How Much Do I Feed My Puppy Golden Retriever

Free Feeding Vs Scheduled Feeding

Free feeding;puts zero restrictions on golden retrievers in terms of the quantity of food they consume. In this way, it is hard to monitor the regular intake of food by your pet. Plus, if your dog develops this habit, it will be impossible to bring it back to a scheduled feeding routine. Whats worse is that your golden retriever can get obese this way. Therefore, experienced pet owners, buyers, and veterinarians mostly suggest keeping your dog on a scheduled feeding routine.

Even during scheduled feeding, pet owners sometimes cant tell whether or not they are giving too much food to their pet. In times like these, place your hands on the back of the dog along the spine. You should be able to feel its ribs without putting pressure on its back. ;If you are unable to feel the ribs, it is a surefire sign that your golden retriever is overeating and getting fat.

Bear in mind that obesity doesnt occur on its own; it usually happens when you feed your dear pet extra treats. The extra food spikes up calories that eventually lead to obesity.

Golden Retriever Puppy Feeding Chart

How Much? An 8-week old golden retriever puppy will only eat about 1.5 cups of food a day. By 4 months, he should be at 3 cups and up to 4 cups around 6 months.

What to Expect:You can expect your puppys appetite to gradually increase over time. Puppies will need a lot more food during periods of high growth, but then you will need to decrease the amount you are feeding him to keep him healthy as he reaches adulthood.

Careful: Some puppies will inhale their food as quickly as possible. They often might deceive you by trying to show you that they are hungry when they are not. Thats why its important to stick to the Golden Retriever puppy feeding chart.

Why You Should Feed Your Golden Retriever Puppy High

Controlling what your golden eats is one of the most important things you can do when it comes to their health.

And although many goldens have lived healthy lives on Walmart brand pet foods, feeding them high-quality food will stack the odds of them being healthy in their favor.

Here are some benefits of feeding them a high-quality food:

• Healthy and beautiful coat
• Healthy bones and joints
• Fewer allergies

Thats a lot of health benefits, right?

Now high-quality food can be a little on the expensive side, but chances are likely that youll save more money in the long run on vet bills.

You May Like: What Is The Lifespan Of A Golden Retriever

Can Golden Retrievers Eat Bones

Youve probably heard the expression give a dog a bone, right? But can Golden Retrievers eat bones?

Golden Retrievers can eat bones. They are high in nutrients, especially calcium and phosphorus, and can help clean and strengthen your dogs teeth. On the other hand, cooked bones must never be fed, as they can splinter and cause injuries or choking. The bone must also be larger than your dogs muzzle.

Cooked bones soften and splinter instantly in your dogs mouth or throat, causing choking. Beef or lamb bones are stronger and less likely to splinter than chicken or pork bones.

Give your Golden Retriever a bone appropriate for his size, such as a big beef shank bone. All bones should be wider than the length of his muzzle, making swallowing them whole impossible. When feeding your Retriever a bone, always keep an eye on him.

How Much Should A Golden Retriever Eat Daily

On average, an adult Golden Retriever will eat between 2 and 3 ½ cups of food per day. However, the exact amount of food varies from one dog to the next and depends on age, activity level, weight, health problems, and quality of food.

Furthermore, neutered golden Retrievers need fewer calories compared to their unaltered counterparts, and nursing females will have to eat more to maintain their weight and produce milk for the puppies.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Lifespan Of A Golden Retriever

When And How To Change The Feeding Of Puppy To Adult

When your Golden Retriever is anywhere from 18 months to 24 months old, you should switch to adult dog food. The large breed puppies take a bit more time to attain adult development, and by two years of age, many of them are still growing.

Whenever your puppy reaches six months, you should begin feeding him twice per day, but you should keep him on puppy food until he reaches adult age.

It is always better to do this gradually as an abrupt switch may not be ideal. If you feed your dog twice per day, you can start giving him adult food mixed in with the one he is used to.

How To Take Care Of A 12 Week Old Golden Retriever

Golden Retriever is one of the best dogs for families and kids. The Goldens are full of energy and love playing games with humans. Their trainability, as well as their intelligence and obedience, makes them one of the most awesome dogs on the Earth. Other than being kept as pets, Golden Retrievers are also used as guide dogs and security dogs. Some of them also serve in military.

However, in order to train a Golden Retriever, it is better to take them home or start training since they are puppies. Twelve weeks of age is a critical time to get your Golden Retriever to familiarize with the settings or your families.

There are many aspects of taking care of a 12-week-old Golden Retriever: from the feeding, grooming, to the training, and so on. So lets take a look at some aspects below to get a better idea of how to raise a Golden pup.

You May Like: How Often Should You Groom Your Golden Retriever

Dog Feeding Guidelines About Feeding Dogs Human Food

What do dog feeding guidelines suggest about feeding dogs human food?

