Miniature Aussiedoodle

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson
fast facts

About Miniature Aussiedoodle

Weight
15-35 pounds
Height
12-18 inches
Lifespan
12-15 years
Group
Not Applicable
Best Suited For
active families with children and other pets, apartment dwellers, those looking for a low-shedding dog
Temperament
loyal, intelligent, gentle, affectionate, playful
Comparable Breeds
Poodle, Miniature Australian Shepherd

Miniature Aussiedoodle Basics

There are few dogs more seductively adorable than this. Small, sweet, sassy, and smart- you’d be crazy not to fall in love with these unique dogs. These obscenely cute doggos inspire love at first sight whereever their furry little bodies appear. The loving and little Miniature Aussiedoodle brings the hypoallergenic properties of the Miniature Poodle together with the playful nature of the Miniature Australian Shepherd. The result is an active and low-shedding dog that is great with kids and other animals. If you have some experience as a dog owner, you’ll see that this hybrid learns quickly and responds well to positive reinforcement training. In fact, many pet owners train their Miniature Aussiedoodles for competitions and dog sports due to their intelligence. There’s very little that this dog can’t do.


Of course, while there are many things that make Miniature Aussiedoodle appealing to pet owners, there are also traits and quirks this breed has that not everyone can appreciate. For example, his love of all things family means he doesn’t do well when left alone for long periods, so a stay-at-home family member or a dog walker would be just the ticket for this affectionate pooch. Similarly, his curious and playful nature leads to relatively high energy levels and people looking for a couch potato breed might not find these hybrids to their liking.


So, is this the dog destined to come home to you and your family? There’s only one way to find out. Keep your eyes glued to this page and scroll away. All will be revealed. So, to ensure Miniature Aussiedoodle is the ideal match for your family and vice versa, keep on reading! It’s really your only option.


The Miniature Aussiedoodle combines the hypo-allergenic Miniature Poodle with the Miniature Australian Shepherd.


Origin

The origin of the Miniature Aussiedoodle is unclear, but that’s true for the majority of designer dog breeds. In the late 1980s, when Labradoodles became all the rage and set the trend for crossbreeds. From there, many mixes followed. The Miniature Aussiedoodle is just one of the dozens of ‘doodle’ designer dogs that hoped to combine the hypoallergenic coat and the intelligence of the Poodle with other desirable traits from a second purebred. Based on what we know about designer dogs in general, it’s probable that the Miniature Aussiedoodles were first bred in the United States, sometime in the last 20 to 30 years. Unfortunately, we simply don’t know much about the history of the breed beyond that.


The history of the Miniature Aussiedoodle might be short and somewhat enigmatic, but the same can’t be said for parental breeds. Their history is quite rich and storied! The Poodle started out in Germany centuries ago as a hunting retriever-style dog, but has been bred throughout generations to achieve more of a more companionship-centered personality (as well as a variety of sizes). The Miniature Australian Shepherd was first introduced in the United States back in the late 1980s and contributes 50% of the Miniature Aussiedoodle’s DNA. This smaller-scale pooch is not a crossbred version of the full-sized Australian Shepherd but in fact a purebred. By continually selecting and breeding the smallest pup in the litter, breeders were able to produce a pint-sized version of the Aussie native. Hence the Miniature Australian Shepherd moniker. This tiny pup earned that name!


Pedigree

Miniature Aussiedoodle is a 50-50 percent mix between a purebred Miniature Poodle and a purebred Miniature Australian Shepherd. This is a first generation hybrid that inherits traits from two different breeds and doesn’t have any other breed in its lineage other than the Poodle and Miniature Australian Shepherd. Of course, even though only two breeds are used to develop this mix, there are not as uniform as you might think. You can never know which of the parents will be more influential in the mix, and some puppies might favor one over the other (this is even true of puppies born to the same litter). This unpredictability can be quite lovely, though. After all, each Miniature Aussiedoodle is a one of a kind pooch! There will never be another dog out there quite like your Miniature Aussiedoodle.


Not many people appreciate the uniqueness and variety of designer dogs, so it’s common for breeders to try multigenerational breeding as a solution to produce more predictable designer dogs. This can be done by breeding unrelated Miniature Aussiedoodles to each other, or to one of the parental breeds to increase the chance for certain traits (e.g. Poodle’s low-shedding fur or merle coat of the Australian Shepherd). However, since this is still a rare and recent breed, there are not that many multigenerational Miniature Aussiedoodles around. They will be tough to find and won’t necessarily be the predictable dogs that you hope for. It will take a few generations to pass before that happens.


As a crossbred dog, the Miniature Aussiedoodle is ineligible to join the American Kennel Club ( AKC), but the Poodle joined the “sporting group” back in 1887 and is pegged as being “very smart, proud and active”. The Miniature version of the Australian Shepherd is not a member because the AKC remains prejudiced against designer dogs.


