Blog

How Much Should You Feed Your Goldendoodle Puppy?

Goldendoodles are polite, wise, patient, and people-pleasers. Nonetheless, they require adequate nutrition to maintain good behavior. They have distinct dietary requirements and health profiles. Because they are highly active dogs, they need a diet that will sustain their high energy levels and physical prowess. So, how much should you feed your Goldendoodle puppy?

Puppies of Goldendoodles need two to four daily feedings, depending on size, age, activity level, weather, and food type. If you have difficulty estimating the amount of food, consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

How Much Food Does Your Goldendoodle Puppy Need?

Goldendoodle puppies require two to four feedings per day, depending on their size and age, as well as other factors discussed below. You can avoid unnecessary veterinarian visits due to overfeeding or underfeeding by keeping track of how much food your Goldendoodle consumes.

While puppies stop eating when they are full, they will occasionally consume more food than is healthy and then vomit up some of it. If you do not adjust the food portions to what is sufficient for the pup, they may learn to overeat, leading to obesity and other health problems.

You can use the age chart below to figure out how much food your Goldendoodle should get:

Birth Up to Two weeks

You should not feed your puppy regular dog food from birth to two weeks. Only the mother should nurse the puppy at this age.

If your Goldendoodle puppy cannot nurse due to an unexpected circumstance, consult your veterinarian about the type of food you can offer at this age to meet their nutritional needs.

Two to Four Weeks

The Goldendoodle puppy should still be breastfeeding, but you can start introducing puppy food. It is normal for a small dog to show no interest in puppy food at this age, but don’t give up just yet. They will grow accustomed to the food over time.

Four to Six Weeks

You can increase the daily amount to a quarter cup now that you should have started introducing the dog food. At this age, a quarter cup per day should suffice while the dog is still feeding.

Continue to give them the food even if they can only finish part of the serving in a day. If your puppy eats all their food at once, you can give them more.

Six to Eight Weeks

By now, the Goldendoodle puppies ought to be self-weaning. The Goldendoodle puppy should just be eating puppy food at this point and no longer need milk. Three quarter-cup feedings should be given to the puppy throughout the day, spaced out by eight-hour intervals.

If you do not want to retain the pups after eight weeks, after they have successfully weaned and are independent of their mother, you can give them away.

Eight to Ten Weeks

Your Goldendoodle puppy will be more active and about to go through a significant growth spurt by the time they are ten weeks old. The food portions should be increased to accommodate their growth and prevent malnutrition.

Three meals a day for your dog should each include about a quarter cup of food. You could determine whether your puppy needs more or less food by observing how they appear.

Ten to Twelve Weeks

The most significant development spurt for your Goldendoodle puppy will occur at 12 weeks. They’ll probably put on a lot of weight over the next several weeks, and their appetite may alter depending on what they need.

The puppy will require two half-cup portions spread out for the day at regular intervals of twelve hours.

Due to their increased activity level and requirement for additional calories to support their growing needs, puppies will require more calories than adults. Assure them that their diet contains enough calories.

At this age, you need to be able to see your pet’s waist and determine whether their weight is appropriate. As a result of your observations, adjust the food portions as necessary.

Calorie Consumption of Goldendoodles

You’ll be familiar with this entire narrative if you’re one of those who constantly track the calories in your meals.

First things first: Your Goldendoodle puppy will not suffer from eating too many calories. The body needs calories to function. How do Goldendoodle puppies manage to stay so energetic? In essence, Doodles get their energy from calories.

Sizes Of Goldendoodles And Caloric Intake

• Mini Goldendoodles often weigh between 15 and 35 pounds. Therefore, they need about 366 calories per day.

• A medium Goldendoodle needs at least 440 calories because it can weigh between 30 and 45 pounds.

• Standard Goldendoodles, which typically range in weight from 50 to 90 pounds, need 835 to more than 1000 calories daily.

What Food Should I Give My Goldendoodle?

Is there anything I should feed my Goldendoodle? Due to their high activity level, Goldendoodles need a well-balanced diet rich in high-quality protein sources to keep them healthy and happy.

The following is typically suggested as the ideal food for Goldendoodles:

• High-quality protein sources: High-quality protein sources are necessary to support your dog’s growth and development and promote continued amino acid synthesis. Examples of these sources are beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, hog, and deer. Building skin, tendons, ligaments, muscles, hair, and nails depends on amino acids. A protein of a high caliber is necessary for the creation of healthy hormones.

• Nutrient-rich ingredients: Flaxseed, salmon oil, and liver are some examples of ingredients that are good for your dog’s health both now and in the future. For instance, salmon oil is excellent for preventing skin allergies.

