Here at Designer Dog Foods, we want to make sure we are creating recipes that not only taste delicious but provide all the essential nutrients your dog needs to thrive. 

Because of this, we've incorporated some fruit, veg and herbs to our grain-free dog food. These ingredients were specifically chosen to assist doodles' development and vary depending on what life stage your dog is at:

Fruit

Apples

Apples are full of flavonoid antioxidants which help defend against free radicals in the body. Antioxidants protect the cells from being damaged. 

Some of these antioxidants include:

• Quercetin 
• Catechin
• Chlorogenic acid 

Quercetin is a nutrient that occurs in many plant foods. It supposedly has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. 

Catechin may improve brain and muscle function, whilst chlorogenic acid has been shown to lower blood sugar. 

Apples are high in fibre, vitamin C and potassium, which has some heart health benefits. Because it's so nutrient-dense, we added apples to our pork dog food: Peppa's Picnic.

Made for adult dogs, this recipe has all the necessary vitamin and minerals your doodle will need. Our Australian Cobberdogs love it!

Cranberry

Cranberry is such a sweet and tasty fruit. However, it's not just there for flavour. Cranberries are a fantastic source of fibre, vitamin C, E and K. We were inspired by our turkey Christmas dinner to make a festive dog recipe. The result of this idea was Everyday is Christmas and Doodle Royale+. 

Mulberry

Mulberries might be a surprising choice, but since they are full of iron and vitamin C, they are a great addition to our' Breakfast at Bambi's' recipe. 

These berries are full of antioxidants that support the immune system and taste fantastic in this venison dog food. Suitable for adult doodles and cross-breeds, this novel flavour will go down a treat with your pet!

Orange

Citrus Fruits are usually not recommended for dogs since they have some potentially toxin compounds in. However, in the correct doses, orange is great fruit in dog food. It's rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and helps support the immune system. We've combined this fruit with duck and sweet potato to make one of our most popular recipes: 'Thank Duck for Doodles'. Suitable for all doodles including Australian Labradoodles, Cavapoos and Newfypoos. 

Vegetables

Asparagus

With this delicious and nutrient-rich ingredient, Designer Dog Foods provides your dog with food that is both incredible for their health and tasty too. 

Asparagus is packed full of vitamins A, C & K, which plays a role in your pet's heart health, dental health and bone density. 

Rich in folic acid, asparagus helps in the production of red blood cells. 

Whilst this vegetable is a fantastic option in dry dog food; dog can't eat cooked or raw asparagus, by itself. Not only is it a massive choking hazard, but it can cause stomach upset and digestive blockages. This can cause more severe problems if left untreated. 

The great thing about having it in kibble is that your dog gets all the health benefits from asparagus, without the risks. It's safe for dogs this way and is an excellent addition to our grain-free food. We love it so much, we've put it in several of our recipes:

• Doodle Puppy
• KangaDoodle
• Diamond Doodles
• Diva Doodles
• Dumplin' Doodles

These products range from puppy to senior. Diva Doodles is excellent if your dog is a fussy eater and Dumplin' Doodles is perfect if you want a lite option. It's the best dry dog food for Labradoodles who need to lose a few pounds. All of the recipes mentioned are ideal for any cross-breed.

Carrot

We've all heard the wives' tale that carrots make your eyesight better and there's some truth in it. Carrots contain beta-carotene, which helps eye health and vision. 

We've added this delicious vegetable to our Beefcakes recipe. It, as the name suggests, comprises of Angus Beef, sweet potato and carrots. 

We've also included carrots in our Doodle Junior dog food to give your growing pup the vitamins they need to develop correctly. 

Herbs

Mint 

Mint has always been an excellent herb for digestion. Humans use it for this very purpose all the time! Fortunately, it works just as well for dogs. Since it's also a good source of iron, vitamin A and C, we added mint to our Labradoodle Lunch. It tastes lovely with the lamb and provides some extra nutrients.

All our ingredients are of good quality and designed to give your doodle a complete and nutritious diet. If you are interested in which foods you should never let your dog eat, check out our list of poisonous foods. We've also created a free handout you can download to help.