How Much Should I Feed My Labradoodle Puppy?

Labradoodles are a beautiful dog breed that neither falls in the small nor big category. They’re a standard-size dog, and like any other pets, what Labradoodles eat greatly affects their growth and development.

The most crucial part of a Labradoodle’s growth is their eating habits. Getting them accustomed to proper and healthy eating habits begins when they are still young, which is the only time that’s easy to train them.

“How much should I feed my Labradoodle puppy?” A common question to ask if you’re a first time owner. To answer this, we will delve into the basics and important facts you need to know about feeding your Labradoodle.

For starters, it’s important to know how many times a day a puppy should eat. Since puppies that are 8 to 12 weeks old need all kinds of nutrients in their body, they should be fed 3 to 4 times daily. This should be in an interval. Also, make sure to maintain a regular feeding schedule to prevent their blood sugar to drop.

Labradoodle Puppy Feeding Schedule

The ideal schedule to feed 8 to 12 weeks old Labradoodles in a day are 6:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., and should not be later than 6:00 p.m. as well. Small kibbles that are softened with clean drinking water is the most recommended food for this phase.

For puppies under 5 months old, feed them four times daily with kibble or wet canned dog food. This will depend on what kind of food your puppy likes and got used to. An ideal schedule should look like this:

07:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

03:00 p.m.

07:00 p.m.

For puppies that are 5 to 12 months old, you need to feed them only three times daily, and the ideal schedule should be:

06:00 a.m.

12:00 a.m.

06:00 p.m.

When your Labradoodle reaches adulthood, there will be a change in their diets. During your puppy’s 12 months, slowly transition it to having two meals a day, since you will have to feed it with only two meals a day after 12 months.

The ideal eating schedule for an adult Labradoodle is:

07:00 a.m.

05:00-06:00 p.m.

Now that we have a routine to follow, it’s time to move onto the type of food that is best to feed a Labradoodle.

The Best Dog Food For Labradoodle Puppies

Technically, there isn’t a requirement on what kind of food you should be feeding your dog, as long as it isn’t poisonous to them and has all the daily nutrients they need. However, with the wide variety of dog food options we have, it’s sometimes difficult to pick the best one for your pup.

Experts often prefer high-quality canned dog food instead of dry dog food. Canned dog food is processed more carefully and mostly contains nutrients essential to a dog’s growth and development.

Nonetheless, you should also observe which type of dog food works best for your dog in terms of health and appetite.

It’s also wise to seek advice from your dog’s Veterinary, given that they will know what food and nutrients your dog should be getting, depending on their weight and overall health.

In the next parts, we will discuss the different types of dog food and their health benefits, and maybe you might find what food you should be feeding your Labradoodle.

FYI – want to know the top foods for your Labradoodle puppy? Learn more here!

Feeding A Labradoodle Puppy Kibble

Dry dog food or kibbles are made from ingredients that contain balanced nutritional requirements a growing puppy needs, and the ingredients usually differ from brand to brand. Dry dog food is often made with protein-pack meat such as chicken, beef, fish, and even grains and more.

Some known benefits of kibbles are it prevents the build-up of dental plaque and helps strengthen your puppy’s teeth. It’s also easier to store than wet dog food, and it usually has a longer shelf life.

When choosing dry dog food for your Labradoodle puppy, get a well-known brand that has good feedback from pet owners and is commonly recommended by Veterinarians.

Assuring The Quality Of Their Dog Food

Upon purchase, double-check the packaging if it has damage or holes where small pests could potentially enter. Even if it’s dry dog food, never feed your puppy with kibbles that have been exposed to cockroaches and other pests that could carry germs and viruses.

Generally, puppies should start getting solid food when they’re about four weeks old since it’s the time when it’s difficult for them to get all the nutrients they need from the milk of their mother. By six weeks old, puppies should be completely weaned.

Puppies around the age of 6 to 12 weeks old could still not bite into hard food, and it’s the same for Labradoodle puppies, as well as all other breeds.

Choose a brand that has smaller kibble sizes, and soften them first with lactose-free milk or clean drinking water before serving it to your pooch. Repeat this method until your puppy is about four months old.

Feeding A Labradoodle Puppy Wet Food

Wet dog food or canned dog food is more ideal for puppies, especially that it usually has more nutrients, it’s tasty and savory, and it’s easier to chew. Giving the puppy high-quality canned dog food once you wean it off its mother’s milk is more recommendable than softened dry dog food.

Wet dog food also has more protein compared to kibbles, one of the reasons why most experts would recommend this.

Some Precautions For First-Timers

If it’s your first time giving your Labradoodle puppy wet dog food, consult with a Veterinary first. You can also try giving it a good can of wet dog food that doesn’t have too many ingredients and flavorings to ensure that there won’t be an allergic reaction.

To know how much-wet dog food you should give your puppy, measure it by its weight.

Get your puppy’s daily weight using a weighing scale, and give it 3 oz of canned dog food in every 3 pounds of its weight. Divide the total oz you’ll get into two or more servings, according to your puppy’s eating schedule.

