Dog Lifestyle, Pets and Family

All About Mini Goldendoodles: A Top Family Dog

Mini Goldendoodles are indeed one of the finest family dogs and easily get along well in any home or family.  Mini Goldendoodles are another doodle breed that is smaller than others and is in addition to the multiple other imaginative doodle crosses that we explore in our article What is with the Doodle? 20 Doodles You Need to Know

Beige Mini Goldendoodle peeking out of a wooden bucket.

These adorable little dogs will steal your heart with their loving personality, loyalty intelligence, and of course adorableness!  With high intelligence, loyalty, and playfulness, Mini Goldendoodles are truly a dog lover’s delight. Mini Goldendoodles will fill your home with joy and happiness. 

What is a Mini Goldendoodle?

Mini Goldendoodles are a hybrid dog that is developed by crossing a Miniature Poodle with a Golden Retriever. These dogs possess the most lovable traits of both their ancestors. Mini Goldendoodles are intelligent, easy to train and make great family pets.

Mini Goldendoodle Breed Summary

StatsDescription
Dog Breed GroupHybrid, Mixes
PurposeCompanion 
AncestryGolden Retriever, Mini Poodle 
Average Height13 to 20 inches at the shoulder
Weight Range15 to 36 pounds
Energy level Moderate to high
Exercise requirementsAround 30 minutes per day
FeaturesThick shaggy coat, low-shedding
Life Expectancy10 to 15 years 
Mini Goldendoodle puppy looking into the camera and standing on grass.
Mini Goldendoodle make great family dogs.

How big does a Mini Goldendoodle Get?

When fully grown, a Mini Goldendoodle will measure 13 to 20 inches high at the wither. When fully grown adorable these hybrid dogs will weigh between 15 to 35 pounds.

Many dog lovers find this to be the perfect size of a dog that is able to keep up with the family yet is portable and adaptable as well.  

Are Mini Goldendoodles Good Dogs: The temperament of a Mini Goldendoodle

Yes, Mini Goldendoodles are good dogs!  Mini Goldendoodles are friendly, loyal, and affectionate dogs that live for companionship. They thrive on being part of household activity. These dogs can easily be included during family picnics and other outdoor activities.  Mini Goldendoodles are extremely affectionate and are receptive to people of all ages. They make amazing companions for children and other pets. Mini Goldendoodles are very loyal and can do anything to please their owners. 

Golden mini Goldendoodle in a half of a wine barrel peeking out in a red collat.
Intelligent and fun dogs Mini doodles make great family dogs

Mini Goldendoodles are curious, playful, and sporty dogs. They’re charming and intelligent but sometimes may also be mischievous. Mini Goldendoodles learn things very quickly and that makes them quite easy to train. When bored or left alone for a longer duration of time, Mini Goldendoodles can indulge in destructive behavior. 

Mini Goldendoodles are an adaptable mixed breed designer breed. They can live a good life in apartments as long as they get the regular exercise they need. This little happy-go-lucky charmer is well-suited for novice owners. These little dogs also have a fairly good tolerance for hot and cold atmospheres.

Mini Goldendoodles need early socialization and exposure to different people, animals, and places, like dog parks and dog beaches. This will ensure that your Mini Goldendoodle puppy grows up to be a well-rounded dog.

What to Look For in a Mini Goldendoodle?

Getting your first Mini Goldendoodle can be very exciting. There is no better way to see how your Mini Goldendoodle will grow up than by looking at his parents.

Make sure the Mini Goldendoodle puppy that you are picking out is as healthy as possible. Look out for any signs of poor health such as unusual gait, laziness, runny nose, ear or tooth infections.

Take care in choosing your Mini Goldendoodle look for bright and well socialized puppy

Choose a Mini Goldendoodle puppy that is friendly and freely socializes with people. Look at the medical records of the puppy’s parents to look for any genetic conditions.

Mini Goldendoodles are like small kids and heavily rely on our care as pet parents! You must give your Mini Goldendoodles high-quality food, care for their grooming needs, and provide plenty of dog physical and mental stimulation.

What Problems Can Mini Goldendoodles Have?

