Adult Goldendoodle Nutrient Needs
The Goldendoodle will be considered an adult from the age of 18 months, and at this point you should begin your search for his new adult kibble. Just as it was important in his puppy stage, it is crucial that you find a kibble that is catered to the specific nutritional needs of large breeds. Being a big dog with a lot of muscle to carry around, it is important that his bones and joints are supported.
The MSD Veterinary Manual recommends that adult dogs need a kibble that will provide him with a protein content of at least 18%, but being an energetic dog who is muscular and athletic, we would raise this recommendation to a protein content of at least 23%.
During adulthood, unless he has a medical condition that requires specific nutrition, his bowl should focus on overall wellness. His brain function and golden curly locks would benefit from ingredients such as fish oils and flaxseed, and a variety of garden veggies and fruit will provide him with vitamins and minerals. Healthy carbohydrates will provide him with the energy he needs whilst ensuring that he will not become too porky.
Is Dry Or Wet Food Best For My Goldendoodle
In general, dry food is best for your dog.
Dry food helps to scrape bacteria from your dogs teeth that would otherwise form plaque, leading to gingivitis and canine periodontal disease in later life.
However, for senior dogs that have missing teeth, newly weaned puppies, and dogs with certain health conditions, wet food can be a good choice.
How To Switch Your Goldendoodles Food Especially If They Are Picky Eaters
If you have an especially picky Goldendoodle puppy at home, switch their dog food extremely gradually. Picky eaters will most certainly notice if you suddenly give them another formula. Start mixing very small amounts of new food to their old dog food and gradually increase the ratio over time. This will make it easier for your pup to transition to a new formula.
You can start by following the chart below. But for picky eaters, you can change their food gradually over 10 days, for example.
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Ziwipeak Lamb Dries Doodle
Ziwipeak food for dogs is considered one of the best Goldendoodles. What makes it different is the addition of lamb in it which makes the dog treat for Goldendoodle amazing, unique and delicious.
Benefits:
- Enzymes are probiotics are found in the mixture of the ziwipeak food which helps in the improved digestion of the Goldendoodle.
- The ingredients found inside are healthy and advantageous for bones, joints, and skin.
Cons: Some users experienced vomiting and diarrhea but it varies from experience to experience.
Special Considerations For Goldendoodles
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Frequently Asked Questions While Shopping For The Best Goldendoodle Puppy Food
Should a Goldendoodle Eat Dry or Canned Food?
It depends on your pups preferences, as long as the formula suits your dogs lifestyle and special needs. However, keep in mind that canned dog food is more expensive, so dry dog food is a more affordable option.
Should My Goldendoodle Eat a Grain-Free Diet?
There isnt a definitive answer to that, as each Doodle is unique and has their own special requirements. We do, however, recommend that you dont choose a dog food that contains grain as the first ingredient. High-carb diets are not the best for Doodles. Here you can learn more about grain-free diets for dogs.
How Often Should I Feed My Goldendoodle Puppy?
Depending on your puppys age, 8-12 week old puppies should be fed small portions 3-4 times a day. 4-5 month old puppies should be fed puppy food 3 times a day. And 6-8 month old puppies can start transitioning to 2 meals a day.
How Much Should You Feed a Goldendoodle?
Your pups food intake depends on their age, size, activity levels, and other special considerations. Try out our dog food calculator, which will accurately calculate your Goldendoodles needs. Also, dont forget to consult this with your veterinarian, as they will be able to give you some useful guidelines.
How Long Should a Goldendoodle Eat Puppy Food?
Goldendoodles can eat puppy food until theyve reached their full adult size. Usually, this happens around 9-16 months of age, but most vets will recommend transitioning to adult food at 1 year of age.
Why Should My Goldendoodle Be Fed With Quality Dog Food
Your Goldendoodle may look happy, but sometimes, they need nutritional requirements. For instance:
They get hip dysplasia more often. The problem is that these dogs were born to have a higher chance of getting hip problems. The problem becomes worse if your dog also has weight management issues. Aside from the vets advice and medicine, it is also important that your dog food should be just right for them and contains the right of nutrients for their joint health.
Most are prone to bloating. Bloating sometimes happens if your dog eats up too fast or sometimes eats unnecessary fillers. You should get rid of these fillers by choosing higher-quality dog food.
They could have a coat and skin allergies. Preservatives can sometimes be at fault for food allergies that can damage your dogs skin. The solution: pick dog foods with omega fatty acids.
They may be prone to weight problems. As a small breed, Goldendoodles tend to face obesity more often than other dogs, causing their hip dysplasia to worsen, actually.
As Goldendoodles are a cross of Golden Retriever and a Poodle then you can also find that some of the best dog food for Goldendoodles matches the best dog food for Golden Retrievers.
