Nowadays, more and more people are becoming fond of collecting miniature things. The smaller it gets, the cuter it will look. These things could range from gadgets up to pets! Because of this demand in finding smaller than the usual things, businessmen are thinking of ways on how to come up with a product that is smaller than its normal size. With the fast pace in technology and witty minds of people, it is not impossible to shrink the size of things to make it more unique. When dealing with living creatures it is however important to make sure the decreased size does not result in suffering for the animal. Creating miniature Labrador retriever dogs plagued by ill health and hereditary disease is naturally highly unethical. When breeding dogs, focus has to be placed not only on appearance but on quality of life as well.

Labrador retrievers are great pets because of their friendly nature, intelligence and trainability. Labradors are also known for being playful so there will never be a dull moment with them. They belong to a group of dogs that are known to be “child friendly” so there is no danger in keeping well trained and healthy Labrador retriever at home even if you have a toddler in the family. However, Labrador retrievers are quite big. An adult Labrador has a height of about 22 inches for females and 24 inches for males. They are also quite heavy as they could weigh up to 60 pounds for females and 77 pounds for males. This is why a lot of prospective dog owners look for a dog with all the positive characteristics of the Labrador retriever but in a smaller package – a miniature Labrador retriever.

Some breeders have now found a way to minimize the size of the Labrador retriever and the result is often referred to as the miniature Labrador retriever. Miniature Labrador retrievers are not purebred dogs and there is no acknowledged breeding standard for miniature Labrador retrievers. It is usually a crossbreed with a poodle. Because of this, a miniature Labrador can also be called mini Labradoodle or miniature poodle hybrid. Miniature Labradors normally reach a height of about 20 inches or less. In terms of weight, such a dog usually weighs about 50 pounds.

There are several ways of coming up with a miniature Labrador. A breeder can have the option to crossbreed it with a poodle only or to crossbreed it with a poodle and a third breed. Crossbreeding can be done either by artificial insemination, surgical insemination or by allowing the dogs to mate. However, it is unusual for big dogs like the Labrador to mate with smaller dogs. Because of this, breeders often chose to downsize the Labrador first by crossbreeding it with a small dog using artificial or surgical insemination, often a Cocker spaniel. Then, the dog produced will undergo another crossbreeding with a poodle through natural mating, or through surgical or artificial insemination.

However, crossbreeding with a smaller dog does not guarantee that the result will be a miniature Labrador retriever. The exact result will always depend on which parent the puppy will get its features from when it comes to size and weight. There are instances where crossbreeding produces standard-size Labradors with poodle features. Because of this, breeders have to crossbreed again until they are able to achieve a miniature Labrador retriever. It should also be noted that a Miniature Labrador retriever can inherit mental characteristics and instincts from all the involved dogs, e.g. from Poodles and Cocker spaniels.