# Miniature poodles



## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Can I get the good bad and ugly on this variety of poodle please?


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

My Toy and Miniature Poodle act the same... I'm not sure how they would differ from the Standard much (though I have never owned a Standard). 

Lincoln (11 month red mini boy) moves non-stop. He's always exploring and getting into something. Very naughty, but also very smart. He jumps like nobodys business. I can teach him things in a matter of minutes. Loves people, other dogs. Always has a toy in his mouth (that he tries to sneak outside with). Loves to dig. Is excelling in agility training atm.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

From my research and personal opinion...

Good - Nice compact size (not too big, not too small), not as yappy as some smaller dogs, high energy but not overly hyper, fewer genetic health issues than standards, good size for kids if you want a smaller dog (not too small)

Bad - Can be more hyper than Standards, can be more noisy than standards, less common so harder to track down a good breeder than for toys or standards, fewer shown in conformation (so can be hard to title if you're interested in that)

Obviously as I don't have my dog yet, this is largely based on research rather than experience. 

Here's a site I used quite often when researching the different breeds: http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/miniaturepoodles.html


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Oh yes I've been to that site. It seems to say the same things about minis and standards.


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

Wow I always considered the standard poodles less common than toys or mini's. Must be my area, we have a lot of wonderful BYB's here and the petshops always have them as well.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

WonderPup said:


> Wow I always considered the standard poodles less common than toys or mini's. Must be my area, we have a lot of wonderful BYB's here and the petshops always have them as well.


Or could be my area! Here in Ontario the mini classes are generally pretty small at shows, while the standard entries are larger. And mini breeders are less common than standard. I don't really know about toy, but they seem to be more popular than minis. So maybe different regions/ countries, different sized poodles?


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## Flake (Oct 18, 2009)

Duncan seems to need a fair amount of work for his size. Certainly not yappy, but still a great watchdog. Brilliant wee agility fella. Quick to learn, very active, incredibly full on. Big dog = little(ish) body.


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

WonderPup said:


> Wow I always considered the standard poodles less common than toys or mini's. Must be my area, we have a lot of wonderful BYB's here and the petshops always have them as well.


I've never even seen one in person that's how rare they are here.


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## Spencer (Oct 7, 2009)

The wonderfully nice groomerlady that I found for Perry had a mini poo on the table when I made my appointment (which made me have some confidence in her!) she said that he has standard brothers and his mom says that he can out play them all day any day.

Dunno, I kind of have my heart set on a mini once my dogs get older and... well... leave us. I've really enjoyed my poodle experience thus far and want to continue it down the road


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## MericoX (Apr 19, 2009)

Miniatures seem to get lost in the whole Poodle scheme of things. Why get a medium size dog when you can get a "cute little itty bitty teacup toy" or a "hardy standard hiking buddy type dog". 

Lincoln's from toy parents and he's almost close enough that I could reg. him as a Standard (he's about 13-14" tall the last time I measured him). LOL


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## Spencer (Oct 7, 2009)

MericoX said:


> Miniatures seem to get lost in the whole Poodle scheme of things. Why get a medium size dog when you can get a "cute little itty bitty teacup toy" or a "hardy standard hiking buddy type dog".
> 
> Lincoln's from toy parents and he's almost close enough that I could reg. him as a Standard (he's about 13-14" tall the last time I measured him). LOL


This is REALLY off topic... and very sad... but this reminds me of this week's episode of Private Practice (TheFiance and I are addicted to Grey's and Private Practice)... two little people wanted to selectively choose an embryo that would be little like them, because a child of normal stature wouldn't fit in with their lifestyle and their friends, etc. I'll stop right here... and let you all revel in my nerdiness!

Short poodle parents = tall poodle baby... it was a stretch, but I swear that popped right in my head after I read your post! Sadly...


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

I like minis , but would never buy a toy. Minis are much closer in temperament to standards (if bred well) and also very athletic and pretty "sturdy" for their size. Mini is more energetic , more active than standard, yet does not need as much space as standard to exercise ! Mini lives longer on average than standard, as far as I know. BUT, somehow BYB's got hold of most of their breeding and it is hard to find good mini breeder, but definitely doable ! 

Mini can be a perfect compromise for a person who does not have a big yard, wants to travel a lot with a more compact dog and wants to have a dog that is easily groomed at home and easily handled in general. In a well bred mini, intelligence is absolutely same as with standard and temperament almost same - mini on the more active side. 

I have a friend who has standard and mini and she always points out how the only difference between them is the size and it amazes her still LOL. They are best buddies !!!


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## frostfirestandards (Jun 18, 2009)

All the minis I have met- true minis- not oversized toys were pretty drivey 

higher energy level than standards, but more comfortable around kids than toys- and hardier too. I have considered going to minis, coat care is less labor intensive, and they are more portable (LOL) than standards. 

