Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large
| 0.75% min |
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.
Ingredients To Include In A Golden Retrievers Diet
When it comes to choosing the right nutrition for golden retriever, you should consider different ingredients. That doesnt mean you have to spend a fortune on food however, and there is some great advice given in this article on how to save on dog food.
Common ingredients on commercial dog food contain:
Meat or/ and meat meal
- A rich source of protein.
- Repairs body and organ tissues.
- Strengthens and improves bone flexibility.
- Regenerates cell and blood components.
Wholemeal grains
Examples are brown rice, barley, oats, bulgur . They are an essential source of energy.
Vitamins and minerals
- They boost the immune system.
- Vegetables and fruits.
- A rich source of fiber for egestion.
Healthy fats
- Ideal for reproduction and pregnancy.
- Helps the body to absorb nutrients.
- Maintain skin health and body insulation.
- Helps with inflammatory issues.
Prebiotics
Aids digestion and good gut health. Ensure that you give your pet plenty of fresh clean water throughout the day.
How Much Should You Feed Your Golden Retriever Puppy
How much you feed your puppy depends on what your veterinarian says and what the label on the dog food says.
Its tough to make general statements like, feed your puppy one cup per day, because 1) all puppies are different, and 2) different foods have different caloric densities.
One cup of Brand X food may have 300 calories per cup, while Brand Y has 400 calories per cup.
And heres an example of why it depends on the individual puppy
When we first got our puppy, Oliver, we were feeding him what the package told us to feed him.
During a vet visit our veterinarian said he looked too small and lethargic for a puppy his age , and he recommended we feed him a little more.
So when deciding how much to feed your puppy, read the label on your food and talk to your veterinarian to see whats best for them.
As far as how often to feed your puppy, this same rule applies.
Most people feed their puppies three times per day, and then eventually transition to two times per day when theyre a little older.
At this point, theyre not growing as much, so they dont need to eat as frequently, plus it will usually help them poop less!
For us, we fed Oliver three times per day until he was a little over a year old.
Thats when we switched to adult dog food and changed to feeding him two times per day.
- Getting a Golden Retriever Puppy? Get the gameplan for raising them right with the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook.
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What Is The Best Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
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Excuse me! Bowls empty!
Energetic, playful, and goofy golden retriever puppies burn a lot of calories and need highly nutritious food to grow and develop properly. The food you decide to feed to your puppy can affect them as an adult and give them a healthy head startor put their health at risk. Finding the best puppy food for golden retrievers is your best bet for preventing problems.
There are many high-quality puppy foods you can choose from, but not all are formulated to meet your pups dietary needs. Choosing the wrong formula can be detrimental to your pups health and cause nutrient deficiency, musculoskeletal problems, heart disease, or cancer.
While these arent things you want to hear, you need to understand the full effect of unhealthy puppy foods. On the other hand, high-quality food that is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of a growing golden retriever puppy will give your pup a good start in life .
To help you do just that, Ive found and reviewed the seven best dog foods for golden retriever puppies!
| CHECK PRICE |
*The above links lead to current prices and customer reviews on Chewy.
Keep reading to discover why I chose these recipes and check out the included helpful tips and buying advice to ensure you get the right product for your golden puppy!
Why We Love The Switch
Now, our golden retriever Rascaleats a 100% human-grade dog food diet! Jared and I always joke that we could eat Rascals food with enough sriracha. Let me preface by saying that I NEVER thought I would be the type of person that made their dogs food homemade.
At first, the thought of homemade dog food was so daunting and just downright boogie. I can honestly say that making his food doesnt cost much more than the prescription diet he was on beforehand.
After watching the documentary Pet Fooled we realized just how unregulated the dog food industry was and started to feel stronger about our homemade switch.
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How To Read A Dog Food Label
To help make an informed decision about what youre feeding your Golden, youll need to read the food label.
But food labels can be a little vague and confusing, so below is an explanation of what some of these terms mean, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual and the AKC.
Ingredients are listed in order of weight
The first ingredient listed is the ingredient that theres the most of in the food, while the last ingredient is the ingredient that theres the least of.
There is one caveat though.
Ingredients are listed in the exact type that theyre added in.
For instance, flaked corn, ground corn, and kibbled corn could be sprinkled in an ingredient list and not be listed as the first few ingredients, but in reality, if you were to add them all up , you might find that this food is made mostly of corn.
The same goes for chicken, chicken meal, and chicken byproduct.
Meat vs. Meat Meal vs. Meat Byproduct
Lets say youre looking at a food label and you see chicken, chicken meal, and chicken byproduct.
Chicken means that its chicken muscle, skin and/or bones.
