Top 10 Best Dog Foods for Goldendoodles
There’s a lot of joy in watching a Goldendoodle grow up from the puppy life stage into adulthood and even into his senior years.
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What is the best dog food for Goldendoodles when you’re having to care for them at these different life stages?
- So long as you already understand that the type of food you feed your Goldendoodle is highly dependent on his age, you’re already way ahead of the game.
- Adult Goldendoodles can typically enjoy any high-quality dog food, whether you prefer to feed them dry dog food, wet dog food, or a mix of both.
- The special considerations come in for the puppy life stage and the senior life stage. These two life stages are critical and require a specific set of nutrients to ensure your Goldendoodle’s optimal health.
If your Goldendoodle puppy doesn’t get the proper nutrition for his growing stage, he could easily become at risk for developing painful conditions like a bilateral hip disease. This is because Goldendoodles have at least one large breed parent, and they need targeted support to grow at an appropriate rate and reach adulthood with strong bones, joints, and lean muscle mass.
The adult life stage is when you’re Goldendoodle gets to thrive. So long as he was fed well during the puppy stage, he gets to enjoy his adult life looking and feeling fantastic. As your Goldendoodle begins to age, his nutritional requirements start shifting again. Because his activity levels start to decline, he requires fewer calories but more protein. No matter the life stage of your dog or your preference for buying him dry food or wet food, in this top five list, you’ll find the best dog food for your Goldendoodle.
The 10 Best Dog Foods for Goldendoodles
Merrick Grain Free Dry Dog Food – Best for Puppies
This grain-free formula by Merrick is a great option for Goldendoodle puppies. It is packed full of protein, with real freeze-dried bits of meat or fish, depending on the flavor you choose.
One drawback is that the amount of freeze-dried meat in each bag depends on the flavor. Some bags contain more than others, so you may get a bag with 20 pieces or with four. This formula is also specific to puppies, so there are better options for adult Goldendoodles.
- Unpredictable amounts of freeze-dried bits
- Specific to puppies
- Full of protein and other nutrients
- Contains freeze-dried bits of meat
Weruva Baron’s Batch Variety Pack
| Size: | 5.5-ounces case of 24 or 14-ounce case of 12 |
| Type: | Wet |
| Primary Protein: | Chicken or beef |
| Crude Protein: | 6 to 10% |
| Crude Fiber: | 0.5 to 1% |
While we don’t typically recommend wet dog food for your Goldendoodle unless there’s an underlying reason, we didn’t want to round out our list without at least including one. And one of the best wet dog foods out there is Weruva Baron’s Batch Variety Pack.
Each pack contains four different flavors for your dog to try, and they’re all jam-packed with nutrients to help your dog thrive. However, like most wet dog food, this is a more expensive option, and it doesn’t last nearly as long as dry food options.
With Weruva you’ll undoubtedly end up spending more in the long run, but your Goldendoodle will get a top-notch food that they love.
Whole Earth Dry Dog Food – Best Value
The Whole Earth Farms Dry Dog Food offers a similar formula to the Wellness Complete, as it contains essential protein, fat, carbs, fiber, vitamins, and minerals while being more affordable. This is the best dog food for Goldendoodles for the money and for the quality of product that you get. It is grain-free and full of protein.
- Not much known about it
- Contains essential nutrients
- Great value
Natural Balance Dry Dog Food
The Natural Balance Dry Dog Food is made from lamb protein, which is a good alternative to chicken if your dog doesn’t like chicken or can’t eat it. It is also grain-free.
This formula, however, is made for dogs with limited ingredient diets, which is not ideal for all dogs. Goldendoodles need plenty of protein and other nutrients that this seems to be lacking. Although it is a fine option for dogs who cannot eat certain things, there are better options for dogs without any dietary restrictions.
It has also been reported that this formula has been found to have sharp pieces of bones or something similar sticking out of the kibble. This can be dangerous, so please make sure to watch out for this if you purchase this food.
- Sharp pieces found in food
- Fewer natural ingredients than other options
- Contains lamb instead of chicken
- Grain-free
Ollie Fresh Dog Food Subscription Service – Best Overall
Ollie is the best overall dog food for Goldendoodles. It is made with natural ingredients and contains no grain. Ollie also has a unique recipe that was created by veterinarians and nutritionists to make sure your dog gets the nutrients they need. Although a grain-free diet may not be necessary for all dogs, it’s a great choice for dogs that have grain allergies. Just make sure to talk to a vet first about whether grain-free food is necessary for your dog.
Ollie also offers food that comes in dry kibble or softer, fresher versions. However, the food can make some dogs gassy and it’s important to slowly transition dogs to this food when switching. Finally, it’s also a little pricey being that it is fresh food and a subscription service.
- A little pricey
- Can make dogs gassy
- Dogs must slowly transition to this food
- Comes in kibble or soft, fresh versions
- Grain-free, allergy-friendly formula
- High quality ingredients
- Fresh, whole foods
ORIJEN Dry Dog Food
Orijen gives your dog the food they have evolved to eat. Quality meat and other ingredients give this food an edge in being our premium choice. More specifically, the formula is 85% fresh, raw ingredients. This brand is also slightly more expensive than the first two options on our list. However, it is still a great choice for high-quality ingredients packed full of protein that your dog will love.
- More expensive
- 85% fresh, raw ingredients
- Packed full of protein
- Designed for dogs of this day and age
- Grain-free
Wellness Complete Health Dog Food
The Wellness Complete Health Dog Food is a great choice when it comes to a well rounded healthy dog food. It has essential nutrients like protein, fat, carbs, and fiber, as well as additional vitamins and minerals. It also contains no meat by-products, only real chicken, and no wheat, corn, soy, or artificial flavors. This product is as real as it gets, and it’s an excellent option for a dog food.
