Recommended Serving Amounts For Homemade Dog Food
As a general rule, dogs will eat around 2 to 3 percent of their ideal body weight in fresh food daily. Larger breeds may need as little as 1 1/2 percent, and smaller breeds may need as much as 4 percent.
This works out to be approximately:
- 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
- 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog
There is much variation in what the ideal amount should be as it depends on how much your dog weighs and how active she is.
I feel that the best approach is to feed and watch if your dog is losing weight, give more, and if your dog is gaining weight, give less.
For our pugs, we feed a scoop each in the morning and a scoop each in the evening, plus all their supplements.
We have an easy system for this: homemade food is refrigerated in a sealed container with a measuring cup , and all the supplements are lined up together in a cupboard in the kitchen. Keeping your ingredients organized and accessible will make feeding time fast and smooth.
Compared to feeding commercial food, where you might scoop out kibbles or open up a can, feeding homemade food with all the supplements takes maybe 10 seconds more. And even if it took 10 minutes more, fresh wholesome food for our furbabies is worth it.
Senior Golden Retriever Feeding Chart
As Golden Retrievers mature and reach their senior age of eight years, their activity level dials down. It gets more tricky compared to their younger years as older dogs can also be more vulnerable to weight issues like obesity.
Nourishing a senior dog with a diet that has fewer calories is highly recommended.
This will keep its ideal weight and not put much pressure on its joints. Make sure to tweak your senior Golden Retrievers diet and consult your vet for a tailored plan.
As a guide in feeding a senior Golden Retriever, you can refer to the table below:
| Age | |
| 20% | 10% |
Due to the reduced exercise level of older Golden Retrievers, they tend to have a slower metabolism.
A low-calorie diet is enough for an older dog, but it should still be full of nutrients. Moderate protein and fat content are still needed.
At this stage, a diet with lower carbohydrate content will help keep your dogs healthy sugar level. Moreover, you should also add natural fiber for your senior Golden Retrievers optimum digestive health.
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How Much Food To Feed A 9
You should feed your 9-month-old Golden Retriever puppy 4.2 cups of dry dog food every day.
Ration this food into two or three separate portions and give it to your Golden Retriever puppy over the day.
Our recommendation on how much food you should feed your 9-month-old Golden Retriever puppy assumes that the weight of your Golden Retriever is typical for its age.
The typical weight for a 9-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is 57.7 lbs .
Our recommendation on how much food to feed your Golden Retriever also assumes that you feed your Golden Retriever dog food that has an average calorie density .
Use ourGolden Retriever food calculator to calculate a more accurate estimation of how much food to feed your Golden Retriever.
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Diet Plan Of A Golden Retriever According To Age
Like humans, your Golden Retriever food preference and requirements vary according to its age. So, you should also make adjustments in your diet plan as it gets older. Therefore, to help you, I have a diet plan for your pet:
| Age of Golden Retriever |
| 1 cup of wet food + ½ cup of dry food+ 2 cups of water | Milk |
Furthermore, you must remember that each cub contains 250 grams. Thus, you can either increase or decrease the quantity of food according to your dogs requirements. But dont leave its bowl with food all day.
Also, change the diet plan of your dog every week to find the one that suits it.
How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy A Perfect Guide
I know that you are a bit confused with a few questions that are hitting your head as now you have got a new best friend home. I was the same as you when I adopted Max a year back, with a bunch of queries and was totally confused with the feeding chart, what to feed, feeding schedule, how much to feed, and many more!
Well, this guide that Ive written is quite helpful and when youll read till the last section all your thoughts that you are carrying now will vanish!
Like one of your chief doubts would be How much to feed a Golden Retriever puppy? Yes, its obvious like no matter how much food you serve your Golden, he would definitely eat all you serve , so you need to give him the proper amount of food, diet, and feeding if you want to grow your Golden Retriever Puppy in a healthy way. You should not overfeed your Golden as it can result in health consequences.
You should know that when to feed your Golden Retriever, how much to feed because it is essential for your puppys health. Goldens are prone to many health problems and the solution for this is to feed your pup with a perfect plan!
Well, I will take you from the beginning, its not rocket science! And follow the right feeding guide and there you are!
So, lets start from a clean slate!
If you are in a hurry have a look at this Table of Contents section this would help you to reach directly at the particular topic you desire.
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Golden Retriever Feeding Chart: How Much To Feed Your Golden Puppy
Caring for a new Golden Retriever puppy is a huge task. Knowing what to feed your Golden from puppyhood to her senior years is a big responsibility. We offer helpful info and guidance on feeding your Golden Retriever throughout her life.
