Age-specific nutrition 

Age-specific foods are important for both puppies and senior Doodles to ensure they get the right nutrients for their development or maintenance. 

Growing puppies need a little extra protein and extra fatty acids, in particular, DHA and EPA to aid the development of their bones and cognitive function. Seniors should also eat foods containing extra fatty acids to maintain joint and cognitive function, as well as ingredients like turmeric and MSM for pain relief. 

What to avoid

As well as knowing what to look for in your Labradoodle’s food, you should also know what to avoid. Many low-quality pet foods contain cheap filler ingredients like wheat that bulk out the food without adding any nutritional value. 

They’re also hard to digest and can upset the stomachs of sensitive dogs, and decrease the health and energy levels of less sensitive dogs over time. You should also avoid foods that contain artificial additives, colors, flavors, and preservatives, GMOs, chemicals, and synthetics like hormone-fed meat. 

Other factors

Other factors that you may also want to consider include the cooking method of the food. Slow-cooked, steam-cooked, and freeze-dried foods are much more palatable and healthy, as other cooking methods can cause the food to lose its nutritional value and taste. 

You may also want to consider buying food from trusted brands, foods that use ethically sourced ingredients like grass-fed meat and cage-free eggs, and foods that are sourced and manufactured in the USA or Europe for ensured quality control. 

How much food should a Labradoodle eat?

The average healthy adult Labradoodle should eat between 1 – 2.5 cups of food per day, depending on their size, weight, and activity level. You should ask your vet for exact advice. 

Puppies, on the other hand, should eat 1kg of food per 20kg of their body weight per day, and seniors should take in fewer calories as their activity levels decrease to avoid weight gain, which can worsen joint and heart health. 

Some Labradoodle puppies will consume large amounts of food due to their high energy levels. Once they calm down around 2-3 years old, their calorie requirements might drop. Some owners experience that their dogs put on a lot of weight then. Always keep an eye on your dog’s overall condition and adjust the food amounts as needed.

How often should you feed a Labradoodle?

Ideally, an adult Labradoodle should eat two meals a day; one in the morning and one in the evening. Young pups should eat 3-4 meals per day from when they begin eating solid food up until around 6 months of age. They need to eat smaller and more frequent meals because of their rapidly-developing metabolisms; they burn through food extremely quickly and cannot handle large meals quite yet.

If you are training your Labradoodle and are using training treats, absolutely make sure to deduct that from his overall food allowance. Otherwise, you will end up with a very well-trained – but also very overweight dog.

What can you not feed a Labradoodle?

There are several things that you should not feed your Labradoodle. Many fruits and vegetables make great additions to doggie diets, but certain fruits and veggies such as avocados, onions, raisins, and grapes are actually toxic to dogs and can cause organ failure, even in small quantities.

A mouthful is okay for the occasional treat, you should also avoid giving your dog anything that is too sugary or salty (such as peanuts, chips, and cookies) on a regular basis. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol are strictly off-limits to dogs, as are chocolate and macadamia nuts, which are toxic to dogs.  

You should not give your dog anything that could result in food poisoning such as raw chicken or uncooked eggs, and avoid anything that poses a choking hazard such as plums and peaches. You also have to be careful with popular favorites like peanut butter and yogurt, as many of them contain the sweetener Xylitol which is toxic to dogs. You can still give your Doodle peanut butter and yogurt, but only those without Xylitol.