best dog food for picky poodles

Best Dog Food For Picky Poodles – UPDATED 2024

Finding the best dog food for picky Poodles can be rather tricky, but finding the best product is something that enhances the bond between a caring, loving owner and a grateful, hungry dog.

But when your Poodle doesn’t eat with a lot of gusto, it’s a source of much frustration and is something that requires action. Giving your dog a tasty and highly nutritious food but the pup only sniffing and licking it is frustrating. And with the next meal coming up, you notice your dog hasn’t even finished the previous food you served. That’s a good sign have you have a picky Poodle at your disposal!

Poodles are naturally opportunistic scavengers that should feed on whatever discarded food they can get their paws on. But sometimes they develop a distaste for whatever you serve them, so you have to find the best dog food for picky poodles.

Our Choice of The Best Dog Food For Picky Poodles

PREVIEWPRODUCTCHECK PRICE
best labradoodle foodOllie PetfoodCHECK PRICE
best labradoodle puppy foodBlue Buffalo WildernessCHECK PRICE
Pro PurinaCHECK PRICE
Four FrommCHECK PRICE
Nature’s Variety PrairieCHECK PRICE
Nature’s Variety Instinct RawCHECK PRICE

Any veterinarian as well as your canine nutritionist, are without a doubt the best people to speak with when you are looking for the best dog food for picky poodles. This is often because they know all about your dog’s medical history and can help you to select the right food to meet your Poodles’ nutritional requirements. Depending on your dog’s age, weight, health condition, and daily activity level, a vet can easily recommend proper nutrition.

All Poodles are different, so implying that what one dog prefers as his favorite food will be the same for every other dog isn’t true. Regardless, you can still find the most delicious food for dogs by checking food recipes that feature some of the most popular ingredients for dogs.

Having spoken with several experts in the industry, we have done some comprehensive research to bring you the six best foods that you can give to a finicky Poodle.

🏆 Our Top Pick: Ollie Pet Food

Ollie is a highly trusted and respectable name in the dog food industry. It’s a fresh dog food manufacturer that creates customized dog meals using specific data about every single dog such as breed, age, level of activity, and allergy history. Few dog owners would argue the fact that nothing grabs the attention of a dog more than a piece of juicy meat.

I’ve previously written a bit about how Ollie has greatly helped my dog, and if you’re curious you can take a quick look at this article.

Simply put, Poodles and dogs in general love meat more than anything. In this regard, picky pups always manage to find foods that consist of plenty of high-quality meat sources of protein to be much tastier than those that feature second-rate meats.

Ollie has four distinct food products, including beef, chicken, lamb, and turkey. We’ve chosen the beef flavor as it ticks all the right boxes. Ollie sources their meat from grain-free farms all over the US and their beef is corn-fed but, also important, humanly treated.

The vegetables if this product is sourced naturally from US farms and the recipes usually include spinach, white potato, kales, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, and squash. The recipes are also enhanced with sunflower oil, chia seed, salt, cod liver oil, and fish oil to add essential minerals and vitamins.

Petfood by Ollie is only made in small batches and cooked at low temp at a USDA-controlled facility. Each Ollie pet food batch is then lab-tested before being shipped to make sure no contamination can happen. Their products are packed by hand and shipped soon thereafter to help preserve optimal flavor and nutrition.

Considering that this is a portion of top-quality, human-grade dog food if your pup seems to have lost appetite for dog food, pet food from Ollie can be a great option to give a shot. The ingredients include are beef liver, beef heart, beef kidney, sweet potato, spinach, blueberries, chia seed, sunflower oil, fish oil, iodized salt among others.

What we like:

  • A product of high-quality human-grade dog food with no additives, fillers, or any artificial ingredients.
  • The supplied custom scooper allows you to give your Poodle perfect amounts of food depending on their profile.
  • Only fresh ingredients that enhance the chance of your dog accepting it.
  • The low-temp and small-batch cooking ensure that no nutritional value is lost in the process.

What we don’t like:

  • It’s rather costly. But considering all the perks that this dog food brings to the table, we really do think it’s worth every cent.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein and Grain-free Dog Food

Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food, Chicken 24-lb
3,689 Reviews
Blue Buffalo Wilderness High Protein, Natural Puppy Dry Dog Food, Chicken 24-lb
  • MORE CHICKEN IS COMING: An evolution of your dog’s formula with more chicken than ever, plus wholesome grains
  • PACKED WITH REAL CHICKEN: A recipe made to satisfy your puppy’s natural love for meat, this high protein puppy dog food features real chicken to help encourage strong muscle growth
  • HEALTHY INGREDIENTS: BLUE Wilderness grain free puppy food is made with the ingredients to help promote healthy development including DHA and ARA, important fatty acids found in mother's milk, to help support cognitive development and retinal health
  • ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals carefully selected by holistic veterinarians and animal nutritionists to support immune system health, life stage needs and a healthy oxidative balance
  • A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dry dog food is made with the finest natural ingredients enhanced with vitamins and minerals; BLUE contains NO chicken (or poultry) by-product meals, corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives

This is another high-quality dog food you should consider for a picky Poodle. This is a grain-free and all-natural kibble that oozes a classic flavor that very few picky pups will be able to resist. It’s a recipe specifically designed to satisfy a pet’s natural love for meat and it features real salmon to help build and maintain lean muscle mass in a dog.