Ingredients of the Best Goldendoodle Dog Food

When looking for the best food for Goldendoodles, look for one that contains high-quality sources of fat and protein.

Protein

Initially, your Goldendoodle should eat dog chow with two or three meat proteins. In the first couple of ingredients on the packaging, whole meat or fish can be seen if you look at the ingredients list.

Meat meal, a concentrated dehydrated form of meat, is another option for adding protein. Even though animal protein is simple for dogs to digest, several famous dog food also incorporate vegetables. On the food packaging, look for the nutritional analysis information. Protein from meat should predominate over protein from plants.

Fiber

Your dog must consume a specific amount of fiber for proper digestion. Meat and meat meals both include a certain quantity of fiber.

Many dog meals include rice or vegetables as a source of fiber and bulk. Avoid foods that are high in cereal, especially if they appear on the ingredients list before meat and meat. This is nutritionally worthless and only serves as padding.

Fat

The fat in dogs’ meals provides a large portion of their energy needs. While a low-fat diet may benefit you, it is not beneficial for your pet! High-quality dog diets typically contain canola oil, chicken fat, and flaxseed as healthy fat sources.

Omega-3 fatty acids, one of the food additives, are crucial for maintaining the health and moisture of your dog’s skin and coat. Omega-3 fatty acids are also beneficial for the development of the brain and eyes.

Carbohydrates

The food you feed your Goldendoodle should be low in carbohydrates to help him maintain a healthy blood sugar level. Low-glycemic carbs, such as sweet potatoes, may be included.

What Ingredients to Avoid

There are certain by-products and ingredients you need to avoid. 

• Artificial preservatives (BHA, BHT, or Ethoxyquin) – are another indicator of poor food quality. These are usually labeled as permitted EC additives, approved EC colorants, and permitted EC antioxidants. Except in very small quantities as a color preservative for spices, ethoxyquin is prohibited from being used in foods for human consumption. Instead, choose a food that contains natural preservatives such as Vitamin E.

• Meat by-products, derivatives, or digest (meal is fine) – these terms translate to horns, hooves, beaks, and feathers, to name a few. There is some debate over whether whole meat is preferable to meal meat. Meal indicates that it has been dehydrated, so if a meal is listed as the first ingredient, it is more likely to contain meat than grains. When whole meats, such as chicken, lamb, or turkey, are listed as the first ingredient, the weight of the moisture in the meat may result in much less meat. Whole meats and meals are both acceptable as long as they are clearly labeled and not generic.

• Grains – Avoid foods with grains as the primary ingredient. Choose a brand with a lower percentage of grains, as these are high in carbohydrates, which are difficult for a dog to digest and tend to increase weight in our dogs. They’re in many commercial brands and are more likely to cause digestive issues. Wheat, maize, corn, rice, and other grains should be avoided if they are the main ingredient. Gluten is also found in wheat and oats.

• Salt and sugar – Sugar can harm the pancreas and deplete the body of vitamins and minerals. Yeast thrives on sugar as well. Excessive salt consumption causes kidney and heart problems.

• High in carbohydrates from grains – should be high in protein from quality meat ingredients, not carbohydrates from grains. Contrary to popular belief, feeding a high-quality protein diet to dogs of any age, including puppies and seniors, is not harmful. According to research, protein does not cause joint problems in puppies or kidney disease in older dogs. Protein is highly beneficial: it supports the immune system and the central nervous system, aids in wound healing, aids in the development of lean muscle, and is required for skin and coat health. There is no reason to restrict the amount of protein you feed your dog. However, you must ensure that the protein is highly digestible and comes from meat or eggs rather than grains. Rather than the typical high-carbohydrate diets that are more widely available, look for foods that are high in proteins from meat sources. Complex carbohydrates are used in dog food primarily as an inexpensive source of calories. Grains are also used to supply low-quality protein in some foods and help bind dry food together into kibble, which is difficult for dogs to digest. According to research, highly digestible protein, low-carb foods with moderate fat levels help dogs lose weight more effectively than traditional high-carb, low-fat, and often low-protein weight loss diets.

• High protein + high carbohydrate grain-based diet, as these, can act like rocket fuel. Always select kibble with a high meat/fish content. If unsure, just cut back on the kibble and replace it with fresh, high-protein foods like meat, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, and tinned oily fish. That way, you know it’s high-quality, digestible protein from meat rather than grains. Because essential fatty acids are frequently lacking in dried foods, it is advisable to supplement the diet with fish oils daily to ensure adequate Omega 3 and 6 intakes.

What Food is Considered Unsafe for Dogs?

