10 best dog food for Goldendoodles [2023]

First, though, I need to point something out… If you own a Goldendoodle, you must feed them the best dog food for Goldendoodles Since Goldendoodles are full of energy and fun, a well-balanced diet is a must to provide their body with everything it needs to stay energized and healthy.

Most Goldendoodle dog owners are stumped, trying to figure out the best dog food for their pets. You are different, you proved it. But we all must start from somewhere. Me, you, everybody.

Finding the best dog food for Goldendoodles may seem insignificant, but it’s not.

The best dog food for Goldendoodles

We have examined many brands to select the best dog food for Goldendoodles. 10 products made it into the final list. You can take a look at the reviews below with all the pros and cons. If you already know what you need, here are links to products:

1. Merric Classic Healthy Grains
2. Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food
3. Hill Science Diet
4. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free with Chicken
5. Acana Regionals Grassland
6. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Dog Food
7. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
8. Particular Paws Glucosamine for Dogs – Treats
9. Taste of the Wild High Protein with Real Roasted Lamb
10. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Natural Adult Wet Dog Food

Make sure you feed your Goldendoodle correctly from puppyhood, right up until he is full-grown and on to old age when they need the best wet dog food for elderly Goldendoodles.

You just took your first step. Congratulations!

Stick around, and you’ll learn everything you need to know about the best dog food for Goldendoodles and answer inside-out asked questions about this hybrid breed.

In other words, nothing but awesomeness. It will help you.

You are trying to figure out the best dog food for Goldendoodles… here are the answers to the most asked questions by parents of Goldendoodles.

In this article, we bring you some of our personal favorite picks when it comes to feeding your cute little baby the best food that won’t bring their stomach to harm.

What Dog Food is best for Goldendoodle?

A Goldendoodle is a hybrid dog from a poodle and a golden retriever is one of the most common “celebrity status” dogs due to being a toy breed that’s usually huggable and treated like a baby. This stems from the fact that they are cute!

However, with that said, Goldendoodles also have health problems that need to be addressed. For instance, they can be prone to hip problems, which can be worsened if they are overweight.

If your Goldendoodle itches often then that can also be a sign that they have skin allergies. In some cases, they may also be prone to bloating or gas problems.

The main determinant is the age and activity level of your specific dog. For example, a Goldendoodle puppy, adult dog, or senior dog each has different nutritional needs. You need to consider all these variables when selecting the best dog food for Goldendoodles.

You need to look for food containing good-quality protein sources, fiber, and fat. The best dog food for Goldendoodle includes two or three meat proteins that are easy for dogs to digest.

Growing puppies use more calories than adults or senior dogs, so the inclusion of Canola oil, chicken fat, or flaxseed is important to ensure enough calories for your puppy.

An omega-3 fatty acid is good for keeping your dog’s skin, coat moisturized, so choose a food that contains the fatty acids.

You should choose a dog food designed to match the nutritional life stage of your dog. The safest and most recommended dog food, optimized for the age of your Goldendoodles, includes:

Top 10 Best Foods for your Goldendoodles

1. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains

This type of food contains fresh deboned beef and pork meal, and it is best for an adult dog but not suitable for puppies.

This food contains taurine, an amino acid that reduces the risk of dilated cardiomyopathy.

It is quality, grain-inclusive dog food ideal for large breeds like German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Goldendoodle, etc.

This dry dog food is developed with high levels of omega fatty acids to help promote healthy skin and a shiny coat while glucosamine and chondroitin support hip and joint function. It is paw-fect for helping dogs build healthy muscles and does not contain any potatoes, peas or lentils.

Key Benefits

• Dry food with healthy grains and beef for dogs.
• Features real deboned beef as the very first ingredient.
• Developed with high levels of omega fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
• Includes essential vitamins, minerals, brown rice, and ancient grains such as quinoa to aid in digestion.
• Crafted in Hereford, TX and cooked in the USA.

2. Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food

Real farm-raised chicken is the first ingredient—a premium-sourced protein that can help your pooch build strong muscles. It also promotes healthy digestion with a specifically formulated blend of wholesome fibers and prebiotics. And it contains immune-supporting antioxidants to help promote a strong immune system. These mighty mini-morsels are full of nutritious and delicious benefits for your best pal!

