What do you get when you introduce a Golden Retriever to a Toy or Mini Poodle?
A pawfect puppy named the micro Goldendoodle!
Designer dogs are all the rage these days. Seems like everyone’s picking them instead of standard, purebred pups. But, if it wasn’t for those two purebred dogs, we wouldn’t have a micro Goldendoodle today.
The combination of the Golden Retriever and the Mini Poodle couldn’t result in anything less than perfection. We got a small, hypoallergenic pooch with the sweetest temperament of them all!
Still, not all about the micro Goldendoodle is sugar, spice, and everything nice.
How about we snuggle under the blanket with our cuddly teddy pup and find out more about this special designer breed?
How Small Is The Micro Goldendoodle Compared To Other Goldendoodles?
Very small.
But, we can’t stop here. There’s a reason why these pups are so small and we’re about to get to the bottom of it.
To give you a better idea of how small these dogs are, let’s say they’re also called micro mini or micro petite Goldendoodles. See, really tiny!
Anyway, let’s talk about actual sizing and numbers. What do you think: what’s the exact height of micro Goldendoodles?
Shockingly, these pups never grow past the 12 inches mark.
Their weight matches their height too, because most micro Goldendoodles weigh from 5 to 10 pounds.
If you compare their size to an average teacup Goldendoodle, you’ll see they’re even smaller than the pups that fit into cups! For reference, teacup Goldendoodles weigh around 13 pounds.
Let’s recap for a moment other Goldendoodle sizes:
- Toy Goldendoodle (less than 20 pounds)
- Mini Goldendoodle (less than 30 pounds)
- Medium Goldendoodle (less than 45 pounds)
- Standard Goldendoodle (more than 45 pounds)
As you can see, toy, mini, medium, and standard Goldendoodles are much bigger. And, also, they’re the only ethical sizes when it comes to this designer breed.
Micro and teacup Goldendoodles are not ethical because of their breeding, which we’ll discuss in the following paragraph.
Why Micro Goldendoodles Aren’t Ethical
Many breeders and dog lovers stand with the same ethical principles. They claim that breeding micro, micro-mini, and micro-petite pups is absolutely unethical!
The breeding process of a micro-mini starts with breeding a Toy Poodle with a small Golden Retriever. The following step is focused on breeding runts exclusively for the next couple of generations.
Only breeding the smallest dog from the litter, a.k.a. the runt, could lead the offspring to become smaller and smaller. The final result will come eventually in the shape of a micro Goldendoodle.
An example of the litter runt.
Select breeding is rather cruel on the animals. Such breeders are only thinking of the final result. No one stops to think about the many health issues these small dogs might have.
And, better believe it, there will be numerous health problems connected with micros.
Are Micro Goldendoodles Really That Unhealthy?
Designer dogs often have plenty of health problems. The reason behind this is that they were created from at least two different dog breeds. Such breeding usually continues throughout the generations to get the desired result.
A dog that has many traits of other dogs is prone to lots of health conditions.
According to Embark, the world’s leading organization for DNA testing, standard Goldendoodles can be quite healthy. However, given the fact the micro Goldendoodle is a result of unadvisable breeding practices, we can’t say the same for these pooches.
There’s a higher chance micro Goldendoodles will develop any of the following health issues, all because their parents are the micro-mini Goldendoodle has more issues than a standard Goldendoodle.
The practice has shown the following conditions to be among the most common ones:
- hypoglycemia
- heart defects
- seizures
- collapsing trachea
- digestive problems
- respiratory problems
- blindness
Other veterinarians claim they can’t forget about the following conditions:
- liver shunts
- development of dental and gums
- patella luxation
- hydrocephalus
What I want to shine light on is the percentage of Golden Retriever DNA found in every Goldendoodle. The more Golden blood, the more chance a Goldendoodle will be prone to cancer.
Golden Retrievers are one of the leading breeds in developing different cancer forms like osteosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, etc. |1|
We can’t really prevent cancer, but at least you can take your micro Goldendoodle on regular vet checkups. The earlier cancer is found, there’s more chance it can be curable.
Not one of these conditions should be considered harmless. All of them are potentially fatal, yet the health risks could be the only thing that could drive you away from these adorable cuddle buddies.
How Popular Are Micro Goldendoodles?
