Poodle Nutrition

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Nutrition and Your Standard Poodle

Your pets health, just like your own, is very much a result of nutrition and exercise. Standard Poodles do not require a lot of exercise but they do need some. Their diet is of utmost importance. We don’t pretend to know everything about nutrition but our many years of experience has taught us a lot about how to care for our Standard Poodles and what we feed them. Standard Poodles that are well bred will have healthy skin and beautiful curly coats of hair if given the proper nutrition. We watch the many different dog foods and the ingredients they are made with and watch closely the brands that have been re-called. Fortunately, we have never fed one of the re-called dog foods. We actually buy dog food twice monthly and try to keep 60+ days of dog food on hand. We feed out of the oldest batch first so if there is a re-call on that particular brand of dog food we wouldn’t be feeding the latest manufactured or the batch which is being re-called.

After doing some research, we have found what seems to be some reliable information for you on how you can determine whether or not you are giving the best nutrition to your Standard Poodle(s) and have posted the information below for you. We do want to state that we are not nutritionist and that we are providing this information without any prejudice nor do we claim the expertise to determine the accuracy of the information posted but will state that, in our opinion, it seems to be a good rule of thumb in determining the better quality of the different dog foods being sold. We feed Taste of the Wild – High Prairie formula with Roasted Bison and Roasted Venison which is what we feel is the best for Standard Poodles. It is higher in fat content which these puppies need for their rapid bone growth and development. The other flavors except for Roasted Fowl have much less fat content and while they are rapidly developing their bone structure they will have a hard time gaining weight. It’s what we wean our puppies on and not only highly recommend it but truly ask you to not change their food. We’ve tried many foods and have found this works best for Standards. We keep up with laboratory grading of dog foods and their ingredients and will change if and when necessary and post right here on this page. Thank you!

SEE THE DOG FOODS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SCORED

For convenience, we have listed the dog foods Alphabetically by Brand & also Numerically by Score

