Selecting The Best Formula
Research has shown that dog food brands specifically designed for puppies provide the best nutrition and growth, so you should always look at packaging labels before buying. If a brand does not list meat as one of its first ingredients, it is likely made to appeal more to humans than dogsso pass on those ones!
Malnourished Golden Retriever Puppy
If your puppy is falling way below the growth chart, this is a cause for worry. More so if you are feeding him properly with the right foods. This could indicate an underlying medical condition or worms . Vet consultation is advised to resolve these conditions, failing which the puppy might have serious problems as an adult. It might have weak bones and muscles as well as a compromised digestive system. In addition, it will have stunted growth and will be way below the average of healthy golden retrievers.
What We Feed Our Golden
Oliver had a few different brands of food that he ate as a puppy.
First, we started him off on one of the brands listed in the graph above that is correlated with DCM.
Once we heard about the study we switched to another brand, although he didnt like that at all.
Then we switched to another brand that he just sort of liked.
Finally, after talking to a few veterinarians and golden retriever breeders, we decided to test out Royal Canins Adult Golden Retriever food , which has been his favorite food so far.
If we were to have another puppy, we would definitely start with the Royal Canin Golden Retriever Puppy food.
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Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind
Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind is our top choice for Golden Retriever senior dog food. It is formulated with botanical oils to increase alertness and mental sharpness in dogs ages 7 and older. Our staff veterinarians recommend this dog food for your aging Golden Retriever.
Below is a feeding chart for Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind.
Purina Pro Plan Bright Might Feeding Chart
| Weight | |
|---|---|
| 2 ¾ 3 ½ Cups Per Day | |
| Over 100 lbs. | 3 ½ Cups Per Day plus ¼ cup for each 10 lbs. over 100 lbs. |
This chart is not built for your individual dog. It is best to consult your veterinarian for the right amount of food that will provide your Golden with a healthy lifestyle in the senior years.
How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever
Golden Retrievers usually weigh from 55 to 75 pounds and reach their full height and weight when they are 12 to 18 months old. Keep in mind that every dog is an individual and that it can take more or less time for your Golden puppy to reach his adult size. However, your Goldens caloric needs will greatly decrease when he reaches 12 to 14 months and he will no longer need the same amount of food as before.
An adult and active Golden will need to eat between 1,300 to 1,700 calories per day. However, keep in mind that age, weight, activity level, health problems, and overall lifestyle will determine how many calories your Golden needs per day.
For example, nursing mothers and dogs that perform heavy work will need more than 2,000 calories per day in order to maintain their weight and stay healthy. On the other hand, if your pooch is more of a couch potato type than an athlete he will probably need around 1,000 calories a day in order to maintain a healthy weight.
During adulthood, your Golden Retriever feeding schedule should consist of two equally spaced meals ideally, you should feed your dog in the morning and evening. If you opt for feeding high-quality large breed dog food, an optimal Golden Retriever food amount will be:
- Females: 2 to 2 ½ cups a day
- Males: 3 to 3 ½ cups a day
- Active Males: 4 cups a day
- Nursing Females: 5 to 6 cups a day
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How Often Should You Change Your Dogs Protein
You can change your dogs protein every three months but you can also change it more frequently but only if your dog doesnt have a sensitive stomach, you can switch it when you are run out of their current protein.
You can learn more about golden retrievers sensitive stomachs here and how to find out if your dogs stomach is sensitive.
Lean Meats As Protein Such As Ground Beef Ground Chicken Ground Pork Etc You Get The Picture
Golden retriever food chart. 3 to 3 ½ cups a day Refer to this golden retriever feeding chart for more info: A rich diet in protein fabricates lean muscle mass and quality in the golden retrievers.
Senior golden retriever food guide It contains nutritious ingredients that target healthy skin and coat, cardiac function, and ideal weight. They often might deceive you by trying to show you that they are hungry when they are not.
And most breed enthusiasts recommend feeding dry kibble to a golden retriever, though some owners choose canned food . It provides strength and flexibility in muscles and forms the essential components of the blood, hormone and immune systems. A heads up this food is suitable for goldens 15 months or older.
Our recommended dog food for golden retriever puppies 1. Retriever dog food ingredients to look for include: Golden retriever puppies from 3 to about 6 months of age need to look very lean.