This formula is specific to seniors, so if your Goldendoodle is a puppy, you may want to look for the similar puppy formula from this brand.
- Formula specific to seniors
- No animal by-products
- No wheat, corn, soy, or artificial flavors
- Contains essential nutrients
Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food
Although this formula claims to have a large amount of protein and other nutrients, a closer look at the ingredients list shows that the first ingredient is “chicken meal,” which is not the same as whole, raw chicken. This also contains wheat and corn, which are not the best ingredients compared to the grain-free alternatives listed above. This food does have all the necessary nutrients for your Goldendoodle, they’re just not coming from the highest-quality ingredients.
- Contains “chicken meal”
- Contains wheat and corn
- Not the highest-quality ingredients
- Contains essential nutrients
Solid Gold Natural Adult Dog Food
The Solid Gold Natural Adult Dog Food is the last on our list because it contains a number of unnecessary ingredients, including lamb meal and ocean fish meal. Although these can be considered proteins, they are not the best versions of protein that dogs need in order to thrive. You can find much better whole protein, as well as fewer unnecessary ingredients, in other options.
There have also been reports that this food can upset your dog’s stomach and cause diarrhea.
- Can cause upset stomach
- Can cause diarrhea
- Contains unnecessary ingredients
- Contains bad forms of protein
- Contains protein and other nutrients
Instinct Original Grain-Free Dog Food
| Size: | 4 or 22.5 pounds |
| Type: | Dry |
| Primary Protein: | Chicken |
| Crude Protein: | 37% |
| Crude Fiber: | 3% |
Rounding out our list of the best dog foods for Goldendoodles is Instinct Original Grain-Free Dog Food. While it’s at the bottom of our list, it’s still packed full of protein and some great ingredients. There are multiple size options to choose from, and your pup is sure to love it because of the freeze-dried coating that locks in the flavor.
But for everything there is to love about this dog food, it did fall to the bottom of our list. First, there’s a lower fiber percentage to worry about, and second it includes chicken meal.
And while we might be able to overlook some of these concerns and move it farther up our list if it was a more affordable option, Instinct Original Grain-Free Dog Food is a more expensive option. It simply doesn’t stack up well against other similarly priced products.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog Foods for Goldendoodles
What types of nutrients does a Goldendoodle need?
Fat
Fat is what gives Goldendoodles energy. It helps them stay active and not go hungry between meals. Fat will not make your dog overweight in and of itself. It simply affects energy levels over time, as well as hunger satiation.
Protein
Protein, specifically animal protein, is essential for Goldendoodles because it helps their muscles grow and develop, as well as maintain healthy brain function and other bodily functions. Protein is the most important element of a Goldendoodle’s diet, especially when they’re puppies. Although the size of a Goldendoodle can vary, they generally tend to get quite large. They grow quickly throughout puppyhood, which makes protein necessary for them to ensure proper growth speed.
Carbohydrates
Carbs affect energy levels in dogs as well, but they are also a main source for possible weight gain. Simple carbs convert to sugar, which converts to excess fat, and too many carbs can cause an increase in weight. Carbs are important, but they should be monitored so weight gain does not become a possibility. Regular exercise and activity will help keep your dog’s weight in check as well.
Fiber
Fiber is needed to help regulate your dog’s digestive system and help them go to the bathroom regularly. It also keeps your dog full throughout the day because it makes them feel less hungry.
Omegas
Omegas 3, 6, and 9 affect the health of your dog’s skin and coat. These fatty acids keep your dog’s skin moisturized and healthy and their coats shiny and full. Omega 9 helps omegas 3 and 6 absorb fully into the dog’s system, so all three in conjunction with one another are more valuable than just one or two.
Supplementary vitamins and minerals
High-quality foods will contain supplementary vitamins and minerals to keep your dog’s health well-rounded and not lacking in any nutrients.
Should the food be different when they’re puppies vs. adults?
As long as the food you give them has essential high-quality ingredients such as animal protein, fat, fiber, low carbs, omegas, and other vitamins and minerals, their food may not necessarily have to change from when they are puppies to adults.
One consideration, however, is that puppies need to eat more because they’re growing much faster. They also need food that contains DHA, which helps develop their brain, eyes, and ears and increase memory function. DHA is important during puppyhood because their brains develop and learn the most during this time, and it can actually affect how easily they can be trained because they can remember more.
Is freeze-dried food good for Goldendoodle?
For crossbreeds and designer breeds, freeze-dried food is a safer and better alternative to entirely raw food. It has more proteins, and the meat is closer to its natural form without the bacteria.
Is a raw food diet good for Goldendoodle?
Raw food diet or BARF diet may be suitable for most dogs because it is closest to their natural ancestral diet, but it is not recommended for designer or toy breeds like Goldendoodles. Freeze-dried is a better option than fresh, raw dog food.
Is Goldendoodle a small breed dog?
The size of your doodle depends on the size of its parents. Small-sized retriever and poodle make for miniature Goldendoodles while large-sized parents will create a larger breed Goldendoodle.
We have found the Ollie Fresh Dog Food to be the best option for Goldendoodles because it contains all-natural proteins, is grain free, and has all the best ingredients needed to keep your Goldendoodle healthy through adulthood. A close second is the Whole Earth Farms Dry Dog food, which is an affordable option but has similar quality of ingredients that make it a viable option for your dog.
We hope that this guide of the best food for Goldendoodles helps you understand important factors to consider when shopping for a dog food for your Goldendoodle and that you can find a dog food that best fits your needs.