BrandScoreGrade
Alpo Prime Cuts81C
Artemis Medium/Large Breed Puppy114A+
Authority Harvest Baked116A+
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active93B
Beowulf Back to Basics101A+
Beneful by Purina17F
Bil-Jac Select68F
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice83C
Blue Buffalo Chicken and Rice106A+
Blue Buffalo Lamb and Rice113A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice107A+
Canidae112A+
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover’s Soul: Large Breed118A+
Chicken Soup Senior115A+
Diamond Maintenance64F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice92B
Diamond Naturals Large Breed103A+
Diamond Performance85C
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium122A+
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Venison & Brown Rice106A+
Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato106A+
Eagle Pack Holistic119A+
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken114A+
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy94A
Eagle Pack Natural94A
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult83C
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice87B
Eukanuba Puppy79C
Flint River Ranch (non-specific fat source)92B
Flint River Senior101A+
Foundations106A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (Lamb) by Solid Gold93A
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium73D
Iams Large Breed83C
Iams Puppy89B
Iams Senior85C
Innova Dog114A+
Innova Evo114A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy122A+
Kibbles and Bits44F
Kirkland Lamb and Rice97A
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables110A+
Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable108A+
Maxxium Lamb and Rice93B
Member’s Mark Chicken and Rice84C
Merrick Puppy129A+
Merrick Wilderness Blend127A+
Nature’s Recipe100A
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice116A+
Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct122A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato114A+
Neutro Max Adult93B
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice81C
Nutriscience Junior Medium Breed Puppy101A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice87B
Nutro Chicken, Rice, & Oatmeal (non-specific fat source)85C
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy87B
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice85C
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free86B
Natural Choice Senior95A
Nutro Ultra Adult104A+
Nutro Ultra Puppy97A
Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition9F
Orijen Large Breed Puppy119A+
Pedigree Complete Nutrition42F
Pedigree Adult Complete14F
Pedigree Puppy66F
Pedigree Lamb and Rice50F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice23F
Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry109A
Pro Nature Puppy80C
Pro Plan All Breed68F
Pro Plan Large Breed68F
Pro Plan Natural Turkey & Barley103A+
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach’s94A
Purina Dog62F
Purina Come-n-Get It16F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy62F
Royal Canin Boxer103A+
Royal Canin Bulldog100A+
Royal Canin Dachshund 28 Formula97A
Royal Canin German Shepherd104A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult106A+
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+63F
Science Diet Chicken Adult Maintenance45F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies69F
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice123A+
Solid Gold Bison97A
Summit99A
Taste of the Wild125A+
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Formula116A+
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison136A+
Timberwolf Organics Wild and Natural Dry120A+
Wellness Just for Puppy117A+
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken110A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) by Solid Gold97A
TLC Whole Life Natural Pet Food97A
BrandScoreGrade
Timberwolf Organics Lamb and Venison136A+
Merrick Puppy129A+
Merrick Wilderness Blend127A+
Taste of the Wild (All Life Stages)125A+
Solid Gold Bison123A+
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Ultra Premium122A+
Innova Large Breed Puppy122A+
Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct122A+
Timberwold Organics Wild and Natural Dry120A+
Eagle Pack Holistic119A+
Orijen Large Breed Puppy119A+
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover’s Soul: Large Breed118A+
Wellness Just for Puppy117A+
Authority Harvest Baked116A+
Nature’s Recipe Healthy Skin Venison and Rice116A+
Chicken Soup Senior115A+
Aetemis Medium/Large Breed Puppy114A+
Eagle Pack Holistic Chicken114A+
Innova Dog114A+
Innova Evo114A+
Natural Balance Duck and Potato114A+
Blue Buffalo Lamb and Rice113A+
Canidae112A+
Taste of the Wild High Prairie Formula112A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice and Vegetables110A+
Wellness Super 5 Mix Chicken110A+
Nulo – Salmon & Pea110A+
1Premium Edge Chicken, Rice and Vegetables Adult Dry109A+
Kirkland Signature Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetables108A+
Burns Chicken and Brown Rice107A+
Dick Van Patten’s Duck and Potato106A+
Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice106A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult106A+
Foundations106A+
Nutro Ultra Adult104A+
Pro Plan Selects Turkey and Barley Score104A+
Royal Canin German Shepherd104A+
Diamond Naturals Large Breed103A+
Pro Plan Selects Turkey and Barley103A+
Royal Canin Boxer103A+
Eagle Pack Holistic102A+
Beowulf Back to Basics101A+
Flint River Senior101A+
Nutrience Junior Medium Puppy101A+
Nature’s Recipe100A
Royal Canin Bulldog100A
Summit99A
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice98A
Kirkland Lamb and Rice97A
Nutro Ultra Puppy97A
Royal Canin Dachshund 28 Formula97A
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice97A
TLC Whole Life Natural Pet Food97A
Wolfking Adult Dog (Bison) by Solid Gold97A
Nutro Natural Choice Senior95A
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Puppy94A
Eagle Pack Natural94A
Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach94A
Authority Harvest Baked Less Active93A
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (Lamb) by Solid Gold93A
Maxxium Lamb and Rice93A
Nutro Max Adult93A
Diamond Lamb Meal Rice92B
Flint River Ranch (non-specific fat source)92B
Iams Puppy89B
Eukanuba Natural Lamb and Rice87B
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice87B
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy86B
Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Wheat Free85C
Diamond Performance85C
Iams Senior85C
Nutro Chicken, Rice and Oatmeal (non-specific fat source)85C
Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice85C
Member’s Mark Chicken and Rice84C
Blackwood 3000 Lamb and Rice83C
Eukanuba Large Breed Adult83C
Iams Large Breed83C
Alpo Prime Cuts81C
Nutra Nuggets Super Premium Lamb Meal and Rice81C
Pro Nature Puppy80C
Eukanuba Puppy79C
Iams Lamb Meal and Rice Formula Premium73D
Pro Plan Puppy71D
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies69F
Bil-Jac Select68F
Pro Plan All Breed68F
Pro Plan Large Breed68F
Pedigree Puppy66F
Diamond Maintenance64F
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+63F
Purina Dog62F
Purina One Large Breed Puppy62F
Pedigree Lamb and Rice50F
Science Diet Chicken Adult Maintenance45F
Kibbles and Bits44F
Pedigree Complete Nutrition42F
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb and Rice23F
Purina Beneful17F
Purina Come-n-Get It16F
Pedigree Adult Complete14F
Ol Roy Complete Nutrition9F

How to Grade Your Dog Food

Look at the ingredients information of your dog food. Find the ingredient listed on the table below. Starting with 100 points, add or subtract the points given for each ingredient and total the points. Print this sheet to total your points for each item & then the grade scale is listed at the end of the table.

For every listing of “by-product”, subtract 10 points
For every non-specific animal source (“meat” or “poultry”, meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points

If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
For every grain “mill run” or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points
If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (i.e. “ground brown rice”, “brewer’s rice”, rice flour” are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3 points
If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points
If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog isn’t allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:

If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points
If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points
If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points
If the food contains barley, add 2 points
If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points
If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
For different specific animal protein sources (other than the first one; count “chicken” and “chicken meal”
as only one protein source but “chicken and ” as 2 different sources) add 1 point

If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point.

A = 94-100, B = 86-93, C = 78-85, D = 70-77, F = 69 or lower

Lastly, we will go over Health Issue’s