Feed Your Goldendoodle

What’s for supper? Feed your Goldendoodle right!

Did you know that your Goldendoodle is going to have different nutritional requirements at different points in her life? What she needs to grow strong and healthy as a puppy is not going to be the same as when she becomes a senior dog. Just as our own nutritional needs changes as we age, so too will your Goldendoodle’s. Feed your Goldendoodle to suit her stage of life, and she’ll be happy and healthy.

As a loving parent of a vibrant young Goldendoodle, you are going to want the best food available for her. Not just anything off the shelf that doesn’t contain much as far as healthy nutrients in the first place, but the food that best fits her needs.

Which one do you select? You walk into the dog food aisle and are instantly bombarded with choice after choice. One vows to be the best for your dog, while another brand promises to have your own dog’s best interests at heart. The choices are myriad. Remember, the best food is going to first and foremost depend on the age of your Goldendoodle.

How to feed your Goldendoodle puppy

Hip Dysplasia is an orthopedic disease more common in large dog breeds. It means the ball part of the hip joint does not fit properly in the socket, instead resting on the edge. It can cause painful bone-on-bone contact.

Other than insuring your Goldendoodle comes from a genetic line that does not have a proclivity to Hip Dysplasia, a proper diet while she’s a puppy goes a long way in the prevention of this often-crippling disease.

Puppies need less calcium as they develop than they will need as an adult. This has been shown to help in the prevention of Hip Dysplasia. A balanced diet is the best thing for her. Based on her own individual needs, you will also need to make sure she doesn’t get too many carbohydrates or too much fat in her diet. Overfeeding larger Goldendoodles can also lead to health problems later on in life.

For the best results, feed your Goldendoodle puppy specialized puppy food.

The needs of an adult Goldendoodle

As your Goldendoodle ages, she is going to need more protein but fewer calories at the same time. This can be a hard mix to get right, and you need to be vigilant when selecting the right food for her.

During her adult life stage, you want to be sure that the food you give your Goldendoodle derives the majority of its protein from actual meat protein. Some dog foods will boost their protein content by adding peas, legumes, or other plants.

Getting a dog food that contains the amino acid taurine can help reduce the risk of heart disease in the form of dilated cardiomyopathy. Foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids not only will help maintain a beautiful coat but will also keep their brain and nervous system firing correctly.

Adult dog food is the right choice for your adult Goldendoodle. Choose a type of food made for the size of your dog — a standard Goldendoodle will be much bigger than a mini Goldendoodle, so check the package and match your choice to the weight of your particular Goldendoodle.

A senior dog

In the end, a Goldendoodle goes through three development phases that will require different nutritional needs. Puppies are aged under 15 to 18 months. Adults are from around a year and a half to eight years. Anything older is considered a senior dog.