We have compiled information on the standard poodle feeding guide, how much to feed a standard poodle puppy, what do poodles eat, and other helpful tips on proper feeding.
For your convenience, we have prepared a Poodle feeding chart by age and jotted down the major factors to look at before feeding your furry pal.
Keep reading to get all the information, you need to make informed decisions about your Standard, Toy, and Miniature Poodles diet.
Contents
How Much to Feed Poodle Puppy-Feeding Chart
Ideally, in the initial days, a Poodle puppy gets their nutrients requirements from their mother’s milk. They take interest in semi-solid food after the fourth week of their born.
So, it is recommended to start offering them high-quality puppy-formulated food from the 5th week. And from the 6th week, they will easily start eating the puppy-formulated food and will stop ingesting their mother’s milk.
They are at a growing stage, they will be needed to feed at least thrice or four times a day. To give you a better understanding, we have prepared a Poodle puppy feeding chart, which will help you to feed him the correct amount of food with a calorie ratio.
For instance, younger Poodle puppies will require a different feeding ratio as compared to an older puppy. As they grow, their calorie intake ratio increases to fully develop the body. Suppose a younger Poodle puppy weighs around 10–25 pounds, it is recommended to feed them 2 1/2 cups daily and the total calorie intake ratio should be 987 kcal per day.
On the other hand, when the puppy reaches the older puppy stage, its calorie intake ratio will increase as per its weight. This is because until they turn adulthood, their body is not fully grown, so it requires more calories to build fully.
Note:- Consult the vet and select the high-quality puppy-formulated food for your Poodle puppy. Make sure you don’t feed him any filler meal which doesn’t include any essential nutrients. Plus, follow our standard Poodle puppy feeding chart, feeding wisely.
Adult Poodle Feeding Ratio
Well, Poodle reaches adulthood when they turn 2 years old. With age their nutrients, appetite, weight, and activity change. It is suggested to switch to adult dog food when they are 1 year old, this helps them to start adapting the adult dog food from the initial stage.
We have prepared an adult Poodle feeding chart that explains it to you in weight, and activity wise, so that you can easily figure out how much should be fed to your furry pal.
Let me explain it to you with an example, suppose you are raising adult Poodles whose weight is around 40-50 pounds. He is highly active by nature such as like to go out for a walk, carrying out exercise on a daily basis, doing all types of physical activities, etc. In such a scenario, the feeding ratio will be 8 2/3 cups daily with 3341 kcal per day.
Their feeding ratio depends upon their weight and activity level. If he is around 40-50 pounds but not highly active then we will recommend you to count down the calorie ratio to, a1336 kcal per day. This is because his body won’t be able to digest the food without any exercises or anything.
Senior Poodle Feeding Ratio
Generally, when dogs reach their senior hood zone, their appetite decreases, become less active, and so do nutrients requirements also changes.
Similarly, in the case of Poodles, when they reach their senior age, it is recommended to feed them fewer calories. As they become less active. Plus, their body becomes more fragile, and you must take extra care of their health.
For your reference, we have prepared senior Poodles feeding chart, which is bifurcated weight and activity wise. It prevents you from overfeeding your furry pal.
Suppose, you are raising an old Poodle whose weight is around 51-60 pounds and is less active. In such cases, it is recommended to feed them 2 1/3 cups daily and the total calorie intake ratio should be around 938 kcal per day.
Note:- When your Poodle turns senior, it is suggested to take them to the vet for a check-up and take suggestions regarding switching to senior dog food. Plus, follow our old Standard Poodle feeding chart, it will surely help you to keep your furry pal healthy for a longer period of time.
Toy Poodle Feeding Chart
Depending on the age of your dog, you should feed them a diet rich in protein and low in fat. When selecting food for your dog, make sure that it meets the nutritional needs of its size and breed.
As always, make sure to consult with your vet, when making any changes to your pet’s diet and activity levels. By following our Poodle feeding chart regularly and providing a balanced diet, you will provide your pup with a healthy and happy life for a longer period of time.
Miniature Poodle Feeding Chart
If we talk about miniature Poodles they are slightly bigger than the toy and the standard Poodle and their feeding ratio lies between the other two feeding ratios. It is recommended to feed them more protein and good fats as compared to other essential nutrients.
PetMD states, “A short and challenging play or obedience session, in addition to a walk, is required everyday, although, poodles should not be allowed to live outdoors. Standard Poodles require more physical activities (e.g., they love swimming).“
As you have now plenty of ideas regarding the Standard Poodle feeding chart, we have discussed life stage weight and activity level-wise. To feed your miniature Poodle you need to check his weight first, and from the standard feeding chart, you need to select the ratio for his diet.
Poodle Feeding Tips
Standard Poodles are athletic dogs that require a complete nutritional diet, which is ideal for large breeds.
Furthermore, PetMD states, “If your Poodle exercises several hours a day, a sport-type diet is recommended because it provides increased calories. Avoid human foods and table scraps to prevent gastrointestinal problems.”
As we have an idea, large breeds’ growth is rapid, so you have to be more careful with their feeding ratio. This is the reason we recommend you feed them wisely and look after the major factors like nutrients, weight, and food to avoid so that your furry pal’s health won’t get affected.
