Mini Sheepadoodle Guide: Price, Size, Temperament & More!

Mini Sheepadoodles (AKA Mini Sheepapoos, Mini Sheepdoodles) are a designer dog breed, the result of breeding an Old English Sheepdog with a Miniature Poodle. Their friendly and playful nature paired with their small size which is suited to apartment living makes them highly sought after, fetching high prices!

If you are interested in Mini Sheepadoodles keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about this dog breed!

Cover Image Credit: Photo by Lesli Whitecotton on Unsplash

What Is A Mini Sheepadoodle?

A Mini Sheepadoodle is a mixed breed dog that is the result of breeding a Miniature Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog. They are in between the size of a Micro Sheepadoodle and a Standard Sheepadoodle. Mini Sheepadoodles are very affectionate dogs that are medium in size with fluffy coats that can come in many colors such as black, grey, merle, white and chocolate.

What Does A Mini Sheepadoodle Look Like?

Mini Sheepadoodles may look more like a Poodle or more like an Old English Sheepdog depending on the generation. For example, F1b Mini Sheepadoodles look more like Poodles than F1 Mini Sheepadoodles as F1b Mini Sheepadoodles have a higher percentage of Poodle genes. Mini Sheepadoodles look like a fluffy teddy bears with their fluffy coats, dark brown eyes and black noses. They can come in a variety of colors with dense coats that can be wavy, curly or straight.

Mini Sheepadoodle Characteristics

Mini Sheepadoodle Characteristics
Size	38cm to 50cm.
Weight	12kg to 25kg.
Temperament	Easy going, calm, gentle.
Activity Levels	Moderate.
Exercise Requirements	30 to 60 min per day.
Lifespan	12 to 16 years.
Coat	Wavy or curly single coat.
Eyes	Brown.
Shedding	Low.
Apartment Adaptability	Can live in an apartment if given enough exercise daily.
Good with Children	Yes.

Mini Sheepadoodle Size

How Big Do Mini Sheepadoodles Get?

Mini Sheepadoodles get to a height of approximately 38cm to 50cm tall at the shoulder and weigh between 12kg and 25kg when fully grown.

When Do Mini Sheepadoodles Stop Growing?

Mini Sheepadoodles stop growing between 11 and 13 months of age. Between the ages of 4 and 5 months, Mini Sheepadoodles are about half their adult weight. Between 9 and 10 months they are nearly their full height and for the remaining months of growth, they gain muscle mass.

Mini Sheepadoodle Lifespan

Mini Sheepadoodles have a lifespan of 12 to 16 years. Out of all the Sheepadoodle sizes, Mini Sheepadoodles are likely to live the longest. This is because smaller dogs generally have longer lifespans and Mini Sheepadoodles aren’t so small that they suffer from size related health issues.

Mini Sheepadoodle Temperament

Mini Sheepadoodles have an easy going temperament much like the Old English Sheepdog. They are often described as very calm and gentle yet also quite playful which makes them a perfect addition to a growing family. They are also very loving and obedient.

Are Mini Sheepadoodles Smart?

Mini Sheepadoodles are a very smart dog breed. Both the Poodle and the Old English Sheepdog are intelligent so it is no surprise their offspring are as well. In fact, Poodles are ranked second out of all dog breeds for intelligence.

Are Mini Sheepadoodles Calm?

Mini Sheepadoodles are a calm dog, especially when they are older. As a puppy Mini Sheepadoodles are extremely playful and sometimes a bit hyperactive but with age they usually calm down.

Do Mini Sheepadoodles Bark A Lot?

Mini Sheepadoodles do not bark a lot. They are a very gentle breed so if you are looking for a guard dog or a watchdog another breed may be more suitable.

Mini Sheepadoodle Price

The average price range for a Mini Sheepadoodle is between $3000AUD and $6500AUD+. They are one of the most popular sizes of Sheepadoodle as they are slightly smaller than the standard one so they are more suited to city living.

Do Mini Sheepadoodles Shed?

Mini Sheepadoodles are classified as light to non-shedders. They only drop a little bit of hair here and there throughout the year and do not go through heavy seasonal shedding like other breeds.

It is important to realise that there is no such thing as a totally non-shedding dog and that Mini Sheepadoodles along with other Poodle mixes are the closest to this definition.

Are Mini Sheepadoodles Hypoallergenic?

Mini Sheepadoodles are hypoallergenic as they are very light shedders and do not release much allergy inducing dander (dead skin cells) into the environment when they shed. In fact, all sizes of Sheepadoodle are hypoallergenic. You can reduce the amount of allergens your Mini Sheepadoodle releases into your home by brushing them regularly with a slicker brush and giving them semi-regular baths to dislodge any dead skin.

Mini Sheepadoodle Generations

F1 Mini Sheepadoodle

An F1 Mini Sheepadoodle is the first generation of the breed created by crossing a purebred Old English Sheepdog with a purebred Miniature Poodle. An F1 Mini Sheepadoodle is 50% Old English Sheepdog and 50% Miniature Poodle.

F1b Mini Sheepadoodle

An F1b Mini Sheepadoodle is created by crossing an F1 Mini Sheepadoodle with a purebred Miniature Poodle . The resulting dog is 25% Old English Sheepdog and 75% Miniature Poodle.

F1bb Mini Sheepadoodle

An F1bb Mini Sheepadoodle is a cross between an F1b Mini Sheepadoodle (Mini Sheepadoodle x Poodle) and a purebred Miniature Poodle. They are 12.5% Old English Sheepdog and 87.5% Miniature Poodle.

