Bringing a Miniature Aussiedoodle into the house long-term isn’t for the faint-hearted.
This is a breed that needs a lot of exercise and doesn’t love being left alone, so, when you make the decision to take on one of these as a pet, remember that it has to be regularly walked (an hour a day if possible) and that its ideal parents would be people who work from home.
The Mini Aussiedoodle is hypoallergenic, which is probably music to your ears if you have family with allergies, but that doesn’t mean it’s a dog that doesn’t shed any hair. While it may not lose more than most dogs, you should make sure you’re brushing your dog’s hair a couple of times a week. You should also regularly trim its nails and brush its teeth, just as you do yours.
Miniature Aussiedoodle health
A Mini Aussiedoodle can live up to 15 years but, like many other dog breeds, can suffer health issues. Health risks with Mini Aussiedoodles include:
- Patellar Luxation
- Deafness
- Addison's Disease
- Legg-Calve Perthes Disease
- Canine Cushing’s Disease
- Mitral Valve Dysplasia
- Skeletal/Joint Conditions
Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation is a displacement or dislocation of the kneecap, and a condition that affects smaller breeds most commonly. Almost always present in the hind legs, it’s a disorder that ought to be examined quickly by a vet because it can become very painful for your dog.
Deafness
Hearing loss in dogs can be painful to witness but it might not necessarily be a serious long-term problem. Have your dog’s ears checked out by a vet to see if there might be wax, an infection, or simply an object from around the house in there. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll know.
Addison’s Disease
Addison’s Disease is a condition that’s the result of the adrenal glands — situated just above the kidneys in dogs and in humans — making insufficient glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids for healthy endocrine function to occur. It’s most common in female dogs. If you notice your Mini Aussiedoodle vomiting, suffering from diarrhea, or looking more tired than normal, you should have them checked out in case something is going wrong with their adrenal glands.
Legg-Calvé Perthes Disease
Look out for this one in your Mini Aussiedoodle between the age of four months and a year, as that’s when it most commonly develops. Legg-Calvé Perthes Disease can cause pain in the femur bone of your dog’s hind leg when it walks about; it’s a disorder in the hip joint that tends to affect only the one hip. Experts aren’t sure exactly what causes Legg-Calvé Perthes Disease but if you think your dog is struggling to walk at all, contact your vet.
Canine Cushing’s Disease
Cushing’s Disease in dogs forces the body to produce more cortisol than it needs. Too much cortisol — a hormone that raises blood sugar and helps suppress inflammatory signaling — can be really bad for your dog. It can cause irritation in its skin; hair loss; obesity; urinary infections; and enlargement of the liver. Diagnosis can be tricky but once you’ve got your dog to the vet, recovery tends to be positive.
Mitral Valve Dysplasia
If your vet finds a heart murmur in your dog at a wellness check, there is a slight chance it may have a congenital condition called mitral valve dysplasia. Normally, the mitral valve in the heart keeps blood flowing from left to right ventricle. With mitral valve dysplasia the valve doesn’t close tightly and flood flows back into the left atrium. Your vet can advise on a course of action according to how the condition is presenting, but the salt in your dog’s diet will need to be reduced.
Skeletal/Joint Conditions
This one’s a bit more self-explanatory than most. A broad category that can include all manner of aches and pains, joint injury is common and treatable. You may not know exactly how your dog picked up its injury but you will probably be able to see the effects easily: swelling, inflammation and abnormal holding of the affected limb. Take your dog to the vet; the good news is that with a bit of rehab, it will be fine.
Health issues can affect all breeds of dog, not just a Miniature Aussiedoodle. If you haven’t got a pet insurance policy already, use our simple online tool to compare plans from leading providers. A wellness plan, covering routine vet appointments, can help you to keep on top of basic health checks.
Feeding a Miniature Aussiedoodle
You need to feed this great dog some equally great food. A full grown Mini Aussiedoodle will need about two cups of food a day. In order for them not to gain too much weight (something to which this breed can be prone), try to avoid letting them graze all day.
Mini Aussiedoodles do an awful lot of exercise, and because they’re so active, a diet high in protein is recommended. To stave off potential joint problems, food containing glucosamine is a great idea. Our friends at Dog Food Advisor have recommendations for the
best food for small dog breeds.