For adult Labradoodles, the easier way to measure the amount of wet dog food you should feed it is by getting its weight again. Once you know the weight of your pooch, follow the guide below for the amount of wet dog food you should feed your dog with depending on its weight:

Adult Weight In Kilograms: Recommended Daily Feeding Guide:

9-14 kilograms 545-745 kilograms

15-24 kilograms 800-1100 kilograms

25-34 kilograms 1170-1450 kilograms

Feeding A Labradoodle Puppy Raw Food (The Barf Diet)

There is another type of food, diet rather, that has been circulating, and it’s called the BARF diet. BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food or Bones and Raw Food, and it was founded by nutritionist and veterinarian Dr. Ian Billinghurst.

The concept of the BARF diet is to give dogs uncooked meats and vegetables. The raw diet is a high protein source that has a lower amount of carbohydrates and moderate fat. Food such as organ meat, muscle meat, meaty bones, vegetables, and fruits have these nutrients.

Some Things To Keep In Mind With The BARF Diet

Regardless of the benefits of the BARF diet, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) does not recommend this kind for Labradoodle puppies. This kind of diet brings many health risks not just to puppies, but also to the young children of the family.

If a wet dog food is more expensive than dry dog food, then the raw diet is even more expensive than both.

If you wish to switch your Labradoodle to a raw diet, it’s better to consult a veterinarian first. They can guide you about proper feeding of raw food to avoid any potential problem in the health of both puppies and young children.

While the BARF diet is a debatable matter of whether or not you should feed your puppy with it, there are also several health benefits a dog can get from it, especially when it’s managed properly. These benefits are:

Leaner muscular build
Cleaner and stronger teeth, including fresher breath
Healthier skin and shinier coat
Less doggy odor
Dynamic energy and better mood

Feeding A Labradoodle Puppy A Homemade Diet

Some owners believe that you should never feed your dog with human food or they will get used to it, and while this is partially correct, it’s mostly wrong.

Home-made food is human food, and it’s scientifically proven to be good for dogs. What is not allowed is for you to feed your dog at the table; while you and your family are eating, or else it will be hard to discipline them in the future.

Home-made food usually costs less compared to dog food, which is a good thing for pet owners. The downside is it will need some serious commitment since home-made food for dogs needs time for planning and preparation.

Before feeding your Labradoodle with home-made food, learn first the type of nutrients they need to know where you can get these nutrients from.

The Nutrients A Normal Puppy Needs

Protein – is the most important nutrient a puppy should get. Protein helps canines develop their muscles and maintain their organs and tissues. You can find protein from meats like beef, chicken, fish, lamb, turkey, and even grains.

Fiber – Dietary fiber helps the maintenance of a dog’s gastrointestinal health. Like humans, fiber also prevents your dog from getting constipation as it keeps its bowel movement in check.

Fats – although this should be moderate, a healthy dose of fat helps protect your canine’s organs and helps them absorb vitamins. You can get fats from fish and oil.

Carbohydrates – this nutrient is one of the sources of energy for dogs, and it’s where they get their supply of glucose for their organs. Carbohydrates can be in rice, grains, corn, and beans.

Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, and Choline – vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K will promote health for your puppy’s skin and eyes, while it also strengthens their immune system. Choline, on the other hand, greatly promotes brain development, heart and liver health, and muscle function.

Suggested Recipes For Labradoodle Puppies

Knowing what kinds of nutrients a dog needs is your key to planning the best home-made recipes for them. Here are some of the veterinarian-approved home-made recipes that are pack with the nutrients above to support your Labradoodle puppy’s growth:

Sauted Chicken and Vegetables

3/4 cups brown rice
2 cups of water
1 lb Hamburger
1/4 cup chopped small zucchini
1/4 cup broccoli, steamed and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup sweet potatoes
1 1/2 tsp virgin olive oil

You can also add:

Mineral and Vitamin supplement
Enzyme supplements
Calcium Supplement

Founder’s Veterinary Clinic Recipe

1/4 of a pound of cooked skinless chicken
1 cup of cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon of potassium chloride

Whole Vet Pet Cooked Dog Food

8 ounces of organic ground turkey
1/4 cup of finely grated organic vegetables
1/2 teaspoon of organic coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon of salmon oil
1 teaspoon of raw ground sunflower seeds
500 milligrams of calcium citrate
2 tablespoons of ground turkey organs

Additional Tips For A Healthy Home Pup

Like those commercially available food for dogs, the serving size of home-made food will depend on their weight, or as instructed by the veterinarian.

Although it’s not a requirement for dog owners to have, it still is helpful to have your own weighing scale so you can easily monitor their weight day by day.

Bonus: Want to know the best treats for your Labradoodle puppy? Check out our full guide here!

Should I Swap To A Different Product Once In A While?

To simply answer this, most pet owners suggest so, although it’s not a requirement. Rotational feeding is rotating your dog’s food in an interval, and this could be in terms of changing their protein source and trying out a different type of food (dry, wet, raw).

Rotational feeding has more health benefits to your dog’s overall health compared to feeding them the same food all the time. But even so, it’s not necessary to change their food every once in a while, although experts suggest doing this every two or three months.

