Overview
MangDang's crowdfunded (Kickstarter/Indiegogo/Makuake, 2021) small-scale take on Stanford Pupper, pitched as the first consumer 12-DOF quadruped designed for mass production. It became a popular ROS teaching robot. Replaced by Mini Pupper 2 with custom servos. v1 units still surface secondhand.
- Type
- Quadruped robot · Desktop / hobby kits
- Maker
- MangDang (China)
- Released
- 2021
- Price
- Was $279 – $564 (Kickstarter)
- Status
- Discontinued · used/leftover only
- Best for
- Ages 14+
- Programming
- Open source (hardware + software)
Price and shipping
2021 Kickstarter pledges ran from $279 (Research Basic Kit) to $564 fully assembled, against a stated $940 retail price for the complete robot. MangDang's store still shows a 'Mini Pupper' listing at $649 pre-assembled alongside Mini Pupper 2 at the same price, so buyers should confirm which hardware ships.
Shipping: Used only. Discontinued in favor of Mini Pupper 2. Used units occasionally appear on eBay.
Specifications
| Category | Quadrupeds · Desktop / hobby kits |
|---|---|
| Released | 2021 |
| Country | China |
| Availability | Discontinued · used/leftover only |
| Sales | 915 Kickstarter backers, HK$3.9 million pledged (2021, estimate) Kickstarter ↗ |
| DIY build plans | Mini Pupper (MangDang) · parts $760 (estimate) · difficulty 2/5 |
| Programmability | Open source (hardware + software) |
| Built-in autonomy | Navigates · Goes to places on its own, such as mapped rooms, waypoints or its charging dock |
| LLM support | Possible via SDK · No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it. |
| MuJoCo simulation | Maker URDF only · MangDang's mini_pupper_description URDF, no MuJoCo model found. mini_pupper_ros ↗ |
| NVIDIA Isaac simulation | Maker URDF only · MangDang's mini_pupper_description URDF, no Isaac asset found. mini_pupper_ros ↗ |
| Gazebo simulation | Official model · MangDang's ROS package includes Gazebo launch files (ros1-noetic branch covers v1). mini_pupper_ros ros1-noetic ↗ |
| Best for | Ages 14+ (estimated) |
| Vision sensors | Camera, Lidar |
| Actuators | Hobby servos |
| Audio | No audio |
| Compute type | Raspberry Pi |
| Compute | Raspberry Pi 4 / CM4 |
| Weight | 560 g |
| Speed | Not published |
| DOF | 12 hobby servos |
| Sensors | IMU, optional lidar and camera |
| SDK | ROS/ROS2, Python (open source) |
Common questions
How much does Mini Pupper cost?
It sold for $279 – $564 (Kickstarter). 2021 Kickstarter pledges ran from $279 (Research Basic Kit) to $564 fully assembled, against a stated $940 retail price for the complete robot. MangDang's store still shows a 'Mini Pupper' listing at $649 pre-assembled alongside Mini Pupper 2 at the same price, so buyers should confirm which hardware ships.
Can Mini Pupper be bought today?
It is discontinued, though used or leftover units still turn up. Discontinued in favor of Mini Pupper 2. Used units occasionally appear on eBay.
Who makes Mini Pupper?
Mini Pupper is made by MangDang (China). It came out in 2021.
Can Mini Pupper be programmed?
Open source (hardware + software). ROS/ROS2, Python (open source).
Does Mini Pupper have AI chat or LLM support?
Possible via SDK. No built-in LLM. Its SDK lets software on a computer control it.
What age is Mini Pupper for?
Ages 14+ (estimated).
Ratings & reviews
Ratings and reviews load on the live site.
Related guides
- Fastest Robot Dogs · the top 20 ranked by speed
- Robot Dog Actuators · how to choose the leg motors
- 8 vs 12 DOF Robot Dogs · two or three motors per leg
- Robot Gaits and Gait Training · how legged robots walk, trot and gallop
Bittle / Bittle X
Mini Pupper 2
XGO-Mini2 / Mini2S
PuppyPi (Standard → Pro Ultimate)
ROSPug
DOGZILLA-Lite (= XGO-Lite2)