What's the Best Dog Food for Poodles?

Poodles are easy to train, athletic, and loving family companions. Standard and Miniature breeds are hard workers while the tiny Toy breed is built for cuddles. They all need just the right amount of exercise and good nutrition to keep them fit and healthy. If you're looking for the ideal diet for your poodle, check out our recommendations below and the factors our nutrition team put into the best dog foods for poodles.

AKC Classification: Non-Sporting
Exercise Required: 60 minutes/day

Ideal Weight:
Standard Poodle (over 15"): 60-70 lbs (male), 40-50 lbs (female)
Miniature Poodle: 12-20 lbs
Toy Poodle: 5-7 lbs

Breed Summary

Poodles were originally bred in Germany for duck hunting and are athletic, highly trainable, and smart while being a loveable, playful member of the family. Standards are bred to retrieve, Miniatures to sniff out truffles, and Toys as a companion dog for snuggling and pampering. If you are tempted to spoil your Miniature and Toy poodles because they are small and endearing, watch out. These super smart dogs will have you wrapped around their paws in no time! Poodles are a low shedding dog that needs to be groomed every 4 to 6 weeks. Coats are curly and may be black, white, or apricot. Great with adults, children and other dogs. Standards and Miniatures require sufficient physical and mental exercise, and socialization.

Physical Traits
Athletic build, coats require quality and consistent grooming

Personality Traits
Athletic, intelligent, good companions, great family dog

View your pet's nutritional assessment

Health Considerations for Poodles

Poodles, though athletic and hard workers, can come with a wide range of eye, leg, and hip issues. It’s important to have your dog thoroughly examined and fully tested for any signs of hereditary disorders common to the breed. Hereditary issues may affect the health of your Standard Poodle including distichiasis, , epilepsy, cataract, and canine hip dysplasia (CHD). Your Miniature Poodle should be evaluated for entropion other hereditary issues including eye, knee, and hip disorders.

Allergies & Skin Problems

Your poodle may develop food allergies, particularly to grain additives in its food. This and other skin issues may be addressed with proper diet. We like to recommend diets that contain:

Eye Problems

Poodles may develop eye health issues like Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Glaucoma, so we like to recommend foods or supplements that contain:

Joint Issues

Poodles can be prone to joint issues such as Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) and Arthritis. We like to recommend diets that contain:

Weight Management

Poodles need plenty of exercise which is one of the best ways to keep your dog’s weight in check. However, the food your Poodle eats is the best assist after exercise. We discourage feeding your dog table scraps for nutritional reasons but also to keep your dog from becoming food obsessed. To help your Standard Poodle prevent bloat, feed the dog on a regular schedule, smaller meals, three times per day. Plan exercise sessions to end at least an hour before or after feeding and do not feed from an elevated dish. The foods we like for weight management may contain:

Complete a nutritional assessment to view individualized diet recommendations specifically for your pet.

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Foods We Recommend: Poodle Puppies

When do poodles grow out of the puppy stage?
12-15 months old

Poodle puppy diets require at least 22% protein and at least 8% fat, preferably from quality animal sources. Your puppy may have or may develop allergies to grains and may need a grain-free food.

Blue Buffalo®
Limited Ingredient Diet Turkey & Potato Recipe Puppy Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Purina®
Beneful Healthy Puppy with Farm-Raised Chicken Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

INSTINCT®
Be Natural Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®
Bright Puppy Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Foods We Recommend: Poodle Adults

When do poodles become adults?
12-15 months old

Your Poodle’s diet should be 100% all-natural with no fillers to address potential allergy issues. You’ll want food that contains quality red meats and/or fish with added vegetables to provide additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants along with sources of glucosamine and chondroitin, omega fatty acids, and probiotics.

Blue Buffalo®
Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Formula Lamb & Potato Recipe Adult Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Evolve
Deboned Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

Purina®
Purina ONE SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula Dry Dog Food

This diet is available at:

The Farmer's Dog
Fresh, Personalized Ingredient Meal Plan

+ Custom, human-grade diet
+ More expensive than kibble

This diet is available at:

The Farmer's Dog | Save 20%

Foods We Recommend: Poodle Seniors

When do poodles become seniors?
6-7 years old

Senior Poodles will need a higher quality protein in their diet. They may become less able to digest or take in nutrients from their food and will need fewer fat calories. Pay close attention to your senior dog's weight by maintaining strict portion controls and encourage activity.