Chicken meal means that its essentially ground and dried chicken muscle, skin and/or bones.
Chicken byproducts means that its byproducts .
Chicken byproducts meal means that its essentially ground and dried byproducts.
The quality of these ingredients can vary widely, so be sure to talk to your vet about this and choose a reputable brand of food.
Chicken Soup For The Soul Large Breed Adult Dog Food
Rating:
Chicken Soup for the Soul is one of 9 recipes included in our review of the Chicken Soup for the Soul product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, turkey meal, cracked pearled barley
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult goldens
Chicken Soup for the Soul Large Breed Adult acquires the better part of its animal protein from poultry. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 13% fat and 53% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
This formula also derives its antioxidants naturally from fruits and vegetables for healthy immunity which supports greater resistance to disease. A top pick for golden retrievers and other breeds weighing more than 50 pounds at maturity. Another
Sample buyer reviewMy lover boy is a Giant Breed so its important he get the nutrition he needs to support proper growth. At 22 Months we finally moved to Adult Large Breed from Chicken Soups Large Puppy formula. Hes had just about every top kibble out there, from Victor, Blue Buffalo, Diamond, Wellness Core, Royal Canin, Eagle Pack, even Costcos and Purina ProPlan because Presa Canario Breeders recommended them . He would either have runny poop after transition or stop eating it. CS was the first he stayed on happily without needing extra dress up. He LOVES the adult formula. Its priced right and I love the ingredients.
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Bonus Dog Food Ingredients To Watch Out For
Just like people, Golden Retrievers need nutritious ingredients like coconut oil, Omega -3 fatty acids, L-Carnitine, fruits and veggies. Heres what to look for:
- Kelp offers additional minerals and vitamins. It is also rich in calcium and maintains skin and coat health in your Golden.
- Chelated minerals that are chemically attached to a protein, thus making them easier to digest.
- Chicken fat provides Omega-6s through linoleic acid.
- Oatmeal contains B-vitamins and dietary fiber for gut health.
- Flaxseed contains omega-fatty acids and is also rich in soluble fiber when in meal form.
How Do You Make Homemade Dog Food
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Our Third Choice: Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy
3rd Choice
Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food uses high-quality ingredients and is made in the USA. Its high-quality chicken is the first ingredient for protein that will power your Golden Retrievers day.
This puppy food supports muscle growth and bone health in active puppies with optimized levels of calcium and phosphorous. It also supports healthy brain development with clinically proven levels of DHA for a smarter, more trainable Golden Retriever puppy.
If the two choices listed above were not to your liking, this option is also highly recommended by our veterinarians. Choosing Eukanuba for your dog will leave you confident they are getting the nutrients they need.
Top Ingredients:
- Complete balanced nutrition for large breeds
- Added omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E
- Comes in 3 bag sizes 5lb, 16lb, and 33lb.
How We Chose Our Top Picks
We compiled a list of the best dog food products for Golden Retrievers on the market with the help of our vets and dog lovers community. We had several mandatory requirements while testing these products. They needed to:
Remember that our results are not biased. We dont have any benefits from promoting these products. According to our research and honest opinion, these formulas will be highly useful for your pooch.
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Best Dry Food: Wellness Natural Pet Food Complete Health Chicken & Rice
Wellness has developed a large breed dry dog food recipe that contains high-quality protein alongside wholesome grains like rice. The very first ingredient listed for this dog food is chicken. The texture of the kibble is crunchy, and its designed to support the special health needs of larger dogs through nutrient-rich, whole foods. Additionally, this recipe contains glucosamine which offers excellent support for joint and bone health. You know your Golden Retriever needs that extra assistance, especially as he moves into adulthood and into his senior years. The inclusion of this ingredient makes this a complete formula that considers exactly what your Golden needs.
You wont find any meat by-products, fillers, or artificial preservatives in this dog food. Its made in the USA using only the finest globally sourced ingredients. Wellness is a brand you can trust when looking for natural dog food. Not only do they offer specific breed recipes, but they also offer several options for a puppy, adult, and senior dogs as well. Our testers noted that this specific formula by Wellness has a larger kibble size thats perfect for big dogs. Its also more palatable and more affordable than some prescription foods. One Golden we tried this with had itchy skin and after transitioning him to this recipe, his skin issues subsided. He enjoys the flavor of the food, and he eats significantly slower because he has to slow down to chew it.
Taste Of The Wild Ancient Stream Smoke
| Salmon, salmon meal, ocean fish meal, grain sorghum, and millet | |
| Protein Content: | |
| Calories: | 3,640 kcal/kg |
This Taste of the Wild food is not specifically for dogs with food allergies, but when you look at the ingredient list, it should be just fine.