2 to 2 ½ cups a day When combining foods, compute the caloric content of the combined foods from information on the labels, to ensure you hold to your dog’s recommended daily calories. Simple guidelines for adult golden retriever.
Golden retrievers are energetic breeds and its kinda difficult to make them stay still while grooming them trimming their nails or brushing their teeth. Start your dog training as soon as possible, preferably around 8 weeks of age. The ultimate golden retriever puppy growth chart by weight.
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Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Adult
Rating:
Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Adult is one of 14 dry recipes included in our review of the Wellness Complete Health product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, ground brown rice, barley, peas
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Profile: Maintenance
- Best for:Adult goldens
Wellness Complete Health Large Breed Adult derives the bulk of its animal protein from chicken and chicken meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 13% fat and 50% estimated carbs which produces a fat-to-protein ratio of about 46%.
The classic, grain-inclusive, large breed design contains no meat by-products and no BHA or other cancer-causing synthetic preservatives. Easily recommended for adult goldens.
Sample buyer reviewOur dog had developed a bit of a gas issue with another leading brand that featured mostly red meat, so I wanted to go back to a food with mostly chicken. After a lot of research, I settled on Wellness Complete, and weve been very happy with it. Our dog readily goes for the food, and for the first time with any kibble, she will eat a few pieces out of our hand as a treat. I am impressed by the nutritional balance and the glucosamine and chondroitin since she is 80+ pounds, and it seems to have eliminated the gas problems.
Avoid Feeding Fillers To Your Puppy
In general, at least 70 percent of the formula should be comprised of high-quality meat. This will provide the full range of amino acids that your pup needs to grow into a strong and energetic adult.
Some cheap formulas use fillers like soy, corn, and wheat to cut down costs and raise their profit margins. These may be good for the companys bottom line but it is not good for your pups health. These fillers are highly allergenic and add to calories without much nutritional value. Read the label and make sure that the formula is free from these fillers.
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When To Stop Puppy Food
“Trace”“Rumor”“Cadence”“Lexi”“Liberty”
I & #9829 Bailey and Annie!
Pointgold said:I have always switched between 4-6 months, and never used a large breed formula, as I do not consider Goldens a “large breed”. We’ve done this for years, and mainly based it on the same principals as feeding young horses. Slow growth, as would occur “in nature” generally equals longer soundness.In the “wild”, dogs don’t have a choice of Puppy Formula, Adult, Weght Managment, Senior, etc. They nurse and begin eating the same foods as adults by around 4-6 months.
How Much Water Should A Golden Retriever Puppy Drink
Golden Retrievers are known to be naturally, highly active dogs and because of this, they drink a lot of water. In general, Golden Retriever puppies require approximately one-half cup of water every two hours. You should observe your puppy to ensure that he is drinking the right amount of water.
It is a good thing if your Golden Retriever gets lots of exercise and if he likes to drink a lot of water after getting exercise. They are a breed that is expected to be engaged in physical activity daily, so this is not an issue.
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Some Suggested Foods For Your Adult Golden Retriever
The following list contains some foods for you to consider for your golden. Remember that if you feed a high-quality food to your dog without fillers, you often can feed less.
A general guideline Ive found when choosing a food is to make sure that it has specifically-named ingredients, not vague, generic ones. So lamb meal would be preferable to the generic term meat meal.
The same is true of preservatives and other ingredients.
I feed my golden a food thats been recommended by many reliable sources such as the Whole Dog Journal and thats been well-rated by the Dog Food Advisor.
I wont name it just because its one of many choices and what Ive found to be great for my dogs may not be for yours.
And I also considered various foods before making my selection. My dogs are doing well on this food.
You dont need to break the bank to find a great food. Goldens love their food and eat a lot because of their size. So Im providing a wide selection of price points to select from..
Im listing the top-five adult and puppy formulas for large breeds and links to the Dog Food Advisor and Chewy so that you can see additional information regarding these foods and their ratings.
The Dog Food Advisor is a public service website designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food.
The write-ups are taken from those found on the Dog Food Advisor website.
The links will also lead to information regarding additional high-rated foods.