Food/Diet

Your Miniature Aussiedoodle is a highly active dog but still has a strong risk of becoming heavy. As a result, food should be a high quality kibble that is geared towards his age, size and activity level and be be dished up 2-3 times during the day versus left for him to free feed. Joint issues can become an issue later in life so a quality food with glucosamine is a good choice.


If you are in any way concerned about establishing or altering the diet of your Minature Aussidoodle, then it is always wise to consult with a veterinarian first. While pet food manufacturers and pet blogs provide useful feeding guidelines, they are still only guidelines and should never be treated as gospel. All dogs are different after all, each with their own needs. Only your vet is qualified to determine the specific dietary needs of your personal pooch. So, always depend on their expertise before deciding what to pour into your pup’s bowl.


Training

The Miniature Aussidoodle is considered an extremely bright dog that is eager-to-please and listens to commands so training should be fairly easy. As with any breed, a positive, rewards-based approach to training will help your dog’s winning personality shine. Training that is overly negative is closer to abuse than actual training and should be avoided at all costs. It will never get the results you crave, in addition to being cruel to your dog. Early socialization and obedience training is recommended. It’s important not to let those early and impressionable puppy days go to waste while training. Correcting problematic behaviour in an adult dog is so much more difficult that setting standards early on. So take your training responsibilities seriously with your puppy and the reward will be a long, happy, and healthy relationship with your pooch.


Weight

When choosing a potential new pet dog, you will certainly want to pay attention to their weight and size. This can be important for a variety of reasons, especially housing. Your Miniature Aussiedoodle will weigh between 15 and 35 pounds. This generally puts them right into the medium dog category. Of course, the size of a Miniature Aussiedoodle will vary from litter to litter. Breeders often can offer guarantees on how the litter will turn out looking. This is the case with most designer dog breeds: size, weight, color, and general looks are unpredictable.


Considering the size of a Miniature Aussiedoodle, you can expect them to be quite adaptable when it comes to their needs for roaming space. They will do well in an apartment, but only if their exercise requirements are satisfied. Of course, no dog will thrive in an overly small home without plenty of outdoor time. Originating from a shepherd dog breed, the Miniature Aussiedoodle will need to exercise and run a lot. The best solution would be a large fenced in yard with plenty of greenery, like a ranch or a farm. Still, a moderately sized apartment or home will do fine too, but you will have to spend a lot of time on walks, playtime in the park, and so forth. A dog that has a lot of energy which is not spent efficiently will be prone to destructive or naughty behavior, and can even develop depression, lethargy, or apathy.


Temperament/Behavior

The Miniature Aussiedoodle is a confident, friendly and loving dog that makes a great family pet. In spite of an active nature that craves playtime and walks, this little guy loves to cuddle and just hang out with his family at the end of a busy day. He’s friendly with strangers, so perhaps this is not the most best choice for a watchdog. The Miniature Aussiedoodle also doesn’t do well when left alone for long periods. A home with a stay-at-home family member would be ideal. This is not a dog to leave alone in an apartment. He needs constant of love and companionship to live a satisfying life.


The Miniature Aussiedoodle craves active playtime but loves to cuddle after a long day.


Common Health Problems

Typically cross-bred dogs can side-step health issues that may impact their pure-bred parents. That’s because they have a tendency to pick up the very best traits from their parent breeds. That said, it’s always important to be aware of what your pooch could inherit from parent breeds. With the Miniature Aussiedoodle this could include joint issues, hypothyroidism, drug sensitivity and Von Willebrand’s. It’s important to maintain regularly scheduled checkups with a vet (especially as your dog ages into his senior years) to ensure that any potential health issues are identified and treated as early as possible. Even if your pooch seems perfectly healthy and happy, it’s worth getting a vet to check in just in case a problem is developing that isn’t immediately apparent.


But all that being said, the Miniature Aussiedoodle is a relatively healthy and hardy breed, owing to the outdoors heritage of the Australian Shepherd dog. These were bred to thrive in the harsh environment that surrounded them, and to endure the outdoor conditions. Over generations, this ensured great health, and it can also be noticed in the Miniature Aussiedoodle as well. 


Life Expectancy

The average lifespan of a Miniature Aussiedoodle is 12 to 15 years. For most dog breeds, 15 years of age is the highest expectation. This means that Miniature Aussiedoodles are right there close to the top. Quite a respectable lifespan for such a recent crossbreed! And as an owner, you can expect that your furry four legged friend will be by your side for a great number of years. And, if we consider their positive temperament and their great intelligence, Aussiedoodles turn out to be fantastic companion pets. And once a strong bond is established, they will become fast friends.