I think its harder to get a good mini because you have two height restrictions instead of just one. 

I want a brown one....someday ill get one


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

What frightens me most about minis is temperament varieties. I guess it's a long process of looking for the person that breeds for the same things you want out of a dog. It's a lot of talking that's for sure.


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## frostfirestandards (Jun 18, 2009)

how old are your kids? 

in general they are like smaller standards, and thus are less likely to knock down really small kids 
but yeah I have seen some crazy temperments come out of all sorts of breeds that are supposed to be good with kids, but at least YOU know to go to a good breeder and not a petstore or BYB- I cant say the same for every parent


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

I have 5 that start at 13 and the youngest is a 2 year old girl. They get knocked down by Harry when he gets a little too happy and in his zone where he's not paying attention. I think I was looking at a mini from the prospective of grooming a smaller dog. Grooming Harry for hours, my entire body hurts when I'm done because of the reach.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

KPoos said:


> I have 5 that start at 13 and the youngest is a 2 year old girl. They get knocked down by Harry when he gets a little too happy and in his zone where he's not paying attention. I think I was looking at a mini from the prospective of grooming a smaller dog. Grooming Harry for hours, my entire body hurts when I'm done because of the reach.


Are there any other breeds your willing to consider? You may want to try another pet forum just to watch and see whats out there. I am a member of another one its pretty large (not on often anymore) before finding this one (which I like a lot) and there is a lot of variety out there. Food for thought.


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## g8dhorse7 (Oct 30, 2009)

I grew up with minis...back when they were in the 15-25lb range. They were very sturdy, athletic, loyal, friendly, not hyper at all, not barky unless provoked or alerting us. My standards were the most vocal and had more energy than I was able to keep up with. LOL! I would LOVE to have a large mini/small standard but the mini's I've come across in the past few years have been hyper, noisy, and expected to weigh at 10-13lbs full grown. And, the standards I've seen within a day's drive from me have been very large...in the 65-90lb range.

Where are the medium sized poodles?!?! LOL!


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Olie said:


> Are there any other breeds your willing to consider? You may want to try another pet forum just to watch and see whats out there. I am a member of another one its pretty large (not on often anymore) before finding this one (which I like a lot) and there is a lot of variety out there. Food for thought.


Why are you so insistant that I need to try another breed? No, there are no other breeds I would consider because 1. I have allergies to many breeds, 2. I want to become a professional groomer and 3. I know this breed because I own one.

I like the poodle. I enjoy their coat care and their personalities and their loyalty to their families.


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

g8dhorse7 said:


> I grew up with minis...back when they were in the 15-25lb range. They were very sturdy, athletic, loyal, friendly, not hyper at all, not barky unless provoked or alerting us. My standards were the most vocal and had more energy than I was able to keep up with. LOL! I would LOVE to have a large mini/small standard but the mini's I've come across in the past few years have been hyper, noisy, and expected to weigh at 10-13lbs full grown. And, the standards I've seen within a day's drive from me have been very large...in the 65-90lb range.
> 
> Where are the medium sized poodles?!?! LOL!


See that's what I thought a mini was! I see a lot of refined looking minis and they just look like large toys so I get worried that the temperament is like a toy. I don't like toy breeds as a general rule so I wouldn't want an oversized toy for that specific reason. This is all just information gathering at this point. I have no immediate plans.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

KPoos said:


> Why are you so insistant that I need to try another breed? No, there are no other breeds I would consider because 1. I have allergies to many breeds, 2. I want to become a professional groomer and 3. I know this breed because I own one.
> 
> I like the poodle. I enjoy their coat care and their personalities and their loyalty to their families.


First of all, stop being SO defensive kpoos really?:rolffleyes: It was a suggestion. I as some members was not aware of your allegies which makes sence you're limited on breeds. I am aware you have Harry, and wish you luck on becoming a pro groomer. I think for the most part people have been very supportive of you on here over the last week while you have been going through issues with Jasper, but to snap at me like that was uncalled for.


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

I apologize I didn't meant to snap. You have to understand there are people placed here to try and discredit me and to upset me and I don't know where it stops and where it begins.

That said, I've said it a few times but that shouldn't really matter because I've decided on a breed that suits me, my life style, and it's something I like because I own already but I've never seen a miniature in action or known anyone that owns one so I'm just asking around.


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## Poodle Lover (Mar 24, 2008)

Kpoos,

It is very hard to find a well bred mini, much harder than a standard. I am currently helping my cousin and his wife to find a red, mini female with a great calm temperament. Let me tell you, it's an uphill battle. Thanks to Carol (Cbrand) I am currently in touch with a breeder who is expecting a litter any day now, so we'll see how that turns out. 