Well, Golden Retriever dogs love to eat more than almost anything else, so theyre natural beggars. But feeding your Golden Retriever table scraps and bites of your own snacks really isnt a good idea. Heres why:

• It leads to weight gain if the amount of his regular food isnt reduced.
• You mess up the nutritional balance thats been carefully formulated in his dog food.
• You run the risk of giving your precious pup an upset tummy, diarrhea, or even;a life-threatening case of pancreatitis.

How Much Does It Cost To Buy Food For A Golden Retriever

Golden retrievers are large breed dogs that require plenty of food and exercise.

Generally, basic dry golden retriever food can cost about $100 $250 per year for a 30-pound bag every 1 2 months. High quality dry food might go between $200 $400 per year for the same quantity and frequency.

Wet dog food will cost a bit more and range between $400 $1,000 per year for 1 3 cases of 13-ounce cans per month. The cost for food will depend on the size, age, and activity level of your companion.

When you buy dog food, always check the labels and make sure they meet the standards of the Association of American Feed Control Officials while they dont regulate, test, or certify pet foods in any way, they do establish the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods. Fortunately, the cheaper brands of dog food can be just as good as the more premium brands as long as they meet the standards of AAFCO and are made with minimal processing. When making your decision, make sure to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives where you can, since they could cause health problems for your dog.

Here is a list of prices for some popular golden retriever food brands:

If you want to give your new dog the best, happiest, and most-loving home possible, its important to have a few key essentials ready for your new family member! Heres a quick list of things to get and their average expenses:

Also Check: Golden Retriever Teddy Cut

Choosing The Right Formula

It is better to feed those formulas to your pups which have been specifically developed for growing puppies. If the formula has been developed specifically for the growing needs of puppies, it will be mentioned on the package.

You should avoid those foods which do not have meat listed as the first ingredient. If, for instance, you see a package with corn or meat by-products listed as the first ingredient, you should not purchase it.

Should I Feed My Golden Retriever Table Food

Feeding your Golden Retriever table food is not the best practice but can be done in moderation. Some table foods are healthy for them such as blueberries and plain yogurt.

Just be aware that feeding them too much table food can throw their entire diet out of whack. They may not be getting enough vitamins and minerals like they do from their dog food.

You May Like: How To Train Golden Retriever Puppy

Wrapping Up: How Much Food For A Golden Retriever Puppy

Unfortunately, How much should a Golden Retriever puppy eat doesnt have a simple answer. Hopefully, though, weve provided you with enough information to set your puppy up for a lifetime of success.

There are a lot of things to worry about when youre raising a puppy. How much to feed a Golden Retriever puppy shouldnt be one of them!

Cost Of Adopting A Golden Retriever

Buying a golden retriever versus adopting one is a common debate for aspiring dog owners. Adopting a dog usually means finding your future pet at a rescue or shelter. Conversely, when you choose to buy a golden retriever you typically purchase the dog directly from their owner or breeder.

Adoption is typically cheaper than buying a golden retriever since starting adoption fees tend to be around $250 to $500. Please note that depending on the shelter, you may have to pay additional golden retriever costs for certain shots and procedures.

Unfortunately, at shelters and rescues, you may not have a wide selection of dogs to choose from especially if youre looking for a specific gender, breed, age, or health level.

Its also important to remember that, sometimes, adopted golden retrievers have behavior or health issues, which could make things harder for you in the future. You simply dont know as much about your new dogs history as you would if you purchased directly from a trusted breeder.

On the other hand, when you buy from a reputable breeder, youll have a higher chance of bringing home a happy and healthy golden retriever that will cost you less in the long run.

Recommended Reading: How To Cut Golden Retriever Hair

How Often Should I Feed My Golden Retriever Puppy

Growing puppies have different nutritional requirements than adult dogs, and they require more frequent feedings at different stages of development. Depending on age, heres how much you should feed your Golden Retriever puppy:

Golden Retriever puppies get all of their nutrients from their mother when they are born. However, its safe to start the weaning process onto a new diet from three to four weeks old.

Puppies in the early stages of development need enough calories, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals to support rapid growth and development and set them on the road to a healthy life.

Heres a Helpful Video on How Often Dogs Should Eat, from Puppies to Adults

Since Golden Retrievers are a medium-large breed, they should be fed large-breed dog food, even puppies. Large breed dog food is actually essential for your Goldens health.

Heres the deal

Large breed foods have a higher protein content and lower calcium, phosphorus, and fat content. It is nutritionally designed to keep them from growing too quickly, leading to debilitating conditions like hip and elbow dysplasia.

While adult dogs can thrive on one meal a day, most Golden Retriever owners tend to feed their dogs twice a day. This makes it easier for the dog to digest the food, control hunger, and avoid life-threatening bloat . My dog would much rather eat twice a day.

The Best Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

Though;breed-specific dog food;formulas might be fine for your dog, its better to understand your dogs nutritional needs and make an informed decision based on that. Keeping in mind your dogs age, breed size, and activity level will help you make the best choice.

With that in mind, these are our top picks for the best dog food for adult Golden Retrievers.

Formulated for digestibility, this holistic natural dog food recipe features real chicken as the main ingredient, acting as both a lean source of protein and a natural source of joint-supporting glucosamine and chondroitin for your Golden Retriever.