Goldendoodles have only been around for a couple of decades. Still, they’ve managed to become as popular as their purebred parents.
However, things have changed in the past couple of years. According to a research |2| that wraps the period from 2013 to 2021, the popularity of Goldendoodles has increased by 347.4%! That’s incredible!
Goldendoodles are the leading Doodles, followed by Labradoodles and other Poodle crosses.
The statistic does mention all Goldendoodles, but it’s pretty obvious that some Goldendoodle sizes are more popular than the others. Of course, since the Standard Poodle is the most common size, it’s normal to have more standard Goldendoodles as their crossbreed pups.
When you think of micro Goldendoodle’s origin, or better yet breeding process, you can conclude yourself that these pooches aren’t as popular as other Doodles.
Future dog owners all want the same thing: a healthy and a happy dog. But, micro Goldendoodles come with a huge price, and that’s their health status. Nobody really wants a dog that could potentially become severely ill.
Still, there is a chance for a miracle and a reliable micro Goldendoodle breeder. We can’t exclude them just yet.
It takes time and lots of commitment to breed a good micro Goldendoodle. Considering this, and the fact that breeders often price micro Goldendoodles at $5,000 and more, we come to a conclusion that this Goldendoodle variety isn’t as popular as the others.
Micro Goldendoodles Going Viral
Every day is a new day. The popularity of micro Goldendoodles can grow overnight. You know how those trendsetters and influencers make something trending within moments. Well, micro Goldendoodles could be all the rage in the future.
One of those happy go lucky examples is Winston, a micro Goldendoodle that’s becoming more and more popular on Instagram by day.
An Instagram account that goes under the name Winston The Miniature Dood has 21k followers and it’s posting daily funny videos featuring a micro Goldendoodle, Winston.
Of course, the account is run by Winston’s mommy, but that doesn’t diminish the fact it’s all about one cool dood!
The lovely red micro Goldendoodle looks like a plush toy, a teddy bear you’d want to hug all the time.
Winston enjoys making fun skits with his hoomans. He’s a natural actor AND he has nothing against being dressed up, even if it’s his angry grandma costume.
Is Micro Goldendoodle Really Worth It?
All Goldendoodles come in a variety of colors and textures. However, micro Goldendoodles usually come in a curly coat, which can be colored black, brown, blue, silver, apricot, tan, silver, sable, merle, or parti colors.
Some of the most common Goldendoodle coat colors.
No matter if the dog is an F1 Goldendoodle or any other generation, he can have either a curly, straight, or loose or wavy coat in any of the aforementioned colors.
As you can see, micros are pretty lovely. They have the appearance of a teddy bear, something a lot of tiny dogs strive for.
However, you have to ask yourself: Are the nice appearance, low to non-shedding coat, and the compact size really worth everything?
Think of many health problems micros bring along. They’re tiny, fragile, and must be well-taken care of. And they’re definitely not dogs for all kinds of families.
If you add their price tag and the complex breeding on the list, it would be obvious that micro Goldendoodles aren’t everyone’s first choice.
To Conclude…
Personally, I wouldn’t mind hanging out with a micro Goldendoodle. They’re the ideal cuddle pups when you need some time to rest and gather your thoughts.
However, I’d think twice before committing to buying a micro Goldendoodle.
Given the fact that you need to breed runts to achieve the micro size, and such puppies end up with a significantly high chance of developing lots of health issues, I don’t think buying a micro Goldendoodle would be a good idea.
It’s not about the AKC recognition or entering the shows. It’s about a dog’s health status, and that’s the most important thing.
Better opt for a regular-sized Goldendoodle, a pup that’s less likely to inherit a bunch of health issues that could impact its life quality and general lifespan.
Sources:
|1| Michael K. Guy, Rodney L. Page, Wayne A. Jensen, Patricia N. Olson, J. David Haworth, Erin E. Searfoss and Diane E. Brown. (2015). The Golden Retriever Lifetime Study: establishing an observational cohort study with translational relevance for human health. DOI
|2| Jules Benson, BVSc MRCVS, Chief Veterinary Officer; Stacey Neff, MS, Biostatistician; Emily M. Tincher, DVM, Director of Veterinary Relations; Gina Spadafori, BA, Veterinary Communications. (2022). Oodles of Doodles: Popularity and health. DOI
