# How big do Miniature Poodles usually get?



## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Real poodles have long legs. They use them too. A real poodle is square across the body and down the legs. 12 inches is about average for a mini to the shoulder. They can be a little bigger. What is a MIX??? Size is not as important as temperament. Love your new family member and train him to your needs. Sammy's journey is at an end he has found his forever home with you. Love from:
Eric and Grace.


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

Thank you for the reply, Eric! We think Sadie is a Cockapoo. We adopted her from the humane society, so she is a rescue dog  We're not sure of her history, she was found as a stray in Salt Lake, and then transferred to Idaho with nine other dogs. The day after we adopted her, we found out that she had Giardia, so we got her treated. We've had her for 3 and a half years now.

Thank you for the advice on size! I'm just wondering in case Sammy might get too big for his current crate. But the crate is bigger than what they recommend for poodles, so he should be fine. He was clumsy on his long legs for a few weeks, but now he's been trying to jump all over!


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## Gryphon (Nov 5, 2013)

Mini poodles are supposed to be between 10 and 15 inches at the shoulder. My miniature is 11 weeks and 7 pounds, so it sounds as if your mix will be more towards the small side of the mini range. How great for him that you rescued him.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Like you, we got our Jazz when she was almost five months old. She hadn't been outside much, apparently, as she didn't how to climb over a tree trunk lying across the path, couldn't go up or down stairs, wouldn't put one foot in the creek, let alone try to jump over it. Within a few weeks, though, like your boy, she'd figured out what to do with those long, awkward legs and was a leaping, speeding bullet. Isn't it fun to watch them grow into that poodle gracefulness?


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## Alicesmom (Jan 26, 2014)

My mini Alice is about 15 lbs (and it wouldn't kill her to gain a few pounds, she just isn't big on food) and all legs. She can jump a 4 foot fence! When I had my backyard done I made sure I got a 6 ft fence to keep her in, she of course learned to climb under it but only if I'm on the other side :aetsch:


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

Gryphon said:


> Mini poodles are supposed to be between 10 and 15 inches at the shoulder. My miniature is 11 weeks and 7 pounds, so it sounds as if your mix will be more towards the small side of the mini range. How great for him that you rescued him.


Thank you! Sadie is the "Mix" we rescued three years ago. Sammy is full poodle from what I know. He is definitely all legs! We've had him since October 17th, so he was 3 months and 18 days old. So that was 14 weeks old, and he weighed 7.5 pounds at his first vet appointment on October 18th. Being around 8 pounds at five months now, I think you're right, he might be smaller. He did have roundworm, tapeworm, coccidia, and an ear infection when we got him, but after a month of treatment for the worms he's recovered.


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

Alicesmom said:


> My mini Alice is about 15 lbs (and it wouldn't kill her to gain a few pounds, she just isn't big on food) and all legs. She can jump a 4 foot fence! When I had my backyard done I made sure I got a 6 ft fence to keep her in, she of course learned to climb under it but only if I'm on the other side :aetsch:


Wow! We have a six foot fence on part of our backyard, and a four foot fence around the rest, and the front yard. We had to dog proof all of it three years ago so the poodles couldn't climb under.


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

JudyD said:


> Like you, we got our Jazz when she was almost five months old. She hadn't been outside much, apparently, as she didn't how to climb over a tree trunk lying across the path, couldn't go up or down stairs, wouldn't put one foot in the creek, let alone try to jump over it. Within a few weeks, though, like your boy, she'd figured out what to do with those long, awkward legs and was a leaping, speeding bullet. Isn't it fun to watch them grow into that poodle gracefulness?


It is! Sammy keeps making these flying jumps. It's scary because both of his knees have a luxating patella and we have to make sure he's carefull. The vet said he shouldn't need surgery any time soon if he keeps slim and doesn't do much jumping, which could pop one of his knees out of place. Our Toy Poodle Sunny had luxating patella surgery on one knee in 2012. He's five years old now.


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## Gryphon (Nov 5, 2013)

Good for you for taking care of Sammy. : )
Poodles are bouncy so you will probably have a very energetic dog.