Golden Retrievers are one of the top dog choices in the country. They are incredibly sweet dogs who are easy to train, making them wonderful family pets. These long-haired beauties need a lot of TLC, and it takes a dedicated owner to help them grow into the trusted pup we all know and love.
One vital part of caring for a Golden Retriever, from puppyhood into her senior years, is making sure she has proper, well-balanced nutrition. A little more goes into feeding a Golden than just buying puppy kibble. Owners have many questions about providing their pups with proper nutrition. How much does your puppy need to eat? Will her dietary needs change as she grows up? How can you tell if you are feeding her the right food? Making sure your dog gets proper nutrition from day one is a challenge. Our guide answers these frequent questions and more.
If you are considering a Golden Retriever puppy or have a new furry baby dog already, you have come to the right place. Our guide is here to help you be the best dog owner you can be and keep your pups diet on the right track. Lets get into the details about your Golden Retrievers feeding needs.
Contents
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What If My Golden Retriever Puppy Wont Eat
There are many things that could cause a puppy to lose interest in their food, such as infections, pain, organ problems, or the way youre feeding them. Here are a few of the most common reasons why puppies stop eating as much as they should:
- Stress: Your dog could be in a chaotic home, or perhaps he is being bullied by other pets in your home like the cat. Children can abuse pets as well.
- Digestive upset or obstruction: They may eat food that they shouldnt.
- Digestive infections: There are many viruses such as Parvo, intestinal worms, bacteria, etc.
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Kibble And Wet Dog Food
You should add a little wet food to your kibble which is also recommended by most of the dog breeders and vet so that the meal your golden eats has moisture in their diet which helps your puppy to stay well hydrated.
So, Kibble + Wet food can be served to your pooch and it will be a tasty treat too !
You can add more small pieces of ingredients from your side to the bowl for instance scrambles organic egg, organic veggies, and fruits, or probiotics such as yogurt!
Make sure you dont overfeed! Also by adding wet food we maintain the calories that we are feeding our golden!
Our Backstory: Common Food Allergies For Dogs
After Rascal turned a year old or so, he started developing really strange eating habits. He wasnt finishing his food, had loud intense stomachaches and frequently threw up. We went through a number of blood tests. He had been diagnosed with things like pancreatitis, anxiety and one vet even thought he had parvo. We were stressed and at a loss at how to move forward. That is until we did an allergy test.
We uncovered that Rascal was allergic to a dozen different food items, one being beef, the main ingredient in his traditional dry dog food. Our vet introduced us to an all-natural human-grade dog food company called Just Food for Dogs. The company sells premade food and teaches people how to make a homemade dog food recipe at home. Once we started this all-natural diet, the stomach aches subsided and he was the happiest we had ever seen him.
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Dry Vs Wet Puppy Food
Although dry kibble is a popular choice, its not the only option. As you walk the dog food aisles, you may see both dry and wet puppy foods.
This can make it harder to decide what to feed your puppy. Fortunately, as long as both the wet and dry formulas are complete and balanced for growing puppies, you can feed either one to your pup with confidence.
You and your puppy may have a preference when it comes to dry versus wet. Feeding a combination of the two is also an option.
According to Purina Nutritionist, Allison Millican, PhD, If youre feeding your puppy a combination of wet and dry food, it is extremely important to ensure the total caloric value does not fall short or exceed their daily energy requirement. Use the calories reported on the package to understand how much wet food will replace the dry and vice versa. This allows you to calculate the amount of each product needed to meet your puppys nutritional requirements.
For example, Millican explains, one thirteen-ounce can of wet puppy food may contain four hundred and seventy-five kilocalories and replace approximately one cup of a dry puppy formula with a similar value of kilocalories per cup. In this scenario, you could substitute a thirteen-ounce can of wet food for one cup of the daily dry food recommendation.
The brand websites and your veterinarian are great resources and can help you develop a feeding plan specifically for your puppys needs.
The Importance Of High
There are many varied factors that an owner weighs when picking chow for their pup. Steer clear of fillers, artificial ingredients, and dog chows that have low nutritional value. They also rarely satisfy the appetite, leaving dogs looking for more. The best food for your Golden will depend on age, gender, activity level, and overall health. Look for foods that contain meat or meat meal. Beef, lamb, fish, and turkey are good ingredients to look out for, as well as healthy whole grains.
