Have you adopted a Goldendoodle puppy and are looking for what to feed him at this stage of his life? Then this post is perfect for you because we will tell you which are the best puppy food for Goldendoodles, specifying in detail the 5 products that we consider the best in the market for different features, which we will let you know later on, as well as a detailed buying guide that will probably be very useful for you.
Spoiler alert! We chose the best food for Goldendoodle puppies, the one belonging to the Blue Buffalo brand, specifically the Life Protection Formula line, made for puppies that are very easy to digest, with natural and high-quality ingredients. It has everything necessary for your puppy to obtain all the nutrients he will require at this stage of his life for the correct development and growth of his joints.
We also include other brands that make the best food for Goldendoodles and the best food for mini Goldendoodle puppies (which aren’t the same), and although they’re not as good as the one in the first place, they’re an excellent option in case you want to try other foods, or perhaps you think that the first one is not the right one for your Goldendoodle puppy, either because of a veterinary recommendation or, who knows, maybe because of its price.
Next, we start with a complete buying guide of everything you need to know to give your Goldendoodle puppy the best food possible. Stay until the end, and don’t miss anything!
What generation is your Goldendoodle? Find out in this post!
Our Top Picks Best Puppy Food for Goldendoodles (Updated in 2023)
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Click on any image in the table to learn more
| Image | Brand | Top Picks | Offer Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top
Top | Blue Buffalo | Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula | View on Amazon | |
Top | Purina Pro Plan | Purina Pro Plan Puppy | View on Amazon | |
Top | Royal Canin | Royal Canin Small Puppy | View on Amazon | |
Top | Nutro | Nutro Natural Choice Puppy | View on Amazon | |
Top | Victor | Victor Super Premium Dog Food Hi-Pro Plus | View on Amazon |
Top 5 Best Puppy Food for Goldendoodles
1. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula
In the first place, we have what we consider to be one of the best puppy food for Goldendoodles you can find on the market today. We’re talking about the Life Protection Formula line of the Blue Buffalo brand, which uses real meat as the first ingredient, without artificial flavorings or colorings, using, in this case, real chicken meat with all its proteins, in addition to cereals, vegetables, and fruits.
This Goldendoodle puppy food is specifically developed for this kind of dog, as its new puppy formula contains DHA and ARA, which are essential fatty acids found mainly in maternal milk, helping the cognitive source and the health of our dog’s retina. In addition, it contains a precise combination of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, carefully selected by veterinarians and animal nutritionists for this important stage in our pet’s life.
As you can see, this food is in the first place for being practically perfect since it contains everything a puppy needs, besides not having such a high price. We highlight only its salt level, which is naturally present in the meat and can make our pet very thirsty.
Pros
- Available in bags of various sizes.
- It has everything necessary for the development of our puppy.
- Available in chicken and rice or lamb and oat flavor.
- It uses natural ingredients without flavorings.
- A precise combination of nutrients.
- Perfect for bone, eye, and brain development.
- Specific for small and weak jaws.
- Reasonably priced and not too high.
Cons
- The amount of meat can make the puppy very thirsty.
2. Purina Pro Plan Puppy
The second best food for Goldendoodle puppies belongs to a very well-known international brand such as Purina. We refer, in this case, to the Pro Plan line for puppies, made with real lamb meat as the main ingredient, with a considerable amount of DHA, present in fish oil rich in omega 3, which is responsible for the nutrition of the puppy’s brain and vision, something extremely important at this stage of development.
It contains high-quality protein, present in lamb meat, responsible for building and strengthening lean muscles. It’s also fortified with probiotics to support digestive and immune health, supported by the antioxidants in this food. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, and other essential minerals.
This Purina food is really good, being considered the best food for Goldendoodle puppies, if not for its price, which can be a bit high, especially if we compare it with the first one on the list, which is quite economical in relation to quality-price ratio.
Pros
- All-natural content.
- It has a high amount of necessary minerals and nutrients.
Cons
- It can be somewhat expensive.
3. Royal Canin Small Puppy
Another of the best Goldendoodle puppy foods is from a brand that’s also highly recognized: Royal Canin. This brand has a line of puppy food called Small Puppy, focused on small-sized puppies, suitable for dogs up to 10 months of age and weighing between 9 and 20 pounds.
This is the best food for mini Goldendoodle puppies you can find in the market since few brands focus on small puppies. This Royal Canin food satisfies the high energy requirements of small breed dogs in their first months, as is the case with the mini Goldendoodle. The croquettes are of a small bite according to the dog’s size, ensuring that your pet can chew adequately and doesn’t suffer intestinal problems after consumption.
This, which we consider the best food for a mini Goldendoodle, offers many benefits, providing energy for a very energetic breed, especially in its first months. Despite this, the bag can be somewhat expensive, so we’re talking about premium food.
Pros
- Digestible croquettes.
- High protein level.
- Focused on small puppies.
- Great immune support.
Cons
- High price.
