Miniature Poodle

All you need to know about the Miniature Poodle

While the Miniature Poodle isn’t really considered a separate breed from the Standard Poodle, size does matter! There are some subtle differences between the two, and naturally, taking care of a smaller dog can be a different experience altogether!

These pups were originally bred as hunting companions but were turned into lapdogs because of their beauty! They are tiny and can reach a height of up to 15 inches. However, they are not the smallest Poodle size. That would be the Toy Poodle.

The Miniature Poodle has all of a Standard Poodle’s lovely traits but held together in a much tinier package! This makes them even more irresistible!

So you have decided that the Standard Poodle is too big for you and would prefer something smaller instead? Read on to learn everything you should know about the Miniature Poodle.

Fast Facts 

Group: Non-Sporting 

Weight: 10-15 Pounds

Height: 10-15 Inches

Coat: Dense and curly

Shedding: Low shedding

Lifespan: 10-18 years

The Appearance of the Miniature Poodle

The Miniature Poodle is best described as a smaller version of the Standard Poodle. 

Despite being smaller in size, the Miniature Poodle looks just as dignified and aristocratic as the Standard-sized one. It is easy to recognize these pups simply by looking at their dense and curly coat. A lot of owners also like to style it using various puppy cuts.

The ears of these pups fold closely to their head, and their eyes are large, dark, and oval. Poodles always have a constant intelligent expression on their face.

Miniature Poodles love being active, and it shows on their body build. These puppies have some serious power and energy, with strong, muscular shoulders despite the small frame.

Poodles have a medium-length tail that they carry high upward, with pride. There is always an aura of elegance to these dogs, no matter what they do.

Miniature Poodle reaches anywhere between 10 and 15 inches in height, so you should be more careful about how you handle these petite pups.

Looks-wise, there is not much difference between the Standard and the Miniature Poodle, besides the size. What about the color?

What colors does a Miniature Poodle come in?

Miniature Poodles usually come in solid colors. They can also have a number of gorgeous shades of those colors. These shades further highlight the beauty of their curly coat!

According to the breed standard, there are several colors that are recognized for show-quality Miniature Poodles:

• Apricot
• Black
• Blue
• Brown
• Cream
• Gray
• Red 
• Silver
• White

There are also multi-colored Miniature Poodles, but those won’t be able to compete on dog shows. Still, this should not be an issue for most pet owners.

All about the Miniature Poodle personality

Poodles are generally friendly and Miniature Poodle is not an exception to that. You can expect your pet to be a lovable companion. These pups show love and affection to their owners and are extremely loyal.

When it comes to meeting strangers, they tend to be a bit shy and act carefully. This is why they can growl and bark at strangers occasionally. Early socialization and training can solve this.

You should always bring your Miniature Poodle with you wherever you go and expose it to many different people and other pets from a young age. 

Other than that, these pups are highly intelligent and will always do their best to please you.

Is a Miniature Poodle easy to train?

These pups are very smart and have the sole goal of pleasing you. This means that training them should be easy for the most part.

You should strive to be consistent when training your Miniature Poodle and always remain positive while doing so. Reward your pet when it does something good, and that will help your training efforts.

Early socialization is extremely important as well. It will help your Poodle avoid being afraid of strangers. It will also prevent it from behaving aggressively in front of new people.

Miniature Poodles are lively dogs who need about an hour of daily playtime and will demand it! They love interacting with their owners, so make sure to dedicate enough time to your pet.

You don’t want your Miniature Poodle to become bored because that will make it terribly unhappy. They are the descendants of working dogs, so they need to be physically and mentally active!

It seems these pups are truly little bundles of joy! There won’t be a boring moment with them. You know about their personality now, let’s take a look at their grooming habits next.

How much Grooming does a Miniature Poodle need?

Depending on what style of coat you want to keep on your Miniature Poodle, it will determine how much maintenance it requires.

If you keep your pup’s coat furry and unclipped, you will need to brush it every day. You need to groom it carefully because the fur closest to the skin can become extremely matted which can cause issues.

