Canine Formula: Taste Of The Wild
When you look at the quality of ingredients in Taste of Wild Canine Formula, you find out that it is an above-average kibble in this regard compared to all other dog foods in the market.
And, I feel this one deserves a spot on my list of the best dog foods of Golden Retrievers.
Lets look at the macros this dog food contains. So, heres the deal:
- Protein: 32% which is above-average
- Fat: 17% which is average
- Carbohydrates: 43% which is below-average
After singling out the protein content from plant-based ingredients, you come to find that this kibble contains a moderate quantity of meat in it as well. This dog food is that it is made of roasted meat.
Lets talk about the pros as well as the cons of this dog food, shall we?
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Pros |
Cons |
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When you judge Natural Balance Original Ultra Dog Food by just the quality of its ingredients, it comes out to be an above-average dog food available in the market.
Following are the macros this dog food contains:
- Protein: 26% which is near-average
- Fat: 14% which is near-average
- Carbohydrates: 52% which is near-average
But, dont make a final decision just yet!
Now, lets finally talk about the pros and the cons of this kibble, shall we?
Special Treats For Golden Retriever
Treats are excellent ways of rewarding your Golden Retrievers when they have learned new skills, accomplished a task, or behaved well. They are critical motivators for training routines and positive reinforcement for good behaviors.
While giving your dog treats, you should be mindful of certain things.
- Giving your pet too many treats may spoil their appetite for everyday meals.
- High-calorie Treats may make your dog overweight or unhealthy.
It would be best to balance your pet’s treats with the overall daily calories recommended by your vet. Most vets recommend limiting your dog’s treat to about ten percent of their total daily calories.
Also, if you must give them treats, look for high-quality and nutrient-filled treats that are low in additives, calories, and fat. You can serve your Goldie healthy natural fruit or vegetables like apples, carrots, green peas, carrots, cooked sweet potatoes, bananas, etc.
Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon
Primary Ingredients: Beef, Peas, Garbanzo Beans, Lamb Meal, Canola Oil, Egg Product, Wild Boar
The unique ingredients in Taste of the Wild promote ideal immunity for your Golden Retriever. They also work together with a blend of minerals and marine-sourced omega-6 fatty acids to improve your dogs skin and coat health as well as increase their nutrient absorption.
Customer Review: My dog loves this food! He eats it enthusiastically, and it has really helped him thrive! He is energetic, has a gorgeous coat, and devours his meals!
Overall Rating: 4.6/5
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Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Golden Retrievers
Looking for healthy homemade dog food recipes for your Golden Retriever?
Great! Youre in the right place, as in this Digdoggy.com guide youll learn:
- How to make healthy homemade treats using fruit
- Crockpot recipes for slow cooking pet food
- Money saving food shopping tips
- And much more!
Ensuring your dog has a healthy diet is nothing short of necessary which can be a little daunting without the right guidance.
Thankfully you can take the right steps by first learning how safe homemade meals are, what you should be aware of, and the best ways to get started.
Lets kick this off with some fruits
| What’s In This Guide? |
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Drools Focus Puppy Premium Dog Food
First five ingredients Real chicken, whole dried eggs, long-grain rice, oatmeal and flaxseed oil.
Type Grain-free
Best for Puppies
This puppy food does not contain chicken by-product, but real chicken. The protein source in this product is chicken meat only. It contains 28 % protein, 16 % fats, 2.5 % fiber and 10 % moisture.
Why we like this product
- Does not contain any artificial colour or flavour
- Enriched with proteins for optimum growth of puppies
- Contains DHA that nourishes the nerve cells and helps in brain development
- Rice and oats absorb nutrients well and improve the digestive system
- Power-packed with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, vitamin E, zinc and biotin for healthy skin and coat
- Rich in antioxidants for a healthy immune system
- Highly soluble long-grain rice helps in digestion
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Essential Nutrients For Golden Retrievers
If you have ever been on a diet, the chances are that you will either or lose some weight or gain some calories. The same is the case for your pet.
The calories in your dog’s food come from vital nutrients that play an active role in growth and development. Their body needs these nutrients in adequate quantities to thrive.
However, the amount of nutrients your pet needs depends on your dog’s height, age, level of activity, etc. So whether you are feeding your dog with wet or dry foods, you need to check to make sure that the meal contains the balanced nutrients your pet needs.
Your pet needs the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water to reach its full potential. And you should keep this in mind when choosing a pet food brand.
Let’s count the necessary macros for your Golden Retriever.
Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient for your pet. It provides enough calories to keep your dog healthy. Proteins also help your pets to
- Build and repair body tissues and muscles and body
- Grow new skin cells, hair, hormones, and enzymes, etc.