Key Benefits

• This nutritious dog food features a smaller kibble size for easier eating.
• Made with real farm-raised chicken as the first ingredient.
• Premium-sourced protein helps encourage strong muscles for your pal.
• Promotes a healthy digestive system with a tailored blend of fibers and prebiotics.
• Contains antioxidants for immune system support.

3. Hill Science Diet

This recipe contains a chicken meat meal with added oats for extra fiber, which is a good quality puppy food.

Contains plenty of extra, carefully balanced vitamins, minerals, and other goodies to fuel your Goldendoodle puppy growth and satisfy his body’s energy requirement.

This recipe also delivers a generous source of vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and a lustrous coat. You’ll love knowing that it’s backed by decades of cutting-edge research, and your dog will love the way every bite tastes!

Key Benefits

• Crafted with beet pulp, which is a nourishing prebiotic fiber.
• Highly digestible to help support optimal nutrient absorption.
• Contains vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acids to support healthy skin and a lustrous coat.
• Crafted with natural ingredients, plus added vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Recommended by veterinarians.

4. Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free with Chicken

The main recipes of this type are chicken meal and turkey meal forming the nine dry recipes.

Its constituents are 30% protein, 16% fat, and 46% carbs bringing the fat-to-protein ratio to about 52%

It doesn’t contain any grains or preservatives but is rich in Zinc, Copper, and other costly, valued minerals for nutrition.

Adult dog food that’s highly recommended for adult Goldendoodles but not suitable for puppies.

This grain-free dry dog food includes added vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to support healthy digestion, help reduce shedding, promote a shiny coat, and encourage strong nails and skin. It’s crafted without any grains, corn, wheat, soy, by-products, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and cooked in America using only the Earth’s best ingredients.

Key Benefits

• Features real chicken and turkey for the high-quality protein your dog deserves.
• Grain-free dog food for pups with sensitivities.
• Contains added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
• 100% free from corn, soy, poultry by-products, artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives.
• Cooked in America using only the Earth’s best ingredients.

5. Acana Regionals Grassland

The recipes mainly contain deboned lamb, deboned duck, lamb meal, and goat meat.

It’s a balanced recipe designed for both adult dogs and puppies.

There are also added vitamins, minerals, natural preservatives, and probiotics. But, have no fear because you will never find any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives in here! ACANA always uses premium ingredients from a curated group of trusted farmers, ranchers, and fishers, and every batch of food is made in their state-of-the-art Kentucky kitchen.

Key Benefits

• The first 3 ingredients in this nutrient-dense, high-protein recipe are raw lamb, duck, and eggs. For preservation, the fresh ingredients are refrigerated, and the raw ingredients are frozen at their peak freshness.
• Features fresh or raw veggies and fruit, including whole pumpkin, collard greens, butternut squash, carrots, apples, and pears, which are nutritious and high in fiber.
• Grain-free food made without added corn, soy, wheat, or tapioca.
• Coated with freeze-dried lamb and duck liver for lip-smacking flavor.
• Made in the USA with some of the world’s finest ingredients.

6. Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Dog Food

This is our best pick for Goldendoodles because of the just-right balance of nutrients and vitamins inside. Its main ingredient is chicken while it also has potatoes and peas for carbohydrates and energy sources. It has 3 bag sizes: 24, 11, and 4 lbs.

What’s more, it also has omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which can help with your dog’s coat health – no more dull and itchy doodle skin! This would be important for dogs that compete in dog shows. Since it is gluten-free, it won’t cause your dog to have digestive upsets all the time.

The LifeSource bits can help with adding antioxidants for your dog to easily absorb nutrients from food for their overall health. Plus, it is also available in beef and lamb recipes for dogs that don’t like chicken that much. The dog food is made without any artificial preservatives or grains. This makes it one  of the best dog food for Goldendoodles.

7. Wellness Core Natural Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Yet another one for the small breeds like the Goldendoodle, we picked this one since it has chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine hydrochloride – both of which are important in your dog’s joint and hip health. As we mentioned above, doodles can be prone to hip dysplasia so this can be a preventive measure.

