Best Food To Feed Golden Retrievers

Golden Retrievers And Food: All You Need To Know About Feeding Your Dog

Do you want your Golden Retriever to live a long and happy life?

Then you better start by feeding your fluffy friend only the best dog food for Golden Retrievers! The quality of the dog food you give to your furry friend plays a fundamental role in his overall health and well-being.

Golden Retrievers are extremely active and playful large dogs.

So, you need feed them according to their unique dietary needs, activity level, weight, etc.

Your Golden Retriever needs just the right combination of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to thrive and live a healthy and happy life.

So, lets get started, shall we?

Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dog Food

Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Dog Food is also recommended by our staff veterinarians. It is formulated to fuel your active Golden Retrievers daily activities with optimal levels of fat and carbohydrates. It also helps maintain their natural defenses with guaranteed antioxidant levels for older dogs.

Below is a feeding chart for Eukanuba Senior Large Breed dog food.

Eukanuba Senior Large Breed Feeding Chart

Eukanuba is like Royal Canin in that it provides precise amounts of food for your aging Golden Retriever. The range of amounts is based on the activity of your Golden for the day, either low, moderate, or high level of activity.

Purina Pro Plan Savor

• One 35 lb. Bag – Purina Pro Plan High Protein Dog Food With…
• Hard kibble combined with tender, shredded pieces for taste and…
• High protein formula, with real chicken as the first ingredient
• Fortified with guaranteed live probiotics for digestive and…

If you click the link above and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

This recipe is designed for those dogs who do not enjoy a lot of fiber in their diet, but who still have a sensitive stomach, and many Goldens find themselves in this category. Beef tallow is also listed, which is a saturated fat that is much more palatable than most other fats, which again aids a healthy digestive system.

Chicken, fish meal and poultry by-product meals provide protein and high levels of glucosamine and chondroitin for his larger bones and joints and energy, and dogs find the extra meaty shredded pieces tasty too. Vitamin A, linoleic acid and fish oils provide plenty of nutrients for his beautiful coat.

We love that this recipe has the lowest fiber content for those who do not do well on a highly fibrous diet, but it focuses on gut health with added and guaranteed probiotics in every bite.

Also Check: Summerbrook Goldens

How We Evaluated The Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

We at Alpha Paw adore dogs and everything about them. We try hard to find verified data on all dog-related subjects.One of the things we feel strongly about is helping the dog owners find the best information related to their pups diet. To help you find the best dog food for your Golden Retriever, we sought help and assistance from reliable sources.

Five veterinarians shared their medical knowledge on this beautiful breed. They gave us an insight on all the nutrients that should find their way into your Goldens bowl. These experts also warned us of a few health issues that the Golden Retrievers are prone to. We are going to share the gathered information on beneficial and harmful ingredients that could affect your canines health.

Dog lovers community shared their personal stories on raising these gold-buds. They recommended several food products that they have been using for a long time with positive outcomes. Their pups cant wait to see this food in their bowls, and they are growing healthy and strong.

And finally, theres us. As dog owners ourselves, we know how important it is to see your pup thrive and eat food that meets all their nutritional needs. So, we tested some products on our pets, and were ready to present to you the ones we liked the best.

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dog Food

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dog Food is specifically tailored to Golden Retrievers. It contains nutritious ingredients that target healthy skin and coat, cardiac function, and ideal weight. This is another top choice of our staff veterinarians.

Below is a feeding chart for Royal Canin Golden Retriever adult dog food.

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Feeding Chart

If you are looking for a dog food that gets down to the precise amounts, then Royal Canin is for you. They are extremely specific on the weight of your Golden Retriever and the number of cups per day.

The range of amount of food can be explained by your dogs activity level for that day. If your Goldens activity is high, you should feed them the higher amount for the day. If their activity for the day is lower, go with the lower amount.

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How Much To Feed Your Adult Golden Retriever

How much to feed your dog will depend on the type of food theyre eating and their size and health.

Talking to your veterinarian and reading the label can help you determine how much to feed them.

Its hard to say statements like, Adult golden retrievers need to eat 3 cups per day, because all goldens are different and all foods are different.

For example, one brand of food may have 300 calories per cup, while another brand may have 400 calories per cup.

And if a golden is overweight theyll need to eat fewer calories than one that is in great shape and runs around the yard for two hours each day.

Work with your veterinarian and monitor your dogs weight and energy levels to determine how much they should be eating.

What Should You Do If You Want To Switch Foods

Once youve found a food you think would suit your dog, youre going to need to do the switch.

