# Searching for Mini Golden Retriever puppy!!



## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

Hi Jennifer, welcome to the forum. 
By your request I am not sure if you are looking for a Golden that will end up on the small side or a mix breed. 

Either way you should take some time to investigate, learn and research especially health. Goldens are a great breed but have some health challenges. 

Mini Goldens are not a breed but instead a fancy marketing term for mix breed animals. The GRCA does not condone the purposeful cross of Goldens so most people who do this are profit focused breeders who find their breeding stock in pet stores and other commercial facilities because reputable breeders will not help them create mixes. If you want a small Golde mix, adoption from a pound or rescue could be a perfect way to get what you want with out using your hard earned money to support unethical breeders. 

Below is some info to start off on the gear certifications good breeders will insist on.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I agree with the above. Avoid anyone who claims to be breeding something they call a miniature Golden Retriever or a Comfort Golden Retriever. You're better off looking at rescues until one claims your heart. Or you can look at breeders of purebred golden retrievers who tend to have dogs on the smaller side of the standard.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

I bumped into a "mini Golden Retriever" on a walk in the woods one day. She was very cute - but holy CRAP. They paid almost twice what I did for my fully health clearanced, healthy, well-rounded pedigreed Golden - for a mixed breed dog with no health clearances, history, or registration - for a Golden who was only 10 pounds smaller than mine. She was a Golden mixed with a Cocker Spaniel. A mix you could find at a shelter or rescue for FAR less money, and none of the marketing scam.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Yep from what I understand a mini golden is mixed with cocker spaniel. I wouldn't spend big bucks on a mixed breed.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Jennifer Hn, in addition to the information above, you need to understand that since there is no such thing as a mini Golden, the smallest female Goldens are close to 21" so someone breeding 'mini' goldens would have to cross a smaller breed with a Golden, most likely a cocker spaniel as mentioned by Sweet Girl. What this means is that you're going to have Cocker Spaniel personality traits in your dog. This means that some things will be more "golden" like and some things will be more "cocker" like. You have no way of knowing which traits will be which. Honestly, if you want a smaller dog you'd be better off going with a reputable Cocker Spaniel breeder who does Health Clearances and breeds for excellent temperament. Way better off.


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## Cpc1972 (Feb 23, 2015)

Goldens arent as big as what people think. If you go to a good breeder who is breeder for the standard a female won't be that big. To tell you the truth our girl now looks like a mini golden because our boy Jake was so big. I can't believe how small she is compared to Jake. She is only 64 lbs. She even came from a backyard breeder. I always crack up and say she like mini. We were so used to him at 90 lbs.


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## Patti Ann (Feb 26, 2017)

I often visit this site but until today I haven't registered. I was so motivated by this question and thread that I officially signed up. 

I've owned Goldens for 30 years. I was drawn the the breed for the reasons the OP, Jennifer, is probably wants a Golden. They are friendly, good with kids and other dogs, super smart, obedient, funny, and downright beautiful. In my years of involvement with Goldens I've seen the breed suffer from the actions of some very unscrupulous or at least uninformed breeders. 

If you do find someone who is selling 'miniature goldens' it is highly likely they will have few of the wonderful characteristics of a well-bred Golden Retriever. The others who responded are absolutely right about these dogs being mixed with other breeds and that you would end up with a dog that could be more Cocker than Golden. 

If you really want a Golden, get a Golden. I had my first Goldens when I had 5 acres and an enormous pond where they would romp, swim, and chase squirrels all day. Our current Goldie lives with us in a city loft apartment in dog-friendly California. We walk, go to dog parks, and go to the beach on occasion. He's pretty darn happy and doesn't get stir-crazy (which happens over-bred dogs and dogs who don't get enough stimulation). 

Good luck with your search for a perfect companion. My best advice is to find a dog that will be happy with your lifestyle, not a dog with a certain look. If there is a reason you need a small dog, get a small dog that has the characteristics you want, not an appearance that you want. Your perfect friend is out there--don't limit your search.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Get a real Golden or non at all. Learn about the breed, no such thing as miniature.

You might find one at your local pound though.


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## GoldenDude (Nov 5, 2016)

We rescued a cocker spaniel/golden retriever mix from the pound in the 1970s. She was a cute, little puppy at the time and we thought, "Oh, she'll be small." She grew to be 50 pounds. She was sweet as could be and a delightful pet. But, she wasn't small. She was, however, free since she came from the pound. 