4. Nutro Natural Choice Puppy
In Nutro Natural Choice, we find a fairly economical option but compared to other premium models, it doesn’t lower the quality of the food. This is one of the best Goldendoodle puppy foods for its high amount of nutrients and natural ingredients, including 100% real chicken and rice, not genetically modified, with no chicken, corn, or wheat flour.
It’s on the list of the best puppy food for Goldendoodles due to its high level of protein and DHA fatty acids, which help the correct brain development in the breed. It also helps to develop bones and joints properly thanks to its calcium and essential antioxidants.
This Goldendoodle puppy food from Nutro Natural Choice is quite economical, although its quality may be slightly lower than other brands. Its main disadvantage is the amount of salt due to the natural meat it has, which may cause not all dogs to enjoy eating these croquettes.
Pros
- Quite economical.
- It has natural ingredients.
- Excellent source of protein.
- Suitable for puppies of all sizes.
Cons
- Too much salt because of the meat.
- It has been proven that not all dogs enjoy this food.
5. Victor Super Premium Dog Food Hi-Pro Plus
Finally, to finish with the best puppy food for Goldendoodles, we have the Hi-Pro Plus line from the Victor Super Premium Dog Food brand, a perhaps not-so-well-known brand that still provides a huge amount of unique protein with a taste your dog will love.
It doesn’t have 100% natural ingredients; however, it doesn’t contain flours of any kind, which makes it a perfect food for the muscular health of our dog, as well as helps to develop his limbs without generating fat.
This Victor brand food is really good for puppy dogs with high sporting performance, and although the small bags may be a bit pricey for what is inside, and the ingredients aren’t all-natural, it’s a perfect food for Goldendoodle puppies.
Pros
- High protein formulation.
- Made with gluten-free cereals.
- Moderate price.
Cons
- It doesn’t have all-natural ingredients.
- Small-size bags are somewhat expensive.
Features and Considerations when Buying Goldendoodles Puppy Food
We did recommend five foods that are the best for your puppy. Still, if you are not convinced, or there are no food of these brands in your town, you can choose its food, always considering an essential number of purchasing characteristics that we will explain in detail so you can get great food for your pet.
These features may or may not be defined for you, so you should analyze them in detail.
Ingredients
Here, you’ll have to analyze one of the most important purchasing aspects for us. Many foods contain grains, which aren’t very beneficial, especially in dogs with skin allergies. For this reason, you must verify the ingredients present in the preparation of the product you’ll buy; the more natural ingredients, such as meats or rice, the better.
Type
By “type,” we mean whether the food you’re about to buy is focused on adults or puppies (in the case of this post, it’s exclusively for puppies) and the type of dog to which we will provide this food, whether it’s a large, medium (such as standard Goldendoodles) or small breed (such as mini Goldendoodles). This greatly influences the choice since it’s essential to provide your dog with specific food for his size and age since these have vital nutrients for him and not for a dog of another type.
Brand
This may not be important to you, but there are times when the brand says it all. For example, which brand would you trust more, Purina, which is an internationally recognized brand, or Doggies, which is obviously an invented brand? Exactly. Many brands are synonymous with quality, and the ones we have left you in this post prove it. If you’ve found a non-branded food, first consult a veterinarian about its quality, and if it’s not branded and is a generic food, we recommend you avoid it.
Size
This goes hand in hand with the “type” feature since the size of the food directly influences the type of dog we will provide it. Some brands provide food for dogs with large bites, so it’s not recommended for small dogs, as they may choke or not digest it properly. In the case of this post, in which we talk about Goldendoodle puppies, you should look for medium to small-bite food, especially in the case of mini Goldendoodles.
As your pet gets older, you will have to change the type of food you feed him/her.
If you want to know how long Goldendoodles grow, this post may interest you.
Elaboration
The elaboration may or may not be essential for you, depending on what your veterinarian has recommended or, otherwise, what you think is best for your dog. While many global brands manufacture their food industrially, perhaps without specific care, thus providing classic food, other brands focus on marketing food that seems homemade.
Price
You may not think that price is relevant in this case, and if so, we’re glad that you don’t look at the value of the food you give your pet. If you do, try not to look for the cheapest food; yes, although it may not be harmful, the truth is that the vast majority of brands sell their food at a somewhat high price, but they’re synonymous with quality, and your dog will be grateful for it.
Benefits
We recommend you analyze the benefits proposed by the food you’ve chosen for your dog. In this case, the five foods we proposed have similar benefits, focused on the correct development of your pet, whether in terms of growth, eye, dental or skin health. Try to look for the dog food with the most benefits.
Format
Obviously, the bigger the bag of food you buy, the more expensive it will be. However, many brands reduce their prices slightly while increasing the package size and, therefore, the amount of food inside. If this is the first time you’re going to buy a particular food for your dog, we recommend you buy a small bag first to test if he likes it or not; then, once you’ve checked that, you can buy a giant bag, which will be more economical in the long run.