However, as you may already know, its not the best idea to simply change from one type of dog food to another overnight. This can give your pup an upset stomach, which isnt going to be fun for either of you.

Start by replacing a small amount of the old food with the new food and gradually increase this daily until youre feeding 100 percent new food. This gives your dog a bit of time to adjust.

PetMD suggests doing this over five days, replacing 20 percent of the old food with new each day. However, if your pet has a particularly sensitive stomach, you can spread this out over a slightly longer period, such as a week to 10 days.

Read Also: Difference Between English And American Golden Retriever

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large

Ingredients:

Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Barley, Pea Protein, Peas, Chicken Fat , Menhaden Fish Meal , Flaxseed , Natural Flavor, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Egg Product, Dicalcium Phosphate, Fish Oil , Salt, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Choline Chloride, Potatoes, Dried Chicory Root, Vitamin E Supplement, Sweet Potatoes, Potassium Chloride, Pea Fiber, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Dl-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Carrots, Garlic, Riboflavin , Vitamin D3 Supplement, L-Carnitine, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Sulfate, Vegetable Juice For Color, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Parsley, Turmeric, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin , Calcium Pantothenate , Folic Acid , Sodium Selenite, Oil of Rosemary, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate , L-Lysine, Copper Sulfate, Biotin , Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Manganese Sulfate, Taurine, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Thiamine Mononitrate , Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Calcium Iodate, Dried Yeast, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.

Do Golden Retrievers Need Supplements

Kibbles with the words complete and balanced should have all the nutrients they need, but supplements can make up for any deficits in your dogs diet.

If hes eating a balanced diet, he shouldnt need any supplements. But if youre feeding him home-cooked meals, you might want to consider a multivitamin.

For healthy joints and bones, you want to have glucosamine and chondroitin.

Omega-6 fatty acids can protect the heart and give your dog a shiny coat. To protect the brain and liver, look for choline. Aside from that, your dog will need essential vitamins such as A, B, C, E, K.

Strictly follow the recommended amount of vitamins because your dog can have an overdose.

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Choosing Proper Commercial Food For Golden Retriever

There are many things to consider when choosing a commercial food for your Golden Retriever, and it can feel overwhelming. Lets break it down into some simple steps.

1. Choose foods that are appropriate for your dogs age. If you have a puppy, look for a puppy-specific food. Older dogs have different needs and should not eat puppy food, as it can be too high in calories for their lifestyle.

2. Choose foods that are appropriate for your dogs size. Small breeds need fewer calories and larger breeds need more calories, so choose the appropriate sized kibble to ensure the proper amount of nutrients is available to your pup.

3. Consider what kind of lifestyle your dog livesis he active? Does he go on lots of walks and hikes? Or does he lounge around most days? This will affect how many calories he needs each day, so make sure youre feeding him enough to meet his needs but not so much that he becomes overweight or obese .

4. Look at the ingredient listit should be made with real meat as the first ingredient . This way you know it has quality protein sources that will support your Golden Retrievers health and development. You should also see fruits or vegetables in the ingredient list, too. That way you know there are nutrients in the food beyond just protein and fat that are necessary for a healthy dog.

7. Check the label for AAFCO statementif its there, it means they have tested the food as complete and balanced.

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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What To Feed Your Golden Retriever: A Guide To Proper Nutrition

Emma Olson

Golden Retrievers are typically characterized as being energetic, happy, and loyal. However, one important thing they need is proper nutrition. Feeding your dog the wrong food can lead to serious health problems- including weight gain, stomach issues, and kidney failure. These are all complications that no owner would want for their beloved pet. Luckily for us, there are many healthy dog foods that will not only give them all of the nutrients they need but also keep them healthy. The following article looks at what you should feed your Golden Retriever and how to make sure they get the right nutrition for their breed.

Here are some things you should look for when choosing dog food for your Golden Retriever.

Golden Retrievers need high-quality proteins, like chicken and beef, to maintain their muscle mass and energy levels.

Retriever dogs need more fat than other breeds because they have higher metabolisms, which can lead to increased weight gain if not managed correctly. Choosing a dog food with Omega-6 fatty acids is an easy way to help your Golden Retriever stay healthy and maintain its metabolism.

Golden Retrievers also require higher amounts of calcium than other breeds, so its important that you find them.

How The Golden Retriever Food Calculator Works

First, the calculator estimates what is known as the Resting Energy Requirement of your Golden Retriever.

