Buyers Guide: Picking The Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
Purchasing dog food can seem overwhelming, especially when youre trying to figure out your puppys nutrition. Luckily, with a small amount of background knowledge, you can easily figure out the quality of the many foods available, allowing you to choose the best option for your canine.
Below, well discuss everything you need to know about this food.
What To Look For In Dog Food For Golden Retrievers
Each dog will have unique requirements, even if they are of the same breed. Not every Golden Retriever will have the same needs. They will have different health requirements, allergies, nutrients needs, life stages, etc. However, there will be some nutrients that every dog owner should look for in dog food to sustain optimal health, and here is a quick look at those nutrients.
Taurine Deficiency In Golden Retrievers
Past publications and research suggest that Golden Retrievers may be genetically predisposed to taurine deficiency, which is well-documented as potentially leading to DCM, via FDA.
Veterinary cardiologist Dr. Joshua Stern from the University of California at Davis has been studying the rise in cases of DCM in Golden Retrievers, including a potential dietary link. Many cases of DCM in Golden Retrievers are taurine-deficient.
Pet owners who suspect their Golden Retrievers may be affected may wish to consult their veterinarian to discuss checking taurine levels or conducting an echocardiogram.
For more on this, visit: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/news-events/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy#cases
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How Many Calories Does A Golden Retriever Puppy Need
When puppies are younger, they need about twice the calories per pound of bodyweight of an adult dog. They should also start eating solid foods about four weeks out from birth when their mothers milk is no longer sufficient. A 10-pound puppy needs about 990 calories a day, spaced out over four meals.
Should I Make Food For My Golden Retriever
While feeding a homemade diet for your Golden Retriever is perfectly fine, it is best to consult with a veterinary nutritionist to make sure that the diet that you are feeding to your Golden Retrievers is fully balanced and complete.
Pet store diets are all balanced and contain all the needed vitamins and minerals to help your Golden Retrievers stay happy and healthy.
There are many great benefits to feeding commercially prepared diets to your Golden Retriever such as being easier to feed, costing less, and being completely balanced.
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Turkey & Vegetable Dinner
Turkey has less fat than beef, making this an ideal recipe for Goldens that wants to maintain a healthy weight or loss a few pounds. This basic dog food recipe includes turkey for protein and vegetables for added vitamins and minerals. Its the perfect veggie mix with lean protein for your pup.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of ground turkey
- 2 cups of brown rice
- 1 cup of carrots, chopped
- 1 cup of green beans, chopped
- 1 tablespoon of fish oil
Directions
Pro tip: Avoid using heavy oil to brown the turkey. Its high-fat content may upset your dogs stomach.
Recipe from: Moneycrashers
How To Choose The Best Dog Food For Your Golden Retriever
This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
You love your golden and want whatâs best for him. But there are so many choices.
The pet food industry has exploded in recent years.
Itâs so confusing when you go to the pet store or look on-line to choose a specific food for your special pup.
Of course, thereâs more than one food that will help your dog grow properly, be healthy, and thrive.
Iâll discuss some of the most important factors to consider when choosing a great food.
Iâll also recommend some foods that have been highly rated for large-breed dogs.
Remember though that, if you intend to switch your dog to a new diet, do so over the course of seven to 10 days to help avoid intestinal upsets or diarrhea.
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Choosing The Correct Calorie Count For Golden Retrievers
The average adult Golden Retriever will require approximately 1300-1600 calories per day. Highly active dogs usually require a slightly higher calorie count and those that are less active a decreased amount. Spayed or neutered dogs also tend to require a lower calorie count that those that are entire or intact. The Pet Nutrition Alliance calorie calculator is an excellent guide but remember to consult your veterinarian for more detailed nutritional information. The dogs weight and appetite will also serve as helpful guides in determining correct portion sizes.
The best dog foods for Golden Retrievers are nutritionally balanced to support optimal canine wellness.
How To Feed A Golden Retriever
Before switching your dog to any new diet, always consult with a veterinarian. Remember that no article on the internet, including this one, can replace a consultation with a vet.
Puppy Golden Retrievers
Large-breed puppies like Golden retrievers are more susceptible to malnutrition and developmental orthopedic disease compared to small-breed pups. Many Golden owners have heard of these diseases- hip dysplasia, osteochondrosis , panosteitis, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy .
While there is a genetic component to these diseases, there are significant nutritional risk factors that play a part during puppyhood. These risk factors are rapid growth and excess dietary calcium intake.
The best dog food for Golden Retrievers provides just enough of the right balance of nutrients. Large-breed specific puppy foods are a great safeguard to help prevent these issues. My top recommendation for Golden puppies is Royal Canin Golden Retriever Breed Health Nutrition Puppy.
