8 Best Poodle Puppy Foods with Our 2023 Most Affordable Pick
Our dog food rankings and recommendations are developed through in-depth ingredient analysis paired with hands-on pet trials. We rate, rank, and review recipes based on the healthiest options that meet criteria important to owners – including budget, diet, and food form.
Quick Guide
Consistently ranked among the top 10 dog breeds according to AKC registration statistics, the Poodle is loved for his bright personality, his intelligence, and his curly coat.
These dogs make wonderful family pets, but they are also talented retrievers. If you’re lucky enough to bring a Poodle puppy into your home, make sure you treat him right with a high-quality diet.
Feeding your Poodle puppy a quality puppy food is the key to long-term health and wellness – that means more time to spend with your canine companion!
All puppy foods are not created equal and, if you want your Poodle puppy to grow into a healthy adult you need to start him out right. Keep reading to learn more about your Poodle puppy’s nutritional needs and how to meet them by choosing a high-quality puppy food.
What is the Best Puppy Food for a Poodle?
Poodle Puppy Diet Requirements
The Poodle breed walks the line between being a small and medium breed, growing 40 to 55 pounds at maturity. This being the case, you can feed your puppy either a regular puppy formula or a large-breed puppy formula. Just make sure that the nutrients are balanced, and the ingredients come from high-quality sources. You should also make sure the calorie and fat content isn’t too high but that the recipe provides plenty of protein.
So, what should you look for in a high-quality Poodle puppy food?
The best place to start is with a puppy food brand that uses high-quality, animal-based ingredients. Protein is the most important nutrient for dogs and your Poodle puppy needs at least 22% of his diet to come from protein, ideally from animal sources. Fat is also important, providing a concentrated source of energy and nutrients, and your puppy needs at least 8% of his diet from fat. Again, both of these should come from animal sources as much as possible to ensure bioavailability.
In addition to protein and fat, your Poodle puppy needs fiber and essential nutrients in his diet. Carbohydrates provide energy as well as dietary fiber to help promote healthy and regular digestion. Unfortunately, many Poodles develop allergies which means that your Poodle puppy could be sensitive to common carbohydrates like grains. It may be a good idea to feed your puppy a grain-free formula or to at least ensure that any grain ingredients are whole grains to ensure digestibility.
Other things to look for in a quality Poodle puppy food are omega fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables, and beneficial supplements. Omega fatty acids help keep your puppy’s skin and coat healthy in addition to promoting healthy brain development. Fresh fruits and veggies provide natural sources for key vitamins and minerals, though synthetic supplements like chelated minerals offer good bioavailability as well. You should also look for probiotics to support healthy digestion.
2023 Picks: Best Puppy Food for Poodles
Now that you have a better understanding of your Poodle puppy’s nutritional needs, you’re ready to start looking at puppy foods. Here are our picks for the 8 best Poodle puppy foods:
| Rank | Puppy Food | Price | Rating |
| Overall
Best | $3.02/lb |
A+
| |
| Most
Popular | $1.58/lb |
A+
| |
| Most
Affordable | $1.49/lb |
A+
| |
| Allergies | $2.56/lb |
A
| |
| Sensitive
Stomach | $2.19/lb |
A
|
Best Puppy Food for Poodles : Our Top 5 Recommendations
Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Grain-Free Puppy Recipe
Overall Best Poodle Puppy Food
If you want to feed your Poodle puppy the best of the best, you can’t go wrong with any of Merrick’s many high-quality puppy food products. This particular recipe belongs to their Backcountry line which features a combination of high-protein kibble and freeze-dried raw pieces to deliver maximum nutrition and flavor. This recipe is made with both deboned chicken and concentrated chicken meal as the primary ingredients with grain-free carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and peas. It contains plenty of essential fatty acids from animal sources as well as fresh fruit, probiotic supplements, and chelated minerals to ensure optimal nutrition and high bioavailability.