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Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain
Brand: Merrick
Cost: $35
Main Ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Water Sufficient for Processing, Lamb Liver, Natural Flavor, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Chloride, Guar Gum, Minerals , Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins.
Why Buy? Merrick produces some of the best dog foods and this limited ingredient recipe is a healthy alternative to weighty grain-based foods.
Purina Pro Plan With Probiotics High Protein Dry Puppy Food Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula 34 Lb Bag
The Purina Pro Plan with Probiotics High Protein Dry Puppy Food is made with high-quality protein, including real chicken as the #1 ingredient. This is the dog food that we put our Cavapoo Rosie on when we first got her as a puppy and it seemed to go down a treat.
DHA from omega-rich fish oil nourishes brain and vision development, and the antioxidant-rich formula supports their developing immune system.
This puppy food is fortified with guaranteed live probiotics for dogs to support your pups digestive and immune health, while phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals build strong teeth and bones.
Pros:
- Unique texture Hard kibble mixed with tender meaty shreds creates a unique texture and taste that your Goldendoodle puppy wont be able to resist.
- Fortified with live probiotics Supports your pups digestive and immune health.
- Highly digestible This puppy food promotes optimal nutrition delivery and contains no artificial colors or flavors, so you dont have to worry about any hidden nasties.
Cons:
- Some customers claim that this particular bag is easy to tear in transit but we have never had a problem.
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About American Journey Large Breed Salmon & Brown Rice Protein First Recipe
Designed for affordability and nutritional quality, this large breed formula features fresh salmon and menhaden fish meal as the top two ingredients with brown rice as a digestible source of carbohydrate.
Nulo Senior Grain-Free Recipe Dry Food
Nulos seafood blend is made with senior dogs in mind.
Best Dog Foods For Goldendoodles With Skin Problems/allergies
As said before, individual Goldendoodles can have a few hypersensitivities and skin issues. In the event that your dog needs to stay away from regular proteins, you can attempt this food.
Wild Calling! Xotic Essentials Rabbit Meal Recipe:
Any dog enduring skin issues or food hypersensitivities may profit from Wild Callings! Xotic Essentials recipes. Formulas like their rabbit meal recipe utilize exotic meats that are uncommon in the present pet food market so your dog hasnt eaten them before less possibility of having an allergic response. The food is moreover highly digestible. Wild Calling! likewise utilizes what they call Lite . They dont utilize any of the ingredients ordinarily found in most dog foods, for example, chicken, grain, gluten, egg, yeast, corn, wheat, or soy. On the off chance that your dog has a food hypersensitivity, he may profit by Wild Calling. The food is a figure for rotational feeding and they offer a few Xotic Essentials recipes, for example, kangaroo and buffalo, so your dog doesnt get over-exposed to one sort of meat protein. This is an All-Life Stage food.
Best Dog Foods for Goldendoodles with Sensitive Stomachs
On the off chance that your dog has a delicate stomach, it can be an indication of a food sensitivity, which is unique in relation to a food allergy. A dog with food sensitivity will have gastrointestinal issues, for example, vomiting or looseness of the bowels. Or then again it could be something more serious.
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What Should I Look For In The Best Dog Food For Goldendoodles
Glucosamine and chondroitin. This is for their hip problems and it can also strengthen their joints.
Just the right amount of calories. Since they can be prone to obesity, you should feed them with the right amount of dog food per day. The best way to go is about 330 per day for adults and 400 to 600 for puppies.
Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. These can help with your dogs flare-ups, allergies, and other skin problems and also enhance their shiny coat.
Grain-free and no fillers. This can help your dog not to have too much bloating so they can chow down easily and happily.
No artificial preservatives. Dogs with sensitive guts also benefit from natural dog food without artificial ingredients.
No animal by-products. If you ensure that your dog food comes from real meat then they will get the right amount of protein for their daily needs.
During the hot summer, months make sure your dog is hydrated, you can carry a travel dog water bottle for that. You can also make sure your Goldendoodle stays cool by trimming their hair.
Instinct Freeze Dried Raw Boost Mixers Grain
Brand: Instinct
Cost: $27.99
Main Ingredients: Chicken , Chicken Liver, Pumpkinseeds, Chicken Heart, Dried Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Dried Chicory Root, Annatto , Apple Cider Vinegar, Mixed Tocopherols , Rosemary Extract, Dried Bacillus Coagulans, Fermentation Product.
Why Buy? Freeze-dried raw ingredients provide optimal nutrition and lock flavor and freshness in place for a longer shelf life.
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Blue Buffalo Freedom Adult Chicken Recipe Grain
This simple dog food option from Blue Buffalo is made for dogs with sensitive stomachs. The ingredients are limited to avoid potential issues.
