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The Poodle has consistently ranked among the top 10 breeds in the United States according to AKC registration statistics. This breed is unique in the fact that it comes in three different sizes – toy, miniature and standard. Because the Poodle comes in three different sizes it can be tricky to find the right dog food brand. Many pet food manufacturers offer formulas for small-breed dogs and for large-breed dogs, but toy breeds and medium-sized breeds are often underrepresented.
In order to keep your Poodle in good health and excellent condition you need to make sure that his nutritional needs are being met. Not only do you need to understand the basic nutritional needs for dogs, but you should also take the time to learn about special considerations for each type of Poodle – the Toy Poodle, the Miniature Poodle, and the Standard Poodle. Below you will find some helpful information about selecting the best dog food for Poodles of each size.
Nutritional Needs for Poodles
Before getting into the details about the nutritional needs for Poodles of different sizes you need to learn the basics about dog nutrition. All dogs require a blend of protein, fats, and carbohydrate in their diets in addition to vitamins, minerals, and water. Protein is the most important consideration for a dog’s diet and the protein in your dog’s diet should come from high-quality animal-based sources like chicken, turkey, and fish. Fat is also incredibly important in a dog’s diet because it is the most highly concentrated source of energy – it also helps to support your dog’s skin and coat health. Carbohydrates are important because they provide dietary fiber as well as various vitamins and minerals. Dogs do not have specific requirements for the amount of carbohydrate in their diet but the carbs they get should come from high-quality, highly digestible sources.
Now that you understand the basic nutritional needs for dogs you will be better able to understand the specific needs of different types of Poodles. The Toy Poodle is the smallest of the three sizes, growing up to 11 inches tall and weighing no more than 9 pounds. The Miniature Poodle is very small as well, standing up to 15 inches tall and weighing 15 to 17 pounds. Small-breed dogs like the Toy and Miniature Poodle have very high needs for energy because they have very fast metabolisms. For this reason, fat is a particularly important element in a Toy or Miniature Poodle’s diet. To make sure that your Toy or Miniature Poodle puppy gets the energy he needs to grow you should offer him a diet that is specially formulated for toy or small-breed dogs. Keep your puppy on this diet until he reaches about 80% of his adult size which could happen as early as 6 to 8 months – then you can switch to a toy or small-breed adult dog food formula.
The nutritional needs for a Standard Poodle are a little different than the needs of a Toy or Miniature Poodle. The Standard Poodle generally grows between 15 and 22 inches tall, weighing 45 to 70 pounds at maturity – this makes it a medium- to large-sized dog. Large-breed dogs require just as much protein as any other breed, but they need fewer calories per pound of body weight than a small-breed dog because their metabolisms are slower. This being the case, a Standard Poodle requires a commercial dog food diet that is formulated for medium- or large-breed dogs. These formulas may also provide supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin to support bone and joint health for large-breed dogs – this is particularly important as your Standard Poodle ages.
Special Considerations for Poodles
Choosing the right commercial dog food formula for your Poodle is incredibly important. Because there are three different sizes of Poodle, this makes your task a little more difficult. Toy and Miniature Poodles require commercial dog food diets that are specially formulated for Toy and small-breed dogs because these formulas are nutrient-dense. This is important for smaller dogs because not only do they have fast metabolisms and higher energy requirements, but they also have small stomachs. A small-breed dog food will provide for the energy needs of smaller dogs in bite-sized kibbles that are very nutrient dense so the dog doesn’t have to eat a lot to get the calories it needs. In addition to choosing the right toy or small-breed formula you also need to make sure you feed your Toy or Miniature Poodle often enough. It is recommended that you divide his daily portion into three or four smaller meals (depending on his age) rather than one or two larger meals.
For a Standard Poodle you can divide the dog’s daily portion into two meals – one in the morning and one in the evening. A large-breed commercial diet will be specially formulated to meet your dog’s nutritional needs without giving him too many extra calories. A commercial diet for large-breed dogs will be rich in protein to help your dog maintain lean muscle mass with moderate amounts of fat for healthy skin and coat plus low quantities of highly digestible carbohydrates. When your Standard Poodle is a puppy is it very important that you feed him a commercial diet specially formulated for large-breed puppies to make sure that he doesn’t grow too quickly. Large-breed puppies can take 12 to 24 months to reach their full size and if you feed them the wrong diet they could grow too quickly and that will place excess strain on their developing bones and joints. Keep your Standard Poodle puppy on a large-breed puppy formula until he reaches about 80% of his adult size – this could happen anywhere between 8 and 18 months.
Top Recommended Dog Foods for Poodles
If you need some help in finding the right food for your Poodle, consider one of the commercial dog food brands discussed below. Be careful when considering a breed-specific formula for your dog – do not just assume that the formula will meet your dog’s needs without evaluating the product for yourself. Consider the ingredients list to make sure that the product is of high-quality before offering it to your dog.
Nutro Ultra Holistic Dog Food
The Ultra line of pet foods from the Nutro pet food company was designed to provide dogs with high-quality nutrition by using only the freshest ingredients. The formulas belonging to this brand are packed with vital nutrients including natural antioxidants, lean proteins, and healthy fats in a diet that is 100% complete and balanced. Not only is the Ultra line of pet foods from Nutro designed for quality, but it comes in several different formulas for toy-, small-, and large-breed dogs – this makes it perfect for the Poodle. The Toy Breed Adult Dog Food formula is made with chicken and chicken meal as the top two ingredients followed by whole brown rice. This formula is also supplemented with chicken fat and a variety of vitamins and minerals. The Small-Breed Adult Dog Food formula is available in dry kibble, dry kibble with gluten-free ingredients, and a paté moist food. The Large-Breed Adult Dog Food comes in dry kibble and canned varieties.
Blue Buffalo Dog Food Formulas
The Blue Buffalo pet food company offers a wide variety of different products for dogs in all life stages. Not only does this company offer formulas for small-breed and large-breed puppies, but it also offers formulas for small-breed and large-breed adults. All of Blue Buffalo’s dog food diets are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients like deboned chicken, chicken meal, oatmeal, and brown rice. Blue Buffalo offers several different lines of products including the Life Protection line, the Freedom line of grain-free dog foods, and the Wilderness line of natural evolutionary diets. With so many options available you can choose the formula that is best for your Poodle based on his size and age. Blue Buffalo even offers a Limited Ingredient Diet option for dogs that have food sensitivities or allergies – food allergies can affect any dog breed but the Poodle is especially sensitive.
Nutrience Natural Dog Food
The Nutrience pet food company offers three different lines of products – the Original line, the Classic Line, and the Grain-Free line. The Original line of dog foods comes in three different varieties specially formulated for small-, medium-, and large-breed dogs. Not many pet food companies offer formulas specially designed for medium-sized dogs – this makes Nutrience a great option for Poodles that are on the lower end of the standard weight range for the breed. All of Nutrience’s products are made with fresh, wholesome ingredients in formulas that are designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs in all life stages.
The Poodle is one of the most popular breeds in the country, and for good reason. Not only is the Poodle a smart and attractive breed, but it is very friendly and makes an excellent family pet. If you have or are planning to keep a Poodle, make sure you take the information in this article into account while selecting a commercial diet for your dog.
Costco sells a fabulous salmon and sweet potato kibble…
I give my poodle Taste of the Wild, salmon flavored. He loooves it! It is rich in omega-3 and high in protein.