How Much To Feed A Goldendoodle Puppy

If you are in the process of adopting or already have adopted a Goldendoodle puppy, you are likely wondering how much to feed a Goldendoodle puppy.

Since they are not a Golden Retriever or a Standard Poodle, it can be confusing to consider what this combination of breeds might need to eat.

The best thing that you can do is to consult a Goldendoodle puppy feeding chart that will help you work out how much your puppy should have based on his age and his size.

But, even feeding charts are not fool-proof. This is what you need to know.

How Much Should A Goldendoodle Puppy Eat?

The amount of food that you should give your Goldendoodle puppy will vary depending on the kind of food that you are giving him.

For example, if you are feeding him adult dog food rather than a puppy formula, he will need more food to get the calories that he needs.

When your puppy is less than 6 months of age, he will need 3 meals a day to keep his energy up and to give him the calories he needs. After 6 months of age, you will need to reduce that feeding frequency to just twice a day.

Goldendoodle Puppy Feeding Chart

Below you will find a Goldendoodle puppy feeding chart that we have put together to help you work out how much food that your puppy needs and how often that he should be eating.

It is important to remember that there is still a lot of variety from dog to dog and your puppy’s individual needs might not completely align with what is found in the chart.

There will also be periods of growth spurt where your puppy will need more food than what is found on the chart, so you will need to just really keep watch on your puppy’s needs.

2 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

Looking at a 2 week old Goldendoodle puppy, you should not be feeding this puppy any regular dog food. At this age, the puppy should still be with his mother, nursing rather than eating puppy food.

If there is another issue with your puppy and he cannot get milk from his mother, then you will need to talk to your vet about what kind of foot that you can give a Goldendoodle puppy at this age in order to meet his nutritional needs.

It is not going to be regular dog food, however. They need a special formula alternative without their mother’s milk.

4 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

At 4 weeks of age, a Goldendoodle puppy will still be with his mother and should still be reliant on his mother’s milk for sustenance.

Your puppy will be a lot more energetic and willing to leave his mother for brief periods of time, but he will still not be weaned from his mother’s milk.

You can see if he is interested in puppy food, but do not be surprised if he is not interested at this point. The amount of puppy food that he will be able to eat will be very little as well. Don’t force it though.

6 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

At 6 weeks old, your Goldendoodle puppy will be even busier and moving away from his mother. The puppy’s mother is going to be moving away from the puppies as well, as the puppies begin their transition from mother’s milk to puppy food.

They are likely to still be nursing, but should also be trying the puppy food. Remember that they are little and they will not be able to eat much puppy food.

Offer a quarter of a cup of food in total a day. If your puppy eats it all immediately, you can increase the amount of food.

8 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

At the age of 8 weeks old, puppies will start to be rehomed into new families since they should be about weaned from their mothers at this age.

The Goldendoodle puppy should be eating only puppy food at this age and will not be relying on milk any longer. The puppy should also be getting 3 meals a day in equal parts.

The amount of food that you give your puppy will vary, but typically the puppy should be getting a quarter to a half of a cup of food at each meal.

10 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

By the age of 10 weeks old, your Goldendoodle puppy will have more energy and be getting reading for a massive growth spurt.

Continue feeding your puppy three meals a day and the puppy should be getting around a half of a cup of food with each meal.

You should be watching your puppy’s appearance to tell whether you need to feed him more or less food.

You should be able to feel the puppy’s ribs under the skin, but the ribs should not be sticking out. Since the growth rate is going to vary, just pay attention to your dog’s appetite.

12 Week Old Goldendoodle Puppy

When your Goldendoodle puppy reaches the age of 12 weeks, he is going to be starting the biggest growth spurt of his life.

They are likely to gain a lot of weight over the next few weeks and their appetite might ebb and flow, depending on their individual needs.

Your puppy will also be moving around a lot more, so he will need a lot more calories to meet both the demands of the growth spurt and the demands of his own energy level.

You should be able to see your puppy’s waist at this age, which will help you work out whether he is the right weight.

Best Puppy Dog Food For Goldendoodles

#1. Purina Pro Plan Puppy Lamb and Rice Formula

Editor’s Choice

Our choice for the best puppy food for a Goldendoodle puppy is the Purina Pro Plan Puppy food. This is an easy-to-digest formula that has all of the protein that your dog should need.

The Purina Pro Plan is made to support brain health, dental health, and provide a high level of immune system support to keep your dog as healthy as possible. Lamb is the top ingredient as well, although there is chicken by-product meal.

Pros:

No artificial colors
Live probiotics
Omega-rich fish oil
High protein
No artificial flavours

Cons:

Does have chicken by-product meal

#2. Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice

Runner-Up

Our choice for the runner-up of the best choice for Goldendoodle puppies is the Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy Recipe. This is a nice food if you are worried about allergies with your puppy because it does not have any corn, wheat, or soy within it.

Additionally, the food was made specifically for large breed dogs and the first ingredient is chicken. It also uses chicken meal to add glucosamine.

Pros:

Chicken is first ingredient
Omega-3 fatty acids
Calcium
Best for large breed dogs
No allergens

Cons:

Does contain chicken meal

#3. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Puppy Formula

The Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream is another great choice of food for Goldendoodle puppies. This is a grain-free food that has a healthy balance of protein and vitamins. If you have a dog that is sensitive to chicken, this is a wonderful food that has no chicken in it.

