Best dog food for an Australian Labradoodle
An Australian Labradoodle doesn't need a special diet just because of its name — it's a crossbreed built from Labrador, Poodle and a couple of spaniel breeds further back, and most do well on a good-quality dry food suited to their actual adult size, which varies more in this breed than in most, from around 13kg in a miniature line up to 30kg or more in a standard.
Feeding a Australian Labradoodle
A medium breed
An adult Australian Labradoodle typically weighs 7–30 kg, so a healthy Australian Labradoodle eats a moderate amount compared with other breeds. Every feeding guide on a bag is written per kilo of body weight, not per breed — start there, then adjust to the dog in front of you.
Life stage
A medium breed is usually done growing at ~12 months, which is roughly when a puppy food has finished its job. With a typical lifespan of 12–15 years, there is a long adult stretch in the middle; switch to a senior food when your vet thinks it is worth it rather than on a birthday.
A high-energy dog eats like one
Australian Labradoodles sit at the top end for energy, and a dog working through an hour and a half of real exercise a day burns through the feeding guide faster than a dog on a short stroll. Feed to the dog's condition, not to the middle of the range on the bag.
How much should a Australian Labradoodle weigh?
Adult 7–30 kgfully grown at ~12 months
| Age | Stage | Typical weight | Of adult size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 weeks | Just home | 1.1–4.6 kg | 15% |
| 3 months | Young puppy | 1.8–7.5 kg | 25% |
| 6 months | Growing fast | 3.5–15 kg | 50% |
| ~12 months | Fully grown | 7–30 kg | 100% |
A guide, from the same rule of thumb our puppy growth predictor uses — each age is that share of the way to maturity for a medium breed. Puppies grow fastest early, so a real puppy usually sits a little above the middle rows. Weigh yours and ask your vet if the number worries you.
Complete dog foods that suit a Australian Labradoodle
Complete foods from our range, matched to a Australian Labradoodle's size band and what the breed typically needs. Stock levels and delivery dates are live on each product.
Simpsons Dog Sensitive Lamb Potato
A grain-free lamb and potato dry food for dogs with sensitive skin or digestion
From£17.05
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Forthglade British Classics Chicken Family Lunch
Complete Forthglade wet dog food with 75% chicken in a 395G tray
£2.45
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Just 6 Dry Dog Food Lamb
Grain-free lamb dry dog food in 2KG and 12KG sizes, with size-specific formulas
From£13.99
Burns Puppy Original Lamb & Rice
Complete Burns lamb and rice puppy food in a 2KG bag for up to 12 months
£14.99
Why size varies so much in this breed
'Australian Labradoodle' describes a specific breeding line rather than a single fixed size — the breed comes in miniature, medium and standard sizes, with adult weights ranging from around 13kg in a miniature down at the small end to 30kg or more in a standard. That spread is wider than most breeds, which makes a single blanket food recommendation for 'Labradoodles' less useful than it sounds.
The practical starting point is choosing a food sized to your individual dog's actual or expected adult weight, the same way you would for any crossbreed, rather than searching for something marketed specifically to the breed name — there is no meaningful nutritional difference between a 15kg dog that happens to be a miniature Labradoodle and a 15kg dog of any other breed.
What's worth watching for
Some lines carry more of the Poodle side's tendency toward a wool-type or curly coat, which is more about grooming routine than diet, though a food with good-quality named protein and added omega fatty acids still supports coat condition the way it would for any breed. This isn't a universal trait across every Labradoodle, since the breed's genetics vary quite a bit depending on the specific lines behind an individual dog.
There is no single 'Labradoodle diet' issue to watch for beyond what applies to dogs generally — a complete, balanced food matched to size and activity level covers most of what the breed needs, and any specific sensitivity is an individual dog question rather than a breed-wide one.
Feeding through growth if you have a puppy
If you have an Australian Labradoodle puppy, the size category matters for choosing between a standard puppy formula and a large-breed puppy formula — a puppy expected to grow into a standard-sized adult of 25kg or more benefits from the slower, calcium-controlled growth a large-breed formula provides, in the same way any large-breed puppy would, while a miniature-line puppy expected to stay under 15kg or so is better suited to a standard or small-breed puppy food.
If you're not sure which size category your puppy is likely to grow into, ask your breeder about the parents' sizes, or check with your vet at an early puppy visit — getting the puppy food category right matters more for this breed than for most, given how much the adult size can vary.
Common questions
- How big does an Australian Labradoodle get?
- It depends on the size line — miniature Labradoodles typically settle around 13 to 20kg, medium a bit above that, and standard Labradoodles can reach 30kg or more. Because the range is so wide, feeding to your individual dog's actual size matters more than following a single 'Labradoodle' recommendation.
- Do Labradoodles need a hypoallergenic food?
- Not as a rule. Any sensitivity a Labradoodle has is an individual matter rather than something built into the breed, so there's no need to reach for a hypoallergenic food unless your dog is actually showing signs of a reaction, in which case it's worth discussing with your vet first.
- Should I feed a Labradoodle puppy a large-breed formula?
- Only if it's expected to grow into a standard-sized adult of around 25kg or more. A miniature-line puppy expected to stay smaller is generally better suited to a standard or small-breed puppy food instead, so it's worth checking your puppy's likely adult size with the breeder or your vet first.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.