Its a fish-centric protein formula, making it an excellent choice for dogs with food allergies. Taste of the Wild also only uses high-quality ingredients, and this is an affordable option.
However, it has a much higher protein content than any of the other dry dog foods on this list. So, if your Golden Retriever isnt extremely active, its too much protein.
That said, if you have an active Golden Retriever with food allergies and dont want to spend an excessive amount of money to feed them, Taste of the Wild is an outstanding choice.
- Fish is great for food allergies
- Only high-quality ingredients
| Salmon, menhaden fish meal, sweet potatoes, tapioca starch, and potatoes | |
| Protein Content: | |
| Calories: | 3,450 kcal/kg |
Grain-free diets arent always ideal because unless your dog has a food allergy to grains, most vets agree that the inclusion of grains is a beneficial part of your dogs diet, and for most dogs, the food allergy comes from the protein source, not the grain. Still, if your dog does have a grain allergy, Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato dog food is an outstanding choice.
| Calories: | 3,655 kcal/kg |
- Not an allergy-specific formula
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The Honest Kitchen Human Grade Dehydrated Organic Whole Grain Chicken Recipe
The Honest Kitchen REVEL uses the dehydration method to preserve the quality of all ingredients. With the ingredients also being finely diced for easier consumption, this brand not only offers affordability, but a high-quality dog food formula.
Nutrients, phytonutrients and minerals are also well- preserved through the dehydration process with a 10 lb. box delivering up to 40 lb. of food.
All the ingredients are natural and human- grade. It is a high-quality dehydrated dog food. The website adds that that all ingredients are guaranteed 100 percent Human Food Grade and that it has been the only pet food manufacturer in the U.S to have proved to the FDA that every ingredient it uses in its products are suitable for human consumption. This dog food is easy to prepare, and easy to take along when traveling or showing with your Golden Retriever.
PROS
- Organic whole food grains like oats, barley and quinoa
- Fresh veggies and fruits like bananas, green peas, carrots, kelp, parsley, celery and more
- Easy- to- mix with water formula
CONS
- Grain-free may be a problem today depending on further results from the FDA
For more on The Honest Kitchens comment about DCM:
Are Grain Free Diets Safe For Golden Retrievers
Grain Free diets are not typically recommended by veterinarians. Recent studies from the American Veterinary Medical Association , have shown that there is a link between certain diets and Dilated Cardiomyopathy in dogs.
Grains are a great source of nutrients for dogs. Grains are packed with carbohydrates, fats, and antioxidants that support healthy skin, hair, and immune systems. A common assumption is that grains cause obesity, but if they are fed in moderation, obesity should not be a problem.
Some veterinarians will recommend a grain free diet to dogs with allergies. If your veterinarian does recommend grain free, then go with a grain free diet as it is probably best for your dog.
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Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy Food
Image courtesy Hillâs Science Diet
Hill’s Science Diet Puppy Large Breed dry dog food is tailored to support your puppy’s skeletal & joint development. This premium pet food features an ideal blend of ingredients for large breed puppies, including DHA from fish oil for healthy brain & eye development.
This recipe includes natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin to support your pup’s joints as he grows, calcium for strong bones, and a clinically proven antioxidant blend for a healthy immune system.
Plus, it’s made with no artificial flavors or preservatives.
Cooking Our Way To A Healthier Dog Diet
Ever since I started raising my own dogs, Id always wanted to make their food at home but thought it would be too expensive or too time consuming, or that they wouldnt get the nutrition they needed.
During the month of Bugs doggy depression, I vowed to make her precious life as comfortable as possible.
Both of my pugs had a range of health issues growing up, which I unfortunately found out were common for the breed.
My older one had persistent hot spots and itchiness that no commercial dog food could cure .
Bug was overweight for a while when she was younger, even though she ate the recommended amount of food for her target weight. Eventually, I settled on Wellness kibbles and they did well with that brand.
But, I wanted to explore other options. I wanted to give them real food fresh, nutritious ingredients that I recognized and could even eat myself.
Ive mentioned in my post on homemade whole grain chicken feed that the entire household all share the same whole grains and seeds that we buy in bulk, as well as the bounty that comes from our edible garden.
Everything our animals eat, we can eat.
When it comes to homemade feed for our laying hens, we stick to a tried-and-true formula that works for every layer: 16 to 17 percent protein , vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from a wide variety of grains and seeds, and free range of a pasture for weeds, greens, and insects.
Dogs, on the other hand, arent bred for a standard function the way chickens are.
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