodle and another purebred dog. Because of this crossbreeding, doodles come in all sizes, including mini! Doodles are amiable dogs and are perfect for bringing into your home. We’ve made a list of the best mini Doodle breeds for you.
Prefer to watch a video? We created a video on the best mini doodle breeds below!
Before scrolling down this list of Mini Doodle breeds, check out other similar guides: What is the Best Doodle Breed and Best Poodle Mixes.
1. Mini Aussiedoodle
First on the list of the best mini Doodle breeds is the Mini Aussiedoodle. These dogs are a cross between the Poodle and the Australian Shepherd. They are considered genius dogs primarily because their parents are brilliant animals. Australian Shepherds were initially used as herding dogs. These dogs have to think and act quickly in various situations. The Poodle is considered one of the most intelligent dog breeds and is often used as helping dogs for the elderly or people with disabilities.
Therefore, the Aussiedoodle naturally inherits these desirable qualities, making them highly active and clever animals. Due to their personality, you must keep them occupied with training, exercise, and playtime. This helps them socialize and keeps them busy. Bored Aussiedoodles are often quite tricky to deal with. Aussiedoodles aren’t precisely small dogs. They grow closer to the size of an Australian Shepherd.
Aussiedoodle Mentions: Toy Aussiedoodles For Sale and Mini Aussiedoodle Puppies For Sale.
2. Mini Bernedoodle
The Mini Bernedoodle is a crossbreed between the Toy or Miniature Poodle and the Bernese Mountain Dog. Remember, Bernese Mountain Dogs aren’t exactly small dogs. They are pretty big. Therefore, your Bernedoodle may not be “mini” by the time they reach adulthood. Bernedoodles are calm, loyal, intelligent, and affectionate dogs.
They love being around their family and enjoy doing activities. Bernedoodles are playful dogs and often approach people they know, hoping to play with them. Like most dogs, you should socialize and train your Bernedoodle from puppyhood to ensure they know how to behave around other people. Apart from this, Bernedoodles are protective of their family. However, they aren’t exactly aggressive dogs and are often shy in front of unknown people.
Bernedoodle Mentions: Bernedoodle vs. Goldendoodle and Best Mini Bernedoodle Breeders in the United States.
3. Miniature Cavapoo
The Mini Cavapoo combines the Mini Poodle and the Cavalier King Charles. These dogs were used as Royal dogs from the 17th century. They may be lap dogs, but they were also used as hunting dogs. The Cavapoo inherits most of these qualities from the Cavalier. They are one of the most loving, affectionate, and loyal breeds. They get along with almost anyone, including children, cats, and strangers.
These dogs don’t just make great pets. Their affectionate, calm, and warm personality makes them fantastic therapy dogs. However, you must ensure you keep your Cavapoo healthy. They are predisposed to some dangerous health conditions inherited from the Cavalier. Apart from this, you will surely have a great time around these loving dogs.
Cavapoo Mentions: Best Cavapoo Rescues For Adoption and How Big Do Cavapoos Get?
4. Mini Cockapoo
The miniature Cockapoo is one of the world’s most popular mini dog breeds. These dogs are bred from a Mini Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. Spaniels were often used as companions or hunting dogs in Spain in the 1800s because of their intelligence. The Cockapoo is a loving, sweet, calm, and loyal animal. These cuddly little dogs love participating in family activities and go to any lengths to please their owners. They inherit this behavior from their Poodle parents. Cockapoos are known to be sensitive and soft dogs.
Because Cockapoos are sensitive, they don’t respond to harsh treatment well. They may snap or growl at you if they feel threatened or afraid. Therefore, if you plan on bringing a Cockapoo home, you must socialize and train them from puppyhood. Other than this, Cockapoos make for perfect family animals. Lastly, Cockapoos are prone to eye conditions like progressive renal atrophy and cataracts. Therefore, if you notice your Cockapoo rubbing its face continuously or see any redness around its eyes, take them to the vet immediately.
Cockapoo Mentions: How Much Does a Cockapoo Cost and Cockapoo vs. Goldendoodle.
5. Mini Goldendoodle
Goldendoodles are one of the most popular dogs in the United States. Mini Goldendoodles are a mix between Golden Retrievers and Miniature Poodles. They are usually small dogs, but they may inherit the size of their Golden Retriever parent and startle you. The Mini Goldendoodle is your perfect playmate if you’re an active person or live in an active family. These designer dogs love to play and exercise and stay around their owners.
