Poodle Diet Food Contributor By Michelle Wishhart,
A poodle is a purebred dog, known around the world as an icon of France. The poodle is popular for its intelligence and its extravagant, fluffy coat, which is often groomed by dog owners into eccentric patterns. A nutritious diet is a necessary part of keeping this elegant animal's mind active, and its fur soft and full.
"Real" Food All animals, be they human or dog, will be healthier with fresh "people" food than they will be with dry, heavily processed food. Commercial dog food tends to have very low grade meat and is high in soy and corn, both products that dogs don't digest well. You can make your own nutritious food by using a food processor to blend unseasoned or low seasoned leftover vegetables with raw turkey meat and low sodium chicken broth. Add flax or fish oil to support a healthy heart and temperament. Avoid giving your poodle onions, as they can be toxic. Add a dash of raw apple cider vinegar to your poodle's drinking water to give him live enzymes. You can give your poodle a treat and clean his teeth at the same time by giving him raw beef knuckle bones. As always, keep your poodle away from chocolate in any form.
If your poodle is overweight, you may be leaving its food out for too long and letting it eat for flavor rather than nutrients. Take the bowl away after your pet has had a chance to eat for five to ten minutes. You can save leftovers for up to 24 hours. Keep in mind that a fresh, unprocessed meal is less fattening than dry dog food. Your poodle will also have more energy to burn off calories through exercise and play.
Dog Food
If you can't feed your poodle home cooked meals all the time, be sure to buy high quality dry food. When purchasing dog food, check to see if the first two ingredients are meat, and try to avoid an excess of artificial preservatives. There are diet brands of dog food available if your poodle is struggling with weight issues. You can make any dry food more nutritious by adding a little bit of fresh food. Mix a tablespoon or two of unsweetened organic yogurt or cottage cheese to the dry food. You can also garnish food with pumpkin seeds or a piece of raw fruit or vegetable for added nutrition.