Let’s quickly, scroll down to get knowledge of each factor and according set the feeding schedule.
1. Nutrients Guidelines
Providing a healthy diet for your pup is one of the important factors which every pet parent should take care of it. If we talk about Poodles, they are prone to bloating issues, hip dysplasia, skin allergies, etc.
In such a scenario, it becomes more significant to choose high-quality food for them as per their life stages. With age, their nutrient requirement also changes, so you just cannot follow the one pattern of nutrients and keep feeding them throughout their life.
Make sure the essential nutrients: meat protein, carbohydrates, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals all should are in an appropriate ratio to fulfill their body’s requirements.
Note:- Consul the vet before selecting dog food for your Poodles, let them examine your furry pal. After that, they will guide you to prohibit which ingredients and which nutrients should be taken more to maintain the healthy life of your pup.
2. Weight Consideration
Just like other breeds, it’s important to keep a track of Poodles’ weight, to prevent them from encountering any health issues. They are prone to bloating issues, they develop gastric dilatation or bloat. It is advisable to maintain the ideal weight for a healthy life.
PetMD states, “The Standard Poodle is a medium- to large-sized dog, measuring 18-24 inches at the shoulder and weighing 40-70 pounds.“
To maintain the standard weight as per the life stage, it is suggested to take him out for daily exercise and keep him active. This will help his metabolism to work effectively, and the unwanted fat will be burned easily.
Apart from exerting feeding the correct amount of food is also significant, all you need to do is select the feeding ratio as per his weight.
For instance, if you are raising an adult standard Poodle whose weight is around 40-50 pounds and is highly active by nature. It is recommended to feed him, 3341 kcal per day.
3. Foods to Avoid
We know pet parents have the habit of sharing their snacks or meal with their furry pal. But, this habit should not be followed, it is not good for the pup’s health. Their body cannot digest all types of human food and are allergic to few ingredients.
So, being a pet parent it’s your responsibility to look after his meal and check the ingredients list, whether you are feeding your furry pal a healthy diet.
Here’s a list of food/ingredients which you should never feed your Poodle.
- Chocolate
- Caffeine
- Onion and Garlic
- Spam
- Cheez-It
- Pretzels
- Hummus
- Poppy seeds
- Spicy food
- Doritos
- Salsa
- Wasabi
- Blue Cheese
- Pesto
Before selecting food for your Poodle, don’t forget to cross-check the ingredients list. Make sure the above ingredients are not included in his meal. Plus, other toxic ingredients, can lead to health issues for them or lethargy for their health.
Note:- Consult the vet before you select dog food for your Poodle, they will guide you better about the ingredients which can be toxic to their health. After selecting the dog food, refer to our Poodle feeding chart, to feed your pal the correct amount of food and calories.
FAQs
How much should I feed my poodle?
The feeding ratio solely depends upon your Poodle’s weight and activity level. First, you need to check out his weight and observe his activity level. Suppose he weighs around 40-50 pounds, it is suggested to feed him 8 2/3 cups daily with 3341 kcal per day. On the other hand, if he is not an active one, you need to cut down the calorie intake ratio. It helps to prevent him from gaining unwanted fat.
How much food should I feed my miniature poodle?
Well, Poodles’ feeding ratio varies according to their life stage, weight, and activity level. If we talk about miniature poodles, on an average basis it is recommended to feed them 1 1/4 cups daily and the total calorie intake ratio should be 470 kcal per day. For more reference, you can refer to our Poodle feeding chart.
What to do if your puppy is still hungry or not eating?
There are many tricks that can help you to feed your puppy when he is not eating. For instance, you can make his meal time funny and interesting, which can divert his mind towards his meal. Another one is to offer him his favorite tempting treats which he cannot resist it for a longer period of time.
Can Poodles Eat Bones?
Well, it has been noticed that you can offer bones to your Poodle just for chewing and licking, not ingesting it. This is because it is not good for their health, it can lead to choking issues, and your pup’s digestion system cannot handle it easily. Plus, make sure you are not feeding him cooked bones.
Well, It’s a Wrap!
Well, one thing is very clear, you need to feed your Poodle the right amount of food with appropriate nutrients.
Now, you are well aware of the Poodle feeding chart, and it will vary as per their life stage, weight, and activity level. Like, you cannot feed the same food proportion, and calorie ratio to a Poodle puppy and a senior Poodle. There is a vast difference between their body requirement, weight, activity level, etc.
Furthermore, we have also covered the feeding char of miniature, and toy Poodle. It gives you a clear image of the Standard, toy, and mini Poodle. So you don’t get confused while feeding your Poodle.
In addition, you also know about the major feeding factors upon which his feeding schedule is based, Plus, it also prevents you from overfeeding your pal.
Julia is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, practicing veterinarian in a non-profit animal hospital and feline sanctuary located in Rochester, NY. She is also a full-time veterinary advisor at DogLikesBest. She focuses on writing healthcare-related topics including dog foods, treats, veterinary diets, food for specific healthcare features, etc. Moreover, any article on DogNeedsBest that has to concern feline health in any way, goes under her scrutiny before being published.