Best Dog Food For Poodles (2024)

Poodles are a breed of dogs that require a lot of attention and caretaking. They need constant monitoring when it comes to their diets.

Their nutrition becomes of utmost importance and thus, based on how active the poodle is and how much it weighs you need to pick dog food accordingly.

Decisions regarding dog food are crucial for your pet poodle and you want one that satisfies your bud.

Poodles can be finicky eaters at times, but it generally varies with each one. After all, there are types of poodles: Miniature, to and standard poodles.

Thus, their sizes vary and each poodle has slightly different requirements. However, regardless of their size, you should pick their dog food, which is of high quality and helps them attain a nutritious diet.

Considering that there are many options out there in the market, you need to pick one that caters to your poodle’s needs the best.

The dog food determines their mental and physical health; this article will provide a list of the best dog food for poodles for the various kinds out there.

By the end of this article, you will be able to pick and choose one that is more suited to your poodle’s needs.

Top 7 Recommended Dog Foods for Poodles

1. Royal Canin Dry Dog Food

This particular dog food is mostly used for toy poodles but is designed to cater to poodles of age 10+ months.

It has a kibble design in order to add convenience, this way the poodle can pick and eat the treats itself. Not only that, but it helps them have stronger teeth.

Additionally, it contains DHA and EPA fatty acids, which come from fish oil and have the right amount of protein in them.

This aids in healthy growing hair and inevitably their coat. The DHA also helps them with brain development from a young age.

Moreover, this dog food helps the poodle maintain a strong build and toned muscles. It contains just the right amount of nutrients needed to increase their vitality and aging throughout their life.

It consists of vitamins such as B12, D3, Biotin, and Vitamin E. However, you must remember that Royal Canin focuses more on the nutrients rather than the ingredients.

Hence, poodles with allergies may not be suited for this as they may be allergic to the grain.

2. Tiki Dog Aloha Petites Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This dog food contains about 27% protein in the form of real chicken and with a chicken liver flavor. It is usually for miniature poodles and poodles with allergies, as it isn’t made of grain.

Instead, it is made from sources of peas and lentils. Moreover, it contains high nutrient ingredients such as ground pumpkin, flaxseed, carrots, spinach, and salmon oil.

It is also amongst the few dry dog foods that are baked and not extruded in order to retain the flavor and nutrients. In addition, it meets the AAFCO Dog food nutritional levels.

The kibble is thus of very high quality. However, it is not suitable for poodles with a sensitive stomach because of the chicken formula.

The feed varies based on the size, lifestyle and activity levels of the poodle and so the veterinarian should determine the right amount.

3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Dry Dog Food

This high protein dog food is mostly for standard poodles. It is made of real chicken to promote the poodle’s muscle mass.

Moreover, it consists of ingredients such as chondroitin and glucosamine that promote joint health. Furthermore, it contains omega 3 and 6 which lead to healthy hair, skin, and coat.

This dog food has the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for a healthier immune system.

It does not consist of wheat, soy, corn, preservatives or artificial flavors. It is not made of grains and is hence gluten-free. Moreover, it promotes strong bones and teeth because it contains phosphorus and calcium.

Thus, if your poodle is agile and active then this high quality, high protein dry dog food by Blue Buffalo is quite good.

4. Hill’s Science Brown Rice Dry Diet Dog Food

This dry dog food is for large breed dogs of age 7+ and for standard poodles in particular. It is made of natural ingredients and aids in lean muscles because of its high protein formula.

It is made of natural sources of chondroitin and glucosamine, which promote joint health.

Moreover, it contains Omega 6 fatty acids as well as vitamin E and vitamin T that lead to healthier skin and coat. Additionally, it does not contain any artificial dyes, preservatives or synthetic flavors.

It has a lamb flavor, which makes it appealing. It is also the number 1 dog food recommended by a veterinarian endorsement survey conducted in 2019.

Science Diet is known for its research facility which is a house to about 1000 dogs and cats, where they are studied and the promotes are hence well-researched.

5. ORIJEN Dry Dog Food

It is a high protein kibble, which can be problematic for standard poodles. But they make sure that the formula does not lead to irregular growth.

It contains animal ingredients such as turkey, chicken, fish, etc. Not only that, they use raw animal ingredients that consist of meat, bones, cartilage, organs, etc.

Thus, they use biologically appropriate ingredients for the dogs, which means they believe that dogs should have a diet full of nutrients the way that nature intended.

This is why ORIJEN dog foods have meat-based diets. It also uses eggs in order to ensure more protein intake and to make it more suitable for poodles with allergies.

It is also a good type of dog food for picky poodles as it has high palatability.