Deboned chicken is the main protein of choice. It contributes to the 24 percent protein content. There are absolutely no grains or any unnecessary fillers. Instead, it has the brand’s LifeSource Bits.
These vitamin-rich morsels are designed to improve the immune system. they’re made of healthy antioxidants, which are great for preventing cell oxidation and fighting off free radicals.
When Should I Switch My Goldendoodle Puppy To Adult Food
Puppy foods are high in protein, calories, and fat to meet a pups developmental needs. But, bittersweet as it may be, all puppies grow out of the need for this type of food, just as human babies make the shift from milk or formula to solid foods.
As with most considerations regarding your dogs food, her size is the biggest factor in determining when to make the shift from puppy food to food. As weve mentioned, Goldendoodles take their size cues from the Poodle side of the family, and they can range in size from toy to standard.
In general, you want to begin feeding your puppy food when theyre near their height. In toy breeds, this could be as young as 7-9 months, while bigger dogs reach this point at about 10-12 months of age.
Your vet can help you estimate how large they expect your Goldendoodle to grow, and if you know the parentage history of your dog, that can help in that determination. But its important to remember that its generally better to keep an dog on puppy food than to switch a puppy to food before shes ready.
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Goldendoodles Can Have Bloat
Poodles can struggle with a potentially life-threatening condition called bloat. The medical term for this condition is “Gastric Dilatation Volvulus” or GDV, for short. Mainly, the stomach can swell with gas. That itself is not life-threatening. What can happen, though, is that the stomach twists, pinching off both the entrance and exit. This pinching prevents the dog from relieving the swelling by passing gas.
Unfortunately, this twisting can also cut off the blood supply to other organs and tissues, which results in death.
Bloat is the second most common cause of death in large breeds and a standard Poodle ranks in the top 12 at-risk breeds. There are many risk factors for GDV. One of them is eating kibble that is high in grain content.
If your Goldendoodle is a mix of a standard Poodle and a Golden Retriever, you should pay attention to the signs and symptoms of bloat.
Given how prone Poodles are to this condition, as a Goldendoodle owner, you should only feed your dog the highest quality Goldendoodle dog food!
Merrick Grain Free Puppy Recipe Dry Dog Food
Merrick makes some great food and we think its among the best dog food for a goldendoodle puppy. First, their food is always gluten-free. That means good digesting. Furthermore, since the main ingredient is chicken, this food is very natural.
Healthy skin and coat go hand-in-hand with this brand. We find that customers notoriously rave about their dogs complexion after eating this food. That means balanced nutrition and strong helpings of protein. Its also due to the industries highest levels of Omega 6 and Omega 3 fatty acids. Combine that with the added DHA for healthy brain development, and you have a winner. We strongly recommend this food as one of the healthiest options you can find for goldendoodles.
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Instinct By Nature’s Variety Raw Boost Large Breed Puppy Recipe With Real Chicken
Purposefully made with the nutritional requirements of puppies in mind, the Raw Boost formula from Instinct is great for growing Goldendoodles. With about 33.5 protein, your young pup has plenty of fuel to grow.
This food has a nice blend of chicken, fish, and lamb. It also has the magic ratio of calcium and phosphorus for good measure. In addition to the standard kibble pieces, this recipe also has small morsels of freeze-dried raw food.
It provides that added kick of flavor while ensuring that your dog is getting all the protein he or she needs.
Hip Dysplasia And Joint Issues
Any dog that weighs over 50 pounds is at risk for joint problems. As dogs get older, the stress on their joints can lead to painful arthritis. Goldendoodles are also known to experience luxating patella, which is when the knee joints slip out of position.
To avoid this, you should choose foods that support the cartilage in the joints. Regular exercise helps, too.
Hip Dysplasia is a medical condition that often stems from poor development as a puppy. You have to remember that young puppies are going to gain a massive amount of weight during their first year of life.
All of that stress during the growth cycle can cause abnormal bone growth.That’s why it’s important to stay on top of your dog’s diet, especially during the puppy years. There’s a fine line between overfeeding them and not providing enough calories.
With hip dysplasia, the hip socket is not formed correctly. Oftentimes, you won’t even know that this is an issue until later on in your dog’s life.
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What Makes Dog Food Good For Goldendoodles
Choosing the right food for your Goldendoodle contributes to the overall well-being and health of your pup. But dont worry, its not as daunting as it seems.
Use our guide to help you make informed decisions that are sure to keep your canine satisfied.
Wed love to hear from you! Leave us a message about your experiences with any of the food above. Or if your Goldendoodle has a favorite recipe that isnt on our list, let us know about it. Wed love to check it out.