How to Choose the Best Dog Food for Labradoodles
The exuberant Labradoodle is a fun-loving breed, full of adventure and zest for life. A hybrid created through the breeding of a Labrador Retriever to a Poodle, the Labradoodle is available in several size variations, making the dog extremely versatile and well-suited to nearly every living situation.
Though the Labradoodle was originally bred to serve as a guide dog for blind people, it soon gained popularity as a cherished family pet. They are affectionate and good natured. A breed with a heart for pleasing its people, the Labradoodle is easy to train and enjoys any opportunity to spend time with its family.
A friendly pooch, the Labradoodle loves people of all kinds; whether they are family, friends, or complete strangers. This dog type is also good with other animals, making it well-suited to life in a multi-pet home.
Though the founder of the breed’s desire was to produce a dog type that would have a low to no shedding coat, the Labradoodle does shed. However, since this cross breed is quite young in its development, much inconsistency remains in the breed with some shedding a great deal and others not as much.
The Labradoodle is a highly active dog and requires regular daily exercise to remain physically and mentally satisfied. With so much energy to spare, it is not difficult to see that the Labradoodle needs a diet of exceptional quality. The best dog foods for Labradoodles place an emphasis on balance and premium quality ingredients to ensure proper nutrition.
Choosing the Correct Calorie Count for Labradoodles
Since much diversity still exists in the Labradoodle as a developing breed, finding the right calorie count to feed this pooch can be difficult. Thankfully, the best dog foods for Labradoodles contain suggested serving sizes on their bags. These can be used as a starting point with adjustments made until the correct portion is found.
The Labradoodle is a high energy dog, and thus, weight gain is not a common problem in the breed. However, it is still a wise idea to measure all food and monitor the dog’s daily intake. Free feeding is strongly discouraged as it makes it difficult to know how much or how little the dog has eaten.
As a general rule of thumb, any food suited to the needs of the active Labradoodle should contain a minimum of 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.
Dietary Requirements for Labradoodle Dog Foods
Since the Labradoodle is a very energetic dog, it is vitally important that this breed receive a diet that is well-balanced and comprised of top quality nutrition. The best dog foods for Labradoodles are based on meat-based proteins. Whole meats are the best choice, but meat meals also offer a powerhouse punch of concentrated nutrients to support the Labradoodle’s needs.
By-products are essentially comprised of non-human grade portions of animals. They often are of low quality and contain little nutritional benefit to dogs. These are best avoided along with plant-based proteins such as corn, wheat, and soy, common allergens for many dogs. In addition to this, chemical additives and preservatives have no place in a diet for the Labradoodle, a breed that can be prone to both skin and stomach sensitivities.
All diets need healthy fats to provide Labradoodles with the nutrition they need to have proper reserves of energy and good quality skin and coat. These are best derived from animal sources and include such foods as oily fish and chicken fat.
Labradoodles can safely eat foods that are grain-inclusive or grain-free. Whether the carbohydrates in a diet for this breed are from whole grains, fruits, or vegetables, of primary importance is the food’s nutritional content. Foods that are high in fiber and antioxidants are best for this breed as they support digestion and a healthy immune system.
Supplements can help a diet to be its most effective. The ideal supplements to look for in a diet for the Labradoodle include prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
Things to Look for in the Best Dog Food for Labradoodles
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best dog food for a Labradoodle:
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Whole proteins heading up the ingredients list
The first ingredient in any diet for the Labradoodle should be a meat-based protein. Though whole meats are preferred, meat meals are also an excellent choice.
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Prepared without the addition of chemicals, flavorings, fillers, or mystery ingredients
Chemicals, fillers, artificial flavorings and colorings, and mystery ingredients provide no nutritional benefit to the Labradoodle. Foods containing these items are not suited for the needs of this breed.
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Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
Supplements help foods to provide additional benefits for dogs. The ideal supplements to look for in a food for the Labradoodle are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Labradoodle should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.