This grain-free dog food for adult dogs features healthy carbohydrates from peas and sweet potatoes to help boost a dogs’ appetite. It also contains omega 6 and 3 fatty acids to support a proper coat and skin health.

It is also worth noting that this dog food claims a specific combination of essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins carefully chosen by holistic animal nutritionists and veterinarians to enhance the immune system health as well as provide a robust oxidative balance.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry dog food is produced with the health and well-being of your picky Poodle in mind. It’s free from any poultry by-products or any artificial taste or chemicals.

What we like:

  • It has a nice and delicious taste of real meat.
  • Has Omega 3 and 6 for an extremely healthy coat.
  • Packed with high protein originating from natural and high-quality sources.

What we don’t like:

  • This particular picky Poodle food is rather expensive. But your dog will love the smell and taste of real meat.

Pro Purina Plan for Sensitive Skin and Stomach

Sale
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dog Food Salmon and Rice Formula - 30 lb. Bag
23,512 Reviews
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Dog Food Salmon and Rice Formula - 30 lb. Bag
  • Oat meal is easily digestible and gentle on the digestive system
  • High protein formula, with real salmon as the first ingredient
  • Fortified with guaranteed live probiotics for digestive and immune health
  • Used to be known as FOCUS Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon and Rice Formula
  • Sunflower oil rich in omega-6 fatty acids for healthy skin and coat

Purina is another top-notch product for picky Poodles. It’s a great food for a picky dog that will not only fuel his appetite but should also accommodate his body with all the necessary nutrients he needs to flourish.

As mentioned earlier, a low appetite can sometimes arise from stomach-related problems or increased sensitivity to certain ingredients. If you have a suspicion that your dog could be suffering from any issues in the stomach or due to sensitivity, the Pro Purina mild-tasting dog food can be quite handy.

It has salmon as its main ingredient, as a mild source of protein. It also contains prebiotic fiber to improve your dogs’ digestive health. The product has all-natural ingredients and is free from fowl or any animal by-products, soy, wheat, corn, artificial color, preservatives, and flavor.

Besides the prebiotic fiber, this dog food for picky Poodles also boasts a highly digestible formula that naturally supports the beneficial bacteria found in a pups’ digestive system, to help boost his digestive health.

Ingredients such as oatmeal and rice are easily digestible carbohydrate sources for your pup and the zinc and omega 6 fatty acids help nourish his skin to keep his coat healthy. Your picky Poodle will love the nutrition variety and you as the dog owner will appreciate the quality of this product.

What we like:

  • Great for dogs suffering from digestive issues.
  • Doesn’t contain any animal by-product.
  • Enhanced with probiotic fiber to boost digestion.
  • Salmon is the first ingredient.
  • Free from fillers, additives, and preservatives.

What we don’t like:

  • Besides its somewhat costly price tag, some dog owners have noted that the dog food from Purina gave their dog soft stools!

Four Fromm Star Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, Game Bird Recipe

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Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals Game Bird Dog Food - Premium Dry Dog Food - Turkey Recipe - 12 lb
3,920 Reviews
Fromm Four-Star Nutritionals Game Bird Dog Food - Premium Dry Dog Food - Turkey Recipe - 12 lb
  • Only The Highest Quality Ingredients Available Are Used In Fromm Pet Foods
  • Many Variety'S Available From Puppy To Senior
  • The Best Dog Food Money Can Buy

Fromm might not be a household name among dog lovers when it comes to dog food products, but they are equally packed with some of the best ingredients ideal for a picky pup. Fromm Four gets the protein content from duck, quail, turkey, and pheasant, giving it an amazingly unique blend of enticing natural meaty qualities that your dog will find overpowering.

Fromm is filled with pure flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables, minerals and vitamins, essential fatty acids, probiotics, and fiber. Other important ingredients include salmon oil, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, celery, lettuce, cauliflower, spinach, and flaxseed and more.

This is very versatile dog food, that both young and adult picky Poodles will find relatively easy to bite and chew, due to the crunchy pieces being rather small. Fromm Four is grain-free and is the ideal diet for sensitive or picky pups.