Like any genetic cross your puppy can have the next of both breeds or undesirable traits of both breeds.  A breeders job is to ensure that you are getting the best of both breeds and highly reputable breeders will do that and then ensure that with an OFA certification as being free from genetic diseases, and they may also be AKC Community Canines

Mini Goldendoodle sitting in the snow with snow on his muzzle.
It is important to work with a reputable breeder to get your Mini Goldendoodle

Nevertheless, each puppy you desire to purchase should be veterinary checked and health-certified before leaving the breeder for its new home come with a health guarantee.

How Much Does a Mini Goldendoodle Puppy Cost?

You should expect to pay between $2,500 to $3,000 an up for a Mini Goldendoodle from a reputable breeder.  This may seem like a lot but as our expert breeder in our article Baby German Shepherd Cost: Advice From the Experts noted: Vet medical costs and the heartbreak of health issues in adult dogs indicate that if you are in love with this breed an experienced breeder with superior bloodlines is very beneficial for the long term health and wellness of your dog.

Additionally, it was noted that the high cost of purchasing a dog from a breeder is not that high when we consider all that goes into breeding a healthy and well-socialized dog from the breeder’s perspective and that the dog will be a lifelong friend, companion and perhaps working dog (in the case of a Mini Goldendoodle they may actually be an Emotional Support Dog), the cost of a purebred dog is very reasonable.

How to Find a Reputable Mini Goldendoodle Dog Breeder?

Just like in our article how much does a Baby German Shepherd Cost: Advice From the Experts we discussed the importance of finding a reputable breeder, this applies to Mini Goldendoodles as well.

Ms. Bennet, an expert German Shepherd breeder on the Central Coast of California indicated that a reputable breeder should provide you with education about the breed, provide a written health warranty, references and reviews and provide health records of their breeding dogs. They should give health records of their puppies reflecting proper deworming and vaccinations according to age and no puppy should ever leave the breeder prior to 8 weeks of age.

Early care of developing puppies is also important and the way the breeder starts the puppies out in life. Central Coast German Shepherds provides ENS – Early Neuro Stimulation beginning at 3 days old.  Early neurological stimulation (ENS) has been proposed to enhance the natural abilities of dogs. “This kind of stimulation involves subjecting pups aged between 3 and 16 days to mild forms of stimulation leading to “stress,” and is said to lead to faster maturation and better problem-solving abilities later in life and stronger immune system support,” says Bennett.  

This is applicable to Mini Goldendoodles just as to German Shepherds, so it is important when looking for your next forever companion to heed her advice and find a Mini Goldendoodle breeder that meets these criteria.  

Now that you know all about Mini Goldendoodles:

Test Your Dog Breed Knowledge With The Dog Breed Quiz

And check out these fun Mixed Breeds and Learn about the Worst Breeds for Families

Mini Goldendoodle FAQs

What do I need to know before getting a Mini Goldendoodle?

Like any dog you will need to ensure that you have space for the dog to play and sleep and time to care for your dog. Mini Goldendoodles need walks, playtime and time with you just like any dogs. They are moderately energetic and enjoy time with their charges.

Are Mini Goldendoodles high maintenance?

Mino Goldendoodles require the same care and attention as many dogs, however, in addition they need frequent and consistent grooming which requires you to find a groomer that knows how to groom Doodles or learn how to groom your dog yourself (just steer clear from dog grooming mistakes like these). In my book makes them high maintenance which may be worth it for many. They also have moderate energy that will require mental and physical exertion and time.

Are Mini Goldendoodles hard to train?

Thankfully the Mini Goldendoodle is very trainable which is one reason families love them! They are a cross of two very intelligent trainable dogs, the Golden Retriever and the Poodle so it makes sense that Mini Goldendoodles are so trainable.

Do Mini Goldendoodles get attached to one person?

Often a consideration of families that want to get a dog is whether or not the dog will bond with all family members. Mini Goldendoodles will bond with all family members but this also depends on the time, care and attention each member puts into the relationship. If the caretaking responsibilities and the source of affection fall to one member, a Mini Goldendoodle, like any dog will bond the most with that person.

How big is a Mini Goldendoodle when it is full grown?

The average height of a Mini Goldendoodle will be 17 inches at the shoulder, however, their height ranges from 13-20 inches full grown.

How many years does a Mini Goldendoodle live?

As we know, larger dogs tend to have a shorter lifespan which is good news for a Mini Goldendoodle since their life expectancy is 10-15 years.