Halo Holistic Chicken Recipe Large-Breed Dog Food for Golden Retrievers

This holistic crunchy dry dog food features real chicken as its main ingredient.

Read Also: What Is The Lifespan Of A Golden Retriever

How Often You Should Feed Your Golden Puppy

A puppy should remain with his littermates and mother until hes eight weeks old.

Assuming you have an eight-week-old puppy, he should receive three to four meals a day. So youll split the amounts suggested into each daily feeding at the same scheduled intervals every day.

Feeding at the same times every day will help the puppys ability to digest his food and for him to have a source of energy throughout the day.

From eight weeks old until about five or six months old, three meals per day are advisable. Of course, feed at the same intervals every day and split the total amount per day in half to be given at each feeding.

After about six months of age through adulthood, two feedings per day are the norm.;

Always check with your vet regarding how much and how often to feed. These are just guidelines.

Feed him at the same distraction-free location so that he focuses on eating. As much as goldens love to eat, a young golden puppy is also very easily distracted.

Give him about 15 or 20 minutes to eat, then pick up any food thats left. Most puppies will learn to eat while the foods down.;

If he misses a couple of meals and has no interest in the food, consult with your vet to determine whether anythings wrong.

Dont free-feed your golden retriever puppy.;If you leave the food down all the time, hell probably overeat and become overweight.;

This can lead to possible health problems, including joint and bone problems. Goldens can easily become overweight.

The Dangers Of Beg And Grain

We touched on this earlier, but in recent years, DCM has increased in golden retrievers, according to this study.

There seem to be two potential causes of this.

When they surveyed what these dogs were eating, more than 90 percent of products were grain-free, and 93 percent of reported products had peas and/or lentils.

So when choosing which food to feed your puppy, you may want to think twice before you decide to go grain free.

Also Check: Golden Retriever Facts For Kids

Victor Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food For Golden Retrievers

If food allergies and sensitivities arent a factor, this dry dog food recipe is a protein-rich source of quality nutrition thats also limited in fat and calories to help your Golden Retriever maintain their weight as they get older.

Victor Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food for Golden Retrievers

This weight management dry dog food is intended for senior-aged dogs and contains ingredients to help support their joint health.

Interested In Training Your Golden Retriever The Right Way

If you havent trained your golden retriever properly, then this is the perfect time to start. Whatever bad behavior your shepherd has, whether its barking at night or other bad behaviors, using the right training program is the key to having an obedient and happy pup.

The training program I love and highly recommend is Brain Training For Dogs.

With Brain Training For Dogs youll save yourself a ton of time and effort. Instead of banging your head against the wall trying to figure out why your dog wont listen, youll follow a path that has been tried, tested, and most importantly, thats given proven results. Not to mention the fact, youll be able to fit the course around your schedule, not fit your schedule around a trainer or obedience class.

So instead of worrying about whether theyre going to be well-behaved or not, youll only have to worry about how much fun youll have with them!

And in most cases its still going to be:

• Cheaper than hiring a professional.
• Cheaper than replacing everything they might break.
• And definitely cheaper than a lawsuit against you, if they decide to bite someone.

Just imagine how great it will feel to finally be able to trust your border collie completely and never worry whether theyll be naughty or not. Instead, youll have the peace of mind that you have a well-behaved pup, and the boundaries you set for them, will always be there, EVEN IF YOURE NOT.;

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Way To Groom A Golden Retriever

Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food

Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food is also a great choice of puppy food for Golden Retrievers. This food contains high-quality ingredients and is made in the USA. It supports healthy brain development that increases the intelligence and trainability of your Golden Retriever. This food is highly recommended by our staff veterinarians as well.

Below is Eukanubas Large Breed Puppy feeding chart.

Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Feeding Chart

How Much To Feed A Golden Retriever Puppy A Perfect Guide

I know that you are a bit confused with a few questions that are hitting your head as now you have got a new best friend home. I was the same as you when I adopted Max a year back, with a bunch of queries and was totally confused with the feeding chart, what to feed, feeding schedule, how much to feed, and many more!

Well, this guide that Ive written is quite helpful and when youll read till the last section all your thoughts that you are carrying now will vanish!

Like one of your chief doubts would be How much to feed a Golden Retriever puppy? Yes, its obvious like no matter how much food you serve your Golden, he would definitely eat all you serve , so you need to give him the proper amount of food, diet, and feeding if you want to grow your Golden Retriever Puppy in a healthy way. You should not overfeed your Golden as it can result in health consequences.

You should know that when to feed your Golden Retriever, how much to feed because it is essential for your puppys health. Goldens are prone to many health problems and the solution for this is to feed your pup with a perfect plan!

Well, I will take you from the beginning, its not rocket science! And follow the right feeding guide and there you are!

So, lets start from a clean slate!

If you are in a hurry have a look at this Table of Contents section this would help you to reach directly at the particular topic you desire.

Read Also: How Often To Groom Golden Retriever