If you want a Golden Retriever, get a Golden Retriever. If you want a small dog, get a small dog.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

After seeing your post I did a google search on comfort dogs. To my surprise there were quite a few and disappointed in what I found. According to the hype of several "breeders" it is mostly golden doodles with cocker mixed in to remove the curly hair. All the web sites said their dogs are between 25 to 55 lbs depending on how high the golden ret. percentage is. And most are putting a litter of pups out each and every month. This is sad for so many reasons.

The cost was twice what I paid for my golden with a really good blood line, decades of clearance history and hundreds of titles and my girl weighs about 60 lbs. There were even a couple of sites trying to make TOY goldens by breeding to toy puddles to down size them. The smaller the dog, the higher the cost. No matter what those breeders might tell you, there is no real way to know the personality of the pups. This is just another "designer", mixed breed dog. Like most designer breeds, many will end up in the shelters as paying lots of money doesn't mean you are going to get the personality you are promised. This is when people dump them at the pound... when they are not happy with their purchase.

I don't see an upside here. I would suggest getting a shelter dog and save a life. I don't know about your area but in Ft. Worth, TX the animal control / shelter only charges $49. and this includes all the shots, vet check, spay/neuter, city tag & microchip. There are so many kill shelters and all of them will have a dog that is the size and temperament you are wanting, it just might not be in a yellow haired package... you just need to do some shopping.


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## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

For the record, my full Golden Retriever is 20.5 inches tall, 49 pounds. Yes, she is unusually petite, but she meets breed standard. Not all Goldens are 65-80 pounds. Do your research, find a good breeder. Get a female - they're almost always smaller. 

Or - just go to the pound and get a mix. Or consider a smaller breed that has similar personality traits (I hear all the time that if you love Goldens but want a small dog, get a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. No idea if it's true, but I've heard it many times).


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## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

Cavaliers are a great choice if your looking for a small size dog that had similar personalities they are very personable and biddable smart easy to train ( most anyway) playful and affectionate. They are one of the few other breeds I would consider owning. But Like any breed they do have health considerations so do check any breeder out as far as doing clearances before buying.


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## Lucy222 (Aug 15, 2016)

Cpc1972 said:


> Goldens arent as big as what people think. If you go to a good breeder who is breeder for the standard a female won't be that big. To tell you the truth our girl now looks like a mini golden because our boy Jake was so big. I can't believe how small she is compared to Jake. She is only 64 lbs. She even came from a backyard breeder. I always crack up and say she like mini. We were so used to him at 90 lbs.


I agree with this! A lot of goldens, and especially females, are smaller than people think!
People comment all the time on how small Lucy is, though she's right in line with the breed standard at 22 inches and 62 lbs at 1 year old. And I tell them, she's actually exactly the size she should be!
My breeder specifically told us, if our females are over 70 lbs or males over ~80 lbs, they are not big dogs, they are overweight.. I imagine she's able to say this because she shows her dogs in conformation and knows that these puppies were all bred to grow up more or less to fall within the breed standard. I think you'd come across more size variance if you get your puppy from a back yard breeder, or someone who is not breeding for show purposes.
They grow taller too if the are spayed/neutered before maturity because they lack the hormones that tell the bone lengthening to stop at the right time. So waiting to spay/neuter will result in a slightly shorter dog.


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## Mel (Sep 9, 2008)

I also thought about looking for a mini Golden now that my knees are not too reliable but instead we opted for a new family member Mimi, about 7 months old (as she was still teething when we adopted her in December), weighing 30lb and expected to be around 40lb when fully grown (but who knows?!). She is a mixture of kangaroo and a giraffe judging by the length of her legs and jumping ability. She is just as sweet, loving, intelligent and adorable as was Mel but is only half the size.


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## bixx (Sep 8, 2015)

Found this.

Mini Golden Retrievers

I think the most important consideration would be health and temperament.


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## azzure (Dec 10, 2011)

You might want to look at Tollers...the smallest retriever purebred.


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## LJack (Aug 10, 2012)

bixx said:


> Found this.
> 
> Mini Golden Retrievers
> 
> I think the most important consideration would be health and temperament.


I agree but that link is a piece of marketing fluff that makes no mention of health testing or certifications. I highly doubt you would find a breeder of these mixes doing it but as a mix, they should be tested for the standard health issues in each breed they are mixed from.

