Eating Habits of Standard Poodles

Like all other dogs, standard poodles require a balanced, nutritional diet in order to reach their developmental potential. Standard poodles are the largest of the poodle breed and reach between 45 and 70 lbs. Take care when you develop your standard poodle's diet to make sure that it gets all of the nutritional ingredients that it needs.

  1. Food Ingredients

    • Poodles, like other dog breeds, need to eat a balanced diet. The food should contain proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. Many dog foods, especially inexpensive, commercially made dog foods, can be filled with too many carbohydrates, such as corn, so read the food label to make sure that it contains meats and vegetables as well.

    Types of Food

    • If you decide to select a commercially-made dog food, choose one that claims to be "nutritionally complete" or "completely balanced," as it will contain all of the nutritional elements that your poodle needs. Some people opt to feed their poodle a BARF diet, or bones and raw food. While this is time consuming and can be costly, you will know that your dog is getting proper nutrition. People keeping their standard poodles on this diet feed their dogs meaty bones from animals like cows, rabbits and lambs. They also include leafy green vegetables, potatoes and fruits. If you decide to put your standard poodle on this diet, work with your veterinarian so that you can make sure you are feeding the dog proper amounts of each item.

    Frequency of Meals

    • While it might be more convenient to feed your dog once a day, feed your standard poodle two to three small meals a day, rather than one large meal. That is because standard poodles are prone to canine bloat, which means that gases build up during digestion and cause the poodle's stomach to blow up like a balloon. Bloat can be very serious because the stomach can enlarge so much, that blood to the heart can be cut off, or the stomach can become twisted.

    Treats

    • Standard poodles like eating treats as much as any other dog breed. While it can be a joy to give your dog a treat it loves, it is important to choose nutritious treats. For example, if you make your own treats, such as peanut butter bones or meatballs made with raw hamburger, you are assured that the treats don't include unhealthy additives. Rawhide bones are also good options for standard poodles because they can help keep their teeth and gums clean.