One of the questions we are asked most often is:

“How big will my puppy be?”

Many people are surprised to learn that the Toy Poodle standard does not specify a weight at all. Toy Poodles are defined by height, not kilograms.

In both Australia and Europe, a Toy Poodle is defined as a dog measuring up to 28 cm (11 inches) at the shoulder.

Although Standard, Miniature and Toy Poodles are recognised as separate varieties, they all share the same breed standard. The only difference between them is size.

In some European countries, inter-variety breeding is permitted. In these systems, puppies are not permanently assigned to a size variety at birth. Instead, they receive their final variety once they are old enough to be officially measured, usually after six months of age. This allows a puppy to be registered in the variety it has actually grown into.

As a breeder, I find this system particularly interesting. In countries with a limited gene pool, it allows valuable bloodlines to be preserved without compromising breed type. An otherwise outstanding dog does not lose its genetic value simply because it matures a couple of centimetres outside the expected height range.

Our breeding program includes carefully selected European bloodlines. This helps maintain genetic diversity while preserving the structure, movement and temperament we value so highly. One consequence of this is that our puppies can mature into slightly different sizes, and it is simply not possible to predict an adult height with complete accuracy when a puppy is only eight weeks old.

Very occasionally, we produce exceptionally tiny puppies that mature to around 24–25 cm and weigh under 2 kg. While they are undeniably adorable, we choose not to breed from dogs of this size. In our opinion, it is not ethical to deliberately breed Toy Poodles so small that they may struggle to whelp naturally.

Our ideal breeding dogs stand 26–28 cm tall and weigh approximately 3–4.5 kg. The vast majority of our puppies mature within this range.

From time to time, however, we also have puppies that grow beyond the Toy height limit, reaching 29 or even 30 cm. These dogs are usually beautifully balanced, athletic and sound. They often make an excellent choice for families with children or for owners interested in obedience, rally, agility or other dog sports.

At Gingerbreed, our goal has never been to produce the smallest possible dogs. We breed for health, sound structure, correct temperament and longevity, believing these qualities are far more important than chasing the smallest size.