Most foods safe for humans are also safe for dogs, with a few exceptions. The following foods should not be fed to your dog:

• Onions are known to cause anemia. The reaction is dose-dependent and will increase in intensity over time.

• Grapes and raisins For unknown reasons, grapes and raisins cause kidney failure in a few dogs.

• Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs, even in trace amounts.

• Raw salmon, trout, and other anadromous fish may contain a parasite that causes Salmon Poisoning in dogs. Cooking will kill the parasite. It should be noted that canned salmon is cooked and thus safe.

• Caffeine and chocolate contain theobromine, which is toxic to dogs.

• Dogs are toxic to xylitol, a natural sweetener. Some water additives contain it, including CET AquaDent and Petrodex Breath Spray for Pets. It can also be found in various human products, such as sugar-free gum, mints, and children’s vitamins.

• Alcohol

Supplements for a Goldendoodle Puppy

You can get the notion to provide your Goldendoodle puppy nutrients during the puppy stage.

Supplements are an excellent way to get probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It would be best if you offered your Goldendoodle puppy calcium and phosphorus since these are essential throughout the early stages of development.

But excessive and frequent supplement use can harm your health. Therefore, speaking with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist is preferable.

Can My Goldendoodle Eat Treats?

You may get a lot of delicious treats for your Goldendoodle. Some snacks contain extra nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and supplements beneficial to health.

Since hip dysplasia is a prevalent condition in both the Golden Retriever and Poodle parent breeds, glucosamine can benefit their joints, which is excellent for this breed.

Additionally, a straightforward multivitamin can assist their immune system. However, if they are eating healthy foods, they should only require supplements occasionally.

Goldendoodle Puppy Feeding Routine

As a responsible dog owner, you must exercise self-control to maintain track of your Goldendoodle puppy’s feeding routine. It’s preferable to give the Goldendoodle puppy regular, little meals during the first year of its life.

Start the day with breakfast. You should eat breakfast with your Goldendoodle puppy at the same time, preferably at the same time every day. Isn’t breakfast the most important meal of the day? As a result, be sure to provide your Doodle puppy with a balanced meal.

Breakfast and lunch should be separated by around five hours. Your Goldendoodle puppy needs to be active in between meals. However, wait at least two hours before strenuous exercise after eating.

Dinner, which is served in the evening, should include light fare. Keep snacks away from your Goldendoodle in the evening. Your puppy might get restless at night due to eating dog treats.

As soon as your Goldendoodle puppy reaches adulthood, you can start giving it two meals daily with healthy snacks in between.

Guidelines for Feeding a Goldendoodle Puppy

This may appear silly, but it is important because the answer is not so obvious!

There is a lot to consider when feeding your Goldendoodle puppy. Begin by carefully measuring your dog’s food and placing it in its usual eating spot.

You should be able to cover the food with your hand without too much fuss from your puppy. Allow them to begin eating now.

Pet their heads and stroke them while they eat. This is also an excellent time to brush them because they are occupied and not scrambling around.

This is a crucial practice for acclimating them to your presence and preventing food guarding and aggression. You should always be able to touch your dog’s head and move its food away from them while they are eating without causing them any discomfort.

This is an important part of their training, given how big Goldendoodles can get, even as puppies.

Allow your puppy about 15 minutes to finish their meal. During this time, they will either eat everything or eat until they are full and lose interest in the rest of their food.

Remove any uneaten food that remains after 15 minutes. Allow your puppy to finish their food if they are still eating.

What if My Goldendoodle Has a Picky Eating Habit?

You can do a few things to encourage a picky eater like your Goldendoodle to start eating their food.

Add Warm Water

Try sprinkling some warm water into their food as a test. When combined with the dry kibbles, this will have a gravy-like consistency. Additionally, it will slightly soften the dry kibble, making it more palatable to your Goldendoodle.

Include Some Wet Food

Your dog’s food will taste better if you mix a small amount of canned wet food with dry food. All that is necessary is a tiny spoonful mixed thoroughly into the food.

Your Goldendoodle might only eat the wet food on top and leave the rest of the dry kibble if you do not mix the wet and dry food.

Changing Diets or Sources of Protein

There might be a component of the diet you are providing them with that they dislike. It might be beneficial to change your diet or your protein source. Try substituting lamb and rice or duck protein if you are already feeding chicken and rice.

See Your Vet

It could be time to visit your veterinarian if your Goldendoodle suddenly stops eating. Your dog might not want to eat if they have certain conditions.

Your veterinarian may inspect your Goldendoodle and ensure nothing is wrong that would make them feel unwell and prevent them from wanting to eat.

How to Determine How Much Food Your Goldendoodle Needs?

