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10 Best Dog Foods for Labradoodle Puppies in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

Written by: Patricia Dickson

Last Updated on March 24, 2024 by Dogster Team

10 Best Dog Foods for Labradoodle Puppies in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

labradoodle puppy with dog bowl

Whether taking the puppy to the vet for vaccinations or picking out the best meals, treats, and bedding to keep the puppy safe and comfortable, you want only the best for your pup. That means that you need to feed your Labradoodle puppy a steady, well-balanced diet of only the highest-quality puppy food designed to keep your friend healthy, happy, and active well into adulthood.

Once you start searching for the best puppy food for your Labradoodle, you’ll find the sheer number of choices on the market today can get a bit overwhelming, leaving you unsure which one is best.

Don’t worry; we have you covered. In this guide, we’ll give you our top reviews of the best dog foods for Labradoodle puppies on the market today. Once you’ve read the list, don’t forget to check out our guide below on how to choose the best of the best for the puppy you love.

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A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

The 10 Best Dog Foods for Labradoodle Puppies

1. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Turkey Recipe – Best Overall

The farmer's dog Turkey recipe fresh
Image credit: Dogster

Main ingredients: Turkey, chickpeas, broccoli, spinach, parsnip
Protein content: 38%
Fat content: 26%
Calories:282  kcal per cup

Farmer’s dog is made with only real, human-grade ingredients. The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food Turkey Recipe isn’t kibble, but it also isn’t wet food. Instead, it is fresh food with ingredients that you can actually see. The very first ingredient is USDA turkey, which is vital for giving your dog the protein and fat it needs. It also includes chickpeas, carrots, broccoli, and other vegetables. These provide some added nutrients from real food, as well as add some variety to the food.

We love that this dog food also includes salmon oil. Fish oil provides added omega fatty acids, which can improve your dog’s coat and skin health. Plus, Farmer’s Dog also adds a nutrient blend that is unique to them, preventing deficiencies.

This recipe can be shipped to your door regularly. It’s ready to feed as soon as it shows up, helping you provide your dog with fresh food without all the extra prep that also comes with it. Because it is much less processed than other foods, it often works better for Labradoodle puppies. All formulas are all-life stages, allowing you to feed your dog this food no matter what age they are.

Pros
  • All life stages
  • Includes salmon oil
  • Real turkey as the first ingredient
  • Delivered right to your door
Cons
  • Requires a subscription

2. Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Natural Dog Food – Budget Buy

Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food

Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 390 kcal per cup

Our best dog food for Labradoodle puppies for the money goes to Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Puppy Natural Dog Food. This food also features 28% protein, with chicken as its first ingredient. It is a good option for anyone trying to find high-quality food for their Labradoodle puppy while maintaining a budget, and it has several Omega-fatty acids and no animal byproducts.

The best thing about Rachel Ray is that it contains no plant proteins. However, it has high levels of sodium and contains cheap fillers, such as soybean meal. While it’s understandable that they are trying to keep the food budget-friendly, we wish there were fewer fillers and less sodium in the blend.

Pros
  • Quite a bit of protein
  • Affordable
  • Contains Omega-fatty acids
  • No animal-byproducts
  • No plant proteins
Cons
  • Contains high levels of sodium
  • Contains cheap fillers

3. Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dry Food

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dry Dog Food

Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice
Protein content: 27%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 400 kcal per cup

Another good choice is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dry Food for its superfood content and LifeSource bits. It features 27% protein, and while that’s less than others on our list, the inclusion of superfoods such as cranberries, Kelp, blueberries, and fish oil, to name a few, makes up for it.

The recipe also contains LifeSource Bits, which are little bits of vitamins and minerals scattered throughout the food. It is more expensive than others on the list but well worth it for your Labradoodle puppy’s growth, in our opinion.

We wish that Blue Buffalo would use less sodium, and it’s been reported by some pet parents that this blend gave their puppy gas.