With their playfulness comes their love of socializing. Mini Goldendoodles love making new friends and are often ready to mingle with strangers, children, cats, and other dogs. These traits make the Mini Goldendoodle the perfect family pet. Additionally, if you’re allergic but still love dogs, you don’t need to worry because Goldendoodles are known to shed very little.
Goldendoodle Mentions: Best Mini Goldendoodle Breeders in the United States and Mini Goldendoodle Size Guide.
6. Miniature Havapoo
The Mini Havapoo is a combination of the Havanese and the Poodle. The Havanese is a tough, small, cute dog breed from Cuba. They draw their name from Havana, the capital of Cuba, because they were prevalent amongst the Cuban Royals. Mini Havapoos are mostly friendly, loving, playful, and loyal dogs. They love spending time with their owners and family.
This makes Mini Havapoos easy dogs to train. The Mini Havapoo is naturally a social dog, but ensure that you socialize them from a young age. And these dogs get along well with children. But remember, never leave extremely young children unattended around them for the safety of your dog and child. Unfortunately, these dogs don’t make for excellent guard dogs simply because of their loving and trusting nature. This also leads to lesser barking in comparison to other small dog breeds.
Havapoo Mentions: Havapoo Puppies For Sale in the United States and Havapoo vs. Cavapoo.
7. Miniature Labradoodle
As the name suggests, this breed is a cross between the Poodle and the Labrador. Labradoodles are one of the friendliest breeds, and this is because of the genetics of their parents. Both the Labrador and Poodle are incredibly energetic, loving, and friendly dogs and make for one of the best family pets. Their offspring naturally inherit all these qualities, giving them the best of both worlds. Therefore, a Mini Labradoodle will surely be a fantastic companion if you or your family love going on hikes, runs, or other adventurous activities.
Because Mini Labradoodles are highly social animals, leaving them alone for a few hours can induce a strong sense of boredom and loneliness. Therefore, getting a Mini Labradoodle, or any social dog for that matter, isn’t a wise option if you work away from home full-time. However, they are friendly if exposed to new people, dogs, and places. With good training and socialization, your Mini Labradoodle can make for an exquisite family pet.
Labradoodle Mentions: When Do Labradoodles Stop Growing and Best Silver Labradoodle Coat Guide.
8. Mini Jackapoo
Also known as the Poojack, the Mini Jackadoodle is an adorable combination between the Jack Russell Terrier and the Miniature or Toy Poodle. The Jack Russell was initially bred in England in the 1800s and used to hunt rabbits, foxes, and other games. Jack Russels are small, fast, yet sturdy dogs. The Mini Jackapoo inherits the exquisite loyalty and intelligence of the Poodle and the vibrant playfulness and energy of the Jack Russell. However, some Mini Jackapoos can behave more like one parent than the other.
The Mini Jackapoo is an active, loyal, hardworking, and energetic animal that loves being occupied. As these animals were used for hunting, they must get their daily exercise. Otherwise, they may end up becoming destructive. Ensure to train your Mini Jackapoo because they are known to be loud barkers. The Jack Russell Terrier is known for being aggressive and stubborn around other animals, making socialization even more important for the Jackapoo. Mini Jackapoos should not display signs of aggressiveness, given that they’ve been properly socialized.
Jackapoo Mention: Top Male Jack Russell Terrier Dog Names.
Reasons Why You Should Get Yourself a Mini Doodle Dog
- Perfect for apartment living: Standard Doodle dogs should not live in apartments because of their vibrant energy and large size. However, mini Doodles are an excellent choice for apartment living. Mini Doodles are comparatively less energetic than their larger counterparts. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t need their daily dose of exercise. Mini Doodles are naturally more adaptable to houses of varying sizes. Also, mini Doodles don’t necessarily need a backyard to play in, unlike larger dogs. Although, you should have access to a dog park or any park to fulfill your mini dog’s exercise requirements.
- Bond well with children: These social animals are all about receiving and giving love. That includes everyone, including strangers, cats, other dogs, and children. Children are usually highly energetic, and mini Doodles need someone to match their energy. As mini Doodles are much smaller than standard Doodles, the risk of knocking over the child is lower. However, you shouldn’t leave your child unattended. Some mini Doodles come from a line of hunting and herding dogs. These instincts may kick in at any time.
- Hypoallergenic: There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog because every dog sheds a bit. However, Doodles are known to shed a lot less and produce lesser amounts of allergy, inciting dander in their fur. This should be a pleasant surprise for people allergic to dog fur.
Doodle Product Recommendations: Best Brush For a Poodle and Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods.
