How Much To Feed A Goldendoodle Puppy: A 6-Stage Guide

Goldendoodles have a courteous, wise, patient, and people-pleasing demeanor. Yet, they require sufficient nutrition to maintain good conduct. They have specific dietary needs and distinct health profiles. They require a diet that will sustain their high energy levels and physical prowess because they are exceptionally active dogs. So,  how much to feed a Goldendoodle puppy?

How much should you feed a Goldendoodle puppy? 

Goldendoodles puppies require two to four daily feedings, depending on size, age, activity level, weather, and food type. Consult a veterinarian as soon as possible if you have trouble estimating the amount of food.

Ensure your Goldendoodle isn’t being overfed or underfed because either of these situations could harm their health.

Continue reading to learn how many portions to feed your Goldendoodle and how to tell whether your pup is getting enough food.

How Much Food Does Your Goldendoodle Puppy Need

Goldendoodle puppies need two to four feedings daily, depending on their size and age, among other factors discussed below.

By tracking how much food your Goldendoodle consumes, you can avoid unnecessary trips to the veterinarian caused by overfeeding or underfeeding.

While puppies quit eating when they get full, occasionally, the puppies will 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 consume excessive food, leading to obesity and other related health concerns.

You can use the age chart below to determine how much food your Goldendoodle receives:

Birth to Two Weeks

You should not feed your puppy ordinary dog food from birth to two weeks. At this age, the puppy should only be nursed by their mother.

Consult your veterinarian about the type of food you can offer a Goldendoodle puppy at this age to meet their nutritional needs if your Goldendoodle cannot nurse due to an unanticipated scenario.

Two to four weeks

At this point, the Goldendoodle puppy should still be breastfeeding, but you can begin introducing puppy food.

It is usual for the small dog to exhibit no initial interest in puppy food at this age but do not back down just yet. With time, they will warm up to the food.

Four to six weeks

Now that you should have begun introducing the dog food, you can raise the daily amount to a quarter cup. A quarter cup a day should suffice at this age while the dog is still feeding.

While they still may not be able to finish the whole serving in a day, continue to give them the food. You can offer them more if your puppy eats all their food at once

Six to eight weeks

The Goldendoodle puppies should have weaned themselves by now. At this point, the Goldendoodle puppy should consume puppy chow solely and no longer need milk.

The puppy should get three, quarter cups throughout the day at regular intervals of eight hours.

At eight weeks, when the puppies have successfully weaned and no longer rely on their mother, you can give them out if you do not intend on keeping them.

Eight to ten weeks

By the time they are ten weeks old, your Goldendoodle puppy will be more active and on the verge of a substantial development spurt.

This means that the food portions should increase to accommodate their growth and ensure they are not malnourished.

Your puppy’s three daily meals should consist of around a quarter cup of food. It would help if you observed their appearance to establish whether your puppy needs more or less food.

Ten to twelve weeks

At 12 weeks, your Goldendoodle puppy will experience the most significant development spike.

They will likely gain substantial weight in the coming weeks, and their appetite may change based on their requirements. 

The puppy will need two servings of half cups throughout the day at regular intervals of twelve hours.

Your puppy will need a more significant number of calories to meet the needs of the development period and their activity level since they will be moving much more. Ensure they are getting a sufficient number of calories in their food.

At this age, you should be able to see your pet’s waist, allowing you to judge if their weight is adequate. Depending on your observations, modify the food servings accordingly.

Factors That Determine How Much To Feed Your Goldendoodle

Despite their commonalities, the dietary habits of Goldendoodles vary. The following factors are the most prevalent in determining how much food to feed your Goldendoodle:

Age

Younger Goldendoodles require smaller meals more frequently throughout the day because their digestive systems are still developing. On the other hand, adult Goldendoodles can consume fewer but larger meals.

Puppies may require a greater caloric intake than adult Goldendoodles since they burn calories faster and are frequently more active.

For instance, you may feed your Goldendoodle puppy three to four times per day instead of once or twice per day for an adult dog.

Physical Exercise

As your Goldendoodle’s activity level grows, their dietary needs will increase. On days when they are active, your dog may consume more food than when they are at home relaxing.

Weather

During the hot summer months, a bowl of food left out for your dog in the morning may remain untouched by the end of the day.

Dogs seek cool resting locations throughout the summer because they do not use or expend much energy there.

Size

There are three available sizes for Goldendoodles: The average weight of a miniature Goldendoodle is from 15 to 30 pounds, whereas a standard Goldendoodle weighs between 45 and 100 pounds, and a medium 30 to 45 pounds.

It is not uncommon for a standard to consume more food than a miniature since they are heavier.

Type Of Food

The majority of dog food manufacturers include weight-based feeding recommendations on the packaging. This will comprise the serving size, often stated in cups, and the nutritional content per serving.

In addition, feeding your puppy adult dog chow instead of puppy formula will require more food to get the necessary calories.

How To Determine Whether Your Goldendoodle Is Eating Enough

The worst thing you can do to your Goldendoodle is overfeeding or underfeeding them.

To ensure that your Golden is getting enough food, here are a few indicators that can tell you that something is a miss:

Observing Their Ribcage

As with humans, the rib cage accurately measures whether you are feeding them enough. Examine the rib cage of your dog with your fingertips.

You should feel each rib individually, but you should not be able to see their distinct contours.

They are overfed if you cannot feel their ribs. If you can see your dog’s ribs, which is a sign of genuine hunger, they need more food.

Aggressiveness

Constantly agitated and hungry behavior may indicate your dog is not receiving enough food. In this case, you may need to up your portions.

Obesity

Monitoring your Goldendoodle’s weight is a great way to ensure you are feeding them adequately and not overfeeding them.

If your Goldendoodle begins to gain weight, this indicates that they are receiving too much food, and you should reduce the amount.

If your Goldendoodle has a healthy weight and can easily maintain it, they are likely receiving adequate nutrition.