Taste Of The Wild Southwest Canyon
Rating:
Southwest Canyon is one of 9 dry recipes included in our review of the Taste of the Wild product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, peas, garbanzo beans, lamb meal, canola oil
- Type: Grain-free
- Profile: All life stages
- Best for:Golden retriever adults and puppies
Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon acquires the bulk of its animal protein from fresh beef and lamb meal. Dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 32% protein, 17% fat and 43% estimated carbs which results in a fat-to-protein ratio of about 52%.
Southwest Canyon also contains salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs. They help deliver better joint health and a lustrous skin and coat. A super popular brand. Highly recommended.
Sample buyer reviewTaste of the Wild makes both me and my dogs very happy. I have a pack of three that all love it and have beautiful coats that I can only attribute to their diet. As for me, its cost-efficient and doesnt stink like other dog foods. Id recommend it to any of my friends.
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Best Food For Golden Retriever Puppies
These dog foods for puppies will start your Golden Retriever off right:
This dog food is formulated to support your Golden Retriever puppys growth and development without going overboard on fat or calories the recipe features fresh chicken and digestible brown rice.
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large-Breed Puppy Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe
Featuring deboned chicken as its first ingredient, this puppy recipe offers a wholesome balance of protein, whole grains, and vitamins and minerals.
Made with fresh chicken as a lean source of protein and chicken meal to provide glucosamine and chondroitin, this dog food for puppies will get your Golden Retriever off to a healthy start in life.
Nutro Ultra Large-Breed Puppy Recipe
This chicken-based puppy recipe is formulated to support the energy needs of young Goldens and other large breed puppies.
All dogs have the same basic nutritional needs when it comes to protein, fat, and essential nutrients. As youve learned here, however, there are some disparities among breeds of different sizes.
To learn more about the nutritional needs of large dogs, check out our guide to the best dog food for large dogs here.
Be It A Working Or Family Dog Diet Makes The Difference
Golden Retrievers are versatile dogs. They are ideally suited as working, companion and family dogs, as well as being deployed as retrieval, guide, tracking or rescue dogs. Dietary requirements vary depending on their area of deployment. Not just this and the breed trigger certain demands though every individual dog has different characteristics and therefore individual nutritional requirements, which differ based on size, weight and activity level. In addition, frequently occurring ailments affecting Golden Retrievers like allergies, excess weight and joint problems should be taken into consideration.
Once the Goldie has reached adult age, it should be given a food for adult dogs. Active dogs are permitted to have a food with more carbohydrates to obtain energy. In contrast, less active dogs should have a food with a moderate amount of carbohydrates so they dont gain excess weight. Equally, the fat content should be in the mid-range. Along with the activity level and composition of the food, the quantity is crucial to determine weight. The amount of treats and rewards that are given should definitely be considered. Its a matter of the dogs and owners taste whether to opt for a suitable wet or dry food or to combine both types.
Advantages of wet food
Advantages of dry food
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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.
What Is Puppy Food All About
Providing a good start is essential for a healthy puppy. The ideal puppy food is designed to provide all-round nutrition to growing puppies. A puppy is full of energy and its needs are much more than a grown dog. This food must be able to support rapid growth in a puppy that includes its bones, muscles, immune system, and most importantly, its joints.
Ideally, puppy food should contain 30% protein to provide for the energy needs of the growing pup. In addition to this, puppy food contains a high percentage of fat, something which a grown dog does not need. Puppy food also needs to provide vitamins and essential minerals and micronutrition to the puppy.
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How To Switch Food Brands
The other day I was talking to someone who was complaining that her puppy was having lots of stomach issues.
She said shed tried several different food brands and her puppy had problems with all of them!
Well, in this case, its probably not the food thats the problem
Its the fact that she kept switching foods so quickly!
Dogs have sensitive stomachs so if you want to switch foods, you need to do it slowly.
You should take about a week to transition from the old food to the new brand.
For example, on day one, their meal might be 10% new food, 90% old food.
On day two, their meal might be 25% new food, 75% old food.
Youd slowly add in more new food, and give them less of the old food, until youve fully made the switch.
And this rule applies whether youre switching to a different brand of puppy food, or switching them from puppy food to adult food.
If you dont make this transition slowly, youll probably be dealing with a lot of diarrhea .