Can You Feed Your Golden Retriever Puppy Raw Food
Some dog owners prefer to feed they are golden retrievers raw food as opposed to kibble. A diet that is raw means that you only give him raw bones, row organs, raw meats, as well as fruits and vegetables. Many consider this raw diet to be better than kibble.
In all truth, kibble may not be ideal for your Golden because dogs are carnivores who require high amounts of protein. Many of the kibble on the market has approximately 60% carbohydrates.
Dogs need more protein and fats for good nutrition. When dogs consume too much carbohydrates, they tend to have health problems from being overweight.
However, there are downsides to a raw diet because one must be careful about the way the food is prepared and stored.
You would need to think about the bacteria like salmonella and E Coli coming from the uncooked liver, meat, and eggs which can affect your dog and even be fatal if not handled properly. It can also cause issues with the pancreas if introduced too abruptly.
When your dog is on a raw diet, the amount of food you give him would need to be adjusted, as he may actually need to eat less. Many people who give dogs raw food only feed them once or twice per day.
Overview: A Few Fun Facts About The Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers are medium to large dogs that are characterized by their friendliness and golden coat.
Did you know that this popular family dog comes in three types? Theres the American Golden, Canadian Golden, and British Golden.
This purebred also comes in a show dog and a working-class variety.
Best Homemade Dog Food Cooking Practices
Its vital you discuss your Golden Retrievers specific nutritional needs with a veterinary nutritionist as every dog is different.
Why is this important?
A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science found that 48% of home-prepared diets for dogs had no precise determination of ingredients and quantities and that 71.3 % of pet owners lacked information on how much to feed the animal.
As you can see, while most dog parents want the best when it comes to their furry friends nutrition, most of them dont have a proper understanding of dog nutrition. Thats why getting professional guidance on how to properly plan a home diet for Fido will minimize the risk of exposing your Golden Retriever to nutritional deficiencies due to a bad diet.
Here are some general guidelines to follow when cooking for homemade dog food for your Golden Retriever:
- Never use unsafe or toxic ingredients for your dog
- Cook all animal products thoroughly to kill harmful bacteria
- Cook all grains, beans, and starchy vegetables to make them easier to digest
- Research every ingredient before using it for safety
- Follow the recipe as instructed
- Add supplements to their diet as needed
- Understand the impact of dietary changes
- Run any questions by a veterinary nutritionist
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What If My Puppy Is Still Hungry
In general, Golden Retrievers are eating machines. They will happily eat their way to an unhealthy 100 pounds if you let them.
One way to slow down your puppys eating is to put a clean rock in their food bowl. If they must work food out from around it, they wont be able to scarf their food as quickly.
Puzzle bowls are another great way to slow down your Golden Retriever puppys eating.
Also, consider using low-calorie vegetables as treats for your Golden Retriever puppy. They will help your puppy feel full with less risk of them growing too quickly or getting fat.
Dry Food Wet Food Or Both
Many pet-food companies have worked with canine-nutrition scientists to develop special formulas for both large- and small-breed puppies.
- Canned food is the most expensive to feed, and dogs often find it most palatable. Be careful of all-meat claims, though. Your dog should have a complete, balanced diet to fulfill nutritional requirements. Meat alone may not do it.
- Semi-moist food is available in one-serving packets. It is usually made to look like hamburger.
- Kibble is the most economical, and the major makers offer a complete and balanced diet for dogs of all sizes and ages. Dry food can be fed exactly as it comes from the bag.
Some dog owners say there is an oral-hygiene advantage in hard kibble because the friction produced helps to keep the gums and teeth healthy. Kibble can be moistened, either with water or canned food. Although unnecessary, that addition may make food tastier.
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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.
What Is The Average Size Of A Golden Retriever
The AKC breed standard states that males are bigger than females. They can weigh anywhere from 60 to 80 pounds and are 22 to 24 inches tall.
Females measure at 55 to 70 pounds and have a height of 20 to 22 inches .
Its possible to get a dog that grows well beyond or under the average scope. Often, this is the runt of the litter.
A newborn Golden Retriever puppy should weigh 14 to 16 oz . They gain mass rather quickly and should grow 510% each week.
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Do Golden Retrievers Still Grow After Being Neutered
A common question is whether your golden retriever will continue to grow after being neutered. This is not a simple question to answer. The short answer is that yes, your puppy can still grow after being neutered.
A longer answer is that you want to wait until your dog has fully grown before you neuter him. There has been recent information that has come about that has shown that dogs who are neutered before they are finished growing are more likely to develop hip dysplasia, arthritis, and, especially in golden retrievers, cancer.
If you wait, you will also not need to worry about whether your dog will continue to grow.
Our Fourth Choice: Hills Science Diet Large Breed Puppy
4th Choice
Hills Science Diet is specially made with an optimal level of calcium for controlled bone growth. It consists of high-quality protein to help your Golden Retriever build and maintain lean muscle. It is made in the USA with global ingredients you can trust.
This brand meets and exceeds nutrient guidelines from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association and the Association of American Feed Control Officials . They employ veterinary nutrition specialists, PhD nutritionists, food scientists, flavorists, and veterinarians.
Top Ingredients:
- Uses a balanced set of minerals to promote strong bones and teeth in large puppies
- Meets and exceeds nutrient guidelines
- 2 flavor options- chicken meal & oats and lamb meal & rice
- The lamb formula is only available in a 33lb bag size while the chicken formula is available in 15.5lb and 30lbs.
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Ask Your Veterinarian For Puppy Feeding Guidance
Right now, you are probably thinking How will I ever figure out which food is best for my new puppy?
Here, we strongly recommend involving your veterinarian in the selection process.
With so many different brands and formulas available for puppy owners today, it can feel nearly impossible to choose the best puppy food for golden retrievers on your own.
