The Portidoodle and Mini Portidoodle is a Doodle mixed Breed. A mix between a Portuguese Water Dog and a Mini Poodle or standard Poodle. These adorable curly-haired dogs will enchant you with their perfect disposition and great love for all things fun.
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Portidoodle and Mini Portidoodle: Overview
When it comes to personality, the Mini Portidoodle is a pup with an attitude. These gorgeous dogs are cheerful and happy-go lucky despite any situation they find themselves in! They are very fond of water, dog sports/games (especially those that involve throwing); most importantly they’re devoted family members who enjoy entertaining humans in any way possible and attending any and all family events.
What makes these gorgeous pups so great? The fact that there’s no one better than someone who loves you unconditionally (your human). This breed brings joyfulness into homes all over the USA.
Breed Characteristics
Size: small to medium: 10 to 20 inches tall.
Average Weight: 14 to 28 pounds depending on which parent it takes after
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Adaptability: 4/5
Temperament: Friendly, sweet, docile, playful with a cheerful attitude, and can make the perfect pet
Energy Level: Moderate – they do require daily exercise like all dogs and can become destructive if they don’t have enough exercise
Dog Friendly: 5/5
Pet Friendly: 5/5
Child Friendly: 5/5
Intelligence: 4/5
Trainability: 4/5
Mini Portidoodle’s are fast and eager learners with good trainability. They can learn basic commands very fast and can be trained on more complex commands relatively easily.
Barking: 3/5
Apartment/small spaces: 4/5
Grooming level: 2/5
Shedding level: low shedding/hypoallergenic, inheriting the coat characteristics of the PWD
Temperament
The Mini Portidoodles are known for their friendliness and playfulness and make great family dogs with a great deal of love to give. They love playing with humans, their canine friends, and feline family members alike and form strong bonds. Docile and sweet-natured they are very perceptive to their family’s needs.
These gorgeous, goofy dogs are a designer doodle breed that exudes happiness and a zest for like. They are playful, lively, social, and love to be out and about with their pet parents and entertain with their comical tricks.
Inheriting the intelligence of the poodle and the water-loving spirit of the Portuguese water dogs – Portidoodles love to play games and have a real love of the water – whether that be swimming, going to the beach, chasing the water spray from hoses, or running through the sprinkler.
Personality/Characteristics
- Commonly known as the Mini Portidoo and Mini Portipoo
- Mini Portidoodles are adaptable, being able to live in small flats and on large acreages
- Adventurous, Inquisitive, and a clown: the Mini Portipoo can make an amazing companion for the right family
- Low-shedding, the Mini Portidoodle is a good fit for those people with dog allergies
- Entertaining, sweet-natured, and entertaining with an independent spirit – the Mini Portidoodle makes for a great friend for children
- Can make very good therapy dogs
- Can tolerate both warm and cool climates: see grooming
- Mini Portipoo puppies are fairly easy to train, highly intelligent, love to please, highly intelligent, and a great dog for first-time owners
- Alert and on guard, Mini Portidoodle’s are a great watchdog for the family, taking after both their poodle and Portuguese water dog parents.
- Trainable
- The Mini Portidoo is outgoing, pleasant, and sociable. It happily and quickly makes friends with other dogs and cats.
- The Mini Portidoodle is a really versatile dog, it is a good choice for families, couples, people living alone, and seniors that like to go out for a walk every day. It does need exercise on a regular basis
History of the Mini Portidoodle
The Mini Portidoodle is a relative newcomer to the Doodle Breeds emerging as a hybrid mix in the last 3-4 years in the USA so there is not much history! It is a mix between a purebred Portuguese Water Dog and a purebred Mini Poodle.
By breeding two dog breeds together, professional breeders aim to create a hybrid that will possess some of the best qualities of the breeds which are low shedding, intelligence, playfulness, adaptability, and relatively low health issues.