- Pros: High-protein kibble and freeze-dried raw pieces, rich in animal protein, grain-free carbohydrates, plenty of essential fatty acids, fresh fruit for nutrients, probiotics for digestion, chelated minerals.
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, contains some plant protein (potato protein)
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Puppy Formula
Our Most Popular Pick
Easily one of the most popular puppy food brands on the market, Taste of the Wild offers a grain-free, fish-based formula that would be a great choice for your Poodle puppy. Not only is this recipe free from grains that might trigger food allergies or sensitivities, but it contains novel proteins including salmon and ocean fish meal. This recipe contains plenty of omega 3s for healthy skin and coat, plus it is supplemented with dried fermentation products for probiotic support and chelated minerals to ensure optimal nutrient absorption. It is also rich in protein and dietary fiber.
- Pros: Novel fish-based proteins, grain-free carbohydrates, rich in omega-3s, fresh fruit for nutrients, probiotics for healthy digestion, chelated minerals, low risk for food allergies
- Cons: Contains some plant protein (pea protein), could be higher in protein
American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Puppy Recipe
Our Most Affordable Pick
Because the Poodle is in between a medium and large breed, a regular puppy food recipe may work well for your Poodle puppy. If you’re looking for something affordable, we recommend this American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Puppy Recipe. Loaded with nutritious ingredients like deboned lamb, chicken meal, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes, this formula offers 30% crude protein and 12% fat. It is supplemented with plenty of essential fatty acids (including omega-3s) as well as fresh fruits and veggies, probiotics, and chelated minerals.
- Pros: Real animal protein as top three ingredients, grain-free carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids, high in omega-3s, fresh fruits and veggies, probiotics for healthy digestion, chelated minerals
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, contains some plant protein (pea protein)
FirstMate Endurance/Puppy Pacific Ocean Fish Formula
Our Pick for Poodle Puppy Allergies
If your Poodle puppy has food allergies, you may need to feed him a specialized diet made with a novel source of protein and digestible grain-free carbohydrates. Though it may cost a little more, this FirstMate Endurance/Puppy Pacific Ocean Fish Formula would be a great option. In addition to being free from common allergens, it also features a novel protein (ocean fish meal), grain-free carbohydrates, and a limited number of main ingredients. This recipe is supplemented with chelated minerals for nutritional balance and glucosamine for joint support. Plus, it’s very high in omega-3 fatty acids which is great for your Poodle puppy’s brain development as well as his skin and coat.
- Pros: Novel protein source, grain-free carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids (including omega-3s), chelated mineral supplements, limited number of ingredients
- Cons: Contains some chicken ingredients (chicken fat), fairly expensive, no probiotics
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Recipe
Our Pick for Poodle Puppy with Sensitive Stomach
Many dogs with sensitive stomachs respond well to grain-free recipes like this Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Recipe. In addition to being free from grains, this recipe is also free from animal by-products, low-quality fillers, and artificial additives. It features high-quality animal proteins like chicken and turkey with plenty of grain-free carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and fresh fruits and veggies. It is supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids as well as probiotics for digestive support and chelated minerals. Overall, it contains 36% protein and 18% fat, so it will help your puppy develop lean muscle mass.
- Pros: Grain-free recipe, free from artificial additives and fillers, three animal proteins as main ingredients, rich in essential fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables, probiotics, chelated minerals
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, contains some plant protein (potato protein)
3 More Top-Rated Poodle Puppy Foods
If the five recipes above don’t seem like the right fit for your Poodle puppy, don’t worry! There are plenty of other great options out there – here are 3 more to consider:
| Rank | Puppy Food | Price | Rating |
| #6 | $1.81/lb |
A
| |
| #7 | $1.85/lb |
A
| |
| #8 | $2.57/lb |
A
|
Go! Fit & Free Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Trout Puppy Recipe
Another high-quality option for your Poodle puppy is this Go! Fit & Free Grain-Free Chicken, Turkey & Trout Puppy Recipe. This formula is specifically designed for high protein and low carb content, making sure that all your puppy gets is the nutrients he needs to grow and develop. This formula features chicken, turkey, and trout with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies as well as omega oils.