Most importantly, as these pictures of young and adult golden retrievers illustrate, your golden retriever puppy is going to eventually be a big dog.
Numerous research studies show that maintaining strict control over bone growth and weight gain in puppyhood can have a measurable impact on adult health and life span for big dog breeds.
You want to choose a puppy food that will keep your puppys growth and weight gain healthy and stableneither too slow nor too fast.
Your vet can be an invaluable source of wisdom and guidance here.
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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Homemade Dog Food Sources
- Meats: chicken, turkey, beef, bison, pork, lamb, venison
- Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, thawed frozen peas
- Complex carbohydrates: brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, lentils, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, winter squash
Recommended Serving Amounts
- 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
This information is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Every dog’s dietary needs are different. Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when applying this information to your own dog’s diet.
Diet Plan A Golden Retriever
Since the nutritional requirement of a Golden Retriever varies according to its age, it requires different amounts and types of nutrients in each stage of its life. Therefore, you should ensure that your dog is getting a sufficient amount of nutrients at each phase.
Thus, to ease your struggle with the diet plan of your Golden Retriever, you can read further to take reference:
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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!
Is The Raw Diet Good For My Golden Retriever
According to The American Veterinary Medical Association, feeding the raw diet to Golden Retrievers is not recommended. They warn that feeding dogs any animal-source protein could cause illness because it has not gone through a process to remove harmful pathogens.
However, a raw diet can be healthy if you are willing to go through the extra cleaning processes of the meat.
Before starting a raw diet with your Golden, be sure to consult a veterinarian. Find one that is familiar with raw foods and can help with the proper handling of the foods.
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Common Problems With Feeding A Golden Retriever Puppy
Dog parents may encounter a number of problems while attempting to feed the puppy. This may include allergic reactions to the foods they are given and puppies not liking their food. It may be that your puppy doesnt like their kibble.
This may be because youve changed their food up too many times or too abruptly. You may also be giving them table scraps.
Remember that cooked bones are not good to give your dog because they may splinter. Whenever your puppy is not eating, it is likely that there is some problem with the food or their health. At this point, you should pay a visit to your vet to ensure that everything is ok.
Golden Retriever Puppy Growth Charts
While every puppy is different, you can expect your Golden Retriever to hit different weight goals at different ages. Target weights vary depending on whether the dog is male or female, with female dogs growing faster, but male dogs reaching a higher overall weight. For this reason, we have put together separate guide weight charts for male and female Golden Retrievers.
The weight of your golden retriever will also depend on whether they were bred for show or for work, with show dogs tending to be heavier. If you have a working Golden Retriever, their weight should be near the lower end of the weight ranges given here, and a show dog, at the higher end.
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Diet Plan For Golden Retriever Puppy
Like humans, a Golden Retriever puppy also solely depends on its mothers milk during the early phases of its life. Thus, you shouldnt separate a puppy from its mother until it is eight weeks old.
Further, if your puppy is avoiding its mothers milk, you can switch to puppy milk available in the market, like Hartz Powdered Puppy Milk Replacer, Meyenberg Whole Powdered Milk, etc. Besides this, you can start introducing your puppy to dog food by mixing it with an adequate amount of water that makes it easier to swallow.
What Is The Life Expectancy Of Golden Retrievers
If youre the proud owner of a Golden Retriever, you can expect your pup to hang around for a good while.
Although the average life expectancy of a Golden Retriever isnt as long as some of the smaller breeds. Typically, the Golden Retriever is expected to live anywhere from 10-12 years long!
Speaking of longhow long do golden retrievers grow? Golden Retriever males can be around 23 to 24 inches tall where females can reach around 21.5 to 22.5 inches tall.
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Golden Retriever Growth And Weight Chart The Complete Guide
If you already have a Golden Retriever puppy, keeping an eye on its milestones is an excellent way of ensuring that her growth is on track.
Those dogs that experience malnutrition and overfeeding, or growing slowly or too quickly, can have long-term effects on their health and life. So how do you know if your pup is on track?
Youre in the right place if you want your questions answered!
What Nutrients Does A Golden Retriever Puppy Need
It is a little-known fact that different dog breeds would have different requirements when it comes to their nutrition. This is true because no dog breed is the same, as dogs have different builds, features, and genetics that would require a different diet.
Golden retrievers are no different, as they are playful, energetic, and intelligent. Their beautiful coats make them stand out amongst dogs. Their nutritional requirements are as follows:
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Best Homemade Food For Golden Retriever
Apple Cake: This homemade food is good for your dogs health. It has lots of nutrients like- protein, fiber, carbs, and carbohydrates.
Turkey Delight: It is a low-calorie homemade food. It contains just 40 calories, and it has no fat.
Berry Fruit Salad: This homemade food contains lots of nutrients, minerals , and vitamins
Simple Rice and Chicken Breast: This high-protein food is very suitable for your dog. It has many vital nutrients like- protein, carbohydrate, fiber, potassium, etc.
Chicken Raspberry Biscuits: It is a very healthy homemade food. It contains high protein. Also, it has lots of nutrients.
Salmon Skin Meal: This is a low-calorie homemade food that is suitable for your dog. It has lots of protein, potassium, sodium, etc.
Rice and Veggies: This is a superfood for a dog. It contains no fat and no cholesterol. Besides, it has many nutrients, minerals, and vitamins.
Fish Patty Treat: It is a low-calorie homemade food. This food has lots of potassium, sodium, protein, and some minerals.
Peanut Butter Cookies: It is another low-calorie homemade food. It contains protein, potassium, carbohydrate, sodium, and lots of vitamins and minerals.
Chicken Casserole: This is a high-protein food. Also, it has fiber, carb, sodium, glucose, etc.