It also has 54% protein, which comes from the deboned turkey that is the first ingredient in the pack. It was made without any artificial flavors, fillers, meat by-products, or preservatives to become gentle enough for your dog’s tummy. Plus, it even has salmon oil and flaxseed oil, which can help with your dog’s coat and skin health.

The ingredients included in this dog food are made in the USA, without any GMOs, and are also free from fillers such as soy, wheat, corn, and the like.

8. Particular Paws Glucosamine for Dogs – Treats

If your doodle is suffering from really bad joint and hip problems, this may be a good dog treat pack for them. It has 65 soft chews so that even senior dogs can eat it just fine. The dog treats can be helpful in restoring bone loss as well as preventing hip problems from occurring.

Doodles with hip dysplasia can benefit from this all-natural dog treat, without any chemicals artificial flavors, fillers, dyes, or other questionable ingredients. It comes in a pack that can be resealed so it is easy to keep and give to your dog.

The ingredients include glucosamine for joint health, MSM for connective tissues, and chondroitin for joint movements. The glucosamine comes from natural shellfish so you know its ingredients come from nature.

9. Taste of the Wild High Protein with Real Roasted Lamb

If you ever wonder if Taste of the Wild is okay for doodles, then yes, it is! This is because they are made with probiotics, which can help with your dog’s digestive system since Goldendoodles can be prone to bloating as well.

It has easy ingredients like chia seeds and quinoa so it can also be a protein source for dogs that are often active.

Its first ingredient is roasted lamb so it can be an alternative to chicken. It has been made without any artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, and the like.

The company is also family-owned and reputable so it can be a little more natural and better than the typical commercial brands.

Also, it’s worth noting that the ingredients of this natural dog food passed the U.S. AAFCO and FDA requirements for safety.

10. Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Natural Adult Wet Dog Food

If your dog gets sick with kibble all the time, why not add beef dinner to their main course as wet food? This wet canned food from Blue Buffalo was made with garden veggies so that your dog gets balanced nutrition. You can also feed this with other dog food due to its texture.

This dog food has been made without any animal by-product and it has no artificial flavors, preservatives, soy, corn, or wheat, so it can be tummy-friendly for your canine friend.

Each can is at 12.5 ounces and its textures and cuts mimic the ones that are cooked at home. It can be okay for puppies, adults, and senior dogs alike.

Aside from that, we also found out that it has flaxseed for omega 3 fatty acids while it even has sweet potatoes to make it easy to digest while still giving carbohydrate source for your dog.

Things to Consider Before You Buy

Before you buy the best dog food for Goldendoodles, you may want to know about the following first:

Why should my Goldendoodle be fed with quality dog food?

Your Goldendoodle may look happy, but sometimes, they need nutritional requirements. For instance:

They get hip dysplasia more often. The problem is that these dogs were born to have a higher chance of getting hip problems. The problem becomes worse if your dog also has weight management issues. Aside from the vet’s advice and medicine, it is also important that your dog food should be just right for them and contains the right of nutrients for their joint health.

Most are prone to bloating. Bloating sometimes happens if your dog eats up too fast or sometimes eats unnecessary fillers. You should get rid of these fillers by choosing higher-quality dog food.

They could have a coat and skin allergies. Preservatives can sometimes be at fault for food allergies that can damage your dog’s skin. The solution: pick dog foods with omega fatty acids.

They may be prone to weight problems. As a small breed, Goldendoodles tend to face obesity more often than other dogs, causing their hip dysplasia to worsen, actually.

As Goldendoodles are a cross of Golden Retriever and a Poodle then you can also find that some of the best dog food for Goldendoodles matches the best dog food for Golden Retrievers.

What should I look for in the best dog food for Goldendoodles?

Glucosamine and chondroitin. This is for their hip problems and it can also strengthen their joints.

Just the right amount of calories. Since they can be prone to obesity, you should feed them with the right amount of dog food per day. The best way to go is about 330 per day for adults and 400 to 600 for puppies.

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. These can help with your dog’s flare-ups, allergies, and other skin problems and also enhance their shiny coat.