Things to Consider Before Getting a Mini Doodle
More Responsibilities
If you’ve never owned a dog before (or been the primary caretaker), owning a dog takes a lot of work, especially for the first few months. So here are a few things you will have to do to look after your mini Doodle:
- Meeting their basic needs such as proper diet and clean water
- Ensuring they don’t urinate or defecate around the house
- Brushing their teeth and cleaning their ears to keep infections at bay
- Bathing them
- Exercise
- Training
- Consistent grooming (Doodles need professional grooming every 6-8 weeks)
- Veterinary care and medication
These are just a few things that will keep you occupied. The list is unending. Some people say raising a dog is uncannily similar to raising a child. It’s a lot of work, and you must be dedicated to the process.
Expenses
If you think rearing a dog doesn’t require money, you might need to think again. Mini Doodles require a certain amount of financial investment from you to meet their needs.
Some of the expenses include:
- Dog toys, collars, leashes
- Food, bowls
- Veterinary expenses
- Grooming
- Medication
- Extra charges on vacations (dog sitters)
- Pet rent/pet deposits for apartments
These costs can get quite daunting if you aren’t prepared for them. However, if you create a plan and prepare to take on these costs, you have nothing to worry about.
Mini Doodles Are Energetic
Looking after a mini Doodle might be challenging if you aren’t active. Here are some of the things you will have to do with active dogs:
- Take them for walks regularly
- Run, cycle, or skate with them
- Take them to the dog park to socialize them with other dogs
- Engage in sporting activities with your dog, like Frisbee
All of these things help in releasing built-up energy in your mini Doodle. You need to realistically approach what level of activity you can commit to before getting a mini Doodle.
Conclusion For The “Best Mini Doodle Breeds”
Looking after any dog is not a walk in the park. However, like owning any pet, if you research and devise a plan, owning a mini Doodle becomes much more manageable. The choices may seem daunting at the moment. Regardless of what mini Doodle you get, it’ll be the best decision you’ve made for you and your canine companion.
For more dog lists from WeLoveDoodles, you can check out:
To learn more about Poodle mixes, watch “15 Poodle Mix Breeds That Will Melt Your Heart” from Dog World down below:
FAQs about the Best Mini Doodle Dogs
Are mini Doodles ethically bred?
In general, yes. What you may have heard of as being unethical are “teacup” dogs. When purchasing any dog, you will want to ensure you get your dog from a reputable breeder. This is especially true for mini Doodles and teacup Doodles. Some breeders (not all breeders) may employ shady methods to make their dogs smaller, such as breeding the runts of the litter. This can lead to serious health problems. Here at We Love Doodles, we always recommend getting to know your future dog’s breeder. This includes a visit to the breeder’s facilities. A reputable breeder will encourage, and may even require, an in-person visit.
Which is the calmest mini Doodle breed?
Because Doodles are a mix of two breeds, there is great variation in size, appearance, and behavior. Some puppies may have the best traits from both parent breeds, whereas other puppies may take after one breed or the other. However, in general, mini Goldendoodles (Poodle + Golden Retriever) and mini Labradoodles (Poodle + Labrador Retriever) are considered the calmest mini Doodle breeds. This is because of the calm nature of Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.
What is the smallest Doodle breed?
The Internet is not in agreement about the smallest Doodle breed. Some say it is the Chipoo (Poodle + Chihuahua), while others maintain it is the Pomapoo (Poodle + Pomeranian). Why the disagreement?? Well, because Doodles aren’t technically a breed, they don’t have official breed standards like a purebred dog. This means that there aren’t official size ranges for various Doodle types.
What is the average lifespan of a mini Doodle?
On average, mini Doodles tend to live a few years longer than their standard counterparts. For example, Standard Bernedoodles tend to live for 11-13 years, whereas Mini Bernedoodles normally live 12-17 years. Your breeder will be a good source of information on life expectancy for you particular mini Doodle puppy.
What is the cutest mini Doodle breed?
How could you even ask that?? LOOK AT THEIR SQUISHY LITTLE FACES. LOOK AT THEM. They’re ALL the CUTEST.
Want to learn more information about the “Best Mini Doodle Breeds”, then check out the video below:
Dr. Sabrina Kong graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in England in 2016 and has been working at a small animal clinic in Northern California since then. She grew up in the Bay Area and got her bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She also became a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner through a program at the University of Tennessee.
When she isn’t in the clinic taking care of her four-legged patients, she enjoys traveling and trying new foods with her friends and her three-legged dog, Apollo. She adopted Apollo from her clinic when he was a puppy with numerous health issues. Dr. Kong truly cares about taking care of animals.