Toy vs Mini Goldendoodle: Pros and Cons + Interactive Quiz
So you’ve decided you want a smaller Goldendoodle? That’s a great starting point, but your decision isn’t over yet! You still have to debate between the toy vs mini Goldendoodle sizes.
While they both are small, there are distinct pros and cons to weigh when choosing between these two sizes of Goldendoodles. Before we discuss those, let’s look at how they measure up physically.
On average, a mini Goldendoodle will be 20% taller and weigh 50% more than a toy Goldendoodle. Mini Goldendoodles typically weigh between 20-30 pounds and stand 16-18 inches in height. Toy Goldendoodles are even smaller, usually weighing in between 13-20 pounds and standing 13-15 inches tall.
Average Measurements
Toy Goldendoodle
Mini Goldendoodle
Average Weight
13-20 pounds
20-30 pounds
Average Height (Shoulders)
13-15 inches
16-18 inches
Bringing home a Goldendoodle is no small commitment. Size plays an important factor in your future dog’s compatibility with your family.
Before we dive deeper in comparing the toy Goldendoodle vs mini Goldendoodle, let’s make sure you truly have it narrowed down to these two sizes!
Now that you’ve solidified your choice between these two sizes, take our quiz below and see which is the best fit for you. Don’t stop there, though! Keep reading afterwards to understand all the factors and which matter most to you.
Should You Get a Toy Goldendoodle or Mini Goldendoodle? Take the Quiz!
Pros and Cons of the Toy Goldendoodle vs Mini Goldendoodle
Price of a Puppy
While some breeders charge a flat rate for all puppies, others have varying prices based on factors such as…
Both mini and toy Goldendoodles will typically be $1,000 to $2,000 more expensive than standard Goldendoodles. However, the price difference between the toy vs mini Goldendoodle is less distinct.
Some breeders charge the same price for toy Goldendoodles as they do for mini Goldendoodles. Others may charge $500 to $1,500 more for toy Goldendoodles vs mini Goldendoodles.
Dog ownership isn’t cheap. In fact, some studies estimate that the lifetime cost of owning a dog can be as much as $93,520.
Let’s explore how some reoccurring expenses you’ll come across as a Goldendoodle owner will vary depending on whether you select a toy Goldendoodle vs miniature Goldendoodle.
Grooming
Grooming prices typically vary depending on three main factors—breed, age, and size. The smaller your Goldendoodle is, often the less you’ll pay.
That being said, the toy and mini Goldendoodle sizes are very similar. A larger toy Goldendoodle may be almost the exact same size as a smaller mini Goldendoodle.
You’ll often pay the same price to have a toy Goldendoodle or mini Goldendoodle groomed. In some cases, a mini Goldendoodle may cost 10-20% more to groom if their weight exceeds a certain limit and bumps them into a higher pricing tier.
Food
As you would expect, larger dogs tend to eat larger quantities of food. If you look on the back of dog food bags, it’ll give you serving size recommendations based on your dog’s weight.
Due to larger serving sizes, owners of mini Goldendoodles should expect to pay 25-50% more for dog food than owners of toy Goldendoodles.
For the mini Goldendoodle’s typical weight range the serving size is 1 2/3 – 2 1/2 cups. For the toy Goldendoodle’s typical weight range, they recommend 1 1/4 – 1 2/3 cups daily. Taking the average of those ranges, that’s 42% more food!
You’ll find this cost increase holds up across the board regardless of brand. Check out some more examples for yourself by comparing dog foods on Amazon or Chewy!
Other Supplies
As a general rule of thumb, the larger an item is the more it costs. This is especially true when it comes to pet supplies!
Brushes, harnesses, crates, toys, and beds are a few examples of dog essentials that increase in price the larger your Goldendoodle is.
These differences may be small, but they can add up!
Due to increased strain on their physiological processes, larger dogs tend to live shorter lives than smaller dogs.
While both these Goldendoodle sizes are on the small end, even the slight difference between them will affect their life expectancy.
The average life expectancy of a toy Goldendoodle is about one year longer than the average life expectancy of a mini Goldendoodle. Expect a toy Goldendoodle to live between 13-16 years while the mini Goldendoodle will typically provide 12-15 years of companionship.
Of course, these are only estimates and the health of your Goldendoodle will ultimately impact how long they live.
You can give your pup the best chance at “beating the odds” by feeding them a healthy diet, getting them enough exercise, taking care of their oral health, and investing in a quality pet insurance policy.
Pet insurance ensures that you’ll never have to limit the medical care you can provide for your dog based on what you can afford. So many senior dogs are put to sleep when they develop expensive health conditions because they’re nearing the end of their life expectancy.
By covering up to 90% of your vet bills, pet insurance ensures you’ll be able to maximize the number of quality years you get to spend with your furry best friend.
Goldendoodles are generally regarded as a fairly easy breed to train. However, every dog has their own personality and this breed does have a tendency to develop some bad habits like separation anxiety, counter-surfing, and jumping.
While neither of these two Goldendoodle sizes are easier or harder to train, the larger your Goldendoodle is the less “margin for error” you have when it comes to bad behavior.