I also own a Havanese and I swear that little bugger is so close in temperament to my standards that it's funny. He actually believes he is a spoo and never met a poodle that he didn't like. :biggrin:


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

I honestly have seen about 2 breeders in Texas that even show (or at least represent them online) their minis. It's more difficult for what reason I don't know? I mean it seems that a mini is such a wonderful compromise. I wonder if it's harder to maintain the size requirements for true minis?


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

Kpoos, perhaps you would want to consider a small standard/ klein/ moyen poodle? While I know that size doesn't officially exist in the US, it is an official size in some parts of Europe. The only thing is your chances of successfully showing in conformation would be lower.

This thread is very interesting to me, as most of the concerns about minis are the ones I have had. Fingers crossed the dogs I meet this afternoon have the types of temperament I'm looking for!


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Oh I love the kleins! I'm not going to do conformation showing at this point in my life. The experience I had has shifted my focus a bit. If I do it will be in UKC which I'm not even sure if they allow that size either because I just want to have fun and enjoy myself with less pressure. True kleins are hard to find but they are awesome, I've seen some on the web. They look just like a miniature standard poodle and I talked to a lady that imported hers and she said they are just like a standard poodle but smaller, not at all like a mini.

Good luck with your puppy! I'm excited for you.


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## amerique2 (Jun 21, 2009)

I had a wonderful white mini poodle growing up. Cherie was so smart, alert and active, but not hyper. She lived to be 19 and was a cherished member of our family. The shows I've been to in TN, AR, and MS are usually limited in the number of minis entered, from 1 to 3 or 4. I've heard lots of handlers and breeders say the minis are hyper, but that was not my experience. Just need to search out competent breeders who breed well tempered minis.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

I have to agree with Cdnjenga - I am coming from Europe and I was flabbergasted at first with the size of some standards and some minis here :wacko: !? 

Most minies there are really 15 inch and standards 21-24 at most. Maybe space limitations in Europe also effects how dogs are bred - most people live in apartments or town homes - But again - toys are rarely a choice !!!! So, that is than not issue either :rolffleyes:

Anyway - LOL, whoever asked "where are the medium sized poodles" ??? My answer is :
" IN EUROPE" LOL


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

Well I'm back from meeting my potential future mini breeder and her three minis. I have to say they were not at all hyper, thank goodness! They barked when we got there and then settled right down as we chatted. Then when we went outside they all perked up and retrieved and raced around. So they were the perfect mix of up and down for me.


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

Well, that's really cool.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Best of luck Cdnjennga :drum:


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## artsycourtneysue (Jul 21, 2009)

Cdnjennga said:


> Well I'm back from meeting my potential future mini breeder and her three minis. I have to say they were not at all hyper, thank goodness! They barked when we got there and then settled right down as we chatted. Then when we went outside they all perked up and retrieved and raced around. So they were the perfect mix of up and down for me.


I am so glad that your meeting went well! 

I agree with most things said in this post. I recently went through the process of deciding on a mini and trying to then find a good breeder. Personally, I love big dogs and the calm temperment of the standards, and my hubby likes a little more active dog. One thing we agreed on though, is that we did NOT want a yappy dog. 

My family dog, who I love and grew up with, is a bichon frise. She is about 10lbs and 12 inches tall and actually LOOKS and acts like a bichon should act, not like all the crazy malti-poo, puppy mill bichons you see walking around. While we loved the breed, we wanted to avoid the long hassle it was of potty training a bichon (they just don't seem to get the hang of it as quick as other breeds), yet we love the size and temperment.

We decided on a mini, but were so wary of all the unknowns you all have mentioned. Having started our search in California, I have to say, that must be the capitol of bad breeders/pet store dogs/designer dogs. They have TONS of aweful toys and no minis in sight! 

Finally we found a breeder that just breeds blacks, and shows and has a small breeding business now, but has the type we were looking for- not refined, not psychotic, and not 10". 

Cozi's parents were both 14-15" and both were very toy driven. She is now still growing at 6 months, but we think she will at least be close to 14." She is the perfect combo of what my husband and i wanted- she is not super hyper, but defiinitely has energy for endless play when you ask for it, and sometimes she just wants to sit on my lap(which i love!) Considering we live in an apartment, she adjusts very well to getting energy out in walks and then a bit of zoomies inside. When we move to a house with a yard, I'm sure we will notice an even calmer puppy! As a puppy still, she definitely is not into snuggling all the time, but is getting more and more snuggly each day. AND she LOVES to retreive. 

At 6 months, she knows all of her basic obedience commands (with the exception of "come" which is taking a bit more time!) as well as a handful of tricks and fun ones.