Since leaving the coat untrimmed requires a lot of maintenance, most owners opt to go for one of the popular cuts. Keeping the coat short is actually the most popular option since it doesn’t require so much brushing and combing.

No matter what type of coat style you pick, unless it is cut short, the coat will need brushing and combing, so keep that in mind.

If you decide to go to a professional groomer, you should also plan for them to cut your puppy’s nails. You should trim the nails of your Poodle at least every four to six weeks.

As with the Standard Poodle, these dogs rarely shed, so they make an excellent pick for people with allergies! There are no completely hypoallergenic dogs but Miniature Poodle is better suited for those suffering from dog allergies.

The Living Environment of the Miniature Poodle

Since Miniature Poodles are small, they will basically fit right into any type of household. Still, it would be nice if you could spend as much time as possible with them!

Poodles are great with children, so if you have a large family these tiny pups will be great for you. Miniature Poodles absolutely adore being showered with love, hugs, and the large amounts of playtime that kids can provide them.

If you already have a pet, getting your Miniature Poodle used to it will take some time. If you get many visitors, the dog will often need to get used to the new faces. All of this can be solved with early socialization.

The Health and Nutrition of the Miniature Poodle

Since Miniature Poodles are purebred dogs they can be susceptible to some inherited health issues. 

• However, some conditions plague Miniature Poodles more often than others. These include Cushing’s disease, a condition caused by tumors on the adrenal gland. It can cause a deficit of the hormone cortisol, which affects the blood sugar and stress levels of your dog. This disease may require surgery and lifelong medication.
• Diabetes is also something that can become a problem for your Miniature Poodle if you’re not careful. As usual, visit the veterinarian often to prevent any of these diseases from becoming a huge problem.
• Another relatively common condition is Mitral Valve Disease. It is a malfunction of a heart valve that can appear in these pups. It causes the blood to start leaking from one heart chamber to the other and can cause heart failure.

When it comes to nutrition, always pick the best quality dog food for your Miniature Poodle. These dogs won’t need tons of food, so be careful that your pet never overeats. If that starts happening, it may become overweight, which can cause other issues.

Feed it twice a day, and consult with your vet about the amount of food. It will depend on the size, age, and activity level of your dog.

Where does the Miniature Poodle come from?

This gorgeous dog breed was originally bred as a hunting companion. Despite looking like an aristocratic dog that just sits around in luxury all day, these dogs actually know how to get dirty!

They were hunting ducks almost 400 years ago and were bred for that purpose in Germany. Their popularity grew all over Europe and became known as excellent military dogs, truffle hunters, and even circus dogs!

It wasn’t long before the Standard Poodle breed caught the eyes of nobles. However, they weren’t happy with just the aristocratic, regal look of this breed! They wanted dogs that would fit perfectly in their laps. This is when the Miniature Poodle was born.

Miniature Poodle Mixes you would like to know about*

Dog crossbreeds or mixes are sometimes called designer dogs. The name fits since you are “designing” a new dog by mating two purebred dogs. It has become popular in recent times, and more and more breeds have several noteworthy crosses we could write about.

The thing with mixed puppies is that it is hard to know which characteristics they will inherit from their parents. You should research as much info as possible on the parent breeds to understand what you can expect. This way, you will find a mix that has all of the characteristics you want and love.

Read on to see the most popular Miniature Poodle mixes:

• Cavapoo - Miniature Poodle & Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix
• Cockapoo - Miniature Poodle & American Cocker Spaniel mix
• Spoodle - Miniature Poodle & English Cocker Spaniel mix
• Bichon Poo - Miniature Poodle & Bichon Frise mix
• Yorkipoo - Miniature Poodle & Yorkshire Terrier mix
• Maltipoo - Miniature Poodle & Maltese mix
• Westiepoo - Miniature Poodle & West Highland White Terrier mix
• Pomapoo - Miniature Poodle & Pomeranian mix
• Shih Poo - Miniature Poodle & Shih Tzu mix

*Not all breed mixes are equal in quality! Pets4you.com neither condones nor endorses any example of unethical and unhealthy crossbreeding. We encourage everyone to research in detail before they choose to get a crossbreed.