What do I mean by “margin for error?” For example, even a 30 pound mini Goldendoodle could cause serious injury if they jump on an elderly person or young child. A 10 pound toy Goldendoodle likely wouldn’t have that same risk.
In a similar sense, toy Goldendoodles are so tiny that they can’t reach countertops or tables to eat potentially harmful human foods. Mini Goldendoodles, depending on their size, may be able to get into a bit more mischief.
You should never use small size as an excuse for tolerating bad behavior. However, if you’re nervous about your training abilities a toy Goldendoodle may give you a bit more peace of mind.
Goldendoodles tend to be high-energy dogs, however, smaller sizes of this breed need considerably less exercise.
On average, an adult mini Goldendoodle needs 50% more exercise than an adult toy Goldendoodle.
According to our exercise guidelines for Goldendoodles, an adult toy Goldendoodle needs 30-60 minutes of activity 1-2 times per day while an adult miniature Goldendoodle needs 45-90 minutes of activity 1-2 times per day.
Which of those ranges do you feel best aligns with your family’s activity levels?
Remember, these recommendations are averages and may need to be adjusted depending on the personality of your dog. You may find that your Goldendoodle has a ton of energy or they may be a couch potato who sleeps the day away!
When getting a dog, you always want to consider where you’re currently living as well as where you may move to in the next 10-15 years.
Luckily, both the mini and toy Goldendoodle are typically small enough to comply with the weight limits imposed by some apartment buildings and homeowner’s associations. Most weight limits I’ve seen advertised are either 35 pounds or 50 pounds.
Regardless of whether you get a toy vs mini Goldendoodle, they should easily be under 50 pounds. However, a 35 pound weight limit could prove to be problematic if your mini Goldendoodle grows to be above-average in size.
You’ll also want to consider the square footage of your home as well as the size of your yard, if you have one. Toy Goldendoodles tend to make better companions in small apartments or condos due to their relatively lower energy levels.
In general, traveling with a small dog tends to be easier. When it comes to travel restrictions, even the relatively small differences in stature between the toy Goldendoodle vs mini Goldendoodle can be significant.
There are two main roadblocks to traveling with larger dogs—hotel policies and airline policies. Many hotels, even ones that advertise being dog-friendly, have weight restrictions that you’ll need to navigate.
Airline policies tend to be even more restrictive than hotel policies since the safety of your pet as well as the comfort of other passengers have to be taken into consideration. While dogs of any size can be flown in the cargo area of the plane, I know I wouldn’t personally be comfortable with that option.
In order for a pet to fly in the cabin on most airlines, they have to fit comfortably in a travel crate that fits under the seat in front of you. Only toy Goldendoodles on the smaller side of their weight range may be capable of doing this comfortably.
Having a reliable, trustworthy dog sitter is an incredible asset for any pet parent. If you don’t have one in mind already, try giving Rover.com a shot! They take care of doing background checks and vetting all their dog sitters, so you can have more peace of mind knowing that your pup is in good hands!
You’ll want to consider all the members of your immediate family when deciding on which size of Goldendoodle to choose.
If you have young children, you may think that getting a toy Goldendoodle would be a better option. However, toy Goldendoodles can be more easily injured by the rough play, curiosity, and lack of coordination many children under the age of 10 are known for.
Alternatively, if you live with family members who are senior citizens, you may favor the smaller toy Goldendoodle which is less likely to accidentally injure them by jumping or pulling on their leash.
Other Pets
Besides human family members, consider the other pets in your family before choosing a Goldendoodle size.
If you have other large dogs, a mini Goldendoodle may be less intimidated by them and more willing to play. If you have smaller dogs or cats, a toy Goldendoodle may fit in with your “pack” more easily.
While we’ve provided you with the average height and weight ranges of these two sizes of Goldendoodles, they are only averages. You may end up with a toy Goldendoodle that grows to be larger than expected or a mini Goldendoodle that is on the small side.
If you want to ensure your dog is under a certain weight for housing, travel, or other reasons I recommend opting for a toy Goldendoodle. This size tends to fluctuate less than mini Goldendoodles.
I’ve heard many stories from mini Goldendoodle owners who thought they were getting 20-30 pound dogs but they ended up growing to 50 pounds or more!
While the odds are that your dog will fall in the average range, if growing larger than that would significantly lower the quality of your dog’s or your family’s life, opt for a smaller size.
Your Opinion Matters!
There’s no shame in having a personal preference as to what size you’d like your future Goldendoodle to be! Some people naturally love large breeds and want a big cuddle buddy. Others want smaller dogs that will stay a puppy forever!
Definitely consider the pros and cons above, but don’t forget to factor your personal opinion in as well!
The decision between the toy Goldendoodle vs miniature Goldendoodle is a tough one to make because these two sizes can be quite similar.
However, as you can tell from this article, there are some distinct advantages and disadvantages to each of these types of Goldendoodles.
If you haven’t already, take the quiz at the beginning of this article and see what your result is. Then review the article again to learn why you got the result you did.
Only by weighing all the factors will you be able to make the best decision for your family AND for your future dog! Take it seriously, but remember that this is an exciting and fun time in your life—enjoy it!