Grain-free and no fillers. This can help your dog not to have too much bloating so they can chow down easily and happily.

No artificial preservatives. Dogs with sensitive guts also benefit from natural dog food without artificial ingredients.

No animal by-products. If you ensure that your dog food comes from real meat (e.g. chicken or beef) then they will get the right amount of protein for their daily needs.

During the hot summer, months make sure your dog is hydrated, you can carry a travel dog water bottle for that. You can also make sure your Goldendoodle stays cool by trimming their hair.

How do I feed dog food for Goldendoodles?

Feeding Goldendoodles depend on your vet’s advice since they can still be prone to many health problems, including bloating. It’s best to feed them in small amounts but more frequently since they have limited stomach space.

They can eat up both kibble and wet dog food (canned food), just like any regular dog. However, it is important to watch for the ingredients that they are eating and a note of any allergies that they may develop depending on the food that you serve them.

How Much Food Does a Goldendoodle Puppy Need?

After weaning, the Goldendoodle can begin to eat puppy food.

After some months later, your Goldendoodle puppy is introduced to life-stage meals.

Goldendoodle puppy eats three to four meals daily, and afterward, when the puppy turns six months old, he feeds two meals daily.

How Much Should a Goldendoodle Eat Daily?

Since every Goldendoodle is different, there is no official way to calculate or predict how much your dog should feed daily.

However, dog and puppy food packages will give guidelines on the amount you should feed your Goldendoodle.

The key determinant of how much Goldendoodle is fed daily is the weight of the dog.

It’s also advisable to inquire from your vet how much you should feed your Goldendoodle if you are not sure.

What to Avoid Feeding Your Goldendoodles

Sometimes your Goldendoodle might beg for some types of food not recommended.

The most common types that should be avoided or should never be fed to your dog include such type as:

• Onions and garlic
• Food containing xylitol and caffeine
• Grapes and almonds
• Chocolates and candies

Can Goldendoodles Eat Carrot?

Yes, carrots contain vitamins and minerals, which provide the same health benefits to dogs as humans.

The key part of the Goldendoodle where the carrot plays a major role is in the eyes. Vitamin A found in carrots is needed for good vision.

Healthy teeth

A carrot scrapes plaque and other buildups off their teeth, keeping them squeaky clean in a similar way it happens when a dog chews on a bone.

Goldendoodles can eat a carrot when raw, cooked, or mixed with other dog food for Goldendoodles.

Don’t feed your dog too many carrots. Remember it contains sugar and hence too many of them is not healthy.

Also, pay attention to the dog’s stool. When you see many small carrot pieces in the stool, you give him too many to eat.

Is Chicken Good for Goldendoodles?

Yes, Goldendoodle eats chicken. Chicken has lean protein, which is both healthy and easy for the hybrid breed to digest. Chicken is the best choice protein that a dog and we humans can eat.

In commercial dog food, chicken is often considered the primary protein ingredient.

Goldendoodles that suffer from sensitive stomachs eat chicken, which has lean protein and can be easily digested. This makes chicken the only easily digestible protein source that is bland lean as the fat.

Final Thoughts

To wrap it up, our top pick for the best dog food for Goldendoodles is the Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free Natural Adult Dry Dog Food because it has a balance of food ingredients that can make your doodle healthy. For instance, potatoes and peas are for carbohydrates and energy sources, and the chicken ingredient is the first meat as the protein source. It is made without artificial anything so it can be good for your dog’s stomach.

If you want to spoil your Goldendoodles and basically give them liquid treats then bone broth for dogs is the way to go. The same goes for other poodle mixes like the Schnoodle.

While other Goldendoodle dog food brands that we picked here are also worthy, this one gets our attention not only because of the raving reviews of doodle owners out there but also because of its perfect balance of ingredients. We hope you liked our top picks for the best dog food for Goldendoodles!

Best dog food for Goldendoodles should include a balanced diet, which is a component of protein from high-quality meat meal or meat, and vitamins, minerals, fats, fatty acids, and carbs. As the market is flooded with many types of products, now you know what to look for in the best dog food for Goldendoodles.