Our favorite thing is that she does not bark! We were very worried about having a barking/yapppy dog and she has not barked once! 

So, after I have written a book on here doh we are very happy with our mini! But it was not an easy road to finding her...


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## KPoos (Aug 29, 2009)

That's very good information, thank you!


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## g8dhorse7 (Oct 30, 2009)

KPoo, my Cisko is registered as a mini. But at 9" tall and 5 1/2 lbs........well, that's just not a mini to me. I'm always afraid I'm going to hurt him! LOL! He's a hardy little guy, but definitely the smallest dog I've ever owned. I'm wondering if the dog show world runs parallel to the horse show world....if it's natural, change it! LOL!


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## bigpoodleperson (Jul 14, 2009)

So Cdnjennga, is this breeder the one for you? When is she expecting a litter? How did the "meeting" go?


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

Yeap  !???? I would also like to know where is she/he located :dog: ??? Many people here are looking desperately for a mini - maybe you can help them all !!!:coffol:


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

Hehe, well I don't want to hijack the thread, but she just might be the breeder for me. She is a VERY small scale breeder (her last litter was 3 years ago). She has 2 dogs she currently owns and uses an outside stud. Full health testing on her girl, and she requires full health testing on any dog she uses. She currently only has prelim hips on her girl as she has never breen bred before, but will certify them before breeding at the end of December. She keeps natural tails/ dews on her pups. The girl she is breeding beat over 30 other minis at the Mexican World Championship and is very pretty in my fairly uneducated opinion.

The best part for me is that she is based about a 30 minute drive away from me! So assuming all goes well, I would be able to visit the pups fairly regularly before bringing one home. Of course the fact that she is breeding an unproven bitch means she might not take or may not have a pup for me as there's only one shot at it, so I am continuing to talk to other breeders.

If anyone is interested in who the breeder is, feel free to IM me. I have no idea if she would be comfortable shipping or not and I don't want to publicly share yet just because it's not a done deal.


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## wishpoo (Sep 12, 2009)

OK  Perfectly understandable !!!! Be careful with test results - preferably should be done in the USA ! AND alllllll of them !!!

Best of luck !


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## Harley_chik (Nov 7, 2008)

Kpoos, I was also going to suggest finding a breeder w/ standards on the smaller side. The breeder I went to visit a few weeks ago had 6-7 female poodles. They were quite petite, but gorgeous and 3-4 of them had finished their CHs. They were a really nice size to me, not that I mind big. The breeder was petite herself and had good control over them. She could've easily picked one up.


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## Teresa (Aug 20, 2009)

Ray-Ray is a mini but..unfortunatly, a byb pup too.
Temperment wise, he's amazing.

He's calm but not boring-calm. He has the right amount of playfull energy and patience. He's amazingly sweet with the kids! (I have six, believe it or not, but older. Ages 19 to 9). Although, he's only six months old, so still has allot of puppy in him. Even though he's blind, he can and will keep up with a slower moving Great Pyrenees and Saint Bernard.

As far as barking allot. It depends. If the other dogs are barking,he'll join in the pack's conversation but like the rest of the dogs, he will hush when told "enough!". As for barking on his own, only once in awhile when he hears soemthing he's never heard before and he's unsure what it is. Or sometimes he'll bark in the wrong direction. Like, when everyone else is barking out the window at the mailman, Ray-Ray is barking at the kitchen door.

But, I also own a Westie, and... as far as barking at nothing (or a leaf rolling on buy). I'd say the Westies (or for most part, terriers in general) are a whole-lot barkyer.


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## Evik (Sep 2, 2009)

Cdnjennga said:


> Hehe, well I don't want to hijack the thread, but she just might be the breeder for me. She is a VERY small scale breeder (her last litter was 3 years ago). She has 2 dogs she currently owns and uses an outside stud. Full health testing on her girl, and she requires full health testing on any dog she uses. She currently only has prelim hips on her girl as she has never breen bred before, but will certify them before breeding at the end of December. She keeps natural tails/ dews on her pups. The girl she is breeding beat over 30 other minis at the Mexican World Championship and is very pretty in my fairly uneducated opinion.
> 
> The best part for me is that she is based about a 30 minute drive away from me! So assuming all goes well, I would be able to visit the pups fairly regularly before bringing one home. Of course the fact that she is breeding an unproven bitch means she might not take or may not have a pup for me as there's only one shot at it, so I am continuing to talk to other breeders.
> 
> If anyone is interested in who the breeder is, feel free to IM me. I have no idea if she would be comfortable shipping or not and I don't want to publicly share yet just because it's not a done deal.



Good luck Cdnjennga :fingers-crossed:


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