F2 Mini Sheepadoodle

An F2 Mini Sheepadoodle is the second generation of the breed created by breeding a F1 Mini Sheepadoodle with another F1 Mini Sheepadoodle. They are 50% Old English Sheepdog and 50% Miniature Poodle.

F2b Mini Sheepadoodle

An F2b Mini Sheepadoodle is created by crossing an F2 Mini Sheepadoodle with a purebred Miniature Poodle. The resulting dog is 25% Old English Sheepdog and 75% Miniature Poodle.

Mini Sheepadoodle Coat Colors

Black Mini Sheepadoodle

Black Mini Sheepadoodles typically have a solid coat however they can have patches of other colors mixed in. Black Mini Sheepadoodles can only inherit this coat color from the Poodle and not from the Old English Sheepdog. This means that breeders need to mix a solid Black Miniature Poodle with an Old English Sheepdog to create them. For every litter of puppies only a few will have a solid black coat.

Grey and White Mini Sheepadoodle

Grey and White Mini Sheepadoodles are a very common coat color for the breed. While they can inherit this coat color from the Poodle, they are most likely to inherit it from the Old English Sheepdog as it is one of their most common coat colors.

Red and White Mini Sheepadoodle

Red and White Mini Sheepadoodles feature a mainly red coat with white patches on the chest, neck, muzzle and paws. The red of their coat is usually a darker shade however sometimes it is lighter like an apricot shade.

Tri Color Mini Sheepadoodle

Tri Color Mini Sheepadoodles are a relatively rare coat color that features a mix of black, brown and white. Unlike other breed’s tri-color coats that feature distinct patches of three different colors, the three colors of a Tri Color Mini Sheepadoodle tend to mix together somewhat similar to the patterns of a merle coat.

White Mini Sheepadoodle

White Mini Sheepadoodles are a relatively rare coat color as it is unusual to see solid coated Sheepadoodles. Typically a solid white Miniature Poodle is bred with an Old English Sheepdog that has a lighter colored coat to create a cream/white Mini Sheepadoodle.

Chocolate Mini Sheepadoodle

Chocolate Mini Sheepadoodles have a coat that features dark brown. Solid Chocolate Mini Sheepadoodles are extremely rare. You are much more likely to find a Chocolate Mini Sheepadoodle that features white patches on their chest and paws.

Merle Mini Sheepadoodle

A Merle Mini Sheepadoodle a mottled coat as they carry the merle gene which dilutes certain sections of their coat to lighter colors. This gene also affects eye color and skin pigmentation on the nose and paws. Often Merle Mini Sheepadoodles have a very light eye color such as blue and often have pink patches on their nose and paws.

While other breeds can have both Red Merle and Blue Merle coats, Mini Sheepadoodles only come in a Blue Merle coat. Blue Merle Mini Sheepadoodles originally had a black or dark grey coat where the merle gene has diluted patches to create the mottled pattern.

Mini Sheepadoodle Grooming

Mini Sheepadoodles need to be groomed every 8 to 12 weeks. If you prefer that your Sheepadoodle has a shorter coat they need to be groomed every 8 to 10 weeks. If you prefer a longer coat, they can be groomed every 10 to 12 weeks. This can be done at a professional groomer or you can learn how to cut your dog’s hair at home from watching YouTube videos and investing in a dog grooming kit.

Mini Sheepadoodle Haircuts

There are many different haircut styles that you can give your Mini Sheepadoodle. Some popular ones include:

Puppy Cut
Teddy Bear Cut
Poodle Cut
Lamb Cut
Summer Cut

Mini Sheepadoodle Exercise Needs

As Mini Sheepadoodles are smaller than Standard Sheepadoodles so they do not require as much exercise each day but that does not mean that they don’t need anything. They are still a very energetic dog, so need between 30 minutes and an hour of exercise each day. Mini Sheepadoodles enjoy going on walks, running and playing games. Mental exercise is also required so they don’t get bored and destructive.

Mini Sheepadoodle Training

Mini Sheepadoodles are very intelligent so they respond very well to training. You should start teaching your Mini Sheepadoodle basic commands such as their name, sit, stay and come from the moment they arrive home. You can then progress to more difficult tricks and commands.

When training your dog it is important to use positive reinforcement techniques as dogs repeat good behavior when it is followed by a reward such as a treat or their favorite toy. Clicker training is another type of positive reinforcement training that is a good method for learning new tricks. You use a clicker device so your dog can associate a new behavior with a click and then a reward.

Mini Sheepadoodle Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Mini Sheepadoodles are hypoallergenic and don’t shed much.	Mini Sheepadoodles often suffer from separation anxiety and need lots of attention.
Mini Sheepadoodles are very intelligent and are easy to train.	Mini Sheepadoodles like to herd other animals and sometimes even small children.
Mini Sheepadoodles have thick coats so they are suited to colder climates.	Mini Sheepadoodles need lots of grooming.

Mini Sheepadoodle vs Standard Sheepadoodle

The main difference between a Mini Sheepadoodle and Standard Sheepadoodle is size. Mini Sheepadoodles are much smaller as they are bred with Miniature Poodles while Standard Sheepadoodles are bred with Standard Poodles. Mini Sheepadoodles get to a height of 38cm to 50cm tall while Standard Sheepadoodles get to a height of 45cm to 65cm. Mini Sheepadoodles weigh between 12kg to 25kg while Standard Sheepadoodles weigh between 25kg to 40kg.

	Mini Sheepadoodle	Standard Sheepadoodle
Height	38cm to 50cm.	45cm to 65cm.
Weight	12kg to 25kg.	25kg to 40kg