The Association of American Feed Control Officials provides regulations and guidelines for dog food. Their standards are as follows:
- Protein 22% for puppies and 18% for adults
- Fat 8% for puppies and 5% for adult
- Calcium 1% for puppies and 0.6% for adults
- Phosphorus 0.8% for puppy and 0.5% for adult
- Sodium 0.3% for puppies and 0.06% for adult dogs
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How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Senior
Golden Retriever seniors will need about 900 calories or about 20% less than adult dogs to stay at their ideal weight. Golden Retrievers are seniors at about 8 years old. When entering old age, they may benefit from eating a food with less fat and fewer calories.
During the senior years, Golden Retrievers will become more sedentary therefore not requiring as much food as before. They should still be eating two meals a day, but not as much. There are many senior dog foods out there that help them with maintaining a healthy weight.
As your Golden Retriever progresses from old dog to older dog, you may notice them losing weight and requiring more calories in this stage of life. The fat content in their diet may need increased. Talking with your veterinarian would be a good choice if you notice your Golden losing weight.
If your Golden Retriever suffers from arthritis and has trouble getting around staying lean is important. Discuss with your veterinarian the right body weight, food, supplements, and medications to help your senior dog get around better.
There are some senior dog foods that provide the right healthy eating habits for this stage of life. Below are our top choices for Golden Retriever seniors.
Important Note On Treats And Table Food
Because meeting a dog`s nutrient requirements is not the primary goal of dog treats, most commercial dog treats do not contain the essential nutrients that your Golden Retriever needs.
However, a few treats are complete and balanced and are approved by AAFCO, or some other credible dog food regulatory agency. Check the label on your dog treat to know if the dog treat has a complete and balanced nutrient profile.
Nevertheless, dog treats, either balanced or unbalanced in nutrients, are valid sources of calories for your dog. Therefore, if you give your dog lots of treats, you should reduce the amount of the regular dog food that you give your dog accordingly to account for the treats. That way, you will not overfeed your dog.
Also, human table foods do not contain the important nutrients that your Golden Retriever needs for healthy growth.
Also, human table foods may contain very high levels of fat or sodium and other minerals that are harmful to your Golden Retriever.
Moreover, know that when you feed your Golden Retriever table food, you fill your Golden Retriever`s stomach with dog `junk food`. This will suppress your Golden Retriever`s appetite and thereby make your Golden Retriever unable to eat its normal dog food that contains the essential nutrients for your Golden Retriever`s growth.
We do not recommend giving your Golden Retriever table food.
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Is It Better To Feed Grain
Grain-Free food is expensive compared to traditional dog foods but it is equally beneficial for your puppies. But if your doggy is sensitive to grains then Grain-Free Food might cause diseases like dilated cardiomyopathy , life-threatening heart disease in dogs. Few Golden Retrievers pups love having Grain-Free dog food and hence for them this formula in dog food is essential, avoiding it is not a good idea! Having a talk with your vet will help you a lot because the Grain-Free formula in dog food is not suitable for every dog breed!
Diet Plan For Adolescent Golden Retriever
Usually, once a Golden Retriever puppy grows above 12 weeks of age, it reaches its adolescence stage and teething. So, in this stage, you should start giving your pal some healthy chewing options like fish skin, chicken bones, etc.
Furthermore, start giving your pal dry food mixed with an enormous amount of water. Besides this, you can also use wet foods for your Golden Retriever. In addition, try adding some vegetables to the dog food while preparing your pets meal to ensure that the meal has all the essential nutrients.
However, be careful that your pals food is not too dry. Thus, always maintain a run-in consistency.
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Feeding Guide For The Golden Retriever Puppy: 12 Weeks To One Year
The dog food that you feed your puppy should have the nutrients that will boost a puppy`s immune system since puppies easily get infected with the disease at this age.
Also, a good puppy food should have the nutrients that support brain development and good vision.
Finally, a good dog food for the Golden Retriever puppy should be the type that will not make your Golden Retriever fat. The puppy food should also help increase the health of your puppy`s bones.
See our list of the best dry dog food and the best wet dog food for the Golden Retriever puppy below.
These dog foods have all the right amount of nutrients that the Golden Retriever puppy needs to grow well during its puppy years.
Feeding Your Golden Retriever Puppy
Although it can be overwhelming to choose which type of food to feed your Golden Retriever puppy, its a very important decision.
To help make that decision, talk to your veterinarian and your breeder, and consider the study mentioned about DCM.
Also consider how long the brand of food has been around, whether or not there have been any recalls of that brand, and if there is any research behind it.
What do you feed your Golden Retriever puppy?
Have any questions about what to feed them?
Let me know in the comments below!
And if you liked this article, check out the Complete Guide To Raising A Golden Retriever Puppy.
P.S. Getting a Golden Retriever Puppy? Get the gameplan for raising them right with the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook.
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