Pros
  • Quite a bit of protein
  • Contains LifeSource bits
  • Contains superfoods
Cons
  • Expensive
  • High levels of sodium
  • Some ingredients cause gas

4. Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Dry Dog Food

Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Dry Dog Food

Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain barley
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 390 Kcal per cup

Number four on our list goes to Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Dry Dog Food for its sensitive stomach formula. With 28% protein, there is plenty of meat in this blend, including chicken as the first ingredient. In addition, the blend contains plenty of omega-fatty acids and is suitable for puppies with sensitive stomachs due to the rice and oatmeal content of the product.

This blend is expensive but worth it, especially if you have a puppy that has a sensitive digestive system. However, it has a low amount of fiber at only 3%, and some dogs refuse to eat it due to its taste. However, we feel that the protein content and the other nutrients make up for any disadvantages to your growing pup.

Pros
  • Plenty of meat sources
  • Good for sensitive stomachs
  • Contains Omega-fatty acids
  • Quite a bit of protein
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Contains a low amount of fiber
  • Some dogs refused to eat this blend

5. Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Puppy Recipe

Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food Puppy Recipe

Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 16%
Calories: 406 kcal per cup

Our number five pick goes to Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Puppy Recipe for its high levels of fiber. It promotes digestive health and has high levels of fiber, which is essential to the health of a growing puppy.

The recipe has plenty of protein (28%) and lists deboned chicken as its first ingredient. However, it has been reported by pet parents to cause stomach upset in some puppies, and some dogs do refuse to eat the blend.

Pros
  • Contains Omega-fatty acids
  • High levels of fiber
  • Plenty of protein
  • Promotes digestive health
Cons
  • Could cause stomach upset
  • Some dogs dislike the taste

6. Taste of The Wild High Prairie Dry Puppy Food

Taste of The Wild High Prairie Puppy Dry Dog Food small

Main ingredients: Water buffalo, lamb meal, sweet potatoes
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 17%
Calories: 415 kcal per cup

Another great dog food for Labradoodle puppies goes to Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dry Puppy Food. This blend contains a wide variety of meat sources, with Buffalo as the first ingredient. In addition, it has a 28% protein content, which is something every growing Labradoodle puppy needs to be healthy.

The recipe also contains meats such as venison, beef, chicken fat, bison, lamb meal, and fish meal. The fruit and veggie content are high quality, and the blend contains plenty of omega fatty acids. Sweet potatoes are the first vegetable ingredient, but it doesn’t end there. There are also raspberries, blueberries, and chicory roots to boast about as well. The only drawback we found is that Taste of the Wild contains some plant protein

Pros
  • Contains a wide variety of meat sources
  • Quite a bit of protein
  • Fruits and veggie content is high-quality
  • Contains Omega-fatty acids
  • Promotes brain development
Cons
  • Contains plant protein

7. Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food

Iams ProActive Health Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food

Main ingredients: Chicken, ground whole grain corn, chicken by-product meal
Protein content: 29%
Fat content: 17.5%
Calories: 399 kcal per cup

Iams Proactive Health Smart Puppy Dry Dog Food is one of the high-protein kibbles on our list, at 29%. The food also contains extra glucosamine in the chicken meal, and chicken is listed as the first ingredient. The extra glucosamine is excellent for joint health and is something that large breed dogs need the most.

Most dogs love the taste of this blend, but it has a lot of empty calories in the form of sorghum and other unnecessary ingredients. It also contains artificial colors such as caramel coloring. Any of these empty calories can cause stomach upset in puppies, so be careful when feeding it to a puppy with a sensitive stomach.

Pros
  • Good amount of protein
  • Contains extra glucosamine in chicken meal
  • Most dogs love the taste
Cons
  • Contains a lot of empty calories
  • Contains artificial colors

8. American Journey Active Life Formula Puppy Dry Food

American Journey Active Life Formula Puppy Dry Dog Food

Main ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal
Protein content: 25%
Fat content: 15%
Calories: 365 kcal per cup

American Journey Active Life Formula Puppy Dry Food is a very affordable blend with high-quality ingredients, such as deboned chicken, which is listed as the first ingredient.