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## Bizzeemamanj (Apr 14, 2014)

Just for comparison...

Cooper is almost 9 months old and measures 15 inches at the withers and weighs about 17 pounds. He's on the large side of conformity for a mini. We don't expect him to get much taller, but he should fill out some. He's as tall as he is long (that's the square build Eric was referring to). He's also a mini with spring in his legs - he can jump over and up onto more things than we've been able to keep track of. He's very energetic! We always joke he has two positions - on and asleep.


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## ROHAN-K9mm (Nov 20, 2011)

My Standard girls soared over the six foot fence. I had to run a raido fence inside it on fiberglass posts.I fenced in over a half acre for them with the 6 foot fence, and they both jumped out in the first 15 minutes I let them out.I The double fence has been worth it as no dogs get in it which is the unsafe part about raido fence . and the deer don't come inside. I use frontline, and have never found a tick or flea. The fence has been up for 8 years now and I think they have all died off. I have a Mini now and he stays in  so far


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## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

At 5 months, Luce was about 7lbs. If memory is correct, she put on about 8oz. per week for 5 or 6 weeks around the 5 month mark. I brought her to the vet once a week to get weighed and have a "happy visit", unfortunately they did not record the weight every week, I thought they did so I didn't.

She reached 11.4lbs at 10 months and has held that weight since - she will be 2 in Jan. She is about 12 inches at the shoulder.


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## Specman (Jun 14, 2012)

Max is full grown and is 15" tall and 15lbs. He is very square and I love his long legs. It took him a while to fill out and is still a lean dog. I describe him as a little greyhound with long curly hair!


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## Coco86 (Oct 23, 2014)

Thanks for the replies, everyone! At Sammy's last vet visit on December 30th he weighed nine pounds. He's slightly taller than Sunny and Sadie. He's completely surpassed little Rosie in height (She's only about 10 inches tall, if that).

I suspect he's still growing though! He now fits in size large dog sweaters, so he can finally share Sunny's wardrobe! He's tall but slim so far. He's very hyper, so hopefully weight will not be an issue for him, since he does have loose knees. He's also a jumper, which is a concern. 

I see what Eric means about the square build. I measured Sunny, and he is as long as he is tall. Rosie is longer than she is tall, but she's one of those short-legged poodles. I think Sammy will definitely have the square build as well, he seems to be pretty proportionate. Not sure about Sadie, she won't let me measure her lol!

Sammy updated pic:





The Four:


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Can I "Please" lay down with all those poodles.
Eric.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Minis are variable but Standard poodles can and do jump very high even as puppies. It is no good trying to fence in a standard poodle unless the fence is at least 6-8 feet high. Better train the dog not to leave your property. This includes all dogs. Keep them home and safe. It is easy for me to say this. I am now retired and I can be "on their case" 24 hrs a day. This makes such training easy. But I did train a mini about 30 tears ago. She never wanted to leave. But when alone for hours she would try. Don't leave the young dog in a situation where this temptation can be realized. Dogs don't leave home without a reason. Play? Adventure? Scavenging? Take them out for play. Take them out for Adventure. Desensitize scavenging with disciplined feeding.
Eric.


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## Marcie (Aug 2, 2011)

According to the American Kennel Club:

The Standard Poodle is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is 15 inches or less in height shall be disqualified from competition as a Standard Poodle.

The Miniature Poodle is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches. Any Poodle which is over 15 inches or is 10 inches or less at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Miniature Poodle.

The Toy Poodle is 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is more than 10 inches at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Toy Poodle.

As long as the Toy Poodle is definitely a Toy Poodle, and the Miniature Poodle a Miniature Poodle, both in balance and proportion for the Variety, diminutiveness shall be the deciding factor when all other points are equal.

Here is the website for the American Kennel Club: https://www.akc.org/breeds/poodle/breed_standard.cfm


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Minis can and do go "oversize," meaning above 15". Our sweet boy, Beau, is just shy of 17" and 22 lbs. It's a great size as far as we are concerned; not too big, not too small, but just right!

Except for his size, Beau is very nicely conformed, with lovely long legs. When photographed without something to provide scale, he could be mistaken for a standard.


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