Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: What's The Diff?

Dec 08, 2023

The poodle is one of the most versatile dogs that’s adored by furmilies all across the globe. There are three different types of poodle recognised by the British Kennel Club, being the standard poodle, the miniature poodle and the toy poodle. Essentially they’re all the same type of dog, just in different sizes, which is great as there really is a poodle for everyone. Today we’re going to compare the miniature poodle vs toy poodle so that you can judge which one is best for you.

History of the Poodle

Dust off your history books, because before we compare the miniature poodle vs toy poodle, we’re going to look back in time at the origins of this curly breed. The miniature poodle and toy poodle are both descendants of the standard poodle, an old breed of dog that is thought to have originated in Germany around the 15th century.

They were bred as utility dogs, meaning they were bred for a specific purpose which was to hunt and retrieve waterfowl. Their thick curly coat was often clipped or shaved at their back legs to improve their agility in the water, and fluffy pom poms were left around their feet to protect them.

Although poodles are no longer used for hunting and water retrieving, this particular style of haircut has carried into the modern day as more of a fashion style. Gradually, due to their intelligence and suave sophistication, the poodle became popular amongst French nobility and was eventually coined the national dog of France.

By the 1800s, poodles had started to be bred smaller into what’s now known as the miniature poodle variety. They were loved and adored as lapdogs by the French, and were seen as a form of status symbol amongst the French elite. Due to their obedient nature, poodles had also become commonplace in French circuses, and breeding them smaller into the miniature variety, made for a more easily handled and transported circus dog.

In the 20th century, miniature poodles were again bred smaller into the toy variety where they became even more popular in the USA due to their petite size being perfect as companion dogs for apartment living and city-slicking pawrents.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Appearance

Side by side, the only distinguishable difference between the miniature poodle and the toy poodle is their size. The miniature poodle stands at around 28-38 cm in height and weighs between 5 and 9kg. The toy poodle is an even smaller 25-28 cm with a petite 4.5kg healthy weight. They both have the typical curly woolly poodly hair which can come in a variety of different colours including black, brown, grey, cream, white and tan.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Temperament and Personality

Both types of poodles are highly intelligent and are known for having a happy-go-lucky pawsonality. With this, they make pawfect companions and family dogs and are usually great with kids.

Poodles love their furmilies which is great news for poodly cuddles 24/7, however, this extreme dedication can make them prone to developing separation anxiety if not trained from a young age. They’re not known to be big barkers, however, any dog can pick up this trait so ultimately it’s down to proper training. If your poodle shows signs of stress or separation anxiety, dog calming treats are a great way to help them chill out from time to time.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Training

Both types of poodle are known for being highly intelligent and are regular winners in obedience competitions. They’re generally easy to train and were once favoured amongst French circus performers and magicians for their ability to pick up tricks quickly. Poodles benefit from early training and socialisation using positive reinforcement such as reward based training with healthy dog treats.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Exercise Levels

All dogs no matter the size need daily exercise to maintain their general health and prevent dog obesity. With natural hunting instincts from water-retrieving days of old, both miniature poodles and toy poodles are high-energy dogs that can get bored easily. Two thirty-minute walks per day is usually enough to satisfy both poodles, but if they’re left at home whilst you’re at work be sure to leave them with plenty of toys and games to keep their intelligent minds busy. They both love to run, fetch and swim and are also very social, thriving off playtime with other floofs at the park.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Grooming

All poodles are known for their low-shedding qualities, making them a popular type of dog to cross-breed with the hope of the offspring inheriting this low-maintenance quality. Although they don’t shed much they still require regular brushing with a pin bristle brush to prevent matting of their fur close to the skin.

There’s a common misconception that poodles are hypoallergenic. Unfortunately, no dog is truly hypoallergenic as humans that are allergic to dogs are actually allergic to a dog’s dander or dead skin cells that rub off onto their fur. Low-shedding dogs do release less dander onto the floor or couch as less fur is dropped, however, if an unfortunate dog-allergic hooman was to pat even a poodle, the dander would still come in contact with them which can cause the sniffles.

Miniature Poodle vs Toy Poodle: Health

Both miniature poodles and toy poodles have a similar life expectancy of 12-18 years, however, anecdotally miniature poodles tend to live slightly longer than their smaller cousins. This is because they have a more diverse genetic makeup leading to better overall health.

As toy poodles are so tiny, they are also more likely to suffer injuries from bumps and tumbles, which can reduce their life expectancy. All poodles are predisposed to certain health conditions such as dislocating knee caps, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, cardiomyopathy, Addison’s Disease and cataracts, so they do well from yearly health screening from their vet.

Try Scrumbles For Your Poodle

As you can see the miniature poodle and toy poodle are very similar dogs, just of different proportions. All dogs, no matter the size, need proper nutrition to keep them thriving. If you’ve got a poodle, whether it be a standard, miniature or toy poodle, check out our range of nutritious and all-natural dog food to provide them with everything they need to flourish.

With delicious flavours, exceptional nutrient density and no nasty additives or added sugar and salt, there’s an option for every floof.

We add either gut-loving probiotics or prebiotics to all of our dry dog food, wet dog food and dog treats to support healthy digestion and optimise the absorption of nutrients by your dog’s body to keep them strong and happy.

With its small kibble size, our puppy and toy breed dog food is perfect for toy poodles and sure to keep them coming back for more.

Served in eco-friendly packaging and with ingredients ethically sourced, it’s the best way to feed your pup with added peace of mind for the planet too!