Standard Poodles require high-quality food due to sensitive digestive systems, high energy levels, and a fast growth cycle. We feed foods that pass stringent quality controls and maintain high standards in their processing facilities.
Digestive Health
Our puppies eat Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy formula dry food and we recommend they use this food until they are at least 6-8 months of age. This is the food we chose after consulting with multiple vets and doing extensive study of the foods available for large breed puppies. Because they grow so quickly, they need the extra minerals and calcium provided in this type of food during their primary growth times.
At 6-8 months we start mixing thier food with the adult food we use: Taste of the Wild. We use several flavors of the Taste of Wild, depending on the dog. If they show any food sensitivity at all we use the Pacific Stream flavor as the salmon seems to work better for sensitive tummies.
There has been a lot of debate lately on the impact of a grain free diet on dog heart health. While our main food is grain free, we supplement with treats and other nourishing additives. Our poodles do well on rice-based additives, but corn seems to bother them every time so we avoid it in food and treats.
We avoid any treats with dyes, corn, byproducts, or artificial ingredients. The treats we use are all-natural, and we usually choose chicken, lamb, or fish-based options. Organic is always our first choice, but that’s a personal preference.
If you must change your Standard Poodle’s food, do so gradually. Always choose high quality, corn-free food. When on a high-quality, protein rich diet, they have more energy, better coats, and their intelligence gets a chance to shine. Low quality food will quickly lead to health problems and can shorten your dog’s life-span.
Feeding them treats from the table is a choice you will need to make based on your dog. One of our dogs loves the occasional nibble. The other loves them just as much, but the resulting gas and potential upset stomach is a result we choose to avoid.
Garbage Gut
Serious intestinal distress, usually indicated by extended and sometimes bloody loose stool, is possible in any dog breed that is “mouthy.” Spoos are known for picking up and testing any new thing it encounters. Some of them will eat totally inappropriate things as fast as they can (think candy wrappers, cat poo, or other unsavory things they may find on their walk). My vet refers to this condition as garbage gut.
If your Standard Poodle does get an upset stomach, you may already have the best remedy in your pantry! Canned pumpkin is a miracle worker. It soothes the inside of the stomach and the intestines and helps the stool gel up (I know, I know. No one wants to talk about poop. But with a poodle it really matters!).
If you encounter suddenly has loose stool, try taking their food away and giving them a couple tablespoons of pumpkin instead. Offer pumpkin whenever they are hungry for the rest of the day. If their stool solidifies, gradually add in some dog food to see if it stays solid. If not, keep on the pumpkin for one more day.
If the pumpkin doesn’t work, or your poodle shows any signs of distress (repeated vomiting and loose stool, apparent stomach pain, or fever) contact your vet immediately. They can usually resolve the issue with an antibiotic specially formulated to soothe the dogs stomach and intestines.
Stomach sensitivity is a hit or miss thing with Standard Poodles. I have three who can eat pretty much anything and be fine and one that has to be fed a more strict diet. If you have any questions about your puppies diet, your vet is happy to discuss them with you! And as always, remember you are your puppy’s advocate. If they don’t do well on the food the vet recommends (some receive affiliate payments for recommending certain foods) then you may want to try another high quality food.
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