So if you are buying commercial food products, you should go for dog foods with at least 30 percent protein content. However, if you are keen on homemade foods for your Goldie, you should consider meals with protein sources like lambs, chicken, turkey, fish, beef, yogurts, and cooked eggs.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates double as sources of energy and glucose supply for optimal brain activity.
Minerals
- Vegetables
Best Wet Dog Food For Adults
Some dogs really prefer the taste or texture of wet food, says veterinarian Jamie Richardson, chief of staff at Small Door Veterinary in New York City. Of course, pet parents want their dogs to enjoy their meals, so it makes sense that this is a popular choice.
Other pros of wet food are that it tends to have a longer shelf life before it’s opened, and according to Richardson, some wet foods may be less “processed” or contain fewer preservatives, which can make them easier to digest.
Luckily, the same nutritional standards apply to both dry and wet food. But comparing their labels isn’t exactly apples to apples because wet food has much more water content. So in order to understand how a wet food’s nutrition compares to a dry food, you need to look at the percentages of protein, fat, and fiber on a “dry matter basis.” Cummings Veterinary Medical Center at Tufts University has some handy instructions on how to calculate that yourself. Another option: Call the brand that makes the food or ask your veterinarian for help. For the foods we recommend in this guide, we contacted the manufacturer to get all the info.
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The Nutritional Guidelines For Golden Retrievers
It is always a good idea to contact your vet before making any changes or tweaks to your dogs diet to ensure that all of his nutritional needs are looked after. You also should go to the vet to determine your dogs daily recommended caloric intake.
As a rule of thumb, however, the dog food should contains:
- 40-60% protein sourced from seafood, eggs, dairy, or animal meat
- 20-30% carbohydrates sourced from fruits, grains, and vegetables
- 10-20% fat sourced from fish, coconut oil, etc.
Dogs need amino acids from proteins to build and maintain their muscles as well as essential fatty acids from fats to have a shinier coat, stronger joints, etc.
Is Your Golden A Puppy Adult Or A Senior
Your Goldens age is the first factor in considering what kind of food to feed them.
Food for Golden Retriever Puppies
Goldens fall into the large breed category, with large breed puppies having different nutritional needs than smaller breeds. For example, puppy food with high calcium and phosphorous can encourage bone growth too quickly for large breed puppies. A good large breed puppy food can offer these lowered levels while also keeping up with a growing dogs needs.
If youre shopping for a new puppy, we suggest speaking with your veterinarian first to make sure your dog is getting the nutrition they need.
Food for Adult Golden Retrievers
At the adult stage, look for the highest quality food that forms a complete and balanced diet for your Golden. Well go over the quality of ingredients later in this guide, but be sure to consider your dogs preferences as well. Do they prefer fish, beef, or chicken? Small kibbles, big kibbles, mix of wet and dry? All of these are important.
Food for Senior Golden Retrievers
A seniors diet ideally should be healthy and preventative. Itll be higher in protein and may need to adjust how much fiber it contains. This diet may also involve supplements and other nutrients to minimize problems that crop up as your dog ages .
Again, its always smart to speak with your vet about an aging or senior Golden.
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Things To Look For In The Best Dog Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
Here is a basic list of the most important things to look for in the best food for a Golden Retriever puppy:
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Whole proteins heading up the ingredients list
High-quality proteins are the foundation of any healthy diet for a Golden Retriever puppy. Whole meats are best, but meat meals also offer an excellent source of condensed proteins.
- Enriched with probiotics and helpful supplements
All foods benefit from enrichment from helpful supplements which can help the diet to be more balanced and effective. The supplements to look for in a puppy food for a Golden Retriever are prebiotics, probiotics, glucosamine, and chondroitin.
DHA is also an excellent addition to a puppy food, assisting with brain development.
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Meets AAFCO nutritional requirements for a complete and balanced food
All foods appropriate for the Golden Retriever puppy should bear the AAFCO seal of approval, indicating it meets the standards for a complete and balanced food.
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Nutritional Guidelines To Follow
To ensure a homemade dog food diet will meet your Golden Retrievers dietary requirements, you need to take into account your Goldens weight, health condition, size, and activity level.
The best homemade diet for Golden Retriever will always have the six essential nutrients any dog meal should always have.
| Nutrient | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protein | Chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish, yogurt and cooked eggs | Builds and repairs muscles and other body tissues. Needed to make new skin cells, grow hair, hormones, enzymes and more. |
| Carbohydrates | Oats, brown rice, potatoes, and whole wheat | |
| Fat | From meats and oils such as olive or sunflower oil, fish oil, canola oils among others | Responsible for providing quality energy. Necessary for the normal development and function of body cells, nerves, muscles, and body tissues |
| Minerals | Calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. | Common functions include the formation of bone and cartilage, nerve and muscle function, fluid balance regulation, the transportation of oxygen in the bloodstream and hormone production. |
| Water | Water | Hydration is critical in dogs. A dog that loses too much water can get very sick and even die. Ensure they have water available throughout the day. |
| Vitamins | A, B, C, D, E, and K | Keeps skin and coat healthy, strengthens bones and teeth, and gives them the overall energy that they need to function. |
Its not advice to improvise when cooking for your pooch.