What we like:

  • Grain-free.
  • Contains all-natural protein sources.
  • Has chicken cartilage to help enhance joint health.
  • Enhanced with fresh fruits and vegetables, and other natural sources of vitamins, antioxidants, probiotics, fiber, minerals, and essential fatty acids.
  • The chicory root minimizes the risk of worms.

What we don’t like:

  • Another rather pricy product expensive.
  • If your dog is suffering from meat allergies, it may not be a great choice.

Prairie Recipe Dry Natural Dog Food by Nature’s Variety

Instinct Be Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food, 25 lb. Bag
422 Reviews
Instinct Be Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food, 25 lb. Bag
  • LOOKING FOR PRAIRIE BY NATURE'S VARIETY?: Prairie has a new look and is now called Instinct Be Natural - but it's the same great recipe!
  • NATURAL DOG FOOD WITH CAGE FREE CHICKEN: Instinct Be Natural Real Chicken & Brown Rice dry dog food is made with responsibly sourced animal protein as the #1 and #2 ingredients, plus whole grains, fruits & vegetables, and omegas.
  • DRY DOG FOOD WITH NO FILLERS: Be Natural is made with animal protein and wholesome grains - no chicken or poultry by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy, brewer's rice, artificial colors or preservatives - ingredients known to trigger food sensitivities.
  • THE FIRST RAW COATED KIBBLE: Be Natural Dry Dog Food is high protein dog food where every piece of kibble is coated in freeze dried raw for nutrition and taste. Delicious, healthy flavor that small dogs to large dogs crave.
  • POWER OF RAW INGREDIENTS: Our dog food is made with the pure, real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & wholefood ingredients, protein packed & minimally processed. Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.

This recipe gives your picky dog wholesome nourishment through simple, natural, and top-quality ingredients. Every prairie recipe starts with real meat, hearty whole grains, and real fruits and vegetables to give a highly balanced, holistic diet.

The main ingredient in this recipe is chicken, and that’s an amazing source of easily-digestible protein. Besides real chicken meat, it also has chicken fats, turkey meal, oats, barley, prebiotics, whole-grain brown rice, and natural sources of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Thanks to the rather small kibble, the Prairie recipe is great for puppies.

What we like:

  • Enhanced with natural sources of minerals, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and vitamins.
  • A natural recipe without fillers, wheat, soy, corn, by-product meal, preservatives, and artificial colors.
  • Contains both pro-and prebiotics.
  • The smaller kibble makes this a great option for puppies.

What we don’t like:

  • It might not be a good choice for pups suffering from allergies or food sensitivities due to it being grain-free.

Instinct Raw Boost Natural Grain-Free Recipe by Nature’s Variety

Instinct Raw Boost Grain Free Dry Dog Food, High Protein Real Chicken Kibble + Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food, 21 lb. Bag
3,585 Reviews
Instinct Raw Boost Grain Free Dry Dog Food, High Protein Real Chicken Kibble + Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food, 21 lb. Bag
  • GRAIN FREE DOG FOOD WITH FREEZE DRIED RAW CAGE FREE CHICKEN: Instinct Raw Boost natural dry dog food combines high protein, grain free kibble with all natural bites of freeze dried raw chicken. Cage free chicken is the #1 ingredient.
  • NATURAL DOG FOOD PLUS FREEZE DRIED RAW PIECES: Raw Boost is high protein dog food with probiotics to support healthy digestion and omegas for skin & coat. Made without grain, potato, corn, wheat, soy, by product meal, artificial colors or preservatives.
  • THE FIRST RAW BOOSTED KIBBLE: Raw Boost mixes high protein, grain free dog food with our freeze dried raw dog food toppers in one bag. Complete & balanced nutrition for all dogs, including small breeds, toy breeds, puppy, senior & healthy weight.
  • POWER OF RAW INGREDIENTS: Our dog food is made with the pure, real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & whole food ingredients, protein packed & minimally processed. Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.
  • OUR BEST DOG FOOD BOOSTED WITH RAW: We craft dry & wet dog food from real ingredients. Compare Instinct to Blue Buffalo, Rachel Ray, Hills Science Diet, Purina One, Taste of the Wild, Merrick, Natural Balance, Wellness, Orijen, Royal Canin, Iams & Nutro.

The Instinct Raw is probably the ultimate feast for any puppy, and you will probably never have to trick a picky Poodle anymore if you offer him this product as it is not only very nutritious but also appeals to all your dogs senses. It contains chunky pieces, aromatic meat with smooth gravy, and is remarkably delicious.

The raw bits in this product can take mealtime to another level and will get most picky puppies back eating again. The main ingredients include chicken, chicken meal, and fat. The raw pieces are created with turkey liver, chicken, freeze-dried raw turkey, and ground chicken bone.

