Dr. Sara Ochoa – Goldendoodle Advice

Are you looking for what you should feed your Goldendoodle? There are many things that you need to consider feeding your Goldendoodle, and there are somethings that should be considered off-limits. Making sure that your Goldendoodle has a well-balanced diet and do not eat things that are off-limits to dogs; they should live a long healthy, and happy life. What can a Goldendoodle eat? Your Goldendoodle should feed a well-balanced diet. Many Goldendoodles can have a sensitive stomach, so adding human food to their diet can cause them to have an upset stomach. Trying to feed your Goldendoodle a commercial dog food may be best as any change in protein or diet can cause many issues. When feeding your Goldendoodle, you can feed two different types of diets. You can buy commercial dog food, or you can make your dog food every day. Most people choose to feed commercial dog food because it is much easier to make sure that your Goldendoodle is eating a well-balanced diet and does not take as much time. Commercial Dog Food Most commercial diets are completely balanced and are the easiest way to feed your Goldendoodle. There are many great diets that you can feed to your Goldendoodle. One brand that we love is Purina Pro Plan. When looking for a diet for your Goldendoodle, you will want to make sure that it contains a protein source as their first ingredient. Dry dog kibble is usually the best to feed your Goldendoodle. This dry food is not only easy to feed and easy to store a large amount but also great for your Goldendoodle’s teeth. When your Goldendoodle bites down on the dry kibble, the food will help knock off any tartar that is on their teeth. Homemade Diets If you do not want to feed your Goldendoodle a commercial diet, you can cook for your Goldendoodle. You will need to make sure that the diet that you are cooking for your dog will help meet their dietary needs. There are many great places that you can get recipes for your Goldendoodle. One site that many vets use for recipes that are completely balanced and even tailored for any disease that your Goldendoodle has is Balanceit.com. You can pick what food you have on hand, and it will quickly make you a meal plan for your Goldendoodle. Some foods that are good in nutrition and are easy for your Goldendoodle to digest are: Proteins: Chicken, Beef, Lamb and other white meatsVegetables: asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, and cauliflowerFruits: such as apples are great for senior pets with a lower metabolism; just make sure that there are no seeds. Other fruits like apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, and cantaloupe many dogs also love to eat. These are just a few of the many fruits and vegetables that you may want to include in your Goldendoodle’s homemade diet. You can even use this list and approved human foods that you can give to your Goldendoodle as a treat. What Goldendoodles Cannot Eat There are many foods that should be off-limits for all dogs. This is a list that contains many things that dogs eat that they should not. If your dog does get a hold of any of these items, it would be best for your dog to see your vet. Some may cause just a little GI upset, but some can be very toxic to your dog’s liver and kidneys and even be life-threatening. Grapes or RaisinsPrunesDairy, if given in large amounts, it is very bad for your dog’s digestive system because they were never meant to process dairy. If your dog just has a small amount, it is okay.Cherries: Toxic to dogs and catsCitrus fruits can cause an upset stomachRaw eggs or raw or undercooked meat as these can contain salmonellaSoda: Dogs don’t handle carbonation very well.Chocolate: dark or baker’s chocolate is very toxic to dogsCoffeeAvocadoOnionsGarlicMacadamia nutsSalty foodsFoods that contain a lot of sugar How often should a Goldendoodle eat? When your Goldendoodle is a puppy, you should feed them 2 to 3 times a day. Your adult Goldendoodle should eat at least once a day. Most people will feed their Goldendoodle twice a day as their Goldendoodle tends to be more content with the twice a day feeding. When you feed Goldendoodle a few times a day, they are less likely to have any food aggression and will stay full longer. This will help prevent them from destroying things in the house or eating things that they should not eat. How much should a Goldendoodle eat? Usually, the feeding guidelines are on the back of the bag. Sometimes this is a little more than your Goldendoodle needs, especially if they are not very active. A good rule to follow is 1 cup of food per 15 pounds of body weight a day. So a 45-pound dog should eat about 1.5 cups of food twice a day. You can also monitor your dog’s weight to know if you are feeding them enough food. If your dog looks too thin, you will need to increase your dog’s food. If they start gaining weight, you will need to decrease your dog’s food. You will also need to consider their exercise. Some Goldendoodles may participate in agility or other sporting events. During their training and competition months, you will need to increase their food intake to make up for the extra energy were as in the off-season, you need to decrease the amount of food they eat to help keep them at a healthy weight. What if My Goldendoodle is a picky eater? If your Goldendoodle is a picky eater, there are a few things that you can do to help entice them to start eating their food. Add Warm Water to Their food You can try to add a little bit of warm water to their food. This will make a gravy-like consistency when mixed with the dry kibbles. It will also make the dry kibble a little softer, and your Goldendoodle may like to eat it. Add in Some Can Food Adding a small amount of can food to your dog’s dry food will help make their food more appealing. Just a small spoon full added to the food and fully mixed it will help. If you do not mix the wet food in with the dry food, your Goldendoodle may just eat the wet food off the top and leave the rest of the dry kibble. Switching Diets or Protein Source There may be something in the diet that you are feeding that they do not like. Switching to a different diet or a different protein may help. If you are feeding chicken and rice, try switching a lamb and rice or a duck protein. See Your Vet If your Goldendoodle has suddenly stopped eating their food, it may be time to see your vet. Some illnesses will cause your dog not to want to eat. Your vet can examine your Goldendoodle and make sure that there is nothing causing your dog to feel bad to cause them to not want to eat. What Treats Can My Goldendoodle Eat? There are many great treats that are available for your Goldendoodle. Some of these treats also have added nutrients and supplements that have health benefits too. If your Goldendoodle has joint or skin issues, look for a treat that will help with these problems. These treats have added calories that can quickly cause your Goldendoodle to become obese. Make sure that the treats that you feed your Goldendoodle only account for 10% of your Goldendoodle’s daily food intake. FINAL THOUGHTS When looking for what your Goldendoodle can eat, there are many different things to consider. Make sure that you steer clear of the things on the off-limit list as they can cause your dog many issues. The diet you feed your Goldendoodle is key to a healthy dog. Keeping your Goldendoodle at an ideal weight will help keep them healthier for longer.