Of course, you can expect your pet to reach the maximum end of their lifespan only if you take good care of them. Without a complete, balanced, and healthy diet, attention, exercise, and regular vet visits, reaching 15 years of age will be an almost impossible task for any dog. No matter how hardy and resilient, our pets ultimately depend on us! Don’t neglect these basic needs.


Exercise Requirements

Daily activity and healthy spending of extra energy are very important in the life of any dog – no matter the breed. Needless to say, this working dog needs structured exercise throughout the day and the opportunity to run and show off his agility talents. They are fairly active dogs, and will cherish the chance to run and have fun outside. Two good walks each day augmented with some tossed balls in the yard or a dog park should be more than enough to keep them healthy and trim. Note that the Miniature Aussiedoodle does have a tendency to wander off so leash free zones should be used with caution. This curious little pooch can easily sneak away and get up to trouble if you don’t keep your eye on him in public.


Of course, owners can benefit the most from a spacious fenced-in yard, where your pooch can run and play as much as they need to. This is a great option when a park or a playground are not nearby, or time prevents you from visiting it. Whatever your choice in the end, just remember not to neglect the activity needs of your Miniature Aussiedoodle. If you do, keeping them cooped up indoors all the time, they can become unhappy and develop a string of behavioral issues that can be detrimental to their health. These issues include apathy, depression, loss of appetite, anxiety, aggression, and so on. Outdoors time is important! 


The Miniature Aussidoodle is considered an extremely bright dog.


Recognized Clubs

The Miniature Aussiedoodle is known by many other names including Toy Aussiedoodle, Miniature Aussie-Poo, Mini Aussie-Poo, Toy Aussie-Poo, Mini Aussiedoodle and Toy Aussiepoo. Because of his Designer Dog status he is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) but is by the Canine Hybrid Club (ACHC) and the International Designer Canine Registry (IDCR). Such partial recognition status is sadly common for most newer designer dog breeds, simply because they are a mix of two purebred dogs, and as such they do not fit into the strict rules and standards of the official kennel clubs. 


Coat

Caring for the coat and the appearance of your dog is one of the main responsibilities of a good owner. Your dog’s coat is its trademark appearance trait, and will make them look as stunning as possible. But it can also be directly related to their health, with issues such as itchiness, dandruff, and hotspots, so make sure it’s kept tidy! Your Miniature Aussiedoodle has a soft, silky, wavy coat that is low to non-shedding due to his Poodle DNA. He will require brushing 2 to 3 times each week to keep him looking his best and periodic grooming to maintain his coat shape. Because he is a floppy eared dog, ear inspection and cleaning should be part of his weekly grooming ritual to avoid painful infections. So take good care of those ears. It’ll pay off in the long run.


To make things easy, adopt a regular grooming routine from the start. In addition to brushing a couple of times per week, you'll also need to keep their nails trimmed and neat. Of course, don’t forget the bathing – these hybrids are not considered to be stinky dogs and usually have minimal body odor, so they won’t have to be bathed too often. Keeping your pet’s hygiene up to par is very important, and prevents a number of health problems from appearing. And, besides this, nobody likes a smelly and dirty doggo, so don’t neglect their beauty routine.


Puppies

Miniature Aussiedoodle puppies are smart little guys who can begin training in obedience and socialization at an early age. With potential joint issues later in life, ensure exercise of your puppy is moderated to ensure you don’t over-exert his tiny bones. Any agility activity or training should not begin before 1 year of age. Give him time to grow before getting too ambitious in your training. You’ll be surprised at just how intelligent these cute puppies can be! Thanks to the positive traits of the Australian Shepherd Dog as its parent breed, and their great intelligence and the ability to skillfully herd sheep, the Aussiedoodle will be equally smart!. From simple tricks to good obedience and learning capabilities, these little pups will soak it all up!


Of course, for puppies it is important to begin socialization very early on. Providing your pet with the right experience in their puppyhood will ensure that they grow up into healthy and stable adult dogs. Remember that a dog that hasn’t been properly socialized will have a tendency towards excessive fear, anxiety, and aggression. To avoid all that, make sure that your Miniature Aussiedoodle pup is regularly introduced to other, friendly dogs, new people, and little children. That’s a sure way to make them as friendly and as sociable as possible!


Just don’t forget to exercise great care around your puppy in those first fragile days, even when you are socializing them. That is when they are most gentle and fragile, but also the cutest. This cuteness will attract many eager kids and adults, who will inevitably want to snuggle them and cuddle to no end. This, however, can be traumatic for a puppy, leaving them frightened and possibly injured as well. So keep them protected at that period, avoiding large crowds and such. 


Photo credit: Hcommunications/Bigstock; Rachelli DAngelo/Bigstock; Rachelli DAngelo/Bigstock

Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and two felines who prefer to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

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