Focus
Finally, the “focus” to which we refer has to do with if the food is focused on improving some health issues of your dog, whether it’s the eyes, coat, allergies, dental health, etc.
Benefits and frustrations of buying Goldendoodles Puppy Food
Purchasing the best Goldendoodle puppy food will give your pet a wide range of benefits, starting with the correct development of his bones, limbs, teeth, eyes, coat, and more. Additionally, it will give your pet much more energy, keep his stomach healthy and, above all, keep him very happy.
In contrast to the purchase benefits, acquiring any of the foods we provide in this list may bring frustrations, although they’re really minimal. One of them is the price, since, as we have told you, most quality dog foods are pretty expensive, but they’re worth it, having many advantages over generic foods that provide no value to our pets.
Goldendoodles Puppy Food Buying Guide
Buying one of the foods detailed in this post is key, mainly and exclusively, when you have a Goldendoodle puppy in your home. Remember that he will need puppy food at this stage of his life, and you cannot give him adult food or generic food, as it may not develop properly and may present some long-term health problems. Puppy foods have all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed at this important developmental stage of their lives.
As such, puppy food doesn’t solve any basic problem but focuses on providing everything necessary for the proper growth of your pet. Despite this, some puppy foods are intended to improve certain health issues from the time they’re small, such as skin allergies, something that can become common in Goldendoodles, or eye or dental health, two key aspects in this breed.
Puppy dog food offers unique properties that you’ll not find in food for adults; this is mainly because puppy food is precisely focused on dogs at this stage of their life. As you know, a puppy must develop and grow up healthy, with strong bones, muscular and stable joints, white and hard teeth, healthy eyes and ears, strong skin, and silky, non-shedding fur.
As you may well have deduced, these foods should be used only if you have a puppy dog. Although using puppy food in an adult dog won’t cause any health complications, dogs have very different needs at each stage of their lives. While a puppy dog will indispensably need food for his age, for all the nutrients and vitamins necessary for his growth, an adult dog will need food to maintain his body and not continue developing. Always keep a Goldendoodle food chart handy so you know how much to give your dog daily.
When choosing a dog food, you must consider the brand, and some of the best-known are Purina Pro Plan, Dog Chow, Pedigree, Blue Buffalo, Royal Canin, Victor, and Nutro, among others. We recommend that you choose a suitable food from any of these brands, no matter how expensive they may be, and that you don’t decide on the price and buy a generic food, which will have no benefit for your dog and, in fact, may even significantly worsen your pet’s intestinal health.
In addition to the brand, there are other decisive factors you must keep in mind when buying puppy food. One of these factors is the elaboration and ingredients, focusing on whether it’s a basic food made at the industrial level or whether it’s a food with multiple natural ingredients, such as different meats, rice, or dairy products, something that won’t only please your pet more but will also do him good.
Other aspects that you can take into account to choose a puppy food are the price, the packaging size, the amount of food that comes with it, and the type of food, including its benefits.
Video: Making Homemade Dog Treats For Our Goldendoodles!
Video Credit: Doggyfied – Click Here to watch directly on YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q)
How Much Does a Goldendoodle Need to Eat?
Puppies can be quite hungry. However, it’s vital not to give them too much food. This could result in your puppy growing too quickly and causing problems with its health in the future. It is important to provide them with the exact amount they require to ensure their body is optimal. It may be necessary to adjust how much food you feed them they eat, particularly when they get bigger.
It is recommended to take the food you eat off of their weight first. But, you should be at ease to decrease or increase the quantity as needed.
What Can Goldendoodles Not Eat?
Dogs are known for their need to eat everything that comes at them. However, for your dog’s sake, you shouldn’t give your dog any food, unless you’re certain there’s no harm to it. In addition to putting your dog at a chance of gaining weight, you may also give them food that their body cannot handle.
When is it safe to change my Goldendoodle puppy’s diet to adult-sized dog foods?
Goldendoodle puppies never stop growing and aren’t quite ready to eat adult meals… up until the time they are 15-18 months old.
As they’re considered to be larger breed dogs introducing your Goldendoodle pup to adult-sized food too soon could increase the risk of developing an underlying painful form of hip disease.
The bottom conclusion… the adult Goldendoodle is able to safely consume the food of large breed puppies. However, a puppy growing up must not eat food for adult dogs.
Conclusion
Now that we have seen the best puppy food for Goldendoodles, it’s time for you to choose which one is the best for your dog by analyzing everything we have provided you with in this post. Remember to consider all major purchasing aspects, including benefits, ingredients, and processing, as well as brand, type, size, and more.
We recommend Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula as the best food for Goldendoodle puppies because it has everything you need and more for your dog at this stage of his life. It meets all the main purchasing aspects, its disadvantages are minimal, and its not-so-high price does not correlate with the enormous quality of this food, making it an excellent food that your dog will love.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (Updated in 2023)
