Doodle Sizes Explained: Toy, Mini, Medium and Standard
Toy, mini, medium and standard aren't official doodle sizes; each breeder defines its own. Here's what actually sets a doodle's adult size, typical weights for each parent breed, how generation changes the range, and how to estimate your puppy's full-grown size.
By PuppyGenes · How we research and write our guides
Doodle size labels such as toy, mini, medium and standard aren't kennel-club categories: doodles are crosses, so there's no breed standard, and each breeder sets its own ranges. What really sets a doodle's size is its parents. That means the Poodle parent's size variety, the other parent breed and which size genes each puppy happens to inherit, which matters even more in later generations. The most useful thing to ask a breeder for is both parents' adult weights, because a doodle usually ends up somewhere between them.
The only official sizes are the Poodle's
In Canada, the Poodle comes in three sizes set by height at the shoulder, according to the Canadian Kennel Club:
| Poodle size | CKC height at the shoulder |
|---|---|
| Toy | Under 25 cm |
| Miniature | Over 25 cm and under 38 cm |
| Standard | Over 38 cm |
Doodle sizes borrow these names loosely. A "mini" doodle usually has a Miniature Poodle parent, or smaller doodle parents over several generations, and a "standard" doodle usually has a Standard Poodle parent. But one breeder's medium can be another's mini, so a size label on its own tells you little. Our guide to the Poodle covers the three sizes in more detail.
Typical weights of the parent breeds
| Parent breed | Typical adult weight |
|---|---|
| Standard Poodle | 18 to 32 kg |
| Miniature Poodle | 5 to 7 kg |
| Toy Poodle | 2 to 3 kg |
| Golden Retriever | 25 to 34 kg |
| Labrador Retriever | 25 to 36 kg |
| Bernese Mountain Dog | 32 to 52 kg |
| Cocker Spaniel | 9 to 15 kg, depending on the type |
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | 6 to 8 kg |
| Maltese | 2 to 3 kg |
Put a big breed and a small Poodle together and the range gets wide: a Golden Retriever and a Miniature Poodle are several times apart in weight, so their puppies can land almost anywhere in between. Our guides to the Goldendoodle, Labradoodle, Bernedoodle, Cockapoo, Cavapoo and Maltipoo give the size range for each cross.
How generation changes size
- F1 (first cross): puppies usually land between the two parent breeds, though not necessarily in the middle, because size depends on which size genes each puppy inherits.
- F1B (crossed back to a Poodle): with more Poodle ancestry, puppies tend to be closer to the size of the Poodle used.
- Multigeneration doodles: breeders select for a size over several generations, but each puppy still inherits its own combination of size genes, so littermates can differ.
Size is strongly genetic. A 2007 study found one version of the growth gene IGF1 is common to all small breeds and nearly absent from giant ones, and a 2013 study found six genes explain about half of the size differences between breeds. A doodle inherits a mix of these from each side, which is why two puppies from the same litter can end up noticeably different sizes. Our guide to how big a mixed-breed puppy will get explains why littermates differ.
How to estimate your doodle's adult size
Three clues, used together, give the best estimate:
- The parents' adult weights. Your doodle will most likely land somewhere between them.
- Your puppy's growth line. Regular weigh-ins with your vet show whether it's tracking toward the small or large end. Small dogs usually reach adult weight by 8 to 12 months, while larger dogs can keep filling out until about two years, as our guide to when dogs stop growing explains.
- Genetics. The PuppyGenes temperament and size predictions section includes an estimated adult height and weight based on your dog's own DNA: useful context, not a promise. Our guide to whether DNA can predict adult size explains what it can and can't do.
If you're weighing a test, our guides to whether dog DNA tests are legit and doodle DNA tests cover what to expect.
Frequently asked questions
- What size is a mini Goldendoodle?
- There's no official definition. A mini Goldendoodle usually has a Miniature Poodle parent, which weighs about 5 to 7 kg, or smaller doodle parents, so it's much smaller than a standard Goldendoodle. Ask the breeder for both parents' adult weights.
- What's the difference between a mini and a medium doodle?
- It depends on the breeder. Doodle size labels aren't kennel-club categories, so one breeder's medium can be another's mini. The parents' weights tell you more than the label.
- How big will my doodle get?
- Most doodles end up somewhere between their parents' adult weights. Your puppy's growth line, tracked with your vet, and a DNA-based size estimate can narrow it down.
- When do doodles stop growing?
- Small doodles usually reach their adult weight by 8 to 12 months. Larger doodles, especially those with a Standard Poodle and a big parent breed, can keep filling out until about two years old.
- Is an F1B doodle smaller than an F1?
- It depends on the Poodle used. An F1B has more Poodle ancestry, so it tends to end up closer to the size of that Poodle: much smaller than an F1 if it was a Miniature, and around Standard Poodle size if it was a Standard.
From general to personal
See how this applies to your dog specifically.
Our at-home Complete Dog DNA Test adds your dog's own results to these tips across six report sections: breed ancestry, coat colour, physical appearance, temperament and size predictions, genetic diversity and oral microbiome. The report does not include genetic disease or health screening.