The brown whole-grain rice in this recipe isn’t just more nutritious but also a lot easier to digest, making it a great choice for pups with sensitive stomachs. The raw bits are peanut-sized, and the dark brown dry kibbles are the size of a pea which makes both a perfect choice for a picky Poodle.

What we like:

  • Grain-free and gluten-free.
  • Doesn’t contain any artificial fillers, wheat, soy, or preservatives.
  • Contains added probiotics and antioxidants for enhanced performance.

What we don’t like:

  • As with most products for picky dogs, it’s rather pricy.

What Should You Do If You Have a Poodle That Is a Picky Eater?

Knowing that dogs have a preference for certain foods, it probably comes as no surprise that your pup might tend to beg for people’s food. But how can you best curb this behavior? While there are numerous ways that you can solve this problem, the best approach is always training. If you’ve previously shared food with your pup, then he will have gotten the idea that human food is always an option.

The first thing you have to do is refrain from feeding your dog whatever he asks for, as this can result in obesity and a lot of other health issues. When you get a new pup, train him to eat his own food instead of yours. You should also feed on his schedule and not whenever you’re eating, and don’t feed him at the same dinner table you’re eating.

You should be quite firm about the feeding rules, as long as your dog is healthy, happy, and in good physical condition. Remember to always provide your dog with high-quality, and easily digestible products.

You can also consider sprinkling some tasty stuff over your pup’s food if you’re feeding him kibble and not Ollie Petfood. Don’t settle for products made from potentially problematic substances, but go for oils obtained from natural sources such as olives, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and veggies.

Poodles have a tendency to prefer slightly warm food, so heat the food to tempt your picky Poodle into eating it. Avoid constantly giving him treats and feeding him and instead allow your dog to get a bit hungry before giving him his food is another effective way to bring any lost appetite back.

adult white toy poodle
Best Dog Food For Picky Poodles
Photo by Marcelo Miranda on Pexels.com

How To Differentiate Picky Eating From an Underlying Medical Condition

There is a distinct contrast between a Poodle who has completely lost interest in their food and another dog that demands his food is heated. The same thing with a dog that requires that her water must have a bit of sugar added is much less likely to experience health problems compared to a pup who simply isn’t interested in eating.

If your dog begs relentlessly with copious amounts of drool when you are enjoying a nicely grilled meat yet scoffs at the premium dog you dump in his palate, the chances are high that he’s being picky.

A notable number of picky pups are ordinarily healthy. Of course, those with any underlying health conditions will benefit from urgent veterinary intervention. It is generally a great idea to always contact your vet if your pup is having a continued pickiness.

Before you can decide on an efficient plan to correct your Poodles’ picky behavior, it’s quite important to rule out if there are any potential health issues that might be affecting their appetite. Sore teeth, allergies, and stomach problems are just a few of the many possible things that might be keeping your dog from appreciating his food. If your otherwise usually insatiable dog has suddenly become very picky, it would be a good idea to book a trip to your local.

Below you can see some of the common medical issues that can result in a lack of appetite in a dog:

  • Dental issues: Decaying teeth, gum diseases, and a lot of other dental-related issues can impact a dogs’ willingness to eat. You will have to act quickly and seek medical counseling as mouth pain is without a doubt the worst. To avoid more dental problems from occurring, you should consider feeding your dog a kibble that is designed especially toward eliminating tartar and plaque. You can also give your pup a lot of dental chews to keep their mouth fresh and functional.
  • Hormonal issues: This is typically something that occurs in unaltered female dogs, but some male dogs might also experience hormonally-related anorexia. Thankfully, this is something that will normally fade over time.
  • Tumors: While a relatively unlikely possibility, the growth of tumors can also be a potential cause of pickiness in a Poodle. But when detected early enough, most tumor cases are generally quite manageable and treatable. So if your dog is unreasonably picky over a large period, seek medical attention.
  • Digestive Issues: Once in a while, most dogs will experience various mild to moderate digestion-related issues. And in some cases, these issues can affect their appetite and result in several intestinal problems as well. You’ll have to get a qualified vet to assess the health condition of your dog in those situations.

Final Words

With an endless amount of different products out on the market to choose from, finding the best dog food for picky Poodles can prove to be a daunting task. This is why we’ve done our best to provide you with an honest and extensive review of some of the best and most delicious dog foods currently found on the market.

These foods aren’t only thoughtful recipes that can satisfy even the fussiest Poodles’ taste buds but also guarantees that your dog receives all the essential nutrients needed for an optimal overall healthy life.

The products are also without any additives, artificial fillers, preservatives, and food colors to give you much-needed peace of mind knowing your pup won’t suffer from any health issues. Though the products can seem rather expensive at first glance, they are a symbol of high value for your hard-earned cash.

best dog food for picky poodles

Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners

I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!

These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have the utmost praise for.

Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.

Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that it requires a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.

Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.

If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!

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