- Pros: High in protein & low in carbs, animal protein as first six ingredients, grain-free carbohydrates, fresh fruits and veggies, probiotics for digestive support, chelated minerals, rich in omega oils
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, may be too high in protein for some dogs
Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage Grain-Free Dry Food
Designed to provide your Poodle puppy with holistic nutrition, this Earthborn Holistic Puppy Vantage Grain-Free Dry Food is an excellent option. It features high-quality proteins to support lean muscle mass with plenty of omega-3s for healthy skin and coat as well as healthy brain development. This recipe is made with chicken meal as a concentrated source of animal protein with grain-free carbohydrates, fresh fruits and veggies, and beneficial supplements like chelated minerals and probiotics.
- Pros: High in protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fresh fruits and vegetables, grain-free carbohydrates, chelated minerals for nutritional balance, probiotics for healthy digestion
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, somewhat expensive
Canidae Grain-Free PURE Foundations Puppy Formula
If you want to start your Poodle puppy off on the right foot, this Canidae Grain-Free PURE Foundations Puppy Formula is a great choice. This limited ingredient diet features just 9 main ingredients including fresh chicken, menhaden fish meal, lentils, and chicken fat. It offers 30% protein with plenty of essential fatty acids (including omega-3s) as well as beneficial supplements like chelated minerals for optimal nutrient absorption and probiotics for a healthy digestive system.
- Pros: Limited number of main ingredients, high-quality animal proteins, grain-free carbohydrates, rich in essential fatty acids, chelated minerals, probiotic supplements
- Cons: Some dogs are sensitive to chicken ingredients, somewhat expensive
Our Poodle Puppy Feeding Guide – Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you have a better idea what to feed your Poodle puppy it’s time to learn how to feed him. Here are the answers to some of the top frequently asked questions about feeding a Poodle puppy:
How Much Should I Feed a Poodle Puppy?
Generally speaking, puppies eat more than adult dogs because they need the extra calories to support their growth and development. Many Poodle owners choose to let their puppies feed freely to ensure that they get the energy they need, though there is always a risk that your Poodle puppy might grow too quickly with this approach. Poodles walk the line between being a medium and large-breed dog, so you need to be careful of excessive growth because it could increase the risk for joint problems later in life. The best way to determine how much to feed your Poodle puppy is to follow the feeding recommendations on the pet food package. Each recipe is different in terms of fat and calorie content, so feed your puppy according to his age and weight. Keep in mind that Poodle puppies grow the most quickly during the first 6 months, so you may be feeding him more at first.
How Many Times Should a Poodle Puppy Eat a Day?
Because Poodle puppies grow quickly, you should provide yours with a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Feed your puppy at least three meals per day, dividing his total daily intake evenly among the three. It’s also not a bad idea to give your puppy a limited feeding window so he gets used to eating on a schedule. Put his food bowl down for 30 minutes and, if he doesn’t eat it, take it away and wait until the next meal to feed him again.
How Long Should I Feed a Poodle Puppy Food?
The Poodle breed is between a medium and large-breed dog, growing 40 to 55 pounds at maturity. This being the case, your Poodle puppy will likely reach his adult size within about a year but may continue filling out after that. Most veterinarians recommend feeding puppies a puppy-specific recipe for the first 12 months and then switching to an adult recipe. Feed your Poodle puppy a large-breed specific puppy food for the first year then switch to a large-breed adult formula.
Poodle Puppy Food – A Final Word
By now you should have a thorough understanding of your Poodle puppy’s nutritional needs as well as how to meet them with a high-quality commercial diet. Take what you’ve learned here with you when you head to the pet store to shop for puppy food and, if you still need help, consider one of the eight top-rated brands reviewed above.