Golden Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
Cocker Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
Mini Poodle Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
Standard Poodle Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information
Toy Poodle Canine Health Information Center: CHIC Information


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## carolinehansen (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi Jennifer! My golden BOY is full grown and only 58 pounds. He was from a reputable breeder and by no means was marketed to be miniature. Cpc1972 is right, goldens really are not as big as some make them to be. They can come in many weights and sizes  some as small as my boy and of course some a lot bigger. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Kim1607 (Aug 6, 2015)

carolinehansen said:


> Hi Jennifer! My golden BOY is full grown and only 58 pounds. He was from a reputable breeder and by no means was marketed to be miniature. Cpc1972 is right, goldens really are not as big as some make them to be. They can come in many weights and sizes  some as small as my boy and of course some a lot bigger.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


That's good to hear. Our George is looking like he's going to be on the small side. He's about 25 inches and 59 pounds at almost 14 months. I don't mind but we're getting some comments about how small he is.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

I have a 48 lb male and had a 52 lb male. My current puppy is only 6 months old but I'm guessing will be mid fifties when full grown.


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## G-bear (Oct 6, 2015)

I have a 2 year old male (neutered) who is 21 inches and 61 lbs. My previous golden, a female, was also 21 inches and only 54 lbs. She was a very delicate and petite girl.


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## carolinehansen (Sep 16, 2015)

Kim1607 said:


> That's good to hear. Our George is looking like he's going to be on the small side. He's about 25 inches and 59 pounds at almost 14 months. I don't mind but we're getting some comments about how small he is.


Aww, I love the name George! You're definitely not alone. A lot of people come up to my Hank either thinking he is a girl or a lot younger than he really is.


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## Loisiana (Jul 29, 2009)

Kim1607 said:


> That's good to hear. Our George is looking like he's going to be on the small side. He's about 25 inches and 59 pounds at almost 14 months. I don't mind but we're getting some comments about how small he is.


Are you sure about that height? 25 inches is actually pretty tall for a golden. And if he is that tall but only 59 pounds, then he'd have to be extremely thin and fine boned?


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## Gleepers (Apr 20, 2016)

Penny is my first golden and I was surprised that she really isn't very big. 60 lbs at a year but solid. Not overly tall. In Oct we started looking for a playmate for her. Kids were split, one wanted another golden and 2 wanted a lap dog. We kept an eye on the local rescues and found the perfect pooch. We believe he is part Golden and Part chihuahua. He is 25 lbs and all the happy go lucky of a golden, and on the down side all the reactive barkiness of a chihuahua. We are working on the barking and reactivity. We paid what I felt was an outrageous price for a homeless mutt. $450, but that seems to be the going rate for the rescues in my area.


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## Kim1607 (Aug 6, 2015)

Loisiana said:


> Are you sure about that height? 25 inches is actually pretty tall for a golden. And if he is that tall but only 59 pounds, then he'd have to be extremely thin and fine boned?


Actually you're right, he's 22.5 so half an inch shorter than breed standard. My BFF was all insulted on his behalf, lol. He is very thin. 

You've all reassured me but he had such big paws the first vet that saw him thought he was going to be a monster. He is a monster just not a big one.


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## DevWind (Nov 7, 2016)

Winx weighs about 50 lbs and is about 21 1/2 inches tall. She is a beautiful girl who is within standard. Every time take her out someone asks about what breed she is. I tell them golden.....then tell them that she is what a golden is supposed to look like. She wasn't the runt. This is how big a female golden showers be.


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## Prism Goldens (May 27, 2011)

Rxtr, there is no such thing as mini-Goldens. There are Cocker X Golden mixes which are called mini-Goldens but those are mixed breeds with a likelihood of temperament issues. OP- I hope you rethink your desire to have a dog who is not bred to the standard- once you deviate from the standard, you will lose important things.


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## Audog (Mar 17, 2017)

Sweet Girl said:


> For the record, my full Golden Retriever is 20.5 inches tall, 49 pounds. Yes, she is unusually petite, but she meets breed standard. Not all Goldens are 65-80 pounds. Do your research, find a good breeder. Get a female - they're almost always smaller.
> 
> Or - just go to the pound and get a mix. Or consider a smaller breed that has similar personality traits (I hear all the time that if you love Goldens but want a small dog, get a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. No idea if it's true, but I've heard it many times).


We have 2 Cavaliers, and currently 1 Golden. They have very similar personalities, the Cav's are more of a lap dog and are happy to just sit next to you, they are not quite the Retriever and won't play fetch as long as the Golden, but are so similar in temperament it's funny.


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