Suggestions for best-of-breed food, supplements, and grooming products for your GMD.
Health and care products are hard to recommend, because every Doodle is different. We’ll include the best-of-the-best here, in hopes that you’ll find something helpful for your GMD’s health and care routines. We’ll cover food, supplements, and grooming products.
Doodles are known to have sensitive stomachs, and it seems every owner finds a different “thing” that works. Some credit gastro-intestinal improvements to a particular food, others to a supplement combination or probiotic. We’ll suggest a few that have been recommended by Golden Mountain Doodle owners in the Facebook Golden Mountain Doodle Community.
Before you try out new foods, be sure to have your vet check for common GI parasites (giaradia, coccidia) and make sure your dog is free and clear. After that, see if your vet has a particular recommendation regarding food or supplementation.
In general, it’s important to make sure that you tailor your food choice to your dog’s age and size, since most brands offer puppy-stage versus adult foods and large-breed versus small breed options, all of which are formulated differently. Chicken is a suggested sensitivity for some Doodles, so you might try beef, salmon, or other alternatives. Some even go the raw-food route with success.
If your dog’s GI symptoms are new and you’re not sure they are linked to a particular sensitivity, you can try adding one tablespoon of pure pumpkin puree to each cup of food with your dog’s regular feeding for a day or two and see if it helps. Alternatively, consider a puppy probiotic. Here are some products to check out (affiliate):
If GI distress is a chronic issue and your vet has ruled out parasites, here are a few dog foods recommended by GMD owners (these are Amazon Affiliate links, article continues below):
(The links above will take you to only one listing,which may or may not be appropriate for the size dog you are looking for. Most brands have special formulations based on breed size, so make sure to search for the type that’s best for you if you follow the links and like the brand/price. You can also get bags of different sizes, with the larger usually being more economical.)
Food is one of the primary considerations for a GMD owner who wants to ensure the good health of their dog for years to come. Another is supplementation, since even the best food may be deficient in some areas, particularly if you are concerned about skin and coat, joint health, or other wellness issues. Here are a few suggested supplements and notes on what they may be helpful for (affiliate links, article continues below).
Wheat Germ Oil and Red Cell are typically mixed with dry kibble at a ratio of about 1/8 cup each per 5 lbs of food. You can pre-mix a large batch and put it in a covered container. Confirm measurements by reading instructions on the particular brand that you purchase.
After food and supplementation, grooming is one of the most-discussed topics in places like the Golden Mountain Doodle Community. Depending on the coat type of your Doodle (straight, wavy, or curly) and whether they are furnished or unfurnished, your grooming requirements will vary.
An unfurnished GMD will need regular brushing, but often has less-intensive grooming requirements than their furnished counterparts.
Whether furnished or unfurnished, straight- and wavy-coated GMDs will need brushing at least 2-3 times per week. Curlier-coated dogs can be brushed every other day (or even every day!), as they are more inclined to mat. Furnished GMDs benefit from a regular hygienic groom (“face, feet, and fanny”), and even an unfurnished dog might need a fanny trim from time to time if he has a wavier coat type.
How often you groom depends on how much “floof” you like, and whether you do it yourself or find a local groomer depends on both your comfort level and your budget. You could always go the “YouTube University” route and try to pick up a few grooming tips to try out. You’ll likely make mistakes, but the fur will grow back and you’ll do better next time! Otherwise, a professional groom every 4-8 weeks is recommended for straight and wavy coats, and about every 4 weeks for curlier coats, just to make sure they won’t need to be shaved down due to matting at the longer intervals.
Bathing is not recommended more than every 4-8 weeks or even less frequently, or only if your Doodle is particularly dirty, as it can actually over-dry the skin and lead to itching and possible secondary infections due to scratching.
Here are some recommended shampoos and grooming products (affiliate links):