The Portuguese Water Dog is also known as Cao de Agua (dog of water) originated several centuries ago in the fishing villages of Portugal. With their webbed paws and strong swimming ability -Portuguese Water Dogs were trained to herd fish into nets and to retrieve lost tackle and fishing gear and nets from the water. The Portuguese water dogs went on to become loyal, loving, and cherished companion pets when fishing became commercialized.
The Poodles are known for their intelligence and aristocratic good looks. Poodles are a breed of dog that originated in Germany and has been popular for their lovely appearance, retrieving talents, work with traveling circuses, therapy work, friendship, athletic accomplishments, and dog sports.
Officially recognized by the AKC there are three sizes; Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, and Toy Poodle. Regardless of their size, Poodles never fail to impress with their agility, friendliness, and learning skills. They are also one of the only dog breeds that shed very small amounts and are considered hypoallergenic.
Appearance
The Mini Portidoodle is small to a medium dog with a long, fluffy tail and floppy ears, and a medium muzzle. It has a medium-length coat that is either curly or wavy and can come in various colors and combinations that include black, brown, cream, gray, sable, and merle. It is also low shedding making it lower in maintenance than other breeds.
Health
They are too recent a Doodle mix to assess their health risk and make accurate predictions. There should be some hybrid vigor since they are a mix. Let’s look at the common health issues of their parent breeds but this is not an accurate prediction of your pup’s health risk.
- Cushing’s Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism): When the body produces too much cortisol, this disease develops. It might be caused by a disruption in the pituitary or adrenal glands. Or it can be caused by a dog having too much cortisol as a result of another illness. Excessive drinking and urination are common symptoms. If your Doodle shows these two signs, have it examined by your veterinarian as it requires quick treatment.
- Epilepsy: Idiopathic epilepsy is a typical reason for seizures in Poodles and Doodles, regardless of their size. It is frequently inherited and may result in minor or severe fits. Unusual behavior, such as running about like being pursued, staggering, or hiding, might be signs of a seizure. It’s crucial to note that seizures can occur for a variety of reasons other than idiopathic epilepsy. Metabolic diseases, viral illnesses that impact the brain, tumors, exposure to toxins, severe head injuries, and more are all possible causes.
- Patellar Luxation: Occurs in Doodles. The kneecap is the patella. When the knee cap (typically on the hind leg) slides in and out of position, causing discomfort, patellar luxation occurs. This can be very debilitating, but many dogs live fairly normal lives with this disease.
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA): Occurs in both Poodles and Portuguese Water Dogs. PRA is an inherited disease of the retina that leads to the destruction of photoreceptors at the back of the eye and eventual blindness. PRA may be detected several years before a dog develops any symptoms of blindness. Fortunately, despite their inability to see, dogs can compensate for their loss by utilizing other senses, and a blind dog may lead a fairly normal and happy life.
Always inspect the parents and ask if they have had any health issues and have been screened for common diseases. There are some substandard breeders out there so you need to take the necessary precautions
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Portidoodles Shed?
The Portidoodle is considered a low shedding breed. However, their shedding levels will vary greatly depending on which parent they take after more. If they inherit the shedding nature of their Poodle parent they will have minimal shedding.
If they inherit the Portuguese Water Dog parent’s shedding then they will share more. There is no way to tell how much they will shed till around 1-2 years of age. This is when they go through their first changes of season.
How Much Grooming do Portidoodles Need?
Just because they are low shedding does not mean they are maintenance-free! All Doodles require daily or every other day brushing to stop their curly coats matting. They typically require a trip to the groomers for grooming every 8 weeks.
If you do not wish to groom your Portidoodle frequently then you need to get them clipped to avoid matting. I would recommend 3-4 times per year. Ask for a retriever clip or a lion clip.
How Much Do Portidoodle’s Cost?
$ 3000-5000
Dr. Elly has always loved animals, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. After studying hard in veterinary school, she practiced in several different countries before moving to North Carolina with her husband and young family. She currently works part time as a veterinarian while caring for her 4 busy children and writing this blog. Dr. Elly genuinely cares about the welfare of her patients. She currently has three dogs, two cats, 5 chickens and 2 rabbits (yes a bit of a zoo!)