Royal Canin has done all the legwork for us in creating their Golden retriever-specific puppy food. Goldens are a more slowly maturing breed and it is recommended to feed this puppy food until 15 months of age.
The calorie content and mineral balance are optimal for preventing developmental orthopedic diseases. Goldens have teeth that meet in a scissors bite and a long mouth and snout. Royal Canin has designed square, thin kibble for optimal chewing and digestion by Goldens.
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How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy
Knowing how much to feed your Golden Retriever and how often will help your Golden Retriever start off with a healthy lifestyle. As owners, we want to make sure that our new puppy gets just the right amount food to grow at their pace. We do not want to overfeed or underfeed. Our wish is to make life for them as comfortable as possible.
For more detail on this topic check out our article Golden Retriever Feeding Chart. If you use our recommended Purina Pro Plan, see below for the feeding chart.
Iams Proactive Health Large Breed
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Ground Whole Grain Corn
IAMS has been a leading brand in the dog food industry for yearsand for a good reason. They produce high-quality dog food for your Golden Retriever at an affordable price. Veterinarians recommend IAMS Proactive Health because it uses ingredients like animal protein and antioxidant-rich veggies to nourish your dog and meet their complete health needs.
Customer Review: I have two larger breeds, and this has been really good for them and cheaper than what I have fed before. Highly recommend it. Good for maintaining a decent weight too.
Rating: 4.7/5
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Blue Buffalo Life Protection Large
The top five ingredients are deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley.
The dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29 percent protein, 17 percent fat and 46 percent estimated carbs. This results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 58 percent.
This is a top-rated food that is budget conscious.
Blue Buffalo Large Breed Puppy Food
Image courtesy Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Puppy Chicken & Brown Rice is a dry food that’s made with real chicken as the first ingredient. It also includes DHA for brain and vision development, calcium for strong bones, and whole grains for easy digestion.
This formula is designed to support your pup’s large frame and rapid growth, as well as his immune system, skin, and coat. The kibble is also extra-large and easy to eat.
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How To Choose The Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
Is there anything cuter than a fluffy little Golden Retriever puppy? Golden puppies have lots of energy to spare and require a high-quality diet to keep up the pace with their developmental needs.
Golden Retriever puppies will thrive on a well-balanced puppy food comprised of excellent quality ingredients. One of the major requirements in a food for Golden Retriever puppies is the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorus. When this important combination is out of balance, overly rapid growth can occur which may lead to future problems with the bones and joints. Owners should look for a food specially formulated for large breed puppies, as this will ensure the optimal calcium and phosphorus ratio for controlled, healthy growth.
Since Golden Retriever puppies require more calories than adults of the same breed, they should be fed a puppy food rather than an adult formulation. Puppy foods are more calorie-dense and are also specifically balanced to meet the unique needs of a growing puppy. Another reason to choose a large breed puppy formulation is that they tend to use bigger pieces of kibble which can help to prevent bloat from occurring.
Our 2022 Golden Retriever Feeding Guide
Golden Retriever Puppies A Golden Retriever puppy is surely one of the cutest puppies in the world. Youll have a hard time resisting one of these adorable pups if he wants something. Most Golden Retrievers are dead set on fetching, so be prepared for hours of fun as you toss balls and sticks for your new pup.
As far as how much to feed your Golden Retriever puppy, lets take a quick look at a Goldens average weight as he grows . Of course, these are only estimates. You should weigh your puppy often to see how s/he is growing. Your vet can also keep track of your puppys weight gain and growth when you take him or her in for vaccinations. Female puppies usually weight a little less than male puppies.
At 3 Months: 23 lbs
At 6 Months: 52 lbs
At 9 Months: 61 lbs
At 12 Months: 68 lbs
Considering these weights, and your Goldens size as an adult, we can figure how much you should be feeding your puppy. As mentioned earlier, we recommend feeding a large-breed puppy food for Golden Retriever puppies. As you can see, Goldens grow quickly as puppies. A good large-breed puppy food can provide the proper nutrition and keep your puppy from growing too fast. If your puppy grows too fast, or is too chubby, he is more likely to have problems with his hips or problems with arthritis later in life.
0-3 Months: 4-6 Meals Daily Totaling 1221 Calories
3-6 Months: 3-4 Meals Daily Totaling 1221-1501 Calories
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Best Dog Foods For Golden Retrievers
When it comes to your Golden Retriever, you always want whats best for them. After all, your goldens are members of the family, right? So you want them to be happy and healthy at all times. That is why its so important to feed them good quality food that gives them everything they need. The only question is, how do you know which food that is?
Heres our list of the 17 best dog foods for golden retrievers adults and puppies!
