What soft and hard food should I feed my Goldendoodle puppy now and later?

Hello. Unfortunately, there has been an explosion of new & "boutique" type foods that have hit the market lately, some are fine to feed, some are just gimmicks & have no science to back up their claims. You should always look for the AAFCO statement on every label, but be aware that this is a voluntary claim & there is no regulatory agency watching out for dishonest manufacturers. Personally, I recommend sticking with the 3 biggest companies that can actually provide the science behind their pet foods. They are Science Diet, Royal Canin & Purina. All three of these have developed formulations to fit every lifestyle, every trend, & every stage of life that you just cannot go wrong feeding one. If the food you have is suspicious, I would transition Diggy off as soon as possible to another puppy food soon. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, Royal Canin is one of the best diets available and it’s what I feed my own dogs and cats. Get the large breed puppy or the golden retriever puppy diet and feed this until he is 1 year old. Make sure to transition the diet over 1 week to avoid causing GI upset. I hope this helps.

Congratulations on your new addition! As a general rule of thumb, I typically recommend feeding Science Diet, Royal Canin or Purina ProPlan foods. These companies do extensive clinical testing to assure that their foods are nutritionally appropriate and source ingredients appropriately. Odin should eat a puppy food until he is 1 year old. Anytime you change his diet, be sure to do so by gradually mixing old and new foods together over a 5-7 day period. Sudden diet changes have a greater chance of causing vomiting and diarrhea.

Definitely do not feed grain free! Vets are seeing an increase in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy who are on grain free diets. Iams and Royal Canin are both excellent foods. I feed my own dogs Iams, and they love it. You aren't wasting money on those brands of foods, and I would give her food from one of those brands. Other brands I recommend include Hill's Science Diet, and Purina ProPlan. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for your question about Bran. The most important tip to remember when choosing a diet for a puppy is to ensure that the diet is specifically designed for puppies. As a general rule puppy foods tend to have higher calorie content and a higher percentage of important minerals such as calcium. Every veterinarian has their own opinions on various dog food brands. Personally, I find that Royal Canin is a good choice, because they have veterinary nutritionists on staff that ensure their diets are nutritionally balanced. I have very limited experience with the Arden Grange company, but in my research I do not think this is a bad type of food. If you would like to transition Bran to this brand of food I would recommend making a slow transition over 3-5 days, slowly increasing the amount of Arden Grange offered (and decreasing the amount of Royal Canin). If Bran develops diarrhea or does not seem to tolerate the new brand of food, I would recommend switching him back to Royal Canin. Hope this helps, good luck!

What a cute puppy! With him being 7 months old and a small breed dog, I think that Lucas is slowing down on his growing. This can cause a reduction in his appetite. I find that the more that we change a dog's food- the more pickier they become. I would stick with one brand, offer 1/3 of slightly less than the daily recommended amount (they sell dog food, so the more he eats the more you buy) three times daily. Give him a set amount of time and then pick up the bowl. This will create some urgency. He will eat if he is hungry. The more we change and add things, the more he will wait to eat to see what good stuff will be added. I would keep track of his body condition score- you should be able to feel his ribs with a little bit of fat cover, but not see them. As long as he is in good body condition, I would not worry. Some dogs are not food motivated and will just eat what they need. If you have any questions about his weight or body condition score, you can ask your veterinarian. I don't think that grain free food are necessary. Dogs are omnivores.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Any of the following brands can be fed so long as it is puppy food for small dogs. The food needs to be slowly transition over 7-10 days introducing the new food in about 20% increment every other day. For detail, contact your veterinarian on how to transition the food. Recommended brands are Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Iams. Choose one, and stick with it until about one year of age. After that, transition to an adult formula for small breeds from the same brand. Void feeding anything other than the dogs food and a few treats made specifically for dogs. Hopes this helps!