6. Wellness Natural Pet Food Dog Food

This dog food caters to the nutritional requirements for toy poodles. Moreover, it best suits dogs weighing 10 pounds or less.

The kibble size is relatively smaller than other dog foods and is full of proteins. It contains chicken as the main source and helps boost the poodle’s energy.

Also, it contains whitefish as a source of protein and also provides the necessary omega 3s needed for healthier skin and coat.

It is made of all-natural ingredients and does not include by-products, artificial flavors, preservatives or wheat.

Additionally, it contains blueberries, which are high in antioxidants and provide the necessary Vitamins A and C. Not only that, but it also contains peas which are also high in antioxidants and are also a great source of fiber and protein.

Even though this is slightly pricey dog food, it offers some of the very high-quality ingredients that make the toy poodle’s coat very shiny and luscious.

7. Solid Gold Small & Toy Breed Wet & Dry Dog Food with Real Protein

This dog food consists of real chicken as a source of protein. The chicken is easily digestible and is completely natural.

Moreover, it contains chickpeas, which are rich in fiber and also contain pumpkin that allows for easy digestion.

It is a completely natural dog food that does not contain any grains. It best suits toy poodles and small breeds.

This dog food’s kibble is also one of the smallest out there, which allows for easy chewing. It contains the perfect blend of nutrients (fat, protein, fiber) for your pooch.

Moreover, it contains protected probiotics, omegas that all provide the best health for the poodle’s gut and immune system.

Furthermore, it contains 20 superfood ingredients such as blueberries, pumpkin, broccoli, carrots, etc.

Their high antioxidant ingredients are oftentimes used to prevent problems such as urinary tract infections in poodles.

How Much to Feed Your Poodle

There are a number of factors to consider when deciding how much food your poodle requires.

Size (weight):

Poodles can weigh between 6 to 70 pounds. So their appetite varies with their weight

Lifestyle:

Poodles can be active or be lazy, so they should be fed accordingly. Active ones will require more food as opposed to one that sits around all day. Thus, you need to first monitor your pooch’s activity level in order to determine the amount of food.

Poodle Type:

Calories vary for different types of poodles. Toy poodles generally require 300 calories in a day, while miniature poodles require 490 calories and standard ones require about 1230 calories in a day.

If the poodle is, however less active then the calorie requirement should be reduced, while if the poodle is very active then the calorie intake should be increased from the mentioned amount.

Nutritional Requirements of Poodles

Even though dog foods pretty much cover the basic nutritional requirements, it is important to ensure that the poodle receives a high-quality diet. You should go through the nutritional content of the dog food before purchasing any.

Additionally, you should be extra careful about these especially for poodles with allergies or poodles with a sensitive stomach.  You should generally look for the following ingredients when purchasing dog food:

1. Protein

The source of protein should be the first one you should look for in the ingredients. It can be chicken, beef, etc. The nutritional value indicates the percentage of protein the dog food contains.

At the very least, there should be 18% protein, but the higher the better. Active poodles can require about 35% protein while developing puppies require about 28% as they have developing muscles.

All sources of protein are good apart from meat byproducts, which is low-quality meat that you do not want to feed your poodle. If your poodle is allergic then you should make sure you avoid grain such as wheat.

2. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are essential for providing energy. These can be in the form of peas, sweet potatoes, etc.

These two have low glycemic levels, which means they absorb slowly into the poodle’s body and similarly burn slowly in the form of energy. You should avoid corn and soy as they burn fast and after the energy utilizes they become really lethargic all of a sudden.

3. Fat

Despite how much we want to avoid fats, certain fat is necessary for your poodle’s health. Fat, much like carbohydrates also provides energy to the poodles. It is important that the fat you use is healthy such as natural fats like fish and flaxseed oil.

They are a good source of fatty acids and omegas that lead to good coats and healthy skin. Thus you need to be able to distinguish between good and bad sources of fat in dog food.

4. Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins are a must-have for a healthy poodle. You should look for the following vitamins and minerals when purchasing dog food: Vitamin A, C, K, Calcium, Choline and many more. Calcium is essential for healthier stronger bones.

Conclusion

It can be seen that there is no clear winner when it comes to selecting the best dog for poodles.

There are a lot of factors that have to be taken into consideration such as the type, size, and lifestyle of the poodle. A high protein dog food is more suited to active poodles as opposed to lazy and older ones.

As a general rule of thumb when switching your poodle’s dog food, you should gradually make the change, for instance, give them 90% of old dog food and 10% of the new one.

You should look out for signs of allergies or discomfort before increasing the new one. We recommend you to consult the poodle’s vet before you make the buying decision.