The food also has a lot of legumes, fruits, and vegetables. The only downside that we found was that it does have a fish meal in it.

Pros:

Grain-Free
Made from sustainable sources
Crafted with vitamins and minerals
Maximize nutrient absorption
Contains fruits and vegetables

Cons:

Contains fish meal

#4. Purina Pro Plan Sport

Another good food choice for Goldendoodle puppies is the Purina Pro Plan Sport. The biggest thing to note with this dog food is that it is not specific to puppies, but is made for dogs of all ages.

That means that if you are feeding it to a puppy, he will need more of the food in order to get the calories that he needs.

The food is made up of 26% protein and 16% fat as well.

Pros:

26% muscle-building protein
16% fat
Enhanced with amino acids
Works for all ages
No preservatives

Cons:

Contains grain

#5. Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Puppy

The final puppy food that we will recommend for a Goldendoodle puppy is the Hill’s Science Diet Large Breed Puppy. This is a chicken meal and oat recipe dog food. It is high in protein and has a lot of glucosamine and chondroitin, which will help support strong muscles and joint growth.

The food is also rich in vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants, giving balanced nutrition to your Goldendoodle puppy.

Pros:

High-protein
Antioxidants
Vitamin E and C
Contains Glucosamine and chondroitin
Natural flavours

Cons:

The first ingredient is not a real meat

2 Month Old Goldendoodle Puppy Weight

When your Goldendoodle puppy is 2 months old, you can expect him to weigh around 20 pounds, if he is a Standard Goldendoodle.

If he is a medium Goldendoodle, you can expect him to weigh around 15 pounds, where a mini Goldendoodle will weigh around 10 pounds. Those are just averages, however, and your dog may weigh more or less than the average, depending on the individual dog.

3 Month Old Goldendoodle Puppy Weight

At the age of 3 months old, a Goldendoodle puppy that is Standard-sized will weigh around 30 pounds on average.

A medium Goldendoodle will weigh around 20 pounds at this point, but the mini Goldendoodle, being the smallest, should weigh around 12 pounds.

The mini Goldendoodles do not gain as much weight as the larger breeds, so the Standard will gain more weight faster than the medium or mini Goldendoodles.

4 Month Old Goldendoodle Puppy Weight

When your Goldendoodle puppy is 4 months of age, you can expect him to weigh around 35 pounds if he is a Standard Goldendoodle.

If he is a medium Goldendoodle, he should weigh somewhere around 27 pounds, and a mini Goldendoodle will weigh around 18 pounds. As long as your puppy is staying on his growth curve, it does not matter if his weight aligns with the averages.

Switching From Goldendoodle Puppy Food To Adult Food

When your Goldendoodle puppy is around a year old, he will need to be taken off of puppy food and moved to adult food. Adult food has fewer calories than puppy good and if you keep your dog on puppy food, he is likely to become overweight.

When you change the food, you will need to do so gradually over the course of a week, slowly adding in more adult food and less puppy food until your dog is only eating adult dog food. Do not do this before a year old.

What If My Goldendoodle Won’t Eat

Most of the time when you are feeding your puppy, you should witness the dog gobbling up the food without any trouble. Puppies have voracious appetites and usually eat so fast that they might not even realize how much they ate.

For that reason, if your puppy is not eating, it is time to talk to your vet. Some puppies are picky, but you are unlikely to find this with a Goldendoodle puppy.

They are generally happy dogs and willing to eat anything, so if your puppy isn’t eating, it is time to pay a visit to the vet.

Can You Free Feed Your Goldendoodle Puppy?

Free feeding is the process where you set the daily allowed amount of food out for your dog and he just eats it as he goes throughout the day.

This can work well for some dogs, especially ones who have more self-control and knows how to listen to their stomachs. This is not the cast with a Goldendoodle puppy.

The puppy is going to eat the entire allotment in the first meal and then later when he is hungry again, he is going to look for food. Puppies need three meals a day and should not be free-fed.

What Nutrients Does A Goldendoodle Puppy Need?

A Goldendoodle puppy needs a balanced diet that is made up of foods that are easy to digest. These foods include proteins, such as chicken, beef, lamb, and other white meats.

They also will include vegetables, such as asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, and even cauliflower. They also can have fruits like apples included in their diet. Look for foods that are high in protein, glucosamine, omega-3 fatty acids, and have fruits and vegetables as well.

Should You Feed A Goldendoodle Puppy Supplements?

It is a common assumption that we should be giving our dogs only the best nutrition and that includes supplements. But, before you decide to give your puppy supplements, it is essential that you talk to your vet.

Your puppy’s food should provide all of the nutrients that he needs to be healthy and giving him unnecessary supplements can give him too much of something and make him sick. If you are worried about a deficiency, your vet will be able to guide you.

How Much Water Should A Goldendoodle Puppy Drink?

While the puppy should not have free access to food all day, having free access to water is a must. Your Goldendoodle puppy should be drinking about half of a cup of water every two hours.

When the puppy is older, he should be getting an ounce of water, per pound of body weight every day. Naturally, the hotter it is outside the more water that your puppy is going to need to drink daily.