If youre looking for a new furry family member, make sure to check out our available golden retriever puppies from some of the top breeders in the US.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe
Image courtesy Blue Buffalo
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon Recipe is a great food for golden retrievers. It is made with real salmon, which is a source of high-quality protein. This food also contains sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
The first ingredient in this food is salmon, which provides your dog with high-quality protein. This is a necessary part of your golden retriever’s diet to ensure that they are getting all of the nutrients that they need.
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Eagle Pack Adult Large And Giant Breed Dog Food
Rating:
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed is one of 7 dry recipes evaluated in our review of the Eagle Pack product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, pork meal, ground brown rice, oatmeal, rice
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult goldens
Eagle Pack Large and Giant Breed Adult obtains most of its animal protein from chicken meal and pork meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 28% protein, 13% fat and 51% estimated carbs resulting in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 48%.
We like the inclusion of multiple probiotics to promote healthy digestion and flaxseed to help deliver above-average omega fatty acid content for better joint health. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewWe used grain free before, but the risks led us to go wheat/soy free instead. Eagle Pack is fantastic. Our 6 year old Lab loves it and her coat is shiny shes eaten nothing but Eagle Pack since she was 4. She is a very active dog who retrieves every day, yet she thrives on amounts at the low end of Eagle Packs recommendation. Of the super dog foods, EP is consistently less expensive and yet we find it fully equal in taste and performance to the most expensive brands. We are committed users.
Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy Food
A well-loved dog food that is specially made for Golden Retriever puppies is this one by Royal Canin. This dog food can be fed to Golden Retriever pups that are 8 weeks up to 15 months old. The kibble is unique because it encourages chewing. It has a special shape that fits in their mouth and teeth, encouraging them to chew more and slow down while eating.
It has lots of nutrients that will benefit a growing Golden Retriever pup. It has vitamin E, which works as an antioxidant. It protects the skin while making the coat shiny. Plus, supports the pups immune system.
However, there is a downside to it. The first ingredient on the list is chicken by-product meal. While meal-based meat products have a higher concentration of protein, but by-product meat products are not that great. There are other dog foods that use whole ingredients instead of by-products.
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What If My Golden Retriever Puppy Wont Eat
Stress can cause dogs not to eat. If you just brought your puppy home, give them a day to settle in before worrying too much.
However, if your Golden Retriever puppy stops eating for more than a day or shows any other symptoms, take them to the vet immediately. Puppies can get extremely sick very quickly.
When in doubt, call your vets office and ask whether you should bring your puppy in to get checked out.
How To Switch Food Brands
The other day I was talking to someone who was complaining that her puppy was having lots of stomach issues.
She said shed tried several different food brands and her puppy had problems with all of them!
Well, in this case, its probably not the food thats the problem
Its the fact that she kept switching foods so quickly!
Dogs have sensitive stomachs so if you want to switch foods, you need to do it slowly.
You should take about a week to transition from the old food to the new brand.
For example, on day one, their meal might be 10% new food, 90% old food.
On day two, their meal might be 25% new food, 75% old food.
Youd slowly add in more new food, and give them less of the old food, until youve fully made the switch.
And this rule applies whether youre switching to a different brand of puppy food, or switching them from puppy food to adult food.
If you dont make this transition slowly, youll probably be dealing with a lot of diarrhea.
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Eagle Pack Power Adult Dog Food
Image courtesy Eagle Pack
Eagle Pack Power Adult Dog Food is a great food for golden retrievers. It is made with real chicken, which is a source of high-quality protein. This food also contains sweet potatoes, which are an excellent source of carbohydrates and dietary fiber.
The first ingredient in this food is chicken, which provides your dog with high-quality protein. This is a necessary part of your golden retriever’s diet to ensure that they are getting all of the nutrients that they need.
What Makes Food High
Dogs are omnivores, so a good dog food will have a mix of meat, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Theyll have few preservatives, added sugar, salt, or artificial colors.
The protein will come from readily available sources such as chicken or beef, and not exotic or boutique sources like kangaroo or venison .
Make sure to choose a puppy food that is approved by the Association of American Feed Control Officials .
On the label, it will say is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
AAFCO has strict standards for dog food and decides whether or not it is suitable to be sold as advertised.
Now heres a common misconception about dog food: animal byproducts are bad.
According to the AKC, quality, regulated animal byproducts can be good for your dog.
These byproducts can include organ meats or entrails, which often contain more nutrients than, say, plain chicken breast.
Of course, some foods may contain non-regulated byproducts, like hooves, intestinal contents, or even manure, so its important that you choose a reputable dog food.
Another misconception is that dogs should eat grain-free diets.
As you saw in the second study mentioned above, that can actually be very harmful for your dog and cause DCM.
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