How Do I Rotate My Pup’s Food?

If you want to rotate your dog’s food, do it gradually and carefully, especially for a Labradoodle puppy. Slowly transition them into the new food within the first seven days of changing their food.

During the first try, let the puppy taste the new food first, then take it as your go signal if the puppy eats the whole thing. On the next meal, mix a small portion of the new food to your puppy’s old food, and add increasing amounts in every meal.

If the puppy shows signs of dehydration and vomiting during the transition, it means that you may be doing it too fast, or that it may be allergic to the new food.

When this happens, take it first to the veterinarian to know whether the transition is just too fast for the puppy or if it’s showing an allergic reaction.

When Can A Labradoodle Puppy Receive Adult Food?

This is probably a piece of common knowledge among pet owners, but for the sake of those who aren’t aware yet, you should start transitioning your puppy’s food to adult food once they reach 12 months old.

The transition from puppy food to adult food should begin once they’re between 12 to 15 months old. Again, like rotational feeding, this process should be done gradually and carefully to avoid upsetting their stomach with a new type of food.

Most Labradoodle puppies have a sensitive stomach, so make sure to choose a high-quality adult food that has the right formula.

Special Dietary And Nutritional Considerations Of Labradoodle Puppies

Malnutrition In Puppies

Malnutrition among puppies is not common since they usually get all their nutrient needs from their mother’s milk and puppy food, yet some still encounter this.

To know whether or not your puppy is undergoing malnutrition or nutritional deficiency, we have listed below the prominent symptoms:

Gastrointestinal issues – a puppy suffering from malnutrition will mostly show signs of gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and irregular bowel movement. Some extent even experiences pain as they try to excrete waste, and severe cases include vomiting.

Depression – yes, canines also experience depression. Like humans, an unhealthy digestive system in puppies can provoke lethargy and even depression.

Physical appearance – the easiest way to know if a dog is experiencing malnutrition is by observing its physical appearance. If the bones are visible, especially their spine, they lack energy and feel down all the time; then it’s an apparent sign that the dog has nutritional deficiencies.

Disorders of the skin/coat – you can tell that a dog’s healthy when it has a healthy and full coat. Canines need various minerals and vitamins to get strong and healthy skin and coat, which is why hair loss is a sign of severe malnutrition.

Health Issues – of course, dogs who are malnourished are highly likely to be prone to several health issues since they lack nutrients that strengthen their immune system and promote overall health. This is the reason why malnourished dogs, even the puppies, can die easily especially when they didn’t get immediate treatment.

Obesity In Puppies

If malnutrition is not common in puppies, then obesity is. Like babies, puppies are always hungry, always looking for wanting to bite their tiny little teeth at.

When your puppy amasses excess body fat, it is considered to be obese already. To know if your puppy is overweight, use the ideal body weight chart of the breed you have as a guide. If it weighs 10 to 20% more, then it’s overweight, and weighing over 20% more is considered to be obese.

Like malnutrition, obesity can bring numerous health risks to your puppies. These include developing cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis, stones in the urinary bladder, and lower heat tolerance. This is why it’s important to be strict about your dog’s eating routines and habits.

Supplements For Puppies

Sometimes, nutrients that canines get from food are not enough. This is why there are various supplements that veterinarians recommend for dog owners, especially for puppies. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), there are four popular and highly recommended supplements for dogs, and these are:

Glucosamine – extracted from the shells of shellfish, veterinarians find that glucosamine is an effective treatment for arthritis in dogs.

Fish Oil – is necessary for dogs of all ages, as fish oil is a great source of fatty acids like omega-3. This improves the health of the dog’s coat and reduces skin allergies.

Probiotics – these supplements treat diarrhea and digestive issues. You can use probiotics in many different forms, like yogurt, capsules, powders, and chews.

Antioxidants – who says antioxidants are only for humans? Dog antioxidant supplements impede aging side-effects like cognitive dysfunction. They also protect the dog’s body from free radicals, which are harmful molecules that cause damage to the cell membrane.

Vitamin D – dogs cannot get Vitamin D from the sun as humans do, so you have to supplement them with this. It strengthens your puppy’s joints as it balances calcium and phosphorus in the puppy’s body. It also supports the growth of the puppy’s teeth and bones.

Vitamin D is also essential for muscle development. For puppies, it requires them 100-120ng/ml of the vitamin to stay healthy.

Be Mindful of Their Vitamins

It’s also important to know how much of a type of supplement your puppy needs a day, as too much intake can be toxic for them. For instance, excess calcium in the body could promote skeletal problems, mostly for puppies from large-breed.

As for the types, puppies, adults, and seniors don’t need the same supplements, since most supplements are age-specific. You have to be careful with age-specific supplements.

Just a piece of advice, before you give your puppy supplements, consult with a veterinarian first. Even when supplements help promote overall health, its effects vary from puppy to puppy, so it’s better to be sure than take risks.

Hope you enjoyed this post about how much should you feed your Labradoodle puppy.

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Thanks for reading! You can get many more tips and tricks for your Labradoodle here.