Both internal and external variables might have an impact on the diet of your Goldendoodle. Each puppy has a particular appetite. Additionally, the metabolism of each puppy burns calories at a different rate. Consequently, each puppy needs a customized food regimen. Here are some things to consider.

Age

Younger Goldendoodles need smaller meals more often throughout the day because their digestive systems are still growing. Adult Goldendoodles, on the other hand, can eat smaller meals more frequently.

Due to their increased activity levels and calorie expenditure, puppies may need more calories than adult Goldendoodles.

For instance, you might feed your Goldendoodle puppy three to four times each day rather than once or twice an adult dog would need to eat.

Physical Exercise

Given the athleticism and strong activity of the Goldendoodles, many Doodle owners are curious about how much exercise their dogs require.

No matter its size, a Goldendoodle dog typically needs two to three hours of exercise daily. Puppies of Goldendoodles should engage in enough mental activity each day in addition to physical activity.

Depending on how active it is, both mentally and physically, you should feed your Goldendoodle different amounts of food.

Weather & Environment

A dish of food set out for your dog in the morning during the hot summer months may still be unattended by the end of the day. Dogs seek cool resting spots during the summer because they don’t need or expend much energy there.

Size

The size of the Goldendoodle crossbreed depends on which Poodle parent it has. The three distinct Goldendoodle sizes hence demand various diets. Even though they all appear to be equally active, their bodies require multiple quantities of food and nutrients.

The size of male and female Goldendoodles typically varies. Typically, female Goldendoodles are smaller than males. As a result, female Doodles usually consume less than male Doodles.

Small quantities are typically provided to small Goldendoodles. The same is true for medium and regular Doodles, except they can consume slightly larger servings. The primary concern you should have is keeping your Goldendoodle puppy from becoming overweight or underweight without giving figures any thought.

Type of Food

On the packaging of most dog foods, weight-based feeding recommendations are included. This will consist of the serving size, usually stated in cups, and the nutritional content per serving.

Furthermore, feeding your puppy adult dog chow instead of puppy formula will necessitate more food to provide the necessary calories.

How to Know When Your Goldendoodle is Eating Enough?

Feeding your Goldendoodle too much or too little is the worst thing you can do to them. Here are a few signs that something is off that might help you determine whether your Golden is getting enough food:

Observe Their Ribcage

Like humans, they can tell if you are feeding them enough by the size of their ribcage. Check your dog’s ribcage with your fingertips. Each rib should have its distinct feel, but its different outlines shouldn’t be seen.

If you can’t feel their ribs, they’ve overeaten. They require additional food if you can see your dog’s ribs, which indicates true hunger.

Obesity

An excellent way to ensure you are feeding your Goldendoodle appropriately and not overfeeding them is to keep an eye on their weight. If your Goldendoodle starts to put on weight, you should cut back on the amount of food you give them.

Your Goldendoodle is getting enough nutrition if it can easily maintain a healthy weight.

Aggression

A dog constantly agitated and shows signs of hunger may not be getting enough food. You should increase your portions in this scenario.

A Healthy Puppy Diet Will Help Prevent Problems As an Adult

Goldendoodles are far less likely to have health issues than many purebred dogs, but that does not mean they are immune to problems. Many of these issues can be traced back to poor nutrition as a puppy, which may surprise some. Goldendoodle parents never do anything harmful to their pup’s health on purpose. Some of these issues may not be completely avoidable, but a proper diet can help reduce them.

Elbow and Hip Dysplasia

To some extent, all dogs are susceptible to issues like elbow and hip dysplasia, and the larger the breed, the more likely those issues are. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you, as their parent, can do about it, and it all starts with a proper puppy diet.

Elbow and hip dysplasia are common problems in older dogs, but they can sometimes be traced back to when they were puppies. A high-protein diet with the appropriate amounts of calcium and phosphorus will ensure your puppy gets what they require while perfectly balancing growth.

Allergies

There is no such thing as an allergy-proof dog breed. Food allergies are the most common in dogs, including Goldendoodles. A Goldendoodle parent can’t do much to prevent allergies. If they have allergies, they will have them; however, you can reduce the chances with a good diet, but you can also help to alleviate symptoms by avoiding ingredients your puppy is allergic to.

Gastric Dilation

Gastric dilation, also known as bloat in Goldendoodles, is a rare condition in which their stomach fills with air and then twists, cutting off blood flow and quickly becoming life-threatening.

Bloat is a common condition in larger dog breeds, including standard-sized Goldendoodles. A high-quality diet promotes good digestion, but bloat can also be controlled while they are puppies. Teach them to eat slowly and avoid overeating.