The kibble contains no cheap fillers or animal byproducts, but it does have lower protein levels at 25%, which is lower than many of the other brands on our list. There are also eggs in the ingredients, so be careful, as eggs can cause stomach upset in some puppies.

Our biggest concern with this recipe is what has been termed as controversial ingredient splitting practices. The list of ingredients shows rice bran, brown rice, and brewers rice, which has been said to be a way that dog food makers list the same food under different names to make it look like there is less in recipes than there really is.

Pros
  • Very affordable
  • Contains high-quality ingredients
  • Contains no cheap fillers
  • Contains no animal byproducts
Cons
  • Low protein levels
  • Eggs could cause digestive problems
  • Controversial ingredient splitting practices

9. Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry Food

Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry Food

Main ingredients: Chicken by-meal product, chicken fat, brewer’s rice
Protein content: 30%
Fat content: 18%
Calories: 393 kcal per cup

At number eight is Royal Canin Medium Puppy Dry Food. This recipe contains the highest protein content on our list at 30%. Dogs like the taste, but it has quite a few more cons than the other brands on our list.

The first ingredient is chicken by-meal product, and it contains more than a few animal byproducts as well. The food has hardly any fiber, and it has 18% fat content, which isn’t ideal. This blend also contains cheap fillers and is quite pricey.

Pros
  • High levels of protein
  • Dogs like the taste
Cons
  • Contains animal by-products
  • Contains hardly any fiber
  • Very expensive
  • Contains cheap fillers
  • May cause digestive issues

10. Purina Pro Plan High Protein Puppy Food

Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dry Puppy Food

Main ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Poultry by-product meal
Protein content: 28%
Fat content: 18%
Calories: 456 kcal per cup

Last but not least on our list is Purina Pro Plan High Protein Puppy Food. With 28% protein content and chicken as the first listed ingredient, this is a good blend to feed your Labradoodle puppy. Also, it includes a healthy amount of Omega-fatty acids.

However, the drawbacks come in with the cheap fillers and low fiber content of only 3%, and there’s plenty of sodium in the blend.

Pros
  • Suitable amounts of protein and fat
  • Contains Omega-fatty acids
Cons
  • Contains cheap fillers
  • Expensive
  • Has low fiber
  • Quite a bit of sodium

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Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Food for Your Labradoodle Puppy

Now that you know what the best dog foods are for Labradoodle puppies in 2023, in our opinion, you might be wondering how to find the highest-quality dog food. We’ll give you a few tips below.

It’s important to realize that this breed has very high activity requirements, meaning they need to be extremely active whenever possible. This will cause them to burn calories pretty quickly, and they need high-quality puppy food to thrive. This can be accomplished by purchasing only highly rated foods with the best ingredients, which you can find in most of the brands on our list.

It’s essential to choose a recipe designed for larger breeds for your Labradoodle puppy. The best foods for Labradoodles have a minimum of 22% protein and a minimum of 8% fat, which all of the foods on our list can provide. It’s best only to feed your puppy food that has the AAFCO seal of approval for the best results.

You should do your research, check the lists above, and then determine the best food for the Labradoodle puppy you love. Your vet can help you choose the ideal blend for your dog’s breed and weight and help you decide if the dog will require a special diet.

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Wrapping Up

Our best overall choice for Labradoodle puppies was The Farmer’s Dog Turkey Recipe for its high protein, veggie, and fruit content. Our best choice for the money goes to Rachael Ray Nutrish Bright Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food for its affordability and containing no plant proteins.

Our premium choice is Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy Dry Dog Food for its superfood content and LifeSource bits. Number four on our list goes to Nutro Natural Choice Puppy Dry Dog Food for its sensitive stomach formula. Finally, number five on the list is Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Dry Dog Food for its high levels of fiber. Hopefully, these recipes will help you keep your growing Labradoodle puppy happy for a long time to come.


Featured Image Credit: litthouse, Pixabay

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