The RER is the amount of energy that your Golden Retriever needs when it is `resting`, that is when doing nothing. The calculator uses the current weight of your Golden Retriever to calculate your Golden Retriever`s resting energy.

Next, the calculator scales up the resting energy by a factor that corresponds to your Golden Retriever`s life stage and lifestyle . This scaled up energy value is the energy that your Golden Retriever needs to maintain its life when not resting.

Finally, the Golden Retriever food calculator divides the maintenance energy by the amount of energy in one cup of dog food to calculate how many cups of dog food your Golden Retriever needs.

Also Check: English Golden Retriever Names

Solid Gold Love At First Bark Wet

• Type of Product: Wet Food
• Life Stage: Adult
• Best for: Wet
• AAFCO Statement: formulated to meet the nutritional needs established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Maintenance

With lamb as the first ingredient, this food offers nutrient-rich protein sources to support your dogs lean muscle mass. The ocean whitefish supply a natural source of omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat.

This food is easy to digest since it contains wholesome whole grains and probiotics, this food is easy to digest. Use it as the main course or a topper on your pals kibble.

Owners share that their dogs love the flavor and that it helps picky eaters gobble their dry food.

What Are The Essential Nutrients For Golden Retriever

Since Golden Retriever is a needy dog, it needs adequate love, care, and attention from its owners. Besides this, there is a long list of nutritional requirements for this breed if you want to ensure a happier lifespan. Furthermore, the calories in dog food are due to various essential nutrients that promote the growth and development of your pal.

However, the amount of nutrients required for your pet varies according to height, age, level of activity, intensity of exercise, etc. Thus, it is vital to check whether the food you are feeding your pal meets up with its daily requirement or not. So, while choosing food for your pal, look for these things:

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Nutro Wholesome Essentials Large Breed Adult Lamb And Rice Recipe

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Whole Grain Sorghum, Brewers Rice, Chicken Meal

Nutro creates both dry and wet food with real chicken and whole grains for dogs at all life stages. Its Wholesome Essentials Large Breed formula is perfect for your Golden Retrievers complete health, as it contains non-GMO ingredients and natural proteins.

Customer Review: My 15-month-old golden retriever tried so many dog foods, and this is the only one he loves to eat!

Rating: 4.7/5

Nutro Large Breed Senior

• Contains one 30 lb. bag of NUTRO NATURAL CHOICE Large Breed…
• Made with non-GMO ingredients no chicken by-product meal, corn,…
• High quality protein source is the ingredient in the delicious…
• Natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin formulated to…

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Made with real Chicken and Chicken meal, this recipe, with the second highest protein content, is made with the large breed senior in mind so you can be sure that his bones and joints are in safe hands. Sweet potato and brown rice offer him healthy carbohydrates that will keep him sustained for longer, and blueberries and carrots will keep his aging immune system strong.

We love that this has the lowest calorie count per cup, which is ideal for those inactive Goldens who prefer to snuggle rather than play.

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What Makes Dog Food Good For Golden Retrievers

Bear in mind that there is no best dog food. Theres one that best suits your Goldie it has a fat-to-protein ratio no higher than 75 percent.

There should be meat-based protein and moderate carbohydrate content. Avoid any questionable chemicals such as artificial colors or unidentified ingredients.

Whats the best dog food for your Golden Retriever? Share with us its benefits to help fellow Goldie parents by commenting below.

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed

• PACKED WITH REAL SALMON: A recipe made to satisfy your dogs…
• HEALTHY INGREDIENTS: BLUE Wilderness large breed dog food is made…
• ANTIOXIDANT-RICH LIFESOURCE BITS: A precise blend of…
• A NATURAL DOG FOOD: BLUE dry dog food is made with the finest…

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This recipe is the same brand as our puppy recommendation, except this recipe is made with Salmon ingredients which offers higher levels of omega fatty acids for the Goldens distinctive coat. Deboned Salmon, Chicken meal and egg products provide high levels of protein, glucosamine and DHA for lean muscles, joint support and brain function. Its usually also better on price when compared to competitors, so it wont break your budget.

Again, LifeSource Bits provide large adult dogs with the appropriate life stage nutrients and antioxidants such as blueberries and cranberries, as well as adding extra texture with every bite. Peas and sweet potatoes keep him fuller for longer, and it is grain free too.

We love that this recipe offers a high level of protein and omega fatty acids thanks to the Salmon ingredients, and it also has the highest fiber content which is superb for the Goldens sensitive stomach.

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