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How To Choose The Best Dog Food For A Golden Retriever
Goldens Retrievers are generally healthy dogs. Still, there are some genetic health issues to keep in mind:
- certain cancers
A healthy diet may help to prevent some of these diseases. The best way to select a quality dog food is to consult your veterinarian and read the dog food label to ensure your Golden Retriever is getting the proper nutrients. Generally, a large breed dog food will be a good fit for an adult Golden Retriever.
Best Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
There are so many options for Golden Retriever puppy food that it can be quite overwhelming.
And when you add in the strong opinions people have about dog food, the confusing marketing about whats good and whats bad, and the importance of choosing a high-quality food it can be downright scary to pick a food for your pup!
But heres the good news: this article will make this decision much easier for you.
Youll see two studies to help you choose the best food for your Golden Retriever puppy, as well as learn what makes a good dog food, what to avoid, and get answers to the most common food questions Golden Retriever puppy owners have.
Now before we dive in, heres a quick note: the best resource for deciding what to feed your golden retriever puppy is your veterinarian.
They know your puppy best and are most knowledgeable about their health needs.
Alrighty, now lets dive into that first study!
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Best Dog Foods For Golden Retrievers
As one of the most popular dog breeds in the country, Golden Retrievers need a dog food formulated for their health needs. After consulting with your veterinarian, your Golden should be ready for adult food between 12-24 months. If youre searching for the perfect dog food for Golden Retrievers, weve rounded up the top-rated options based on customer reviews.
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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What To Look For In A Good Golden Retriever Food
To ensure that your Golden Retrievers basic nutritional needs are met, its best to choose a large-breed dog food formulated for her life stage.
Here are some other things to look for when choosing a good dog food for your Golden Retriever:
- Wholesome, natural ingredients with no fillers, byproducts, or artificial additives
- Rich in lean protein from high-quality animal sources like poultry, meat, and fish
- Limited fat and calorie content to control growth in puppies and maintain lean mass in adults
- Controlled calcium and phosphorus levels with glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health
- Nutritionally complete and balanced formulas, according to AAFCO nutrient profiles
Besides making sure your Golden Retrievers food meets these requirements, you should also check to see if it comes in a bigger kibble size. Large and deep-chested breeds have a high risk for bloat which is exacerbated by eating too fast or eating too much at oncebigger kibble means that your dog gets the same nutrition in smaller portion sizes.
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How To Read A Pet Food Label
Just like human food brands, dog food brands use marketing to make their products more appealing. That means they’ve got nice-looking images and aesthetically pleasing color schemes on the packaging that are meant to signify the healthfulness and quality of the food. But in order to know the truth about the appropriateness of a dog food, it’s essential to learn what to look for on the nutrition label.
One place to get started is this handy reference from the WSAVA about interpreting food labels. The top things to look for are the AAFCO complete and balanced statement, the guaranteed analysis , and the calorie content.
Next, read the ingredients list. It’s tricky for the average dog owner to make a decision about a dog food based on the ingredients alone though. “Although many pet owners make their decision based largely on the ingredient panel, it is only one of many considerations,” Swanson says. “Without knowing the exact formula and percentage of each ingredient, it is not too useful. What is more important is that the dietary formula is complete and balanced.” So basically, as long as the food is complete and balanced, don’t stress about the individual ingredients too much.
If reading pet food labels proves to be more confusing than helpful, check in with your veterinarian. They can help you determine your dog’s specific needs, guide you toward the right food for your pet, and give you advice on how much to feed them.
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But Why Is Homemade Food Specifically Beneficial For Golden Retrievers
The NZ Veterinary Nursing Association reports that Goldens Retrievers are among the dog breeds highly prone to developing food allergies.
Why is this important to know? Well, food allergies in Goldens tend to manifest themselves on their skin, most likely into a condition known as Atopic Dermatitis. This allergy skin disease is common in Golden Retrievers, and it can cause mild to severe itching, which, as a result of scratching or rubbing, often leads to further skin damage, irritation, infection, and discomfort.
Reducing allergic reactions start with a diet that has the vitamins, fatty acids, and minerals to decrease inflammatory responses, and homemade dog food has those critical components. Whats more important is that home cooking for your dog allows you to pick only those ingredients that you know wont cause an allergic reaction on your Golden Retriever.
If you dont know what foods your Golden Retrieve is allergic to, read our Dog Allergy Test guide, so you can identify which foods to avoid in his next meal.